The Weekend Six: Six Shows to See 04/22 & 04/23

By: Hannah Oreskovich

Less snow. More shows. Here’s to the weekend!

Today (Friday 04/22):

Billy Shaddox Band at Vindication Brewing in Boulder 530PM-Close

Billy shaddox.

Billy shaddox.

We love easing our way into the weekend. And tonight you can do just that with Billy Shaddox and his band at Vindication! A Boulder transplant by way of California, Shaddox has been playing shows around the Front Range for awhile now. Last summer, he released the LP I Melt, I Howl, produced and engineered by Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Lake Street Dive, Langhorne Slim). We will actually be dropping an exclusive feature on Shaddox soon, so that’s all we’ll say for now! Start your Friday early and get to this show!

Check out Shaddox’s track “Let You Go”:

Midnight Strange at The No Name Bar in Boulder 10PM-Close

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When the strange play the bar things get… more than strange. You never know what this indie country outfit will do when they hit the stage! But they always bring a hollerin’, dancin’ party, so you best make your way on over to the bar with no name. It’s gonna be a grand ‘ol time, yah hear?

Listen to The Midnight Strange’s live performance of “Ed Sentcha”:

Punch Drunk Munkey Funk with Boulder Sound Lab at The Lazy Dog in Boulder 10PM-Close

Punch Drunk Munkey Funk.

Punch Drunk Munkey Funk.

Fort Collin’s PDMF are making their way to the B for a super funky set tonight with Boulder’s “transcendental brain massage therapy” five-piece, BSL. There will be jazz, there will be funk, there will be disco, there will be mambo, and there will be a party. That’s a guarantee. So head over and check out this crazy time!

Listen to Punch Drunk Munkey Funk’s “Montuna”:

Tomorrow (Saturday 04/23):

The Farmer Sisters at Jamestown Mercantile Co. Cafe in Jamestown 7PM-Close

The Farmer Sisters.

The Farmer Sisters.

If The Beach Boys taught us anything, it’s that siblings can harmonize like no one else. And Jamestown’s got some of those sweet harmonies happening tomorrow night thanks to The Farmer Sisters. With their voices, an acoustic guitar, and their playful stage presence, the duo will have you hushed and captivated in no time. And c’mon the Merc is the best, so make your way up the mountain tomorrow!

Watch The Farmer Sisters live performance of “No Apologies” for Front Range Explorer:

Cycles with Terrapin Flyer featuring Melvin Seals at Quixote’s True Blue in Denver 9PM-Close

Cycles.

Cycles.


Terrapin Flyer, one of the country’s most prominent Grateful Dead tribute bands, is taking the stage at Quixote’s tonight. The group has actually had several GD/Jerry Garcia Band members as part of their collective at various times, and tonight Melvin Seals is one such player. He’ll be joining the jammin’ band for a night of psychedelic transportation. And speaking of psychedelic, Denver’s psych/rock trio Cycles will be sharing the room on the side stage. It’s going to be an awesome mashup of sounds tomorrow night, so make your way to the True Blue.

Watch Cycles debut music video for their song “Soulf*ckah”:


Both Nights (04/22 & 04/23):

FoCoMX: Fort Collins Music Experiment Festival in Fort Collins


The annual FoCoMX fest is this weekend, and showcases talent mostly from Fort Collins, with a few other Colorado bands sprinkled in. With shows packed into more than 25 venues over the course of two days, there will be something for just about everyone! You can view the full lineup here and get your wristbands at this link. Maybe if you’re lucky, Slowcaves will let you crash on their couch after their set...

BCFM

Boulder County Farmers Market is every Saturday from 10AM-2PM. We’re working closely with BCFM to promote the music at the market, and this week, acoustic act Left Hand Market Boys will be playing near your favorite vegetables. Stop by to hear their strings and songs and grab some local treats from one of the many delicious vendors near the band!

GREEN LIGHT RADIO

This week, our Sunday partnership with Green Light Radio and Streetside Productions will feature a track by Boulder’s Billy Shaddox. The talented singer/songwriter just sat down for an interview at David’s Desk, so we’ll be dropping that for you soon. Hopefully you’re planning to catch his show at Vindication this weekend (see above)! Make sure to tune in to any of the Colorado Community Network Radio Stations here (95.3 or 95.5 Boulder) or stream Green Light Sunday night between 9-10PM to catch Shaddox’s track “I Melt, I Howl”.

See you in the sun!

-Hannah

Follow Hannah on twitter and instagram.

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured.

Breaking the Rules of the Music Biz: BLDGBLKS Artist Mawule

By: Jura Daubenspeck

Mawule and his music both have stories to tell.

BLDGBLKS Artist Mawule.

BLDGBLKS Artist Mawule.

Born Ebenezer Yebuah, better known by his artist name, Mawule, was born and raised in Accra, Ghana. He and his family moved to Denver when he was 10 years old and he’s remained here ever since. Music has always been an integral part of Mawule’s life, starting with his active involvement in his church’s gospel choir.

But success in the music industry has never been the only goal in mind for Mawule. His lifelong fascination with human relationships and an interest in becoming a couples counselor drove him to pursue a Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies, as well as a Masters in Student Affairs and Higher Education at Colorado State University. As a student, he produced his first song titled, ‘Let You Go,’ which caught the attention of two producers. While education remained his top priority, he continued to write lyrics, concoct amazing beats, and produce music as a hobby. Upon his realization that a life without music was not an option, he re-emerged as Mawule, which means “Only God Knows” in the Ewe language, native to his birthplace.

Mawule’s music reflects his passion for the human connection and he uses it as a source of both comfort and empowerment for others. He is inspired by what is real about relationships, including trust, doubts, and abuse. His songs bring awareness to the objectification of women, harassment, and sexual assault-- all donned in a cloak of deep lyrics and catchy rhythms.

Mawule recording at The Spot Studios in Denver.

Mawule recording at The Spot Studios in Denver.

When he is not in the recording studio, Mawule works for the University of Colorado Boulder as a Hall Director. He is also a workout junkie, a food fanatic, and an adventurer. He loves to travel, and makes the 20-hour flight back home to Ghana as frequently as his busy schedule allows.

While Mawule’s music carries hints of futuristic, R&B, and club-vibe tones, he has no plans of limiting his fanbase by genre category. It’s reasons like these that Mawule is breaking the rules of the music business. On the topic of music categorization, Mawule says:

“I don’t want to be categorized into one sound. My music is soulful. Lyrically, I write in the form of R&B, but production-wise, I am all over the board. Music is always changing, and R&B is not what is used to be. I want to cater to all audiences. I want to be the future of R&B.”

Mawule released his first EP, Reflections, in July of 2014. This year, he was featured in Denver’s 93.3 Radio’s December 2015 ‘Hometown for the Holiday’ event, where his single ‘Mirror Mirror’ was selected for one of the top 10 hits.

With an EP, a multitude of songs on SoundCloud, and a lyric stock folder filled with enough songs for three additional albums, Mawule is one artist to look out for. His newest single, ‘Chosen’ will be released online April 8th of next year, and his upcoming album Anything will be subsequently released on June 3rd, 2016.

Check out Mawule’s website for discography, merchandise, and upcoming news about his music. To get up close and personal, be sure to connect with him on Instagram and Twitter as well.

Listen to Mawule's Reflections here:

-Jura

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.