There's a show coming up featuring music that'll not only rock your socks off, it just might transport you to a different space and time completely. This is music for people of action. People who've ever found themselves in an abandoned warehouse trying to figure out if they've been setup after a planned diamond heist goes wrong. People who've ever been paid to throw a boxing match but bet the pay-off money on themselves, won the fight anyway, and accepted the fact they'll have to flee from gangsters. People who've fled to Mexico after committing a bank robbery, only to find themselves in a vampire den masquerading as a strip club. People whose wedding was brutally attacked, got shot in the head and left for dead, then came back from a coma years later and used their assassin skills to exact some revenge. Or, people who have seen events like these play out in film and have wondered what kind of kick ass music was playing in the background to drive these crazy plot lines.

This Wednesday night at Cervantes' Other Side, Tone Dynamix will be presenting four bands that create music that sounds like it belongs in any one of those scenes. Each band has gritty, loud, psychedelic rock 'n' roll that adds an epic atmosphere wherever it is played. If you know what films I was referencing above and remember the sweet music that graced each one of those soundtracks, you will not want to miss this show.


The headliner is Delware formed, California based psychedelic rock outfit Spindrift. Even if the name doesn't sound familiar, if you are a film buff there is a good chance you've heard their songs and didn't even know it. These guys make music that sounds fit for fantastical films, and their sound is highly influenced and inspired by spaghetti westerns. Their music has been featured on a long list of soundtracks, most notably in Quentin Tarantino's Hell Ride. Their rock music is both crazy and cool, and when you hear it it'll get your imagination going. Check out "Theme From Confusion Range".
Theme from Confusion Range, Spindrift by popantipop


Colfax Speed Queen is a rock 'n' roll band from Denver. This four-piece band uses loud riff heavy guitar, deep and fluid bass guitar, pounding drums, and crashing keyboards to deliver the very essence of rock 'n' roll right to the listener's ear drum. Their raw high-energy vintage punk garage sound will definitely please rock fans. Check out "Fiends In The Night".
Colfax Speed Queen - Fiends in the Night by HotCongressRecords


Max Pain and the Groovies are a rock band from Salt Lake City. These guys combine the psychedelic sounds of the desert with the attitude of rock 'n' roll to make hard-hitting music from their five-piece band. They quickly became favorites for their style in their hometown and are coming to Denver to share their infectious sound. Check out "Piano".
Piano by Max Pain and the Groovies


Dark Seas is also a rock band from Salt Lake City, and they admit that they owe their existence to the band just mentioned above. With a slightly more atmospheric and experimental psychedelic approach, this band also delivers energetic throwback punk-garage styled rock 'n' roll. Check out "Wilted Spirit".
Dark Seas - Wilted Spirit by Concerted Effort


The show takes place on Wednesday, November 9 at 8:00PM. Doors are open at 7:00PM. The show is all ages and tickets are ridiculously cheap at $5.

One might not think an indie rock show would go hand-in-hand with Halloween, but Monday night's concert at the Larimer Lounge begged to differ. The Larimer Lounge hosted two local bands and a national band that each brought a different take on indie rock, but all delivered their music in a high-energy fashion that really helped celebrate the night. The Larimer Lounge was full of music fans with the Halloween spirit, and each performer did well to work with that energy and deliver a memorable concert experience.

School Knights

First up was local indie rock band School Knights. This four-piece band opened the night, showing their Halloween spirit by being adorned with drawn on whiskers. Michael Stein was back on lead vocals/guitars with Zack Roif still on drums, but Benjamin Donehower slid over to guitar, while a new member was on bass since the last time I saw this band. This band still produced their energetic punk-garage sound that featured a coastal, almost surf pop-rock influence mated to songs with youthful energy and carefree attitude draped in a lo-fi aesthetic. They performed a good opening set, getting the crowd into an indie rock mood with the spidery guitar riffed and noise-punk styled "You Read Books?" being a standout song from their performance. If you are into slightly pop-styled indie garage rock, School Knights is a good band to check out.

