It's time to branch out of the Denver area and take a short road trip up north. There's a town up there known for a certain state university and brewers of fine local beer, but it turns out Fort Collins knows a thing or two about live music as well. I'll be traveling to the Aggie Theater, who will be hosting a couple of Denver based gypsy punk bands. One of these bands is new to me, but the other has been around for quite some time and I'm very excited to finally get the opportunity to see them live.


The headliner is Colorado's own long-time gypsy punk/indie folk extraordinaires DeVotchKa. DeVotchKa started as a backing band for burlesque shows back in the late 1990s, but shortly thereafter became a full fledged band. This band is made up of four talented multi-instrumentalist who create a gypsy folk inspired rock sound with a staggering plethora of instruments: piano, guitar, trumpet, accordion, organ, theremin, trumpet, melodica, violin, sousaphone (tuba), upright bass, drums and bouzouki.

Since the year 2000, they have released five studio albums, including their newly released album 100 Lovers. Their unique sound has taken them to perform around the world, and they have even been called to score films, most notably for the Academy Award winning Little Miss Sunshine. They have so much material now that just a couple song previews probably won't cut it, but check out one of my old favorites "The Enemy Guns" and a track off of their new album "All The Sand In All The Sea".
Devotchka-The Enemy Guns by ENDIT! Management
DeVotchKa - All The Sand In All The Sea by antirecords


Denver locals Bonnie and the Beard will open up the night, bringing a unique blend of gypsy inspired southern rock 'n' roll with a touch of country swagger. Originally an acoustic two piece, Bonnie and the Beard is now a trio that features both Bonnie (Megan Fong) and Beard (Tony LoVerde) on vocals and electric guitars backed by Alex Ferreira on drums. They should open up the night with a good collection of foot stompin' music. Check out "Money Honey" and "Lonely Hills".
Bonnie and the Beard - Money Honey by Suburban Home Records
Bonnie and the Beard - Lonely Hills by Suburban Home Records

The Aggie Theater doors open at 8:00PM. The show is all ages and tickets are $20. If you can't make it to Fort Collins DeVotchKa will be playing in Denver and Boulder this weekend!

Now into the latter part of the month of October, this fantastical season is starting to peak. All throughout the month there has been a steady build-up to the craziness that is October 31st, and this season has been giving special meaning to any sort of event that can play into the season's mood. Friday night was one of those events, a concert featuring music that was immeasurably enhanced by the time of the season, and the added combination of creative visuals, unique stage production, and an enthusiastic crowd made the overall experience unforgettable.

Monika Heidemann of Xylos

The night began with an opening set from New York indie synth-rock group Xylos. Xylos performed as a five-piece band; Monika Heidemann on lead vocals, Eric Zeiler on guitar/keyboard, Nikki Lancy on keyboard, Christopher Berry on drums, and Matt Aronoff on bass guitar. They created synth-based pop rock that had an electronic characteristic but felt and sounded more like an organic pop rock band. Their songs had a moody electro dance framework, but also had a retro '80s pop-rock texture to it. Monika Heidemann's alluring vocal delivery was a careful balance between pop and alt-rock, and when united with the dance-rock instrumental work it created an intriguing package.

Xylos

They played a set of their own original songs, mostly from their newly released self-titled album Xylos. They seemed to incorporate the more danceable songs from their album and left out the ones that had a stronger, more prevalent rock influence, maintaining the strong pop danceability present on much of their album. My favorite songs from the performance were their more synth oriented songs - "Blind Eye" and especially "X-Ray". "Second Order" was interesting because it was performed without the acoustic guitar sound that is on their album, which made it much dancier. The live version of "Darling Dearest" was even more infectious than the album version, causing the song to linger in my head for days. Although there is a bit of mood to their songs, for the most part the band's music comes off more upbeat to me, and I think that fans of synth-pop would really enjoy Xylos.

