On Friday night, the Walnut Room hosted an all local showcase of purely instrumental bands. Sometimes instrumental music gets a bad rap, thanks to it often being relegated to the background in situations like elevator music, but there are plenty of instances where instrumentalism can stand out on its own. Lead singer/guitarist Bryon Parker of the local band Accordion Crimes brought up a good point on this subject; when used correctly, an instrument is a musician's voice - it is the medium they'll use to communicate their craft. Such was the case for the bands featured Friday night, as there was nothing superficial about the way each band presented their instrumental music.

Cult of the Lost Cause

The evening began with an opening set from local instrumental rock group Cult of the Lost Cause. The trio of Thom Mc (bass), Michael Salazar (drums) and Mhyk (guitar) created instrumental post-rock that was somewhere in between progressive rock and sludge metal - a combination of intricate song structures and irregular time signatures mated with a heavily distorted and deliberate sound that was dark yet forceful. All three instruments were featured in the foreground at one point or another, allowing each musician to showcase their skills while layering well with each other.

Cult of the Lost Cause

Their set began with a couple previously released songs before the band explored new material. "Apache Jazz" started the night, a piece that began with a slow tempo and noisy desert-rock style guitar that increased with intensity as the song broke into a tribal-like rhythm with howling tremolo picked guitar. Next came "First Day of the Flood", scaling back the tempo a little further to create an atmospheric sound like the calm before a storm. The slow krautrock like rhythm matched with the harmonics on the guitar and bass sounded like the steady fall of raindrops, and as the tempo increased so did the intensity and a menacing mood.

Cult of the Lost Cause

The last four pieces of their set were newer unreleased songs. The first was a pounding drum driven riff heavy rocker, followed by a song propelled by a rapid guitar riff and rapid drums. They kept the intensity high with the third new song, a piece with a lot of striking technicality from all three instrumentalists - probably the most progressive rock influenced piece in their set. They finished with a piece that slowed it back down, starting out like a psychedelic piece that transformed into a heavy, moody post-metal rocker. Cult of the Lost cause definitely gets their post-rock message across despite not featuring any vocals, and fans of darker, heavier rock should check out this band.

Go Star

Next up was Go Star, an improvisational experimental rock band headed by trumpeter Joshua Trinidad. Joshua Trinidad played trumpet and manipulated electronic effects, joined by Enoc Torraca on bass, Roger on guitar, and Gregg Ziemba on drums. The quartet played two improvisational pieces both at roughly fifteen minutes each. They created a spaced out future jazz-like sound featuring rhythmic bass and intricate jazzy drumming, heavily effected and scattered guitar, and trumpet work that definitely thought outside of the box.

Go Star

Most of Josh Trinidad's trumpet sounds were routed through an effects box, allowing Josh Trinidad to create celestial atmospheric sounds through loops and filters that one wouldn't expect from a trumpeter. The set was like going back in time, watching a jam session of experienced jazz musicians in the back of a cafe, only these particular musicians had access to technology that early jazz musicians couldn't even dream of. Go Star is definitely a band that needs to be experienced live, as the dynamic these musicians have cause the music to go in spontaneous but fascinating directions. If you have an appreciation for jazz, Go Star will give you the forward-thinking jazz experience.

Micro Marauder

Micro Marauder took the stage next, and put together a set that expanded on the future jazz theme. Micro Marauder performed as a duo; guitarist David Thomas Bailey and drummer Dean Hirschfield. The two created music steeped in post-jazz, creating an impressively expansive experimental sound despite the apparent limitations of only having two people. Dean Hirschfield exhibited impressive skill not only on the drum set, but as a percussionist in general, using an array of other percussion techniques - even utilizing sounds from children's toys. David Thomas Bailey showcased his mind-blowing skill on a seven string guitar, able to create the sound of two instruments - guitar and bass - at the same time utilizing a single guitar. He would simultaneously play a bass line by plucking the lower strings of his guitar with his thumb, while using his fingers to play guitar melodies and chords.