Gauntlet Hair

Next up was local indie noise-rockers Gauntlet Hair. Gauntlet Hair is the product of singer/guitarist Andy R. (Andy Rauworth) and drummer Craig Nice (Craig Fleischman) who created a contagious blend of noisy, rhythmic and lively guitar, electronic drums, and echoey vocals that put together makes an indie rock package that has a very experimental noise-pop appeal. To perform live, they enlisted the help of bassist Matt Daniels and guitarist Nathan Wright. The last time I saw Gauntlet Hair, they performed as a three-piece, so the added guitar helped enhance the overall sound, giving the guitars another layer of depth.

Gauntlet Hair

The members of Gauntlet Hair were literally dripping in Halloween spirit, donning rooster masks while covered in fake blood. They began their set with the opener from their new self-titled album, "Keep Time", a song that immediately smacked the audience's ears with the characteristic components of Gauntlet Hair's sound and initiated a frenetic dance floor response. They played a good mix of songs off of their new album, with other standout tracks like "Shout In Tongues" and "Mop It Up". They also managed to work in some of their older songs as well, like "Out, Don't" and "I Was Thinking...".

Gauntlet Hair

They delivered an energetic set with the signature sound the audience was looking for, although one song was curiously absent from their set - "Top Bunk". Although my favorite song was missing, the set was still played very well and showcased what consists of this band's sonic identity. The added dimension of a second guitar really gave the band more oomph in their live sound, and I think it translated the album sound to the live setting much better than the three-piece iteration I saw before - they've nailed it when it comes to delivering the live package. Gauntlet Hair has a sound apart from most music out there, and fans of noise-rock and indie-pop should not hesitate to check out this band, they just might blow your mind.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Unknown Mortal Orchestra came out last to close out the night, delivering a set of their pop flavored indie-rock goodness. Lead vocalist/guitarist Ruban Nielson came out in papal dress, drummer Julien Ehrich wore a priest's robe, and bassist Jake Portrait was dressed as a nun. The trio delivered their catchy pop-laced indie rock tunes with a spirited flair, adding an extra layer of rock 'n' roll that made their live set absolutely epic.

The set began with a heavy driving classic rock styled guitar riff while the other two members followed along on bass and drums. Ruban Nielson introduced each band member like they were entering an arena to the feverish crowd. After the introductory build-up, the hard rock riff transitioned into souped up version of "Strangers Are Strange", performed much heavier - more hard rock than pop - than the album version, with extra guitar shredding from Ruban that stretched out the length of the song. The album version goes by abruptly in about two and a half minutes. The live version seemed to go by just as quickly, but with the introduction it was nearly seven minutes of pure awesome.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Next, Unknown Mortal Orchestra performed "Thought Ballune" and "FFunny FFriends", although this time they were pretty faithful to the album versions, which was absolutely fine as it allowed the crowd to dance and sing along wildly. "Little Blu House" seemed to follow that same vein, albeit with a little heavier guitar added in, but it was another song that was elevated to epic status, nearly doubled in length with incredible blistering solo guitar solo work from Ruban Nielson. Ruban Nielson continued to exhibit his guitar mastery with the following two songs, "Nerve Damage!" and "Boy Witch". In fact, he shredded so hard on the extended live performance of "Boy Witch", he ended up snapping the high E string on his guitar.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

That left Unknown Mortal Orchestra to perform one more song, in which Ruban explained "It's gonna sound weird because I broke a string but it's OK." They finished with the incredibly catchy "How Can You Luv Me" to the delight of the crowd, and despite being played with a broken string, it was definitely much better than OK. It was played with what seemed to be a little faster tempo, and a more rock 'n' roll feel, this time allowing bassist Jake Portrait to show off his musicality with some fancy bass work.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The audience wouldn't let them end it there though, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra was called back to the stage after immediate calls for an encore from the rabid crowd. Still brandishing a guitar with a broken string, the band decided to close the night with a cover song for an encore, which was cool because it hinted at an influence to what made up the Unknown Mortal Orchestra sound. The band covered experimental psychedelic/progressive rock band Can's song "Vitamin C", also giving it the epic extended treatment. It was an awesome rendition, and made me realize were a lot of Unknown Mortal Orchestra's funky psych-pop sound comes from.