After Xylos' opening set, the rest of the night's crowd filtered into the venue and began to patiently wait for the appearance of Trentemøller. There was a steady growth of excitement as Trentemøller's set time neared, and it seemed that most of the crowd knew something big was going to occur but not quite sure what it might be. For me, this would be my first live glimpse of Trentemøller. I'd heard the name before, but before I found out this show was coming to the Ogden Theater I'd only heard a few Trentemøller songs. When I saw the tour announcement this summer, I picked up both of Trentemøller's albums and immediately knew this was something I didn't want to miss.

Anders Trentemøller

Trentemøller's albums are epic musical works that showcase an impressive range of compositional skill. Anders Trentemøller knows how to take listeners on a comprehensive musical journey that will draw a variety of emotional responses. His albums The Last Resort and Into the Great Wide Yonder are not just collections of individual songs, but complete works that paint a big picture when listened to from start to finish. Because of that, I was curious how Trentemøller would perform his music in a live setting, and if it would be presented in the same epic fashion as the album experience.


When it was time for the music to begin, so did an entire visual production. The venue lights dimmed as something strange appeared on the foreground of the stage. A fence of what looked like rust-colored ticker tape rose from the floor, as each Trentemøller band member took their spots behind it, one by one. There was a slow ambient build up of music, and when all band members were in place, the ticker tape foreground gave the stage a twisted yet whimsical look, like the band was kept playfully in a Candy Land jail cell. The slightly obscured band members all began playing their respective instruments - guitar, bass, drums, and Anders Trentemøller behind synthesizers and effects controllers. They slowly built up the ambient music until it became compellingly recognizable as "The Mash and the Fury".


The performance of the opening song seemed to go by quickly but actually took about ten minutes. Within just that opening song, there were elements of ambient experimental electronica, progressive house, orchestra, and rock 'n' roll - instant exposure to the myriad of components that make up Trentemøller's intricate moody sound. With the attention of the audience fully in Trentemøller's grasp, the ticker tape wall sunk slowly back into the floor as both the band and another epic song were simultaneously revealed, where the driving beat and syncopated synths of the hypnotic song "Shades of Marble" began to play, drawing the crowd into a trance.


Every one of Trentemøller's performed songs flowed smoothly into the next, slowly and carefully manipulating the mood of the crowd. Trentemøller played off of the hypnotic mood and took the audience into the soulful downtempo song "... Even Though You're With Another Girl", complete with a powerfully soft female vocalist dressed as if she had been in a time capsule for a few hundred years. Each Trentemøller band member performed flawlessy, and brought to life each subtle grain of musical mood present in Trentemøller's recorded albums. Anders Trentemøller even showcased his own capacity for multi-instrumentalism, performing songs on the glockenspiel and xylophone, especially in a mesmerizing performance of "Miss You".


Trentemøller knew how to pace their songs perfectly to draw out specific moods at just the intended time. The effect was heightened by creative visual projections that were synchronized to certain songs. The projections would splash vivid dancing color onto the band members and projection screens that looked like sails lining the back of the stage. It was the perfect way to enhance atmosphere without using some of the more minimalist and ambient songs in Trentemøller's repertoire, thus allowing the band to maintain a heightened sense of energy while still being able to juxtapose moods. For instance, Trentemøller was able to transition from the crazy dark dance-funk song "Vamp" to the downtempo "Sycamore Feeling", guiding the listeners through the abrupt transition visually by going from black and white to color projections instead of relying on a transitional musical piece.


The live versions of every song Trentemøller performed differed from what is on Trentemøller's albums, usually resulting in extended song length. Somehow, Trentemøller managed to add a few extra minutes to most songs without changing the songs drastically or making the songs seem drawn out and repetitive. This was most apparent in the final song of Trentemøller's regular set, "Moan". An originally five minute song nearly doubled in length with the inclusion of an amazing introductory harmonica solo. The sound of the harmonica seemed to be routed through some sort of filter pedal, causing a unique nuanced sound that I can't really explain but do know that it was incredible to hear.


