I was Colorado born and raised, and through the years a lot of things have symbolized what my home state means to me. Although I live in the heart of the city now, some of my most memorable moments have taken place far outside city boundaries, out in the open and peaceful mountains that scatter this state. Growing up, if you wanted music out there, you had to take it with you and make it yourself. The earnestness and warmth of the music I saw last night at the Hi-Dive transported me back out into those wild spaces through well crafted songs.

The Changing Colors

The journey began right away with Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs based band The Changing Colors. The Changing Colors performed as Conor Bourgal (vocals/guitar), Ian Bourgal (lap steel, guitar), and Aaron Fanning (cello). The trio created poignant folk tunes that had a strange encompassing power emitted through simple yet strong songs. Their honest approach to music came out as naturally as the wild landscape in which their music evokes images of, making me feel like I was back in the woods again listening to music with a circle of friends.

The Changing Colors

The Changing Colors' music evoked a solemn mood, like the tension of knowing that the beauty of the surrounding wild can easily turn cold should something go wrong. It teetered on the edge, never carefree but not too somber - just delivered with hardened respect. Even the straight guitar instrumental "Boat Song" had that same feeling of understanding, and the dynamic between the Bourgal brothers really came out in that piece. When their set ended with "Work Is Done", one could almost picture the tired rays of the sun vanishing, replaced with the cool light of the moon, as everyone prepared to rest for another quiet evening. This band has a talent for writing beautiful songs that are a soothing remedy to the hustle of city life.

Jack Wilson

Up next was singer-songwriter Jack Wilson from Austin, TX. Jack Wilson didn't travel with his backing band, so instead he enlisted some local help for a handful of songs. When Jack Wilson wasn't performing solo with just his voice and guitar, he had the help of members from Denver's own Paper Bird; Paul DeHaven on drums, Macon Terry on bass, and backing vocals from Sarah Anderson and Esmé Patterson. Jack Wilson was able to evoke a similarly powerful feel through simple songs and strong vocals. His music was earnest and evoked images of the peaceful country without the rugged tension of the previous act.

Jack Wilson

Jack Wilson exhibited a lot of talent; he could create a full sound with just his guitar, he could fill the room with his singing voice, and he could capture the crowd with his warm personality between songs. Apparently he is a good teacher with talented friends as well, as the members of Paper Bird that helped him perform only had three days to rehearse their material, yet nothing sounded clumsy. He could go from uptempo songs to slower tunes like "Valhalla", but no matter the tempo each song was delivered with a lot of energy. I'd be interested to see how he sounds with his usual band, because his temporary band was amazing. Jack Wilson is a great representative of singer-songwriter/folk/country, so if you are a fan of those genres, he will not disappoint.

Eye & The Arrow

Finally, Eye & The Arrow came out on stage to close out the night. I had the privilege of seeing this band for their inaugural live performance, and I was very impressed with what they did at that time. The trio of Paul DeHaven (vocals/guitar), Jason Haas Hecker (bass) and Mark Anderson (drums/vocals/slide guitar) still had their impressive western style indie folk going on, although with even more polish, confidence and a couple new tricks up their sleeves on this night. This is another band whose sound evokes strong imagery - a sound that would be at home in the wild west yet with a refreshing dose of indie rock influence.

Eye & The Arrow

They began their set with "Prophet's Hometown", a song that could seemingly lead couples to waltzing on the dance floor at an old western ball. They followed that with "Tamales", this time a desert folk-rock dance tune with a slight dash of modern indie rock. Once again I was amazed by Mark Anderson and his drumming/percussion with the way he would constantly be adjusting his kit depending on the song. A lot of folk based music I've heard relies on a steady beat from simple rhythms, but Eye & The Arrow thrives of of rhythmic complexity.

Eye & The Arrow

There were a couple new songs I heard this time around that hinted at the band's versatility. They performed "Punk Song" that had elements of punk rock in it including a big crashing rock ending, yet the song still maintained a definitive western-folk feel. They also incorporated a sort of coastal/retro-surf rock 'n' roll style song tentatively titled "Honey Wine" that showed another range of experimentation and further ability to play outside of but still maintain their overall identifiable sound. "Mexico" was still just as catchy as the first time I heard it, and I loved how they finished their set with the variable tempo and time-signature piece "Stutter Beat". This band approaches folk quite unlike anyone else I've heard, and I think their melding of other genres can give them wide appeal. This is definitely a local band to see.

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