Author: Gary Mellini

Gary is a lifelong music fan raised in Chicago. He is the "G" of J2G Live, a Denver based music production company that brings you "Dance Party Time Machine," "Revenge of the 90's" among other great events.
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Dan Kurtz of The New Deal Talks Daft Punk, The Evolution of Electronic Music & Recording New Music

Estimated read time 15 min read

The New Deal is back! As one of the first bands to combine the electronic dance beats of House music with the improvisational excitement of a live band, the Canadian trio is has spent the last several months breaking in a new drummer and getting back to what they do best. Listen Up Denver! was lucky to get some time with Bassist Dan Kurtz to talk about what its like being back at it.

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Electron – January 17th – Gothic Theater

Estimated read time 7 min read

South Broadway was buzzing as Electron closed out their 4 night Colorado run with a sold-out show at The Gothic Theatre. The super group featuring Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner of The Disco Biscuits, Tom Hamilton, and Mike Greenfield brought the heat and delighted fans with a mix of Disco Biscuit songs as well as a few Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead covers thrown into the mix. With a packed house and anticipation levels high after rave reviews of the previous three nights, the crowd was hyped and the band did not disappoint.

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Reviews Slideshow Articles

Electron – January 16th – Fox Theatre

Estimated read time 6 min read

The usual suspects were out in full force as super-group Electron brought out fans of The Disco Biscuits, Brothers Past, Lotus, and even The Grateful Dead to a near sold-out Fox Theatre show. This was stop two of a four night Colorado run and anticipation levels were high after the band delivered and electric and memorable one set show in Fort Collins the previous night. The band did not disappoint and delivered a top notch performance despite moving away from the sound most fans have grown accustomed to.

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Electron Comes To Colorado For A Four Night Dance Party: Attendance Is A Necessary Act

Estimated read time 7 min read

Electron has landed in CO for a four night, electronic dance and Rock party in Ft Collins, Boulder, Frisco and Denver. Before the madness began, Listen Up Denver! had the pleasure of speaking with founder and bassist Marc Brownstein, of The Disco Biscuits fame, about how this project started, what it is that makes Electron so fun to see, and what his plans are for early in 2015.

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Fox Street Lines Up The Big Band For Annual Bluebird Throw-Down

Estimated read time 6 min read

Fox Street is playing the Bluebird Theater on Friday and they are bringing their big band sound with them. For the last 8 or 9 years, their soulful mix of Rock, Funk, and R&B swing has made them a staple of the blossoming Denver music scene. Listen Up Denver! sat down for an extensive conversation, and a few beers, with the band to get their thoughts on the group’s evolving sound, what’s to come in 2015, and what its like being in the middle of a burgeoning music scene like Denver.

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Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – October 11th – Ogden Theatre

Estimated read time 10 min read

Anticipation levels were high as Deadheads old and new poured into The Ogden Theatre on Saturday Night. In the past few months the buzz that has followed Joe Russo and his latest project, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has been deafening. Since their inception in early 2013, the quintet has piqued the interest of fans wondering what this group would bring to a songbook that is beloved by so many. When the show sold-out shortly after the doors opened, it was obvious this would be a special night and what unfolded was nothing short of spectacular.

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Part Two – Joe Russo Talks Shpongle, EDM, and “Almost Dead”

Estimated read time 13 min read

We had the pleasure of talking with Furthur drummer Joe Russo about this weekend’s Colorado shows with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead as well as some of his other recent and upcoming projects and collaborations. In part two of our interview with Sir Joe, he opened up about his studio work and upcoming album, what he loves about genre hopping, and the inspiration he’s drawn from playing with Shpongle and Cass McCombs and legends like Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.

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Joe Russo Talks Furthur, The Grateful Dead, and “Almost Dead”

Estimated read time 12 min read

We had the pleasure of talking with Furthur drummer Joe Russo about this weekend’s Colorado shows with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead as well as some of his other recent and upcoming projects and collaborations. In part one of this two part piece we touch on how JRAD started as a fresh take on the classic Grateful Dead song catalog, the transformative experience Russo has gone through since immersing himself into the world of The Grateful Dead, and his place in the lone line of potential torchbearers of that music.

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The Disco Biscuits – September 12th, 13th, 14th – Ogden Theatre

Estimated read time 12 min read

Three nights worth of sold-out crowds piled into The Ogden Theatre for the pioneers of Trance Fusion Rock, The Disco Biscuits. Despite the turmoil and stress of two different venue changes (these shows were originally booked for Sculpture Park, then Ruby Hill Park but were changed for reasons outside of the band’s control) the energy level in the room was electric and you’d be hard pressed to find a more passionate and dedicated group of fans in any scene.

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The Disco Biscuits’ Aron Magner Talks The Ogden, The Joys of Collaboration, and His Hobbit-Like Feet

Estimated read time 17 min read

This weekend, pioneers of Trancefusion Rock, The Disco Biscuits return to Denver for another 3 night run. Despite some turbulence and turmoil in locking in a venue, the Philadelphia based quartet will once again play the Ogden. We spoke with keyboardist Aron Magner about the Biscuits love for Colorado, what makes The Ogden so special, the joys of collaboration and, among other things, his Hobbit like feet.