Micro Marauder

The resulting sound was an delectable post-jazz stew - a beautiful concoction of experimental rock. The set began with "Fuck That Garbage Truck", a psychedelic jazz-rock piece that introduced the crowd to their expansive sound. The next piece showed off even more creativity, as Dean Hirschfield started using an array of varied percussion techniques, including looping an animal sound from a baby toy, playing a gong, using miscellaneous shakers and rattles, oh, and of course playing his drum set. Meanwhile, David Thomas Bailey played a introspective jazz guitar with a psychedelic sound and a galaxial effect. More exploratory sound creation continued - Dean Hirschfield used a chicken toy to create a sound at one point, while David Thomas Bailey wedged a ring in between his strings to generate high notes well outside of the normal range of a guitar. The Micro Marauder sound is definitely out there and very experimental, but if you have an appreciation for extreme musicianship, the things this band does is really quite bedazzling.

Panal S.A. de C.V.

The last band of the night was the headlining instrumental rock group Panal S.A. de C.V. This four-piece band featured Enrique Jimenez (guitar), Juan Carlos Flores (guitar/keyboards/effects), Israel Jimenez (drums/keyboard), and Enoc Torraca (bass). This band created experimental post-rock instrumentals that featured a multitude of influences; psych-rock, progressive, post-metal, Latin-rock and more. The band worked in perfect sync with each other to create songs that were more like epic sonic journeys than collections of songs. Their songs have the ability to suck the listener in, taking them wherever Panal S.A. de C.V. pleases on their odysseys of sound.


Panal S.A. de C.V.


Not only does this band exhibit instrumental prowess, but they know how to put on one heck of an immersive show with the addition of stage effects and lighting. The show began with the Walnut Room lights dimmed, as Juan Carlos Flores stood solitary on the stage, creating an atmospheric wall of sound with his guitar that permeated the room like the steady stream of smoke billowing from the fog machine on stage. Slowly the other members of the band joined him, picking up their instruments one by one - adding subtle bits of atmosphere to the out-of-this-world feel to the piece. Then, after a meditative five minutes, the piece burst into celestial psychedelic post-rock as bursts of colored light beamed like star trails from behind the blue-LED light wrapped drum kit of Israel Jimenez.

Panal S.A. de C.V.

That tantalizing introduction was followed by the performance of "No Puedo Ser", a beautiful guitar driven post-rock waltz that despite its instrumental nature (although there were some sound clips in Spanish I did not understand), seemed to tell a sad love story. No Puedo Ser translates to 'it cannot be' in English, and that's exactly how I felt at this point of Panal S.A. de C.V.'s show - as what I was seeing and hearing was so perfect, it was almost surreal.

Panal S.A. de C.V.

Next came "Alpenglow", a piece that combined psychedelic rock with the seductive danceability of Latin music. This piece featured live guitar looping from Enrique Jimenez and a section where drummer Israel Jimenez left his kit to play the keyboard. The trip continued with the melodic "Black Sand", a psych-meets-western post-rock piece that started out ethereal but ended with deliberate fervor. Next came "Vox Pouli", a piece that combined krautrock with a progressive post-rock style, before ending with the funky yet aggressive post-metal piece "You Knew I Was A Snake", which closed the band's set with amazing energy. This band definitely embodies the idea that instruments can be a voice in themselves, and their voices were heard loud and clear. This is an amazing rock band that I highly recommend anyone to see.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page to stay updated!
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It's time to head back to the Walnut Room for another great show featuring local musicians. This time four local bands are playing music of the more exploratory kind - a display of skill and talent that shows thinking outside of what some people normally define as rock. This night is definitely about instrumental appreciation, as all four bands play music without featuring a vocalist. If you want to see some fresh musical ideas, this is the place to be.


Panal S.A. de C.V. is a four piece experimental and progressive rock band. They play music that is influenced not only by hard and progressive rock, but also with Latin American music styles, creating a unique progressive combination that is both technical and beautiful. Check out "You Knew I Was A Snake".



Cult of the Lost Cause is a progressive rock band influenced by heavy metal. This instrumental trio makes music with technical force - they can create a powerful sound that mesmerizes with its many key, tempo, and time signature changes. Check out "The Receiving End".




