If I could be in two places at the same time, I would also be at the Marquis Theater tonight. Two of my favorite local Denver electronic bands, Flashlights and Force Publique will be there. Denver local hip-hop artist Whygee is also nothing to shake a stick at, and local electronic artist R E A L M A G I C is finding a lot of play in my music rotation lately.


Flashlights is kicking off their late summer tour by starting in Denver tonight. These guys have been getting a lot of exposure lately, especially after winning best electro-pop band at the Westword Music Showcase this summer. These guys have a very unique electro dream-pop sound. I saw these guys perform at the showcase and they are quite good. Ethan Converse and Sam Martin get really into their set, and the expression literally drips off their faces. Check out "New Hampshire". I've never been to that state, but the way they sing about really makes me want to go there.


Force Publique is another band I saw at Westword Music showcase, and was sad to narrowly miss as openers for Battles last month. These guys have a very experimental electro-rock sound that I can't quite describe and took me completely by surprise at first - but now I keep playing their eponymous EP on loop. I'm sure their sound isn't for everyone, but if you're looking for something new, check out "Still Falls Apart" and "Fortified".


Whygee is a veteran MC and beat-boxer who has been a part of various Denver hip-hop projects. Fans of classic hip-hop will enjoy Whygee's style, as he pays homage to the greats while injecting his own, Colorado influenced style. Nod your head to the soulful song, "She Said".




R E A L M A G I C is an up an comer in the Denver electronic music scene, who fits right in line with the chillwave scene. He's like the local version of Chad Valley, but draws a bit of his sound from drum-and-bass and dubstep. By no means is he going to womp your face off though or get you running through the jungle. Instead, it's like more like easy listening for bass fans. Check out "No Things Left".




The party starts at the Marquis Theater at 8:30PM. Tickets are $10 at the door. Go support some great local talent!

New Hampshire by FLASHLIGHTS Still Falls Apart by FORCE PUBLIQUE Fortified by FORCE PUBLIQUE She Said (prod. by Mirrorkill) by Whygee R E A L M A G I C - No Things Left by licas

I've been introduced to many great songs and artists through an unlikely source - TV commercials. Sometimes a song is so powerful, that despite it being chopped up into a 30 second snippet, it ends up stuck in my head and I just have to go on a quest to dig up more. This happened to me back in the summer of 2008, when I saw a Heineken commercial featuring an infectious bass line and simple, yet extremely catchy guitar riff. I immediately began searching the internet to find out what that song was, and my search led to my discovery of "Forever" and the band Walter Meego.


I picked up a copy of their album, Voyager, and put it on heavy repeat. There was something about their blend of dance-pop/club-rock that kept me hooked. Honestly it's hard for me to pick out just a song or two from this album to represent these guys, but check out "Keyhole" - something I would describe as progressive dance. This music was made for the dance floor, but unfortunately I missed my chance to see these guys and experience the music as intended when they came through Denver that year.


Still, Walter Meego kept hard at work and released their second studio album, Wondervalley, late last year. Admittedly, I was not immediately a fan. Walter Meego tweaked their sound a bit on this album - less dance, more chillwave. But on successive listens, the new album grew on me. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something singer-songwriter about their latest offering - like dream-pop Simon & Garfunkel with a sprinkling of soft rock. "Starlight", a much slower tempo song compared to most on Voyager, seems to be the closest to anything they had before. I think "Time Machine" is a good example of the overall feel of Wondervalley -  a much more intimate sound.


I don't know what sound Walter Meego plans to bring with them tonight to the Larimer Lounge, but I hope it's a little bit of both. The more soothing sounds of Wondervalley would be welcome, especially juxtaposed to ManCub's noise-heavy opening set. But I would be extremely disappointed if they don't pick up the pace with some of my old favorites from Voyager. Either way, I'm just glad these guys have come back for a second round - I'm not missing them this time.

Walter Meego will be at the Larimer Lounge tonight and their set will start at 10:30. The party will get started at 8:30 with a DJ set from Colfax Speed Queen and then a face melting set at 9:30 from ManCub (see yesterday's write-up). Tickets are $10 at the door. Come tonight and get your dance on; I know I will!






Walter Meego - Starlight by buzzbands
Time Machine by waltermeego

I must admit, I was already pretty excited when I saw Walter Meego is coming to town this Thursday night, but what really sealed the deal and made this a can't miss concert for me is when I saw Denver's own ManCub would be responsible for kicking off the party.


ManCub is a Denver duo consisting of Danny Stillman and Alex Anderson, who use vintage synthesizers and drum machines to produce some hard hitting electro noise-pop. I first heard about this band when checking out who was playing the Westword Music Showcase, and although I missed their live set, they made enough of an impression on me that I have since picked up their album 8 Bit Crush.


The album is brief but showcases what these guys are all about - an eclectic blend of sounds seemingly from a future robot laser blaster party, that somehow blend with pleasant, ethereal pads and chillwave-esque machined vocals. "Sound" comes in with a thumping beat and hard square synth, but soon thereafter carries you off on a cloud. "Post Modern War" begs you to don your Gundam suit and thrust yourself into an epic battle that takes place in bullet-time. I can't wait to join ranks with these guys and rage on the dance floor.


ManCub will be at Larimer Lounge tomorrow, July 28. Tickets are $8 advance/$10 at the door, so it won't break the bank, either. The festivities begin at 8:30PM. Check out the songs mentioned below, or you can download anything ManCub at their BandCamp page, including their newly released super awesome EP, The Secret Stache. Seems they may have found a new vocalist. Check out "Rapture".

Sound by ManCub
Post Modern War by ManCub
Rapture by ManCub