It was so much better going into Unknown Mortal Orchestra's concert this time being very familiar with their songs compared to the first time I saw them not knowing who they were. Not only was I able to enjoy their music better because I recognized what they were doing, it was also a lot of fun catching some of the different ways Unknown Mortal Orchestra chose to perform their songs - it made the performance all that much more special since those versions of the songs only existed in that finite space in time. They were incredible Monday night, and I felt lucky to have spent Halloween with them. If you haven't caught this band live but love their songs, they will blow you away with what they do live.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page and stay up to date.

Looking for something a little different to do on a Friday night? As far as I know, there is only one place in Denver tonight that will be featuring this truly eclectic blend of music, and that's what's bringing me to the Walnut Room. Tonight is a rare opportunity to see three highly talented yet stylistically different bands that are unified because the genres they represent are far outside the mainstream. It should be a great show featuring local musicians that passionately share music that isn't usually easy to find.


The headliner is local Denver afrobeat group Pink Hawks. They use a large band with a multitude of instruments on stage to produce the high-energy combination of Yoruba, highlife, jazz and funk with chant-like vocals and polyrhythmic percussion that is characteristic of the afrobeat genre. They write original full-length pieces that seep deep into one's bones, causing completely wonderful wreckage on the dance floor. Check out "Everything Is Poetry".


A. Tom Collins is a local indie rock band with a melting pot of genre-bending styles. A. Tom Collins blends a soulful R&B vocal style with lounge-like piano, jazzy trumpet, and rhythmic rock drums. The unique combination makes for music that sounds like a modern interpretation of something that came from the 1940s. Check out "Be My Baby".


The Legendary River Drifters is a local seven-piece folk band. This band creates original songs that bring back the traditional folk sound, while also blending in occasional bluegrass and country influences as well. This band should do well to revive that turn of the century sound and bring it to the here and now. Check out "Waiting On A Line".
The Legendary River Drifters - Waiting on a Line by StealThisTrack

The Walnut Room doors open at 8:00PM. The show is 21+ and tickets are $10.

Sunday night I headed to the Hi-Dive to check out an indie rock show featuring bands from the east coast. For the past couple nights I'd been checking out a lot of music that definitely fit the Halloween mood, so I decided to switch it up a bit and go for a show that didn't have a seasonably dark feel throughout. Sunday night's mix of folk-rock and garage-rock was just the change of pace I was looking for - still a musically good show but not necessarily affected by the Halloween atmosphere.

Carter Tanton

Carter Tanton and his band opened up the show. This three-piece band from Baltimore created an atmospheric folk-rock sound using a combination of guitar, keyboards and drums. Carter Tanton handled the guitar, and he generated space-filling sounds that encompassed each song, almost in a shoegaze 'wall of sound' fashion. The keyboard player would help fill out 'wall of sound' with occasional pads, but mostly used synths to cover the bass lines in each song. The drumming was usually straight forward, lingering in the background while keeping a slow steady rhythm to subtly drive each song.

Carter Tanton

The band started with a few songs that really showcased the shoegaze meets folk sound, as each atmospheric guitar driven song clocked in between seven and nine minutes long. Each successive song sounded less abstract and more folk like, especially as Carter Tanton added more and more of his vocals. It was an interesting combination of styles that made for futuristic sounding progressive folk. The last two songs in the band's set were singles released to support Carter Tanton's album Freeclouds, beginning with "Murderous Joy", a song that was the most folk-driven song in the set but still retained a strong indie rock presence. The band finished with "Horrorscope", a song that best embodies Carter Tanton's mixed use of genres. Carter Tanton may be too experimental for general folk listeners, but indie rock fans that enjoy folk as well should probably check him out.

Purling Hiss

Up next was a garage rock 'n' roll band from Philadelphia called Purling Hiss. Other than the east coast connection, this was the odd band out of the night - not that that was a bad thing. Both the opener and headliner boasted more mellow, atmospheric sounds with a folk influence. Not these guys; Purling Hiss was straight up, high energy, knock your socks off rock 'n' roll. The trio of Mike Polizze on guitar/vocals, Kiel Everett on bass and Mike Sneeringer on drums created a raw and classic guitar-driven rock sound with heavy  riffs, fast tempos, and blistering solos. If Mike Polizze wasn't delivering screeches or cool vocals, he was figuratively dousing gasoline on his fret board and setting his axe ablaze.

