We’re starting 2025 on a high note with exciting new tracks from Colorado artists.
After making waves with their DIY shows in 2023, punky Boulder band Diva Cup dropped their debut album last Halloween. Their tracks balance humor and heart, and you’ll hear them on the air this month. Another standout debut comes from the ensemble The Spicy Pickles, featuring singer Hannah Rodriguez. Blending funk, soul, and pop, their music will have you grooving into the new year.
Denver’s own Rubedo, a powerhouse trio of longtime friends who’ve been creating music together since 2010, are bringing the heat with their fiery new experimental heavy rock single. When not crafting their unique sound, Rubedo runs the local label Unit E Records, further supporting Denver’s vibrant music scene.
Formed in 2021, indie-meets-pop-punk act Hailes Ghost joins the Local 303 with songs from their latest album Skywatcher. Expect catchy melodies and energetic riffs that showcase their rising star power.
Indie folk artist Holly Lovell previews her forthcoming album Hello Chelsea, produced by Brian Joseph (Bon Iver). Catch her soul-stirring tracks on the airwaves and mark your calendar for her release show at Globe Hall next month—we’re presenting it!
Finally, a milestone moment: Teacup Gorilla celebrates 15 years as a band with a brand-new album. This time, they’ve teamed up with Dameon Merkl (of Bad Luck City) to on an album that is scoring Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë’s timeless classic.
Stay tuned to discover these and more gems in the Local 303 as we kick off 2025 and come hang with us at our Local 303 Meetup on January 27th at Globe Hall.
This free event celebrates this month's musicians and the entire Colorado music community. Enjoy a special live performance from Hailes Ghost and we will count down the Top 15 Local 303 Artists of 2024 as voted on by you (vote here)!
You’ll also have a chance to win concert tickets in our monthly drawing for Wunderhorse on February 4 at Bluebird Theater and other door prizes.
The Local 303 Meetup takes place on Monday, January 27 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Globe Hall, located at 4483 Logan Street in the Globeville neighborhood within Denver's RiNo Art District. Admission is free and all ages are welcome (although those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult).
We’ll see you there!
Thanks to our Local 303 Meetup sponsor Cambio Tequila.
Are you a Colorado musician who wants to be featured in the Local 303? Send us your music!
Meet January's picks:
Diva Cup
Band Lineup:
Polly Torian (they/she) - Lead Vocals, Bass
Addy Harrison (she/her) - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Maxx Goodman (she/her) - Lead Guitar
Maggie Kempen (she/her) - Drums, Vocals
Colorado Home: Boulder
Formed: 2023
Latest Release: SASSY, Dec. 10, 2024, Self-Released
Upcoming Shows: Aggie Theatre (02/27) with Clementine, Rosebay, Tireshoe
About: Diva Cup is a “Punk- Adjacent” band that not only takes itself very seriously, but also likes to go with the flow, period! Composed of Addy Harrison on bass, Maggie Kempen on drums, Maxx Goodman on guitar, and Polly Torian singing, Diva Cup brings a bloody good live set! They have been compared to bands such as, The Cramps, Hole, Bloodwitch, and Flaming Tampons. Try listening to Diva Cup during that time of the month…
Any upcoming plans to share or behind the scenes work you're excited to tell us about:
Honestly we’re just happy to all be back in Boulder and in the same time zone making music together. Half of us have been prancing through Europe the last couple of months doing school or being schooled, however you wanna think about it. But the good looks couldn’t all go to Europe, so we left Polly and Addy to hold it down for the great state of Colorado… Yet, we have tons of new music we’re bringing to the table and are excited to get back in our bass player's grandparent’s garage to work on it! Big things are happening as always…
Website: https://linktr.ee/divacupband
Get Social: Instagram
Hailes Ghost
Band Lineup:
Alec Schubele (he/him) - Lead Vocals, Guitar (Photo Center)
Josiah Rognmoe (he/him) Lead Guitar (Photo Left)
Jeremiah Smith (he/him) - Drums (Photo Right)
Colorado Home: Denver
Formed: 2021
Latest Release: Skywatcher (October 4th, 2024, Self Released)
Upcoming Shows: January 18th @ Mercury Cafe
About: Hailes Ghost is a pop-punk / indie-rock band from Denver, CO. The band started out as a therapeutic project to let go of trauma and abuse. Now that the healing has begun the band has a primary focus on bringing positivity to a dark world, and writing love songs.
Any upcoming plans to share or behind the scenes work you're excited to tell us about: We’re starting work on something that we’re excited to unveil. We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes, getting ready for it. It’s gonna be for you, all the people on the other side of the screen! We don’t want to let any details loose yet, but stay excited!
Website: https://linktr.ee/hailesghost
Get Social: Instagram, YouTube
Holly Lovell
Band Lineup:
Local Lineup - Holly Lovell (she/her) - acoustic, piano, vocals, Caleb Lovell (drums), Eric Tate (guitar), Eric Sweeney (bass, pedal steel), Mike Lang (keys)
Album Lineup - Holly Lovell (she/her) acoustic, piano, vocals, Courtney Hartman (guitar, vocals), Shane Leonard (drums, percussion), Caleb Lovell (drums), Steve Garrington (bass, synth), Sean Carey (piano, vocals) Ben Lester (pedal steel, synth), Jeremy Ylvisaker (guitar), Dave Welsh (guitar, synth), Brian Joseph (Wurlitzer, synth)
Colorado Home: Arvada
Formed: I started playing my own compositions out in 2007 when I was 15.
