Westword Music Showcase 2015: Get to Know Our Headliners

Join us this Saturday, June 20, 2015, for the 21st Westword Music Showcase! The Showcase is a celebration of our state's vibrant music scene. Colorado is home to internationally renowned experimental bands, pioneering folk artists, Grammy winners and much, much more. On most nights in Denver, you can see just about any kind of show you like, from bluegrass to hip-hop to hardcore punk. The sheer magnitude of the state's musical output can be daunting — so whether you're new to the scene, hoping to expand your horizons or just looking for a party, the Westword Music Showcase is a good place to start.

Colorado's musical exports are matched by its imports: Legendary venues and enthusiastic fans ensure that bands from around the world route their tours to include a swing through the Rocky Mountains. We'll host a few of those visitors at the Showcase — on our outdoor main stage in the heart of Denver. Get to know a few of those headliners below:
Harley Edward Streten, who grew up around Sydney’s Northern Beaches, found his calling early in life. It all started with his discovery, at age thirteen, of a music-making program on a CD inside of a cereal box. He’s been crafting music ever since. Now at just 23, Streten, who goes by the moniker Flume, travels the world, headlining shows and festivals, selling tens of thousands of tickets and topping charts as he goes. His latest EP, Lockjaw, was co-written by fellow Australian electro musician Chet Faker — and if you have yet to hear anything from Flume, check out the duo’s superb, loungy “Drop the Game” track, which comes with an equally excellent, minimalistic video.
— Erin DeWitt
Austin’s Black Angels, with a band name pulled straight from the Velvet Underground’s catalogue and a high-contrast image of Nico splayed across their logo, are unapologetic in their admiration for the prophetic NYC rock band. The Angels, though, have carved out a sound quite their own, which they’ve dubbed “Native American Drone-N-Roll.” Using an excess of throbbing bass, droney reverb and spacey, hypnotic undertones, they’ve not only earned critical acclaim, but have also hopped on tour with the Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age and Wolfmother, just to name-drop a few fans.
— Angelica Leicht
In a music culture where the single most respected musician on the planet might well be Beyoncé, pop sensibilities are valuable currency. These are exciting times to be a fan of a well-crafted hook and an indelible melody, even if the majority of bands trying to create those things can’t manage anything truly worthwhile. That’s because we occasionally wind up with a band like New York’s MisterWives: a trio equally capable of bombast and precision, one that earns its clap-along choruses with inventive, soul-inflected grooves and unexpected rhythms. This year’s debut full-length, Our Own House, belongs in poolside boomboxes everywhere.
— Kiernan Maletsky