New year, new Colorado music!
This month offers a first listen to dreamy new music from husband-wife duo Tennis ahead of their new album Pollen out next month. We also have for the first time, Babah Fly, who has been rapping in Denver and beyond since 1998. Elektric Animals also join the Local 303 with their explosive alternative rock.
On the new artist radar we have rising acts out of Colorado Springs, Caleb Miller and GRIMMLY. DIY artist Sara Flows makes music out of her bedroom in Arvada and Sami Davis from Northglenn emerged in 2021 writing her own music as opposed to performing others' like she had been doing for the past decade. Other new music is from the band trash. who live across Denver and the Front Range, having just recorded their latest EP at the legendary Blasting Room Studios in Fort Collins.
Travis McNamara of folk band Trout Steak Revival spent lockdown pursuing a new, more experimental sound as a solo artist and his debut album will be out in March. Another solo project that shows his experimental side is, Julian Fulco Perron, who blends folk and psychedelic on his sophomore album out this past fall.
Former Coloradoan, Chloe Southern recently moved to Brooklyn from Boulder to expand her fanbase; and last is Sreeja Chakra who attended music school in Denver and will be returning to Dubai intending to collaborate and pursue creating music.
Join us at the end of the month for our Local 303 Meetup. The event gives space to celebrate Colorado musicians and music fans from our community with our Music Meeting that previews new Colorado music that you can vote on and there will be a very special performance from one of this month's bands! For aspiring musicians, we will also host a Q&A about how to get your music on the radio; and get entered to win concert tickets.
The Local 303 Meetup is at Mercury Café, on Monday January 30th from 6:30-9 p.m. It is all ages and open to the public. Mercury Café is located at 2199 California Street in Denver.
Are you a Colorado musician who wants to be featured in the Local 303? Send us your music.
Meet January's picks:
Babah Fly
Colorado Home: Denver
Formed: 1998
Latest Release: "U Can Feel the Vibration"(Single), Aug. 22, 2022; "Heart Sensation"(Single), Oct. 22, 2022; "Wisdom in the Framework"(Single), Dec. 22, 2022
Pronouns: He/Him, Us/We
About: The soul of Babah Fly looked at the struggle of life on Earth and was like “Nah, I’m cool,” until it came across the music, art, dance and poetry on the Earthly realm and decided to give it a shot.
Beamed into the physical on a place called Earth in the seventies, Babah Fly connected his soul to his body as a b-boy dancer and martial artist at an early age. His practices grew in the culture of Hip-Hop to include emceein’ (rapping/poetry/word magic/verbal reiki) and deejayin’(turtablism/sampling/beat production).
He has crafted many releases throughout the past three decades and is still producing music to this day! His music sounds like the evolution of Hip-Hop’s apex moments and continues to look to the future. The sound is progressive at the same time paying homage to artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Afrika Bambaataa, Egyptian Lover, MF Doom and Radiohead. You might catch him rappin’ over “Maria Tambien” by Khruangbin or his own self-produced beats on his "Pocket Operator."
Aside from the music, Babah Fly is a teacher, healer, yogi, tai chi instructor and mentor. You might catch him on a wellness retreat in the Caribbean in the winter months making music.
Plans For 2023: I plan to keep releasing singles until late spring. I will then put out a full-length LP along with a bunch of prints of visual art that are inspired from the music. My plan is to have full immersive art shows at various art galleries with music, projection art and gigantic prints through the spring and summer of 2023!
Website: https://linktr.ee/babahfly
Get Social: TikTok, Instagram
Caleb Miller
Colorado Home: I live in Colorado Springs!
Formed: I released my first song in April of 2022
Latest Release: My latest release is called "HANDSOME' and it released on 11/11/22 under my personal label Softboy LLC
About: Caleb Miller is an emerging alt-pop artist, producer and singer-songwriter hailing from Colorado. Honing in on stories from his own life in a power pop exploration, he released his debut single ‘COOL AS YOU’ earlier this year, a grungy and gritty introduction into Caleb’s musical sphere, to which he has already amassed tens of thousands of streams on Spotify alone. On the verge of releasing his debut album, Miller already seems to have identified exactly who he is as an artist and what he wants his music to say.
The second installment of Caleb Miller is luscious, electro-pop single ‘HANDSOME’. Taking homage from modern pop pioneers such as Kid Laroi, Shawn Mendes and Jon Bellion, Caleb’s sound is immediately accessible, full of melodic hooks with so much to latch onto. There are beautiful moments where his vocals go into a vocoder effect, bringing a whole new dimension to the track, reminiscent of Bon Iver. ‘HANDSOME’ is infectious and oozes character and personality, and you can hear the sound world that Caleb Miller is starting to create.
