Meet a Westword Music Showcase Band: Hooper

Ahead of the Westword Music Showcase, indie-punk band Hooper discusses writing music in Englewood, earlier and shorter sets, and music accessibility.

By Ben Wiese

June 18, 2018

Indie-punk rockers Hooper. Trevor McMorris

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Every year, the Westword Music Showcase brings some of the city's best acts to venues throughout the Golden Triangle neighborhood. To find out more about some of the acts that will be performing at the Showcase on Saturday, June 23, we sent them a questionnaire that includes questions about the local music scene.

Here's what Hooper has to say:

Westword: What do you want readers to know about your music?

Hooper: It comes in a pretty decent variety of key signatures.

How has Denver influenced your sound?

Some of us have been playing music in Denver since we were teens. That said, the majority of our songs were written in Englewood.

What are the biggest issues Denver musicians face in 2018 – good and bad?

The bad: Denver musicians face the same thing any musician does: Music, like any form of entertainment, is not a meritocracy. There are amazing bands that we haven't even heard of, but you can walk into a dentist's office and hear Imagine Dragons. The good: Anyone can make, record and release music.

If you could change anything about Denver's music scene, what would it be?

Denver needs more shows that start earlier, with fewer bands playing shorter sets. We're old.

What has you most excited about playing the 2018 Westword Music Showcase?

Getting to watch some of our friends in Fathers and R.L. Cole & the Hell You Say, as well as checking out tons of bands we've never seen.

Hooper will perform at the Westword Music Showcase at 12:40 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at Bar Standard, 1037 Broadway. Get more information and tickets at westwordshowcase.com.

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