Trentemøller's set had taken the audience through a whole host of emotional responses, but there was still one more left that caused the crowd to immediately roar for an encore - unabated full-throttle let's-go-apeshit dance. When Trentemøller came back on stage to perform their encore, I could already feel in my bones what song it was going to be, and as soon as the drums started roaring, nobody in the venue could even think about standing still. Trentemøller performed "Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!!" for an encore song that nearly caused the ground to crumble from the pressure of dancing feet. It was as if Trentemøller slyly built everyone up for that final dance-rock crescendo, making for the most memorable encore performance I've experienced in recent memory.


Based on the merits of Trentemøller's music alone, I was completely floored by Friday night's experience. Trentemøller's band was able to recreate with live instrumentation the captivating complexity that is Anders Trentemøller's compositions. Then to make it even better, Trentemøller brought a creative stage display and impeccable stage presence to add extra luster to the show. All of that made the audience incredibly energetic throughout the whole night, making the experience seem like more than just a concert, but something on a higher level entirely - especially since the mood of the music played perfectly into the time of the season. I think any open-minded music fan can immediately appreciate what Trentemøller does, and I would frequent a Trentemøller show time and time again.

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

Every time I check out Cervantes' I'm impressed with what they've got going on and the talent they bring in. This venue is doing great things to both support local music and bring underrepresented genres to town. So far I've seen shows there that have featured nothing but local talent and shows that featured big names in the funk scene. Thursday, I had the chance to check out another vibrant music scene that is hard to find elsewhere but seems to have found a home at Cervantes' - hip-hop shows. Cervantes' has been bringing in big names on a consistent basis, and Thursday night's show featured a great mix of both new and established names.

Hoot + Morbidly-O-Beats

The show began with Chicago transplants Hoot + Morbidly-O-Beats. These now Denver based producers create beats reminiscent of early hip-hop but with a modern downtempo meets electro touch. Unfortunately, due to a mix up with set times, I did not get a chance to see the majority of this duo's set. I was able to hear them lay down a couple of their beats, and Hoot finished their set with a freestyle rhyme. Without having seen most of their set I can't really say much else, so hopefully I'll get a chance to see them again soon.

AshTreJinkins

Next up was AshTreJinkins, a young producer from California. AshTreJinkins has a very unique abstract experimentalist style of beat production, and he presented a flowing mix of his original beat work using a Roland SP-404 sampler. His beat production style to me was like a mix of Flying Lotus and Fat Jon - abstract enough to be intriguingly different, but familiar and laid-back enough to be accessible. I liked the bulk of his beats, although most songs clocked in around 90 seconds or so. It was like listening to a person play out their beat tape demo rather than a polished performance. I think it'd be better if he turned the best of the short beats into full length songs and/or teamed up with an MC who would pair well with AshTreJinkin's unique beat style, but his futuristic approach to hip-hop beats is definitely promising.

DNAE Beats

Next on the bill was Mr. Lif featuring DNAE Beats. Before the two shared the stage, I was very curious to see how it would play out because it seemed like a very interesting pairing. DNAE Beats came out onto stage first, doing a solo DJ set to warm up the crowd. What made me mostly curious was how Mr. Lif would match with DNAE Beats' production style - he produces bass heavy slow and low dubstep sometimes with a sort of dirty south hip-hop influence. His solo mix had a lot of heavy wompy dubstep bangers featuring some original work and dubstep remixes, like the standout mix of Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams". After a short set, Mr. Lif came out of the shadows to join DNAE Beats and let the madness begin.

