A Michal Menert New Years

Michal Menert, a peer and old friend of Pretty Lights is based out of Fort Collins as he has spent much of his life here after he and his family escaped Soviet Eastern Europe in his childhood, according his myspace page. Since then Menert has lived in Fort Collins and surrounding areas and started a career as a Dj. Menert's style closely resembles Pretty Light's as he plays electronic down tempo and hip hop beats mixed with heavy bass. The similarities are strking, and it is no surprise that the two have spent time mixing together.

Here is a little sample from a Pretty Lights after party




He is set to play a new years eve set at the Aggie, and it should be one to not be missed. This is a show that will most definitely sell out so be sure to get tickets in advance

On Campus? Ramskeller Provides Shows

Quick heads up to anyone on campus often; the Ramskeller, which is the on campus bar, hosts a variety of local acts throughout the semester. Occasionally CSU will even commission bigger acts to play the 'Skeller' such as the popular adult swim band/cartoon show Deathklok a few years back, and in even farther back other big names such as Widespread Panic, according to a flier on the wall in the historic bar the Town Pump. Suprising? Yes indeed! Widespread panic now tends to to sell out Red Rocks when in the area, and the thought of them playing the Skeller is ludicrous.

There are still more shows planned for this semester, especially on friday nights, so keep posted for a local show here at our local school.

Rise Against Recording in Fort Collins Again

Punk rock giants Rise against are in the midst of recording their next album here in Fort Collins... again. The Chicago based four-peice has been at work on the new album for several months now and the title is still to be announced.

The band enjoys the Fort Collins area and has preferred recording with the local recording studio The Blasting Room, as it is a favored punk rock hot spot, as founded by members of the legendary punk rock bands The Descendents and Black Flag. This picture was recently released on the bands website among other studio pictures of the band in the studio here in town.

It is great to see a nationally known act favoring Fort Collins as compared to many that prefer bigger studios in costal areas. It would be ignorant to believe the band would stick around the area for much longer than the recording process, but we can always hope for more albums and presence in the city in the future. Unfortunately it could be a while before the band plays any shows in the area as the only tour dates in 2011 are set for Europe and South America, but more should be announced as the year comes to pass.

Snowball to Host Local Musicians

Although the line up hasn't been announced yet speculation and rumor are running rampant in regards to the first annual Snowball music festival in Vail. The word on the street is acts such as Pretty Lights, The Flaming Lips, and Ratatat will headline the event -- but nothing is officially confirmed. The festival is set for March 3rd-6th and will supposedly host three stages, one of which dedicated to local acts from Colorado.

Winter music festivals are basically unheard of when compared to the massive acts that dominate the summer season in North America and Europe. What makes the Snowball festival unique is that it is said to be outdoors, even in the what is known to be one of the coldest months in the Colorado calender.

The event will also be geared towards skiing and boarding as the beautiful resort of Vail will be open for riding.

The line up should begin to be posted by the end of the month, so be sure to check the website for more information as details develop.

Free Show: Dead Floyd

What would it sound like if the music of Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead made a baby? Probably like very abstract synthesized guitar plucking accompanied by loud vocals. Next best thing: Dead Floyd.

Covering songs from both historic bands in conjunctive sets Dead Floyd has been rocking the front range since the summer of 2009, according to their website. They have played extensively in Fort Collins and also shows in Boulder and Denver. The band claims that one of the best things about their live sets is the vast catalog of songs they have to play from. If you do the math that's 27 studio albums and hundreds of songs amounting to endless set lists and combinations of songs.

The next Fort Collins Dead Floyd show is scheduled for this Saturday, December 4th. So if you find yourself bar hoping this weekend and have an itching for some classic rock, or just an awesome show in general this might tickle your fancy. The doors are at 8 pm but the real fun will start a bit later.
What can be transposed to Dead Floyd in the words of the late Jerry Garcia could sum up this event the best, "And for me there's still more material than 20 life times that I could use up."