Micro Marauder is an experimental improvisational instrumental duo. The two are heavily rooted in post jazz, creating unexpected soundscapes using only a seven string guitar and drum set. The improvisational aspect of this duo means their music can pretty much go anywhere.


Go Star is another experimental project involving acclaimed local trumpeter Joshua Trinidad. Using the unusual combination of trumpet with bass,  drums and electronics, Go Star seeks to conquer new territory in experimental and improvisational sound. Check out "Mystery Trane".



The Walnut Room doors open at 7:30PM and the show starts at 8:00PM. The show is 21+ and tickets are $7.
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I'm always listening to a huge variety of music, but before Saturday night, I had to really think back to remember the last time I saw just straight up rock 'n' roll. I've seen many variations and offshoots of the classic, original rock sound, but, in the words of Led Zeppelin, it's been a long time since I've rock 'n' rolled. I made my way to the Hi-Dive Saturday night to check out a few more variations of rock and one band in particular that still has that original authentic spirit of straight up classic rock 'n' roll.

Mhyk Monroe and Michael Salazar of Cult of the Lost Cause

The night began with local progressive rock trio Cult of the Lost Cause. This three piece band consists of Mhyk Monroe on guitar, Thom Mc on bass, and Michael Salazar on drums. The band uses these three simple ingredients to create a hard-hitting, progressive sound that seems to have a heavy sludge metal influence. Most of their songs are lengthy and technical, relying on non-repeating song structures, careful build-ups, and sudden changes in tempo and/or time signature. The backbone of each song was the scorching guitar work of Mhyk Monroe, but the overall sound was heavily reliant on the contributions of the other two instrumentalists. Thom Mc's bass work wasn't just something to hold down the low end in the background, but instead acted as a complementary layer that often became the featured sound. Michael Salazar's drumming was an absolute joy to watch as he masterfully provided constant and complex rhythms that drove every piece.

Thom Mc of Cult of the Lost Cause

Cult of the Lost Cause opened with the ten minute long epic "Empty Mansions", setting the tone for the rest of their set. The song featured the progressive nature of the band but rather than being too inaccessibly technical, the sludge metal influence gave the song a steady groove and hard attitude. "First Day of the Flood" showed the more atmospheric side of the band, showcasing a sound that was more like post-rock meets krautrock as the song progressively built to a steady peak. They closed with a couple more songs with the progressive sludge metal characteristic. If you are into instrumental rock and want to hear something technical but not overwhelming, check out the desert style sounds of Cult of the Lost Cause.

Twin Peaks

Next up was another local trio, Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is Addison Friesen on vocals and guitar, Beau Ritten on drums, and Wes Waddell bass. When checking out their recorded album, Oolaroo, I noted they seemed to have an indie-alternative influenced rock 'n' roll sound. After seeing them live, I'd have to say the rock 'n' roll influence is much stronger than I thought, and that their live sound was much stronger and more raw than their recording. Each song is driven by Addison Friesen's guitar riffs and Beau Ritten's classic rock style rhythms. Addison's vocal style is a little more emotive than classic rock, and that is probably where the bulk of the indie-alternative aspects of this band's sound stems from.

Addison Friesen of Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks performed as the Twin Peaks Experience, as they brought out a little extra stage production for this show. They had a stack of old cathode ray tube televisions all hooked up to a DVD player playing what was supposed to be video synced up to their performance. However, because of a late start, they were unable to play their entire intended set and thus the video did not stay synchronized for long. They played eight of the ten tracks off of their debut album, Oolaroo. I thought "The Great Sleep", with it's heavy rock 'n' roll spirit, and "George Hunter White", that ended with Addison Friesen playing guitar while lying on his back, were the standout tracks from Twin Peaks' set. Twin Peaks has a pretty good blend of classic rock 'n' roll blended with more modern rock sounds, so if you are a fan of rock, check them out.