Mr. Lif

From the moment Mr. Lif grabbed the microphone, he hit the Cervantes' crowd with the energy, presence and enthusiasm of a bundle of explosives. He started with an earlier song off of his Emergency Rations EP, "Phantom", hitting the crowd immediately with his signature social/political commentary rapping style. Then, DNAE Beats started dropping a few beat tracks for Mr. Lif to freestyle over, showcasing Mr. Lif's ability to rhyme on the fly. DNAE Beats kept his cuts more along the lines of hip-hop than the dubstep he was mixing before, but his beats still had a strong electronic feel.

Mr. Lif featuring DNAE Beats

The combination of Mr. Lif and DNAE Beats wasn't as off the wall as I expected, but it was still outside of the norm and worked very well. For the most part, the duo played smoothly off of each other and Mr. Lif was able to deliver rhymes and be incredibly dynamic on stage at the same time. Mr. Lif was exactly the wake-up call the audience in the venue needed, because once he took command of the stage the energy level of the crowd went way up and never went down for the rest of the night. I liked how Mr. Lif kept it fun, free and loose, but still performed some of his songs as well, like closing with one of his latest projects, "Culture of Fear" off Thievery Corporation's album of the same name. Mr. Lif proved he is still a force in the hip-hop world, and I hope he keeps creating more hip-hop music with an important message.

DJ Cam

Next up was a set from long time veteran DJ Cam. His production style involves a lot of laid-back jazz influenced turntabilist hip-hop beats, so I was expecting his DJ set to consist mostly of downtempo grooves. But DJ Cam exhibited his experience and versatility, cutting in a variety of classic hip-hop tracks to keep a steady dance party going. His ability to meld his song selection fluidly created a mix that maintained a steady, classy groove but had so much energy it never felt loungey.

DJ Cam

DJ Cam started with some of his own classic tracks, ones from way back that I've been rocking for years; "Dieu Reconnaitra Les Siens" and "Gangsta Shit" off his 1994 debut album Underground Vibes. after a steady stream of more DJ Cam jazzy trip-hop tracks, he started to blend in classics from hip-hop greats like Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest. He kept the jazz theme going with other jazz influenced instrumentals and even threw in some jazz-like randomness like Marlena Shaw's "California Soul" and The Wiseguys' "Ooh La La". DJ Cam's set was everything I had hoped for - a throwback mix that sounded completely fresh - and I loved every minute of it.

Blockhead

Blockhead followed up with a headlining DJ set that also featured the combination of laid-back downtempo beats but raw hip-hop energy. Blockhead achieved this by mixing through an Ableton control surface, allowing him to remix and mash-up his songs live right before the audience. Rather than just playing out his massive collection of original instrumental beats on their own one after the other, he shook things up by chopping up some of his own beats and splicing in other songs, giving the feel of both a straight performance and a DJ set - the best of both worlds.

Blockhead

The set began with a beat Blockhead made for Aesop Rock's Daylight EP, "Forest Crunk", but then about thirty seconds into the mix Blockhead threw in a twist. He spliced his beat with vocals from Dead Prez' "Hip Hop", giving a brand new feel to both songs. It was one surprise after another, as Blockhead did other delicious crazy mashes over his beats, like sprinkling in a little of Boney M.'s "Sunny", Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger", The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby", Simon & Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence", Ludacris' "Stand Up" and much, much more. He mixed everything so well with his own beats that he kept a steady flow throughout his whole set, despite the incredibly eclectic mix of songs he used.

Blockhead

Blockhead showed that his production genius stems from his ability to dig up great songs. Much of his music is audio collage work, taking bits and pieces from other songs and reconstructing them into something entirely new. His DJ set showed off just how diverse the music is he listens to, and his mixing style really appealed to someone like me who is always listening to a wide variety of songs from across genres. It may not have been a hip-hop mix in the traditional sense, but it maintained that hip-hop feel from start to finish. I was very impressed with Blockhead's set and wouldn't hesitate to see him again to hear what crazy things he'd mix up next.