Purling Hiss

Purling Hiss is definitely a band that needs to be seen live. Their recordings are extremely low fidelity, like the master microphone wasn't even placed in the same room at the studio. But live, the drums are extremely tight and crisp, the bass is fluid and rhythmic, and the guitar sounds so good it's unreal. The band's instrumental prowess is where it's at, and songs like "Passenger Queen" featuring more energetic and screeching vocals really embody the essence of rock 'n' roll. If the band could tighten up the vocal delivery to match the quality of their instrumentation, this band would be unstoppable. Instead, songs like "Run from the City", "The Hoodoo" and "Don't Even Try It" suffered a bit because the vocals, especially the "oohs", weren't quite as clean. The concept is perfect, but the execution was lacking a bit. Still, if you are a fan of rock 'n' roll, Purling Hiss is band you need to see, because they really do know how to deliver that rip-roaring classic rock sound.

The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs came out last to play their headlining set. This four piece indie rock band consisted of Adam Granduciel on vocals/guitar/harmonica, David Hartley on bass/trumpet, Steven Urgo on drums, and Robbie Bennett on keyboards/guitar. They create a hybrid indie rock sound that embodies a strong folk and Americana influence. Somehow they have been able to take the essence of modern rock and inject it into songs that have blues, folk-rock and country components, making a combined sound that stands out on its own. The vocals, use of acoustic guitar, piano, and occasional use of harmonica provide the folk aspect, while the bass, drums and occasional use of sampler drive the indie rock sound. The lead electric guitar, however seems to embody both aspects all the time, and really seems to be the glue the holds the two styles together.

The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs performed a mix of songs from their two albums Wagonwheel Blues and Slave Ambient, along with a handful of selections from the Future Weather EP. The set began with the country-esque "Arms Like Boulders" before they atmospherically transitioned into the more uptempo indie rock song "Baby Missiles". Then they really highlighted their hybrid sound with the folk-rock song "Comin' Through".

Kiel Everett joining The War On Drugs

For the most part, The War On Drugs performed the live versions of their sings pretty faithfully to the album versions, up until it was time for "There Is No Urgency". That song was extended to nearly ten minutes, including a very atmospheric introduction that included a hypnotic ambient trumpet part. In the song "Brothers", The War On Drugs invited Purling Hiss bassist Kiel Everett to play acoustic twelve-string guitar along with them. After being instructed the G-Am-C chord progression, he was able to play right along the band without a hitch. One other song got the extended treatment, The War On Drugs closing song "A Needle In Your Eye #16", which the band atmospherically and entrancingly stretched out to twice it's original recorded length. Since at the Hi-Dive there is no backstage to retreat to before coming out for an encore, the band decided to break into an additional song, "It's Your Destiny".

The War On Drugs

From The War On Drugs albums, I knew they were onto an interesting combination of sound, but their style didn't really strike me until I saw it all come together live. Their music may be a little more on the mellow side, but there is something captivating and calming about the sound, especially in its full live force. It's like they took folk music from the '60s and '70s, a little rock from the '80s, and wrapped it around new sounds, making it folk-rock with a distinct nod to the past but geared for the current generation. If you like bluesy or country folk and/or mellow indie rock, The War On Drugs hybrid is something to check out.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page and stay up to date.

There's another big dance party happening tonight and this time it takes place at the Bluebird Theater. The Bluebird Theater will be hosting three acts that will deliver a steady stream of fresh house music that will keep people busy all night on the dance floor. Two local DJs will get things started, warming up the stage for an an international electronic band. Kick off the month of November with your dancing shoes on.