House of Dub Continues to Draw Large Crowds

The electronic music wave is still sweeping northern Colorado.

You can see it at a plethora of venues from Cervantes in Denver, to the Fox in Boulder and in Fort Collins the Aggie, the prognosis is definitive: people want to dance, and they want a stimulating night club experience to accompany the feel. Bigger names are no longer even necessary to draw a more filling crowd. The masses want heavy bass and all its the bells and whistles, and this is what they get.

House of dub, as previously mentioned, is a group of local DJs playing house and dubstep music, and caters exactly to this agenda. The formula is simple and the results are lucrative. The past several House of Dub shows have achieved to completely pack the Aggie, even as free shows. This last show on November 5th left the venue busting at the seems and even lined those that left to smoke outside in a line to wait to return to the show as they were over capacity. Many never even made it through the doors as the entry line spanned through the night.

"A lot of our resources are going into the visual aspects" says Scott Schreiner also known as DJ Juggernaut. Juggernaut alongside DJ Seth Abrumz formed the House of Dub organization that currently includes four other DJ members. The first House of Dub set was in October, and the results have been much more explosive than expected, as explains the picture below.

Juggernaut has been playing in the area for over ten years now and was most recently a resident DJ at the Vault bar alongside other local performers. He has played several shows and events in Fort Collins, Denver and surrounding areas. Interested in some of his mixes? Check out his Soundcloud page.

With the local success of the musical mesh the organization does not currently have plans to take the act out of town, but has toyed with the idea of moving to another venue that might be able to accommodate to a larger crowd.

Their sister organization Got Bass has also recently achieved capacity at the Aggie in recent months. The two groups coordinate shows together and aim to each play one show at the Aggie per month. Got Bass is similar to the House of Dub, but puts more of a focus on Dubstep rather than house music. With designated sets and mutual organization these two groups have rapidly built a string of shows that have left fans anticipating more shows and consistently forming lines earlier in the night.

"It was definitely unexpected," says Bobby Brunette who attended the last show, "it was the most fun I've ever had in a club." Brunette recently moved to Fort Collins from south Texas and went to the last House of Dub after a friend recommended the Aggie as a good club. New to the electronic music scene Brunette was treated to a night of dancing and fun, as exhibits this video from the set.

Local music enthusiasts have also been surprised with the production value of the sets. "They're epic," Remarks Chris Reed, a local music follower of many years. Reed was born and raised in Fort Collins and has been impressed with the House of Dub shows. "It was hot and grimy...it was awesome!"

The next House of Dub show is scheduled for December 11th, and will likely follow in the tradition of the past shows by reaching capacity by 10:30 pm, so come early or take the gamble of a long line that may not even lead to entry. The show will be free as all House of Dub and Got Bass shows to date.

"That in itself is a big plus, its so much better than the ten bucks most charge to get in the door." States Juggernaut.

How long will these electronic shows draw the crowds they have seen? It is difficult to say in an industry driven by trends and abrupt changes, but it is for sure that the House of Dub has created a show that will impress, and this is a great opportunity to catch a hot act in its heyday.

Get Funky With Mug Night

Little known to many in the area every monday night Hodis Half Note hosts a weekly funk jam consisting of local musicians. One of the best things about the jam is that anyone is able to join so long as they bring their own equipment and have an idea as to how to play music. By simply contacting Hodis prior to joining the jam all musicians are able to share their talent. The jam is funk oriented, but also branches out into jazz and even hip hop. Even those interested in vocal preformances are welcome to join.

Not a musician?

Even better! The drink specials are great; the name mug night refers to the plastic mugs which anyone can purchase and bring back every mug night for discounted refills. Domestics are slightly cheaper than micros, and all beers are reasonably priced.

Whether you are joining the jam or just looking for a tasty brew mug night offers good vibes and infectious beats for all. Come join the boogie!