It was good to be home again - or at least my home away from home. That's how I feel about the Larimer Lounge because it's the place I wrote my first review, and it keeps me coming back. Why? It's a good intimate venue with friendly staff and they consistently bring in a variety of talent - both national and especially local. When I saw they had a local indie rock show I knew I had to be there, and it ended up being a very entertaining show from start to finish.
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| Harpoontang |
The night started a little later than anticipated, but when all five members of the opening band Harpoontang were ready to go, there was no looking back. Harpoontang is a local Denver indie/comedy band featuring Sarah Shu on vocals/banjo, Genevieve Patterson on bass/keyboard/vocals, Esme Collins guitar/vocals, Maria Kohler on guitar/drums/vocals, and Laura Goldhamer on drums/banjo/guitar/vocals. They create a sound that is part blues, part rock, part vocal ensemble, and completely hilarious.
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| Harpoontang |
Musically, they've got enough going to keep people on the dance floor, but lyrically, they'll have the crowd laughing too hard to move their feet in rhythm. They did this with songs like "Cock Rock" and "Hymen Back" - just the song titles alone warrant a smirk. Even the seasonal song "Jingle Me Down" made me think of Santa in a different way. I was really impressed by their vocal harmonies, especially when they came to the front of stage and sang unamplified accompanied only by banjo and bass drum. If you don't mind placing your mind in the gutter for a while, Harpoontang is more than willing to splash around there with you - check them out!
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| Eldren |
Up next was Denver indie rock band Eldren. Eldren performed as a seven-piece band consisting of Nasir Malik on guitar/vocals, Tyler Imbrogno on guitar/keyboard/vocals, Rick Walker on drums, Joshua Lee on violin/vocals/guitar, Steve Holloway on bass/vocals, Susie Renee Quinn on flute/vocals and Wesley Watkins (Air Dubai, Petals of Spain) on trumpet. Eldren can be lumped in the general indie rock category, but they really show a wide range of style in their songs. I hesitate to throw pop in the mix, but there is something about their music that is inherently catchy, perhaps in a retro-pop sort of sense. I'd also throw in a little bit of punk, some progressive rock, and loads of psychedelia.
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| Eldren |
Eldren's set started out with more pop/punk/psychedelic oriented songs - including some of the most punk flute and trumpet playing I've seen. "Sleepy Walker" sounds like it could've been written by a band in the '60s, yet maintains a distinctively modern sound. The set built in intensity and complexity, while still being able to maintain a curious catchiness throughout. As much as I enjoyed the songs at the beginning and middle of their set with mesmerizing instrumentals and memorable melodies, I was blown away by how they finished their set. They ended with a progressive rock epic, where each instrument was skillfully layered in a manner that made the intricacies of each stand out when they should. I personally preferred the psychedelic and progressive stuff the most, but I like how they have a varied sound. Plus, it should give them an even wider appeal to indie rock fans. This is definitely a local band to see.
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| Mercuria & The Gem Stars |
Finally Mercuria & The Gem Stars ended the night with a headlining set. Mercuria & The Gem Stars is a four piece band; Maria Kohler on vocals/guitar, Andrew Frank on guitar/keyboard, James Hale on drums, and Julia Mendiolea on bass. The band performs modern emotive indie rock with a hint of psychedelia, making for songs that are alluring, catchy, memorable, and fun to listen to. I was excited to finally catch this band again having not seen them
since August - allowing me the chance to hear some new songs and see their progression.
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| Mercuria & The Gem Stars |
In the time since I've seen them, I've listened to the three songs they've had available
on BandCamp countless times, so when they opened up with "Glacier" it was pure bliss. The moment I heard that song live for the first time months ago I was hooked, and hearing it performed again was like reliving that memory. For the most part, the song was just as I remembered, but they did work in a few tweaks to the song that made hearing it again a brand new experience. I liked hearing the new song "Cubism Squared", finally satisfying my appetite for something new. "Shrine" was and still is my favorite Mercuria & The Gem Stars song, and I got a little swept away when I heard it again live last night. I noticed a couple changes - some guitar licks were different and some backing vocals were changed (ommitted?), but that's what happens when you've heard the same recording of an old song on repeat and then go back and see an evolved version.
Mercuria & The Gem Stars have progressed well since the last time I've seen them. The stage presence of the band as a whole seems to have grown stronger and the band seems way more comfortable up on stage. Maria Kohler is still very dynamic on stage and the music flows smoothly out from her. They should have some new material online soon, but I still can't wait for this band to progress even more and release a full length album. Until then I will highly recommend their shows to fans of indie rock.
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