The headliner is Miami Horror, a four-piece electronic music band from Melbourne, Australia. Led by producer Benjamin Plant, this band brings a throwback disco style to house music, making a combination of electro-pop and nu-disco that is as infectious as it is danceable. The mate melodic near chillwave-esque vocals with their instrumental sound to deliver a unique dance floor sound. Check out "I Look To You" and "Holidays".
I Look To You by Miami Horror (Official)
Holidays by Miami Horror (Official)


boyhollow is best known as founder and resident DJ of Denver's premier Friday night indie dance party, Lipgloss. He has been covered on this blog before, and is noted for his versatility in song selection and astute ability to read crowds to provide the best dance floor experience. He can lay down anything from smooth house to hard electro bangers, and he'll be sure to get the party going.


option4 is also a resident Lipgloss DJ and founder of TheHundred, whose love for house music comes to light each time he takes place behind the mixing decks. Always on the search for the best new sounds in house, he'll be sure to lace together a smooth mix of mid-tempo house grooves that will turn the venue into a modern discotheque. Check out option4's Summer 2011 mix.
The Revenge of option4 - Summer 2011 by option4

The Bluebird Theater doors open at 8:00PM and the music starts at 9:00PM. The show is all ages and tickets are $20.

For my next installment of Halloween weekend celebration, I made my way to the Larimer Lounge to check out a Halloween bash presented by Analog Space. The Larimer Lounge was hosting local groups all featuring moody sounds that would make the perfect soundtrack to an awesome Halloween party, so I made my way down to both have a good time and support great local music. It may not have been the largest party in town that night, but that just gave it a feeling of exclusivity, and by the end of it all I was glad to have been part of the experience.

Peter Black

The night began with an opening DJ set from Analog Space's own Peter Black. He got the night started with a smooth mix featuring new tracks from the best artists in the underground tech house scene. He kept the speakers pumping out bass and snappy drums by lacing together house tracks that featured a multitude of different but related styles; 2-step, bassline, juke, UK garage, post-dubstep, grime, and more. Peter Black showcased the ability to lay down a continuous bass-heavy dance mix that sounded completely fresh and never relied on the mainstream. Fans of indie dance music should definitely check out Peter Black's style.

King Mob

Up next was local experimental electronic trio King Mob. When I first saw this band, I thought their peculiar blend of dark electro, dream-pop and almost retro influences would work perfectly for Halloween, so I was excited to catch this band again on this particular weekend. King Mob is Ben Martin, Charles Kern, and Sam Martin - all three handle different electronics controllers and synths to create their unique sound while Ben Martin also handles the vocal duties.

King Mob

King Mob started with the hypnotizing "U Remember", followed by the atmospheric "Moonchild". "Take My Hand, I'm Changing" was next, a song that sounds like a dark experimental version of new wave. They then performed a trio of songs soon to be released on a new EP that really balance out their dark, moody sound with captivating danceability. They finished with a slightly tweaked version of "The Wasp", enhancing the usually slow-building intro with a more driving uptempo beat before the song led into a slower funky 2-step garage-like bass section. I got what I wanted - King Mob for Halloween - and now I can't wait for them to release their new EP. If you are a fan of dark but dancey electro, check out King Mob's unique style.

Hollagramz

Next up was a DJ set from local electronic duo Hollagramz. The duo of Ron Cole and Cory Brown laid down a continuous mix of mostly their own brand of tropical influenced indie dance music. Their style of indie electro included heavy bass at a steady mid-tempo, combining world influenced rhythmic styles like calypso, raggaeton, and UK garage with techno influences from glitch, house and rave. All together, it makes for futuristic sounding dance music that is dark but not macabre. A couple standouts from their set were "Serpent Magnetism" and when they threw in N.W.A.'s "Fuck tha Police" and got people to dance with them up on stage. Check out Hollagramz if you are looking for indie dance music that hits but isn't just straight up hard house or dubstep.

Flashlights

Flashlights took the stage next to give the crowd a dose of their ethereal dream-pop. Sam Martin provided the dreamy synths and other-worldly beat work that gives Flashlights its electro-pop sound that is never glittery, but instead a fresh combination of chill and danceable. Ethan Converse provides the emotive vocals that are slightly more melodic than that of modern chillwave groups. Together, the instrumental and vocal package is incredibly catchy and sounds unlike anything out there - an abstract sound that is welcoming and accessible due to its peculiarity. The whole live experience is enhanced by the lighting used in their stage production, really making their performances seem like a pleasant dream.

