Storm Warning: Sharone & the Wind on the Creative Power of Chaos

Sharone Borik performed her first show in her mid-teens at the Seventh Circle Music Collective. There, with well-crafted, piano-centric songs, fierce honesty and a strong voice, she established herself as a regular act, with support from one of the collective’s key organizers, Aaron Saye.

In May 2016, Borik released her debut solo EP, Breathe. But she was tired of playing alone, so she recruited bandmates to form a more hard-rock-oriented project. By late May, she had the first incarnation of Sharone & the Wind. Over the following months, she solidified a lineup that garnered a loyal fan base for her emotionally charged, darkly inflected rock, which can be heard on the band’s debut full-length, Storm.

The album’s release will be celebrated this weekend with a concert at Moe’s. In advance of the show, we spoke with Borik about the importance of Seventh Circle and all-ages shows to her and other young musicians, and the way in which she channels chaos into art.

Westword: How was Seventh Circle important to your development as an artist?

Sharone Borik: When my friend booked that first show for me at Seventh Circle Music Collective, it was during a hard time in my life. From day one, Aaron Saye has always believed in my music, loved it and genuinely enjoyed it. My friends obviously loved to hear me play, but within family and close circles, I didn’t really have support for my music, and I was ashamed of it. I didn’t think I was very good for a long time, because I didn’t have that validation. When I started playing at Seventh Circle, I got that validation and realized I’m good at what I do. It’s how I met all my bandmates. It not only gave me a start in the Denver music scene, it’s a second home to me, and that’s why I volunteer there. I want to give back.

Why are all-ages shows important?

I understand why some shows have age restrictions. I also think we should be exposing younger kids to more music. Especially in Denver, where we have so many young musicians. I think that exposure makes good music come from young kids. I’m always upset when I can’t go to a show because I’m not 21. I don’t want anyone to feel that way about one of our shows, so I don’t really want to play 21-and-over and 18-and-over shows, because it sucks for people who can’t come and see you because they’re not of age. It’s a show. It’s not about the alcohol at a show; it’s about the music. That’s why I think they should be all-ages.

The album name and the title track are especially significant for you and what the band is about.

I wrote the song “Storm” before we recorded, and I told the band I really wanted it on the album because I felt it tied everything together. It starts out talking about being in a place where I felt really small, unworthy and unable. Then the lyrics are, “But in my eyes you see the lightning burning up in me” — having the drive and determination to go and do the things you love. There are moments of self-doubt in the song, because all artists experience that, but it ends with saying this is the only thing I have, and I’m never going to stop pursuing it. All the songs are personal and come from a vulnerable part of me, but “Storm” is one that I can always relate back to, and I feel it will remain timeless for me.

Your band’s artwork incorporates the image of a tornado. How does that tie into what inspires your music?

Since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by tornadoes. It’s in our logo. They’re amazing, beautiful, chaotic, destructive — all of that, to me, is rad. I love chaos and craziness. It’s what I thrive off of, and it’s what inspires me. The wind partially came from that, but I also remember one night coming up with names for the band and hanging out with my friend Blake George. It was a windy night, and we kept looking at the leaves and the patterns they were making when the wind got stronger. That word “wind” kept coming up, and I said it to myself — Sharone & the Wind — and that was it.

Why do you consider chaos and craziness something positive in your life?

Those are the things that inspire my music: crazy experiences, shit going down. Bad shit happens. How do I cope with this? I write a song. It’s very therapeutic.

Sharone & the Wind, with 21 Taras, Rotten Reputation and more,
8 p.m. Saturday, April 22, Moe’s Original BBQ, 303-781-0414, $8-$10, all ages.