Last week I professed my love for small venues after attending a show at the Larimer Lounge. Now it seems as if the whole small venue thing has come back to bite me, as the ugly side of having shows at small venues shows itself. I had not heard about Cults until pretty recently, a little over a month ago, but right away I knew I was hearing something great. Apparently though, Denver is well aware of this indie pop group that hails from Manhattan. There is something about this group that is quite infectious, so much so that the show tonight at Larimer Lounge sold out before I could get my grubby hands on a ticket!

Cults are Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin, and this duo produce some great indie music with a retro sound. Madeline's vocals sound as if she easily could have existed in another era - she could have been in a Phil Spector produced girl group from the 1960s. But despite their throwback sound, the song production is crafty and fresh. It's like the movie Pleasantville - their music exists in a black-and-white framework but their sound is full of color. Listen to "You Know What I Mean", and you'll know what I mean.


I'm not really surprised this show sold out, I was just hoping tickets would last a little longer. I have a feeling the next time this band comes to Denver, they'll have even more buzz and will likely play at a much larger venue. Still, I wish I could see them in the intimate setting that is the Larimer Lounge, and this concert will easily make the list of concerts I regret missing this year. If you have your ticket, you are in for a treat, but you probably know this. If you haven't heard these guys before, maybe you shouldn't listen to their songs - doing so will make you wish you could see them.

Cults - You Know What I Mean by cultscultscults