Jason Davis of Archeology

Next up was the only imported band in the lineup, Portland's own Archeology. This indie folk-rock band had Jason Davis on acoustic/electric guitar, Daniel Walker on bass, Zach Dilday on electric guitar, and Benjamin Haysom on drums. Together they create songs that have a strong folk and sometimes country influence that they blend with modern rock, featuring tightly harmonized vocals from all members of the band. Their album Memorial is very folk influenced, but I think because of the nature of the show they were playing, Archeology decided to inject a little more rock 'n' roll into their sound.

Daniel Walker of Archeology

I noticed huge differences between some of the songs they performed and what they have available as recorded material. The songs "Native Son" and "White Walls" tend to have a more folk-like acoustic footprint in their recorded versions, but Archeology chose to perform those songs with a lot heavier distorted guitar. It was interesting to see their versatility, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting to see. Although their newest songs "Hunger" and "Kings Canyon" weren't as drastically different, I think the heavy distorted/electric elements they chose to perform with took away a little bit of each of those song's original charm. I did enjoy their cover of Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm", in which they infused Archeology's folk based sound with classic country and rock 'n' roll. I think Archeology is a very promising band, but I'll have to see them perform a more folk oriented set before I can say I've really heard the band in the way they were meant to be. If you like indie folk rock, keep your eyes out for these guys, as their songwriting is quite good.

Cassidy Gates of Warhawk

Finally it was time for local classic-style rock 'n' rollers Warhawk. Warhawk is a four-piece band consisting of Alex Eschen (guitar), Cassidy Gates (vocals, guitar), Lisandro Gutierrez (bass, backing vocals), and Ian Rippe (drums). This fearsome foursome brings back the authentic feel of vintage rock 'n' roll - the kind of high energy unapologetic rock that took the '60s and '70s by storm. Not only is Warhawk's instrumentation spot on, but their spirited stage presence gives this band an authentic look and feel.

Warhawk

Warhawk performed eight intense tear-your-face-off rock songs that pumped up the people in the crowd and had the members of Warhawk thrashing about stage. I'd listened to their six song self-titled EP and thought I knew what I was in for, but once the amplifiers were cranked up and Warhawk started tearing into their songs, there was even more octane in their sound than I'd been expecting. Most of the material they played in their set I did not recognize from their album, but it was all loud drums, thumping bass, heavy guitar riffs, and blistering solos from start to finish. I believe they covered a Mötley Crüe song performed in a classic rock 'n' roll style, and they played my favorite song off of their EP, "Cold Gin, Hot Sin". If you are looking for that vintage rock 'n' roll sound, it is alive and well in Warhawk.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page to stay up to date.
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After spending Friday dancing the night away, I'm heading to the Hi-Dive tonight for a mix of rock 'n' roll. The Hi-Dive is hosting three local bands and one national band that all have rock 'n' roll at their core but present their iterations in a different way. There will be rock 'n' roll with a throwback sound, indie folk influenced rock, rock with a modern alt-rock sound, and heavy progressive instrumental metal-rock.


Warhawk is a four-piece Denver rock 'n' roll band. They use hard driving guitar riffs and classic rock rhythms to create music that sounds like high energy do-it-yourself '60s punk-garage. Check out "Get Your Kicks With Me".
Warhawk - Get Your Kicks With Me by Concerted Effort


Archeology is an indie rock band from Portland that has a strong folk influence. They seem to have fused a folk/acoustic sound with the spirit of rock 'n' roll and blended it all with indie rock sensibilities to create something a little different but still catchy. Check out "By The By".
Archeology - By the By by Concerted Effort


Twin Peaks is a local Denver indie rock trio. This three piece band's sound seems to stem from a multitude of influence. The instrumentation seems to be a blend of garage, alt-rock and post-punk with a very indie/modern alt-rock vocal style. Check out "The Great Sleep".
Twin Peaks - The Great Sleep by Concerted Effort


Cult of the Lost Cause is a local three piece instrumental rock band. Their brand of instrumental music is a like progressive rock meets sludge and heavy metal, making for hard-hitting and technical instrumental songs. Check out "The Receiving End".
Cult of the Lost Cause - The Receiving End by Concerted Effort

The doors open at the Hi-Dive tonight at 9:00PM, and the show starts at 9:30PM. This 21+ show is only $6 at the door.
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