Livetronica Supergroup Nitecap Debuts at Cervantes' This Thursday

Jamtronica, also known as livetronica, is a loosely defined genre of music. At its core, it's live electronic music that generally uses traditional rock instruments — drums, guitars, keys, synthesizers and a ton of effects pedals.

Sometimes the electronic elements can be subtle, with the band opting for a more organic sound, and other times it can be pure binary. No genre of music is sacred in livetronica; all styles can be explored within a single show, with little reverence for sonic purity. The "jam" in jamtronica comes from the improvisational nature of its performances and the fact that its fan base is peppered with wooks.

The Colorado jamtronica scene is one of the strongest in the country, exemplified by the number of artists that call the Centennial State a first or second home, such as STS9, Lotus, the Disco Biscuits and Sunsquabi, which all have roots in Colorado. And because of the sheer number of bands that are either based here or come through frequently, Colorado’s been a breeding ground for jams, supergroups and side projects that comprise members of these bands.

This Thursday, April 14, Cervantes' hosts another one of these groups: Nitecap. Nitecap was formed during the pandemic between Josh Fairman of Sunsquabi on bass, Adam Deitch of Lettuce on drums and Ian Gilley of RECESS on keys. Deitch describes Nitecap’s sound as “modern synth-drenched soul music, with a touch of jazz.”

Nitecap will be joined by turntablist Chris Karns and Drew Birch (also of RECESS), who will sit in as special guests. The show will also feature Canada’s Lazy Syrup Orchestra, which will be making its Denver debut.

Westword spoke with Gilley and Fairman ahead of the show about Colorado’s jamtronica scene, their origins as a band, their playing style and wooks.

Westword: How would you describe the culture of the jamtronica scene?

Gilley: Colorado has made a name for itself with the sound that has been curated here. The audiences, musicians and promoters all share an open, accepting mindset when it comes to art, which has been a breeding ground for new innovative sounds and visuals alike. As an artist, I am hard-pressed to think of a better community to be a part of. The community here feels and accepts whatever it is you want to explore, and that is invaluable.

Fairman: The scene has a lot of love. People are always down to collaborate on a track or sit in on a show. Everyone brings their own voice to it. The fans are so supportive: You can drop a nine-minute saga or a three-minute banger, and they're here for it. It really comes down to feel. If the music moves the fans, they show the love. I think the people who like jamtronica tend to be open-minded about music, and that gives us the freedom to explore the genre.

Your names have been popping up in the jamtronica scene for quite some time. How did you all meet?

Gilley: My band RECESS had the opportunity to tour with Sunsquabi quite a bit in the past, and on the road, Josh and I hit it off.

RECESS was based in Arkansas for the genesis of the project, but eventually we decided that a move was in order, and we chose Denver as the place to be. When we relocated, I moved in with Josh, and we began making music organically. Josh and Adam had a relationship long before I ever moved up here.

Fairman: I've known Adam for like ten years. We had mutual friends and would jam when he would come to town when he was still living in New York. We then started working together in the studio on multiple projects. I've respected him as a musician for a long time. It's really exciting to be doing a live project with him.

You’re all in successful bands that tour. How do you find time to play together outside of these jams?

Gilley: The pandemic gave us a unique opportunity to get together and make music. We definitely took advantage of that time, but now that things are getting back to normal, those moments are a little scarcer. Adam and Lettuce are on tour for the rest of the year, essentially. Josh and Sunsquabi have been road dogs for years and will continue to do so this year as well.

Fairman: The pandemic gave us all time to kill, and one of the biggest silver linings was the creation of Nitecap. We would just get together and write or record since we all had time off the road. Eventually, we were like, "Holy shit we have almost two albums of music." It kind of just happened organically. Normally getting together regularly is almost impossible, due to demanding schedules. But the last two years have given us the opportunity to make a new sound and really dive in.

What unique characteristics of each other’s playing styles do you appreciate?

Gilley: Adam is undeniably one of the most prolific musicians. His depth of knowledge and experience is unparalleled. Every time I'm around him, I try to be a sponge and soak up as much as I can. His prowess as a player and composer are second to none, in my opinion. He understands the rules and when to break them. He brings the best out of everyone he plays with, which is a characteristic of greatness.

Josh has one of the best ears for sound and style I have ever encountered. He has played and recorded with some of the best around. His ability to understand a song and what is supposed to happen within it is unmatched.

Josh is the definition of an “anchor” bass player. He holds it down, solid as a rock and as funky as they come. I hear a lot of George Porter Jr. and Flea influence in his playing. Both of them possess musical intuition of the highest quality. Getting to play and learn from them is a privilege that I am very thankful for.

Fairman: Ian really has a huge harmonic language. His use of chords really stands out. He can play ten different progressions over any one of my bass lines and it will sound amazing. His dedication to the craft these last few years has really shown. Always listening to the newest, dopest tracks and trying to take inspiration while still finding his own voice.

Adam is a master of the drums; everything he plays is exactly what I want to hear. It's always fresh, but with that influence of our biggest influences. He is more than a drummer. He is a composer; he writes tunes and plays every instrument. He is able to find the perfect grooves because he understands everyone's roles. He literally is the hardest-working musician I know.

What genres are explored while you jam together, and how would you describe the sound that comes out of it? Do you think it has a signature of its own?

Gilley: Adam once described it as “modern synth-drenched soul music with a touch of jazz,” and I think that is a very accurate description. We draw on new and old sounds as well as our backgrounds in funk, jazz and neo-soul. I feel like we've conjured a sound that is unique but also familiar in the best way.

The thing that I love the most is that it’s authentic to who we are as players and people. We're not trying to be anything but ourselves, and to me, that's what is most important.

Over the years of being in the scene, have you seen changes in receptiveness to different genres that you might explore in your jams? Are there styles that you realize get more response now than, say, seven years ago? Perhaps ones you realized don’t work as well as they used to?

Gilley: In Denver, the audiences are super receptive. There is space for all kinds of sounds and genres. For example, Ramakhandra filled up Cervantes' Other Side. That was awesome to see and experience. It shows that you don’t necessarily have to make womps and wubs to get a crowd here.

All in all, Denver has curated a culture that lets artists explore whatever genre or sound they want to make. I am super proud of being a part of this community here for that reason.

Fairman: I think people definitely respond to the builds and drops a lot now. But we still just play what we think is dope and hope for the best. When you're authentic to yourselves and play from the heart, it translates to the crowd and their response.

It’s the jamtronica scene, so we have to ask: Have you ever seen some wook events in the crowd that made you mess up while playing because it stole your attention?

Fairman: I have seen all sorts of wookery, from crazy totems to dances that really redefine what dancing is. I like to think I haven’t messed up from it, but it can be distracting, for sure. Sometimes, though, it's those special wooks that really give you energy ’cause they are so deep in the groove it makes you play even better and makes you try even harder.

Nitecap plays Thursday, April 14, at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton Street. Tickets are $15-$20.