Latest Release:
"Louis & Me” (Single), September 27, 2024, Self-Released
“Lion’s Den” (Single), October 18, 2024, Self-Released
“When Did I Lose You” (Single), November 15, 2024, Self-Released
Coming in January 2025: “Hello Chelsea” (Single), January 10th, 2025, Self-Released
Coming in February 2025: Hello Chelsea (Album), February 7th 2025, Self-Released
Upcoming Shows: Indie 102.3 Presents Album Release Show with Courtney Hartman at Globe Hall on 2/13/2025
About: Holly Lovell’s deeply personal new album, Hello, Chelsea, out February 7th, 2025, marks a bold new chapter in her career. The album draws inspiration from Lovell’s complicated relationship with her uncle, who lived in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood and struggled with addiction. "I started writing and ‘I love you, but I hate what you do to me’ came out," Lovell explains. That line eventually became part of a song that transformed into a full album about addiction, grief, family history, and the healing journey. It’s also a breakup letter to New York City, a city she feels both love and resentment for.
Recording Hello, Chelsea was a deeply personal and therapeutic process. Lovell, her husband, and their toddler outfitted an old school bus into a mobile home and traveled from their home in Denver to the woods of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to record the album at the home studio of Grammy-winning producer Brian Joseph, known for his work with Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens. "It feels like a very important record to me," Joseph says. "It has been my privilege and my honor to have the trust and exploration in working with Holly." The process was intimate and organic—Lovell and her team spent weeks in the woods, bonding through outdoor acoustic sessions, foraging for mushrooms, and sharing family-style meals. The result is a raw, atmospheric album that embraces imperfection. "We chose to leave the breaths and the floor creaks in the recordings," says Lovell. "Our humanity—the flaws and beauty of it—is what this album is all about."
While the album is rooted in Lovell’s personal story, the themes of addiction, grief, and the search for healing are universal, and the experience of making it in the quiet of rural Wisconsin allowed her to reflect on the noise of New York City. "The contrast of the quiet of the Wisconsin woods to the noise of New York City was important to me," she shares. "The experience of making this album was healing—being there in the woods to lay down my grief and my family’s story."
Lovell’s musical journey has always been driven by an innate need to create. A self-taught musician (technically, “4-chords-from-Dad-taught"), she was the kid always longing to be on stage. She performed in talent shows, sang in the church choir, and crooned for anyone who would listen. At 12, her family moved from Colorado to Australia, and music became her outlet for the loneliness she felt being far from home. Her dad taught her a few chords on the guitar, and she became obsessed, spending hours playing Patty Griffin covers and writing songs about heartbreak, loss, and the human condition. Even as a teenager, her lyrics were raw, emotional, and vulnerable, dealing with heavy topics like miscarriage and suicide.
At 15, Lovell won a competition that led to her performing on the Cayamo Music Cruise alongside her idols, Patty Griffin and Brandi Carlile. Afterward, she returned to Australia, where she continued playing larger shows, including opening for The Fray. Seeking bigger opportunities, Lovell moved back to the U.S. on her 19th birthday and settled in Denver. She quickly became a fixture in the local music scene, performing at venues around town, opening for artists like Phillip Phillips at the Fillmore Auditorium, and playing at The Underground Music Showcase. She also released two EPs, The Illusion of Honesty and Still Frames, which earned praise for their blend of folk and rock elements. "Lovell’s style of folk music is infused with a slight rock edge, differentiating her from the massive pool of female singer-songwriters" (AXS.com).
Lovell’s sound has often been likened to artists like Joni Mitchell for her deeply personal lyrics, and Maggie Rogers and Billie Eilish for their vocal and atmospheric production. The Denver Post compares her vocals to “Ingrid Michaelson, but with far more gumption.” With Hello, Chelsea, Lovell continues to build on the unique blend of introspective lyricism and evocative sound that has defined her career so far.
Hello, Chelsea is more than just a record—it’s an exploration of love, loss, and the messy beauty of being human. Available February 7th, 2025, it showcases Lovell’s emotional depth and vulnerability, and serves as a testament to her unflinching commitment to authenticity and musical evolution.
Any upcoming plans to share or behind the scenes work you're excited to tell us about: I’m excited to put out my debut album on February 7th and to celebrate at my release show at Globe Hall on February 13th. The band we have put together is world class and I’ve been working on visuals and immersive elements to really make it something spectacular. I’ve been working on this album for 7 years and it’s such a joy to finally be able to share it with the world.