Producing and writing the song himself and then collaborating with co-producer Casey Barth to get the finished product, the result is an intoxicating and powerful alt-pop track with an energy and presence that cannot be ignored. Caleb says “‘HANDSOME’ is a song about how everything a girl could say always makes me think of the girl who said it to me first.”
Caleb’s vocal still manages to take centre stage amongst all the complex production, and in a world where you simply have to stand out, Caleb Miller does so in style. ‘HANDSOME’ is the perfect introduction into everything this exciting new artist has to offer.
Plans For 2023: In 2023 I'll be releasing more work from my debut album! A few singles, a few music videos. I'm just going to keep building the little world that album #1 lives in.
Website: calebmillerofficial.com
Get Social: Instagram
Chloe Southern
Colorado Home: Boulder
Where You Live Now: Brooklyn (specifically Bushwick), NY
Formed: I’ve always been a solo act, so I’d say the idea of being professional musician formed when I was about 9 or 10, when I stared writing my own songs and realized that if I wanted to I could do that for the rest of my life. It’s always been a way for me to cope with anxiety, so I think that’s why it was in me so young. Being a musician has always seemed like the only path for me, but I’d say around that age is when I started taking it seriously. Well, as seriously as you can at 9 or 10.
Latest Release: My latest release was a 5 song EP called “Last Man on Earth” that came out November 11th, 2022.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
About: “The more alone I feel in an experience, the more I know I need to write about it.” 22 year old Chloe Southern is a singer-songwriter and producer from Boulder, CO, living in Brooklyn. Marking her footprint in Neo-Folk Pop/Rock, she focuses on intimate and honest writing. She hopes when people listen to her music they feel understood, like they’re talking to their best friend. She just released her first EP “Last Man on Earth.”
Plans For 2023: I plan to keep pushing this project independently as much as I can, but I think the best way to connect people with your music is live performance, so I plan to do as much of that as I can, wherever I can!
Website: https://chloesouthern.com/
Get Social: Instagram, YouTube
Elektric Animals
Colorado Home: Denver
Formed: Elektric Animals was formed in 2018
Latest Release: Channels EP is our latest release. We put that out independently in May 2022.
Pronouns: They/Us
About: Denver’s alternative 5-piece Elektric Animals bring an explosive fusion of guitar-driven blues and contemporary, edgy production. Bursting onto the scene in early 2018, they conjure a tasteful reimagination of 90's garage rock, blues, indie rock, and a hint of post-grunge. With the dynamic vocals of Nick Sanders, guitar prowess of Billy Scully, full sweeping keys of Will Hubert, low-end groove from Jerrid Vans, and the punching beat of Kyle Christy on drums, the genre-bending quintet has been making a name for themselves in the local scene, with a succession of high-impact performances. A steady chain of well-received singles has secured their place on the global rock radar. The latest release “Channels” is their debut EP and came out in May 2022. “If you like Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, or any band with a ferocious driving rock rhythm then Elektric Animals are the band for you.” -Indie Central Music
Plans For 2023: Come Spring, we will release a series of singles followed by an EP. Stay tuned for announcements on the EP release show and catch us at all your favorite Denver festivals!
Website: www.elektricanimals.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter
GRIMMLY
Colorado Home: Based in Colorado Springs, with members hailing from Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado, and California.
Formed: Writing and demo tracking began in January of 2021, and we started rehearsing the songs as a band in November of 2021.
Latest Release: Our latest release is our debut single as a full band titled "Happiest." The single features the title track, as well as a stripped down B-side version of our song "My Way."
Pronouns: He/Him/They
About: GRIMMLY creates an off-kilter and unorthodox style of indie rock which at times send the listener to 1979. Blending elements of pop-punk and surf with a gritty psychedelic atmosphere, the retro sounds and masterful guitar playing are reminiscent of of an ambivalent memory. What started as a solo project shot in the dark in January of 2021 has now become one of the most unique and organic rising bands in the Colorado Springs independent scene.“Happiest” is the debut single from the band; showing off an eclectic retro sound throughout a crispy, rough around the edges mix.
Plans For 2023: We are currently in studio finishing up our debut EP (expected early 2023) and getting started on the recording process for EP 2.We plan to play shows throughout Colorado and expand our fan base further. Our first show of the year is on January 7th downtown CoS at Bar-K.
Get Social: Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp
Julian Fulco Perron
Colorado Home: Lakewood
Formed: 2020
Latest Release: I released my sophomore album In My Garden on 11/11/22.
Pronouns: he/him
About: Labeled as an art-pop rock singer/songwriter, Julian Fulco Perron combines elements of power pop, psychedelic rock, funk music, folk artistry, and experimental genres to create music that shows his willingness to explore as a multi-instrumentalist and producer. Influenced by the writing and recording techniques of Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney, JFP is able to create layers of sound featuring full horn and string sections, mellotron, and vintage keyboards.