Ill-Esha

Ill-Esha came on stage last to close out the night. Compared to the two sets that occurred before hers, she was a definite change of pace. She used a mixing controller to lay down some of her original and remixed songs that ranged from glitch-hop to dubstep. Her set featured a lot more high energy music compared to the more laid-back and downtempo style of the previous acts, igniting a dance party even more insane than what'd been going on before. On top of her beats, she would impressively sing into a microphone in an R&B style, something a little different and much more refreshing than just playing a straight heavy dubstep mix.

Ill-Esha

Ill-Esha had incredible energy and presence, and her singing really set her apart. Not only would she sing her own songs, but she would enhance her remixes of other people's songs by laying her own vocal harmonies on top of the mix. My favorite remix was her rendition of The Weeknd's "The Morning", which featured an awesome 2-step beat and Ill-Esha's smooth live vocals. Whether or not you are a dubstep fan, Ill-Esha does enough things different that it never sounds like any of the other dubstep out there, so it should please fans and non-fans of that genre alike. Ill-Esha exhibited talent beyond that of just a DJ, and I highly recommend seeing what she does live.

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

The Ogden Theater is hosting two acts tonight that are sure to please. Both acts have traveled a long way to get to Denver, and they are both bringing very distinct styles of electronic based music. There will be a wide spectrum of moods that will be covered between the two acts, stemming from their ability to meld organic sounds with an electronic footprint that sets their respective music apart from the norm. By the end of it all, the show should deliver a memorable audio and visual experience.


The headliner comes to Denver from halfway around the globe. Anders Trentemøller is an electronic music producer based out of Copenhagen, Denmark. He creates music with a very moody, sometimes ambient sound that is usually more on the downtempo side of electronic music but incorporates a staggering amount of other musical influences. Listening to a Trentemøller album is an encompassing experience - trying to understand what Trentemøller does from just a few songs is not the best approach, but when one listens to a Trentemøller album from start to finish it makes complete sense.

His albums will go from minimal ambient electronica, to progressive house, to trip-hop/downtempo, to electronically represented post-rock - kind of like listening to the soundtrack of a modern immersive feature film with multiple intertwining storylines. His live shows contain a visual element to go along with his music, and I can't wait to be swept away by the whole experience because it is going to be seriously good. Although I recommend listening to the entirety of one (or both!) of Trentemøller's albums to be truly prepared for his variety of sound, check out how he'll go from a progressive house meets rock sound with "Shades of Marble", to a downtempo song like "...Even Though You're With Another Girl", and then later explode into a dancey electro-rock song like "Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!!".
Trentemøller: Shades Of Marble by Trentemøller
Trentemøller: ...Even Though You're With Another Girl by Trentemøller
Trentemøller: Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!! by Trentemøller


Xylos is a band from Brooklyn, New York that presents a varied mix of electro-pop and indie rock. The unifying factor in all their music is a danceable pop-like aesthetic, but their songs will oscillate between a more organic rock band sound to a synth heavy electro-pop sound. Lead singer Monika Heidemann provides her somewhat haunting but always sultry vocal style to add cohesion to their blend of songs. Check out "X-Ray" and "Dust".
X-Ray (Xylos) by christopherberry
Dust (Xylos) by christopherberry

Hip-hop fans, there's a show going on at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom tonight that's not your typical hip-hop show yet one long time heads and new fans alike probably don't want to miss. Cervantes' is hosting a RE:CREATION event, this time bringing veteran producers, DJs and MCs together with some newer names and faces to the game. This eclectic combination of pioneers and boundary-pushers will provide a unique and comprehensive hip-hop experience that won't normally be found.