Flashlights

I'd seen Flashlights a couple times before, so I thought I knew what to expect song-wise this time around. Flashlights started with one of my favorites, the strangely hard hitting but moody song "Glowing Eyes". Then they performed the atmospheric deep-in-a-dream dance song "New Hampshire". The last time I heard them, they revealed a new song, "New Hampshire Part II", and on this night they transitioned smoothly into that piece, keeping the dreamy feel of the original but really emphasizing the dance beat. But after that, Flashlights took the audience into uncharted territory, performing three new awesome songs to finish up their set. I can't wait for a Flashlights full-length album just so I can get my hands on these new delicious dream-pop songs. The new songs really kept the Flashlights signature feel but somehow got even more dance energy out of the crowd. If you are into dream-pop and/or chillwave, you better know Flashlights by now, but if you don't, get on it!

ManCub

Headliners ManCub came out last to close out the Halloween bash, and like I've become accustomed to seeing them do, they had a few new tricks up their sleeve to set this performance apart from any other one of theirs that I've seen before. The duo of Alex Anderson and James Wayne delivered another night of their hard hitting, face melting electro noise-pop, but they did so a little bit differently this time. Donning bear masks, the two took their places behind their circuit-board like rig while enveloped in a cloud of smoke. They had their back-lit 'MNCB' fabric backdrop and red and green laser show, but they pulled out a couple more stops by adding extra colored lighting to each side of the stage. It's never enough for ManCub to hit the crowd with their dance-party noise-pop, they have to provide an immersive show.

ManCub

ManCub's stage production set the mood up right, and they started the show with a couple more surprises - two brand new songs with ManCub's signature blend of dance beats, analog synths and filtered vocals, making for a style of electro-pop that almost sounded like a dance-punk version of chillwave. They brought out two older favorites, "8-Bit Crush" and "Made In Japan" before playing another newer song I've heard before but still believe has not been named. They then played a cover/remix of Queens of the Stone Age's "Feel Good", using the guitar riff from the song to turn ManCub's version into a dance-punk banger. Summer may be gone, but they made the crowd wet with "Summer Rain".

ManCub

Of course, since it was Halloween weekend, we had to hear ManCub's awesome electro version of "Ghostbusters". They finished with "The New Sound", a reworking of the original "Sound" that was even more dancey than it was before. That was supposed to be the last song, but the crowd wouldn't let them end it there, and since it was still just shy of closing time, ManCub treated the audience with an encore presentation of "Mt. Rushmore" - it sounded like they may have been reworking that one a little bit as well. I've seen many ManCub shows, and they're always constantly changing for the better, and that's what keeps me coming back. ManCub was the perfect way to end the Halloween bash on a high note, putting a cap on a great night of local music.

There are a lot of wonderful things going on in the local Denver music scene, all driven by dedicated musicians and an ever-growing number of supportive fans. If you didn't check out Saturday night's show, keep your eyes open for the next event featuring all local talent. Our local musicians work hard to make great music and provide a good time for those who support it, and that's what makes the local scene so great. Check out the scene if you haven't already, but be careful, because it'll keep you coming back.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page and stay up to date!

Halloween weekend definitely got started with bang. The downtown streets were filled with crazy costumes Friday night as people began their extended weekend celebration. There seemed to be something happening at every corner, and when I reached the corner of 20th and Larimer there was a long line of people outside the Marquis Theater eagerly waiting to cram inside for a sold out show. The sellout caught many by surprise, as people lined the sidewalks hoping to find anyone that could help them get a ticket inside, but with a venue like this and for the event that was happening that night, those opportunities were hard to come by. I made my way inside, already feeling lucky to be a part of this concert before it even began - sold out shows always have an extra level of energy.

Reptar

The venue was jam packed even before the music started, and soon Reptar came out on stage to open the night in front of a voracious crowd. The indie-pop four-piece from Athens, GA took their respective spots on stage to what sounded like a theme song from an old '80s sitcom. Ryan Engelberger took his place on bass, Andrew McFarland on drums, William Kennedy on keyboards, and Graham Ulicny on guitar and microphone. The intro theme song transitioned into a song that maintained that '80s synthpop feel paired with Graham Ulicny's unique vocal delivery. The vocals really set this band apart, a combination of pure rock attitude and a twist on pop styling delivered incredibly passionately, making a vocal style that sounds like nothing else.