Pre-Pandemic, JFP could be found fronting 21 Taras, an eclectic, Denver-based rock outfit, leading with a swagger and performative charm that rendered the band a sight to see. After their last show headlining the Bluebird Theater in 2020, several members of 21 Taras have joined Julian on stage to form his new backing band; The Time Travelers.
JFP debuted a solo release on July 11th, 2020 entitled Dreamland in which he leaned fully into lush, beautiful, and disorienting psychedelia. Bolder Beat said in their album review, "Often through Beatles-esque transitions and studio wizardry, Julian weaves a common thread throughout his music whether he’s playing the stylings of early-seventies rock, bee-bop, or 60s psychedelia."
Julian’s sophomore album In My Garden which was released on November 11th, 2022, is a folk-rock inspired expedition, giving the audience a look into Julian’s evolving creativity. Driven by acoustic guitar and layered vocal harmony, In My Garden provides the listener with a retro twist on modern folk/rock. Westword alluded to the very 1970s vibe in their review of the album; saying “The record also takes sonic cues from the post-Beatles psychedelic pop of Paul McCartney, as well as the non-surf music the Beach Boys started putting out around the same time.”
Outside of being a solo artist, Julian also performs as Tom Petty in the successful tribute band The Petty Nicks Experience where he also supports Adrienne Osborn (Stevie Nicks) by singing the high harmonies of Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie and the searing lead vocals of Lindsey Buckingham.
Plans For 2023: I am currently working on album 3 which will take a genre turn towards disco and funk. I am also planning some European Tour Dates for the Fall 2023.
Website: www.julianfulcoperron.com
Get Social: Linktree, Hyperfollow
Sami Davis
Colorado Home: Northglenn
Formed: I have been a professional musician for the past ten years, however I didn’t start pursing my original music until early 2021. I have been writing and recording my own songs ever since.
Latest Release: My most recent single is called “Sick,” which was released on December 9th. I wrote this song because I have been frustrated with how difficult it has been to get my original music career off the ground. There were times it felt like nobody was listening to my music, which caused me to feel invisible & unheard (literally). It’s kind of funny how, now, this song is the most streamed out of all my songs so far.
Pronouns: She/Her
About: Sami Davis is a Boulder grown singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who identifies as an alternative pop artist with an electronic influence. She has lived in Colorado for most of her life and records much of her music and videos in her home studio located in Northglenn.
She writes music sharing the struggles that she has gone through so that others can feel less alone. She also tries to bring light to issues that are normally silenced by writing songs with purposeful lyrics and catchy melodies. Currently, she is mainly focused on writing more music, however, she will begin to perform live in the Denver area this year.
Plans For 2023: I am so excited to announce that I will begin performing my music live. It took me a couple of years to get the guts to put a live show together, but I now have a band that I have practiced with a few times. We just need to get some shows in the books! Also, I will continue to release singles and music videos throughout the year.
Website: www.samidavismusic.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Sara Flows
Colorado Home: Arvada. I am planning on moving back to Denver in March of 2023!
Formed:I have been playing music my entire life. However, 2020 is when I really started making a name for myself in the Denver music scene.
Latest Release: My latest single is called "Subaru" which was released on Nov. 30th, 2022 to all streaming platforms.
Pronouns: she/her
About: Sara Flows is an indie rock artist from the Chicagoland area. She often collaborates with her closest friends in Denver to create a distinct, soulful, and unforgettable sound. Sara Flows started out in Denver's music scene by busking on the streets and playing open mics. Sara has always been a singer/songwriter at heart and began writing her first songs at the age of 14 when she first picked up a guitar. Today, she views songwriting as a release and enjoys recording music in her home-studio. She really embodies the *indie* vibe by teaching herself the ins and outs of music production, and by releasing music on her own. Sara Flows aims to create thought-provoking art that will leave you feeling reckless and moved.
Plans For 2023: Sara Flows is working towards creating a full-length album that tells a story from start to finish. She plans on writing and recording music like crazy in 2023. She will continue playing live gigs and collaborating with friends simply for the love of music.
Get Social: Instagram, TikTok, Spotify
Sreeja Chakra
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Colorado Home: Denver
What year did you start making music: I started writing songs when I was in high school but began performing acoustic cover song sets and writing poetry since I was 11 years old.
Latest Release: My recent release 'Better Off' (ft. Emanuel Alexander) was self-released on October 7th.