The headliner is long time New York based hip-hop producer Blockhead. Blockhead crashed onto the scene in the late nineties and made his mark in the early 2000s, most notably for providing beat work for Aesop Rock's first few albums. His style was completely groundbreaking, combining orchestral and rare samples with attitude-filled beats to create a downtempo and emotive hip-hop sound like none before him. Since then Blockhead has released several instrumental solo albums, all of them maintaining that initial concept but growing increasingly complex in a manner that can only be identified as the Blockhead sound. Check out this mixed sampler of Blockhead's latest album, The Music Scene.
Blockhead - The Music Scene (Album Sampler Mixed By DK) by Ninja Tune


Ill-Esha is a Vancouver based producer, DJ and vocalist. She began her career about a decade ago, making a name for herself by uniquely mixing music as a DJ while performing as a vocalist at the same time. Since then she has ventured into various electronic musical genres. Now, she is very heavily involved in glitch-hop, and she should provide a unique and modern mix of electronic influenced and manipulated hip-hop. Check out "The Golden Mean".
The Golden Mean (MUTI 090: REVERIE) by ill-esha


DJ Cam is a veteran producer and DJ from France. He blew my mind back in the mid nineties when I got a hold of his first album, Underground Vibes. He combined jazz and vibraphone samples with turntabilist hip-hop to create laid-back downtempo beats with a certain sophisticated flair. I consider that album a classic, and years later, he still continues to deliver that smooth jazz meets hip-hop sound. Check out "California Dreamin".
01 California Dreamin by DJ CAM (official)


Mr. Lif is an MC from Boston, MA who's been laying down his distinctive lyrical style since the mid-nineties. He has a very unique vocal delivery that often has political overtones, and he's known for working with atypical producers to provide highly stylized beats for his flow. His 2006 El-P produced album Mo' Mega still finds a lot of play in my music rotation. He'll be rhyming over beats provided by San Francisco based experimental producer DNAE. Imagine the rapping in "Brothaz" over stuff like DNAE Beats' "Ride Like Thunder Crash Like Lightning" mix - should be crazy.
Mr. Lif - "Brothaz" clean by Mr. Lif
Ride Like Lightning Crash Like Thunder - Beat Tape by DNAEBEATS


AshTreJinkins is a young producer based out of Los Angeles. Influenced by pioneers of trip-hop, downtempo, and glitch hop, AshTreJinkins produces a very atmospheric and somewhat abstract form of experimental beats. His tracks are all very moody expeditions into the depths of sound, creating very unique yet enveloping soundscapes. Check out "Hillz".
hillz by AshTreJinkins


Hoot + Morbidly-O-Beats is a local beat production team. Both Hoot and Morbidly-O-Beats create atmospheric downtempo beats, and Hoot is known to lay down some vocals as well. They will provide a more electronic based and glitchy trip-hop/hip-hop sound showcasing a modern approach to genre. Check out "You Ain't Gangsta".
you aint gangsta. HOOT on Vocals by Morbidly-o-Beats

The doors at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom open at 8:00PM, and the music starts at 9:00PM. The show is all ages and tickets are $22.

I knew going in that Tuesday's show was going to be one of a kind, but it didn't really hit me until I reached the Larimer Lounge that night. As soon as I entered the doors, I was greeted with a very unusual sight: a large steel pipe apparatus that looked like a home improvement project gone wrong or an incorrectly assembled exercise machine. From where I stood, I couldn't fathom how that contraption could possibly be used as an instrument, but since there was a little time before That 1 Guy would come out to perform, I got as close to the stage as I could to see if I could figure out how that thing worked.

As I got closer, I started to notice more details that revealed this crazy device's musical nature. This device, also known as the Magic Pipe, had a few prominent features; the nature of this beast started from the ground up; everything seemingly coming out of the rectangular diamond cut metal stand the Magic Pipe rested on. The stand had three wired metal discs that looked like upside-down dog bowls connected to it. A large metal pipe section jutted out from one corner like a portable fireman's pole. The larger section was connected to hinged pipes, looping around to a shorter pipe section. Each section of pipe had a single length of string attached, hinting that the pipes were acting like the neck of a guitar. Instead of frets, there were a few scattered hand drawn permanent marker lines to keep track of the different notes. There was another pipe section that jutted out from the ground, this one with a small drum head attached to its end.