Website: www.hollylovell.com
Get Social: Instagram, TikTok
Rubedo
Band Lineup:
Kyle Kramer (he/him) he just changed his last name to his dad’s. Vox, keys
Alex Trujillo (he him) guitar and bass
Gregg Ziemba (hehim) drums
Colorado Home: Denver and Kyle lives in Trinidad now
Formed: 2010
Latest Release: "Oligarch Slank" is the first single off of Rubedo’s up coming album Citranitas. It will be out this summer on Mash Down Babylon and Unit E Records.
About: Rubedo is the project of 3 life long friends who grew up together in south west Denver. Members have been playing music together in different formations since they were 10 years old. Their fifth release Citranitas is the best representation yet of the band.
Any upcoming plans to share or behind the scenes work you're excited to tell us about: We’re excited to announce we’re working with Matt Embree (RX Bandits, Dispatch, sounds of animals fighting) on this release. We love working with him and he’s been pivotal in making this new album happen.
Website: www.rubedomusic.com
Get Social: All socials are @rubedomusic we use Instagram the most
The Spicy Pickles
Band Lineup:
Hannah Rodriguez (she/her) - Lead vocals
Joe Smith (he/him) - Trumpet, Vocals, Bandleader
Braxton Kahn (he/him) - Drums, Vocals
Gary Sloan (he/him) - Bass, Backup Vocals
Matt Burchard (he/him) - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Decker Babcock (he/him) - Trombone
Alex Heffron (he/him) - Guitar
Tom Amend (he/him) - Keys
Colorado Home: Members of the band live in Denver, Greeley, and Johnstown
Formed: The Spicy Pickles started in 2013 in Iowa, and restarted in Denver in January of 2014.
Latest Release: On Schedule (album), June 7, 2024, Self-Released
About: The Spicy Pickles is a Denver based 8-piece band. They originally formed to play for swing dancers, and has since opened up their influences to include funk, soul, and pop, focusing on creating grooves that move people. The band is influenced by Count Basie, Fats Waller, James Brown, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, T-Bone Walker, The California Honeydrops, The Dip, and more. The Spicy Pickles feature some of Denver’s most in demand musicians from the jazz and funk scenes. Over the years the band has had original music placed in commercials and feature films around the world, including Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer, starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone. The Pickle Jar has been seen spreading the bring at festivals, clubs, and events of all kinds from coast to coast, including the main stage at the Telluride Jazz Festival, Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival, Redwood Coast Music Festival, San Diego Jazz Festival, Elkhart Jazz Festival, Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival, and more.
Website: www.TheSpicyPickles.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Teacup Gorilla
Band Lineup:
Sondra Eby (she/they) - Drums, Glockenspiel, Vocals
Daniel Eisenstat (he/him) - Guitar, Vocals
Dameon Merkl (he/him) - Vocals
Miriam Suzanne (she/her) - Bass, Vocals
Colorado Home: Lakewood and Denver
Formed: 2010
Latest Release: Jane/Eyre: No Net Ensnares Me, Jan. 10, 2025, Self-Released
Upcoming Shows:
Jane/Eyre theater production in which Teacup Gorilla will perform the album @ Buntport Theater located at 717 Lipan Street, Denver CO -
Friday, January 17 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 18 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, January 24 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 25 @ 7:30 PM – Join us for a reception before the show!
Sunday, January 26 @ 2:00 PM – Matinee
Friday, January 31 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 1 @ 7:30 PM
Tickets pay what you want
About: Teacup Gorilla inhabits the venues of Denver, CO with dark indie-rock soundscapes and evocative poetry – sometimes complex, dissonant, or introspective, but always pushing towards moments of unexpected harmony and celebration. Often compared to early Modest Mouse, Low, or Velvet Underground – Teacup Gorilla formed to create and underscore the Missa Populi theater production in 2010.
Since then we’ve underscored many shows with different theater companies around Denver, and released several EPs and a full length soundtrack-
2015, The Holes They Leave (EP) – alongside the multimedia novel Riding SideSaddle*
2024, Whiskey From Strangers (EP) – adapted into a full-length play
2025, Jane/Eyre: No Net Ensnares Me – in collaboration with Dameon Merkl, alongside the Grapefruit Lab production
In addition to playing festivals and venues in Denver and across the Midwest, Teacup Gorilla enjoys collaborating across media with performers, writers, dancers, and visual artists including-
Grapefruit Lab (several productions)
The Clyfford Still Museum
Buntport Theater (winning a True West Award in 2016)
Pandemic Theater
Hoarded Stuff (LA Samuelson)
Screw Tooth
Lost Walks
Any upcoming plans to share or behind the scenes work you're excited to tell us about:
Jane/Eyre: No Net Ensnares Me, the first full-length album from Denver’s Teacup Gorilla and Dameon Merkl (Lost Walks, Bad Luck City), features a collection of songs from their original score of Grapefruit Lab’s production of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel Jane Eyre. Teacup Gorilla will perform the album live as part of the Jane/Eyre show in January, 2025. Adapted by author/musician, Miriam Suzanne, and local director/performance maker Julie Rada, the hybrid play/concert takes a dark and often humorous look at the early feminist novel — bringing a contemporary, queer perspective to Jane’s story. A limited vinyl run of the album is available now for pre-order.
Website: https://www.teacupgorilla.com/
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