Reptar

For this performance, Reptar steadily built up the energy and intensity from beginning to end. The first few songs were dancey but more mellow all the way up to the performance of "Phonetics" from their EP Oblangle Fizz Y'all, a song that starts with just keyboard and guitar but explodes in the end with an uptempo rhythm over the original melodic theme. After another new song, they had the people on the dance floor at full boil starting with "Rainbounce", a half synth-pop half dance-punk piece, to "Blastoff", a funky synth-rock song, to their final two songs, both intense electro-rock songs not on their EP.

Reptar

They kept me on my toes by only choosing to play a few of the songs from their EP. Although I really wanted to hear live versions of all those songs, it bodes well for the future that they've got much more songs in store that has their unique blend of dance-rock. I had a really good time with their performance, and it did well to make me hungry for a full-length album and for them to return to Denver again so I can hear them perform even more. Not only do these guys have a fresh take on electro-rock and synth-pop, they perform their songs with unbelievable energy that truly has to be seen. I'd definitely recommend this band to fans of indie rock, synth-pop, and dance-punk, especially for those looking to go crazy on the dance floor.

Phantogram

For Phantogram's headlining set, somehow the venue seemed packed tighter than it had already been, because as many people as possible were trying to make that push forward to get close to the stage. It was for good reason to, because Phatogram really knew how to put on a show. The lights went dim as drummer Tim Oakley took his seat behind the drums positioned at the rear of the stage. He began to lay live drums over a sampled beat while keyboardist Sarah Barthel and guitarist Josh Carter made their out on stage. Suddenly, bursts of bright colored light glowed behind the two, making glowing silhouettes at the front of the stage as the band played through their introduction.

Phantogram

Colored spotlights illuminated the faces of Barthel and Carter, as the band tore into one of their newest songs, "Don't Move" from the EP Nightlife. The combination of live drumming, sample-based drum loops, synths and guitar created a trip-hop means electro-rock sound that caused the audience to do exactly the opposite of its song title. They continued dropping one hot song after the other, creating a dark mood with their instruments and vocals but pumping energy into the crowd with their beat-work, spurring a night-long sweaty dance-fest inside the venue walls. Each song was enhanced at just the right moment by an impressive lighting display - bright strobes would hit at the right moments of emphasis, vivid colors would subtly shift, rays of light would beam hypnotically from the stage.

Phantogram

They kept a good mix of songs from both their new EP and their first album Eyelid Movies. The crowd hung onto every beat as they danced wildly through the night. About five seconds into the start of each song cheers would erupt from the crowd because the house was packed with fans who could instantly recognize each song as they were beginning to play them. Midway into the set, "Mouthful of Diamonds" had the whole crowd singing along to every word with the band in chorus, creating a surreal experience as at that moment both the crowd and band seemed completely connected. That happened again when Phantogram ended their regular set with "When I'm Small", as the audience even matched every "Ooh Ooh".

Phantogram

After that song, Sarah Barthel conceded to the crowd she just may have lost her voice. The members of the band retreated to backstage but the crowd still craved some more. The crowd immediately called for an encore, and shortly thereafter Phantogram returned to the stage for one final song. They chose the song "Futuristic Casket" to end the night, a song in which Josh Carter had the main vocal duties. It was the perfect way to end the night - it was still a complete dance floor banger that gave the crowd what they were looking for and it allowed Sarah Barthel a little vocal respite.

Phantogram

For those lucky enough to be a part of the sold out crowd, the performance they received was top notch. Phantogram's style of music is enthralling on its own right, but the experience was enhanced by it being the start of Halloween weekend, allowing the crowd to really lose themselves in the whole experience. If you missed it, hopefully they'll be back to Denver after they finish their second album. Also, they are still early into their tour, so they still have many dates around the rest of the country. Until they come back, pick up their new EP Nightlife if you haven't already, and plan ahead for the next Denver Phantogram show, because judging by how it went down on Friday night, they easily could have sold out a party at least twice the size it was.

See more pictures from this show in the Facebook photo album. Like the Concerted Effort page and stay up to date.