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
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
— 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