By: Aubrey Watts

Journal Staff

I had the pleasure tonight of seeing one of our local bands “Afferent” preform. I believe this band has something going for them most people can not see. Unbelievable harmony teamed up with insane solo guitar licks left me reaching for more.

Separately ‘Josh’ and ‘Patrick’ have their own distinct talents as musicians. Bringing the two together makes a duo like no other. Playing together for going on five years now it looks to me like they have it down. Between doing original and cover songs you see nothing but extreme emotion. To me it’s an emotion you can only see in certain people.

Anyone with a good voice can get up there and sing. Anyone with any sense of reading notes can play the guitar. I believe when you add in raw dripping emotion mixed with true lyrics of passion is when artists are born. In my mind, these two have nailed it.   

When listening to bands, I like to get there early to see how the audience takes to the artists preforming. I have to say I was slightly disappointed. Not in the music ‘Josh’ and ‘Patrick’ preformed but the lack of attention they seemed to receive. I am hoping in the long run it was just a bad night for the venue and they are more welcomed on other occasions.

 Have you ever gone to a show, loved the band and it seemed you were the only one really paying attention?

By: Aubrey Watts

Journal Staff

The Denver music scene has seen it’s fair share of rising artists. From the recent up and coming band “Flobots” to the ever popular “The Fray.” What is even more awe-inspiring than the die hard fans is the amazing diversity of artists you find in the area.

I was first introduced to a Denverite artist by the name of ‘Nina Storey’ through my sister as well as my best friend. While enjoying our thanksgiving break together six years ago I started to burn CD’s they said I MUST listen to. ‘Nina’ was third on the list. In goes the CD and down drops my jaw. Struck by her smooth mellow dramatic notes and brutally honest lyrics I was in disbelief that she was only a local artist. From then on I have been hooked and enfatuated by this beautiful singer.

Blues, funk, jazz and honesty are the words that come to mind when trying to describe her sound. In reality she is so much more….

My favorite song on her’s to this day is “No Man” from the “Shades” CD. A simple song stating, “I don’t need no man, I don’t need no lovin.” The statement imprinted on my brain like a rubber stamp is that of independence. A statement showing the stereotypical need of a couple being dependent on one another is not a necessity.

She is a must listen to in my book. By far one of the best artists that I highly recommend to anyone I meet.

Any local bands here or in other cities you find yourself always talking about?

By Aubrey Watts
Journal staff 

Dallas Green, a singer and songwriter for his solo project “City and Colour” has emerged from a very different musical backround to bring us an amazingly composed acoustic album like no other.  Originally starting out in the band Alexisonfire, a well known punk/screamo band from Canada, Dallas has seemed to step into his own realm of musical wonder.

Strangely enough like his first band, Dallas has managed to stay underground becoming successful the old fashioned way. Purely by word of mouth. After all I owe it a friend of mine for playing “City and Colour” on a very random day. So if you like acoustic music I would suggest checking this band out. These songs are my favorite so far.
 
1. Waiting
2. Save your Scissors
3. Coming Home
4. Day Old Hate
 

Any underground bands out there you would like to share? If so where/how did you hear about them?