Pronouns: She/They
About: Sreeja Chakra is a Queer Bengali musician who grew up in the Dubai, UAE and is now based in Denver, CO. As a musician, she is committed to create music and art that seeks to offer healing and inspires decolonization perspectives that represents the shared experiences of her communities.
My collaborators who worked on the song "Better Off" with me are Aaron Daniels and Emmanuel Alexander. Daniels is a multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and audio engineer based out of Denver and his role on the track is co-writer, producer, mixing and mastering engineer. Alexander is my featured guitarist, in addition he is a producer, educator, and creator from Denver who is known for elevating local BIPOC artists and creatives.
Music Plans For 2023: So excited for the new year! I will be releasing my first ever EP 'Hourglass' this month, creating more solo music/collaborations and exploring the ways I can foster the same kind of thriving live music scene here in Denver back at home in Dubai.
Website: https://sreejachakra.bandcamp.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Tennis
Colorado Home: Denver
Formed: 2010
Latest Release: One Night With The Valet (Single), 10.20.22, Mutually Detrimental; Let's Make a Mistake Tonight (Single), 1.15.23, Mutually Detrimental
Pronouns: She, her / He, him
About: Tennis is Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. The Denver-based duo has been touring and recording their distinct brand of nostalgically-rooted indie pop since 2010. Their latest full-length, Pollen is due out February 10, 2023.
Plans For 2023: Tennis will be on tour most of the year. Their spring Tour dates are on sale now.
Website: www.tennis-music.com
Get Social: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
trash.
Colorado Home: We are spread throughout Colorado in Greeley, Denver, and Longmont.
Formed: 2018 with Jack (Kayleigh Gustkey) and Michael Olivier and by 2019 Sam Rucker and Jordan Bettner joined.
Latest Release: Ghosts EP, Self-Released, Dec. 2nd 2022
Pronouns: Jack (she/her), Michael (he/them), Sam (he/him), Jordan (he/him)
About: trash. is an alternative rock band hailing from Northern Colorado.
Professional audio engineers and songwriters Michael Olivier and Jack began making music together in 2018 as a recording project. Together, they self-produced and recorded their first EP, "January." Shortly after "January"'s release, Sam Rucker and Jordan Bettner joined and were featured on their second EP, "Downer."
Within two years of founding trash., the band produced and engineered two EPs, six music videos and performed locally around Colorado.
Their third EP "Ghosts" was recorded with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Andrew Berlin at the Blasting Room Studios in Fort Collins, CO. and was released December 2, 2022. They are pushing past where the pandemic left off and looking forward to releasing more music videos and joining the festival circuit.
Plans For 2023: Our plans for 2023 include playing shows out of state, continuing to explore the Colorado music scene, and recording more material with Andrew Berlin at the Blasting Room. We'd also like to continue producing music videos and find other inventive ways to connect to people through art.
Website: https://officialtrashband.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts
Get Social: Facebook, Instagram, Spotify
Travis McNamara
Colorado Home: Denver
Formed: Has performed with Trout Steak Revival since 2009, though began recording this solo project during the pandemic of 2020.
Latest Release: “In C” is a love letter to 2000’s folk-electronic band The Books, and the first single from the upcoming debut solo album MOON CALENDAR. Single was released on December 14th, 2022. His next single, “This Time,” will be released January 11th, and the album will be available everywhere March 10th, 2023.
Pronouns: he/him
About: Created during the unprecedented isolation of the pandemic - and recorded solo in a 375 sq. ft. carriage house, MOON CALENDAR is the lush and adventurous debut release of multi-instrumentalist Travis McNamara. When eight months of touring with his Telluride-winning band Trout Steak Revival was wiped out overnight, he turned to recording, taking his folk writing into much wider electric and electronic territory. No fewer than 15 instruments show up across its tracks; all played by McNamara himself. Inspired by the sounds of Adrianne Lenker, Bon Iver, The Books, and Denver’s own Nat Tate and Nathaniel Rateliff, he pursued a new way of writing, creating, and self-recording. In a moving pastiche of layered recordings, McNamara speaks directly to and about the people he loves and gives us an intimate window into the life of a Denver experimental songwriter.
In fact, monthly songwriting challenges with an online group of local Denver musicians - the Beaver Moon Songwriting Club - was one of the things that helped him digest all the changes to his touring lifestyle after the pandemic struck. In recording this album, he describes nightly walks under the moon, unlocking the puzzle of a new instrument, and tracking and hunting the secret animal hearts of these new songs. As always, McNamara makes generous use of his most dynamic themes: expansiveness and adventure, balanced with isolation and freedom, and of course the perennial search for love.
Plans For 2023: Album release show for MOON CALENDAR will be held at the Skylark on April 7 with full band. Band and solo touring to follow.
Website: www.travis-mcnamara.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
