Kiltro Brings Shoegaze to the Summit This Weekend

For musicians, pouring their soul into an album and brazenly sharing it with the world is a strange experience, according to Chris Bowers-Castillo and Will Parkhill of Denver neo-psychedelia shoegaze group Kiltro.

“Putting an album out is weird, because it’s like, do people actually like it? How do you tell if an album is a huge success or not?” Parkhill, the band’s bassist, wonders.

Yes, some artists “blow the fuck up off one song or album,” he continues, but “that’s not really the reality of it, especially with musicians trying to make a professional, daily life out of it.”

The conversation about what defines success and progress is reflected in Kiltro’s recently released sophomore album, Underbelly. Without much outside input, mainly sharing songs live before recording the ten new tracks, Chilean-American singer-songwriter Bowers-Castillo, Parkhill, Fez Garcia (live percussion) and Michael Devincenzi (drums) ultimately came up with a more “inward and private” record, according to Bowers-Castillo.

“We sat on these songs for a long time. There was a lot of uncertainty. Part of that was the fact that we weren’t bringing these out. That component wasn’t there to reinforce the process,” he says, adding that it felt like they were "shooting in the dark a little bit.”

Underbelly was released on June 2, and Kiltro embarked on a summer run to promote it, starting with a free hometown record-release show at the Mercury Cafe on June 1. And with such popular songs as “Guanaco” and “Errasuriz,” the band received the positive reception it had hoped for. The reaction it’s inspiring in audiences across the country, particularly in areas the group is playing for the first time, is indicative of a step forward in Kiltro's journey that started just six years ago, and builds on the progress made since the band's 2019 debut, Creatures of Habit.

“It’s not like we put Underbelly out and and we’ve seen tons and tons of people losing their minds and accolades,” Parkhill notes. “It doesn’t necessarily work that way, but you can get that sense when you see the audience. They’re giving you all their love and energy. That’s been something that’s been really sweet for us.”

Garcia adds that there’s been “a world’s difference between last summer and this summer, especially the response to the shows.” 

Locals will have a chance to appreciate the rejuvenated Kiltro on Friday, September 22, at Summit Music Hall. Don Chicharrón is also on the bill.

While Underbelly displays Kiltro's brand of ambient post-rock and South American folk, the latest offering is also the most complete composition the band has put out to date. But don’t expect a note-for-note rendering when you hear it on tour. Kiltro, whose moniker is Chilean slang for stray dogs or mutts, prides itself on putting together one-of-a-kind concerts that include improv and jams. Bowers-Castillo believes that performing is “up to the gods,” while Parkhill looks at music as “the third alien language” behind verbal and body language.

“I think it’s just an unspoken communication that musicians have that are comfortable with each other and have a good rapport,” Garcia adds.

As the bassist, Parkhill says he has “one of the best seats in the house” to witness the “transfer and interaction of harmonic information.”

“As a rhythm section, I love to see how Fez and Michael lock in together with the double percussion. We knew that having two drummers live would be great,” he says. “There are certain moments when I see them locking in on a fill or are in sync on the same thing over the course of each show. That’s that true sixth sense, seeing that meld happen.”

Even with Underbelly doing well and Kiltro's return to form on the stage, Bowers-Castillo says that navigating and fostering the second album has been a learning experience. “There’s only one that’s like it. You’re learning what it’s like for the first time while already having an audience," he explains. "In that context, I feel like a baby. I’m learning how to deal with it.

“It’s also been a challenging one, putting it out. It ultimately boils down to: What do you want out of this, and how do you measure success?” he continues. “I feel good about the progress that we’ve made. It’s just a second album, but I still feel like I’m new to putting out these big projects.”

Bowers-Castillo concludes simply, “What was made was what was made.”

In that sense, Underbelly successfully captures the band at this particular point in time — one during which Kiltro continues to ascend and evolve from a popular local act to a nationally touring newcomer.

Kiltro, 7 p.m. Friday, September 22, Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake Street. Tickets are $25-$40.