That 1 Guy

Although I had time to study the machine, I still really couldn't tell how it would come to musical life. But then the theme of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood broke the silence of the venue, and from the green room emerged That 1 Guy dressed in all black, his scraggly long dark hair jutting from beneath his pair of stacked black padre hats. He removed his shoes to but on dark boots with a silver sheen, introduced himself by tipping one of his hats, and proceeded to reveal the nature of his musical machine creation.

That 1 Guy

The "Baba O'Riley" like delayed synth loop of "Modern Man" started to play as he positioned his boots over the metal discs arranged on the ground. He grasped the large pipe section like he would an upright bass and began to pluck its string, creating a wicked funky slap bass sound with each finger motion. If that wasn't amazing enough, he began stomping his feet on the discs beneath him to create a thumping drum beat. Then, he'd pull a drumstick from his pocket and beat on the pipe to create more percussive sounds. With the assistance of a looper, he'd be able to record sections he played live and layer in the recorded sounds over more live play. He'd switch from plucking or using a bow on the string to create a funky bass lead, while hitting sections of pipe or the drum head to create wicked rhythms - all while stomping other beats wildly.

That 1 Guy

I didn't notice when I first was trying to figure out the Magic Pipe, but there were buttons placed at various locations along the Magic Pipe that were responsible for different functions, most notably to play recorded samples that sounded liked they were ripped from a Looney Tunes cartoon. It wasn't enough for That 1 Guy to just be a one man band, he went to great lengths to show that he was a complete entertainment package. He would make hand motions and gestures that accentuated the cartoon-like sounds he would trigger. He even brought out hand puppets, most notably for the funky song "Packs a Wallop". With that song, he made duck-duck-goose cooler than ever.

That 1 Guy and the Magic Saw

That 1 Guy performed like he was having the time of his life, and his goofy enthusiasm contagiously swept the crowd. Each one of his songs was epic and lengthy, many of the live songs being two to three times longer than what you would find on record, but time flies when you are having fun, so no song ever felt drawn out. He continued to play pieces from his various albums, mostly from Packs a Wallop! and The Moon Is Disgusting, but there were also selections from Songs in the Key of Beotch. He left no important subject matter untouched, performing songs like "Mustaches" and "Buttmachine" to the delight of the crowd.

That 1 Guy with the Magic Boot

As impressive as his Magic Pipe prowess was, he also displayed incredible sleight of hand, making cards appear and disappear, suddenly having more facial hair, and magically creating balls of light glow in his hand. But he showed even more impressive musical ability with a couple more unexpected instruments. At one point, he took out a long saw blade and and bow and proceeded to wow the crowd with a performance of "Rainbow" (Somewhere Over The Rainbow) as he played the Magic Saw. At another point, he took out a cowboy boot and plugged it in like an electric instrument, creating the crazy percussive sounds of the song "Dig" from his Magic Boot.

That 1 Guy and his crazy creations

That 1 Guy showed a phenomenal range of musical skill, showmanship, energy, and creativity throughout the course of his set. Including the extra songs he played for his encore, his performance lasted nearly two incredibly fun-filled hours. Surely, his music is lighthearted in nature, but if you accept that and want to lose yourself in a musical experience unlike any other, it can be wicked fun. If you want to see an outside-of-the-box musical performance, That 1 Guy is someone you need to see; if not for his sheer instrumental skill then at least for his unparalleled range of imagination.

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

This city is such a great place to be for a music lover. Not only does Denver draw acts from around the country and across the globe, but it's also got its own vibrant local scene. There is a quality pool of creative musicians that are in a multitude of bands, covering just about any genre you can think of. I went to the Larimer Lounge on Sunday night to see a showcase of four local bands - three of them very new - to see what more this city has to offer, and as usual, I discovered a lot of promising music.

Jayne Rutter of The Hits