A new story I wrote for Westword hit the streets today. The piece features Donna Brown, co-founding member and keyboardist of the iconic ‘70s proto-metal band, Medusa, the band’s wildly unpredictable road to success and Donna’s recently released autobiography.
rock and roll
Electric Funeral III hits Denver this weekend
Seems impossible that we've reached the end of June already, but indeed we are mere days away from the third edition of Electric Funeral Fest, and the buzz about Denver is becoming palpable. As the crowds roll into the Mile High City for what's become one of the most anticipated parties of the summer - this year expanded to include a third (all-ages!) stage across from the Hi Dive in the Mutiny Information Cafe - we thought we'd take a quick minute to spin through a few blurs from the previous two years.
This year's festival - featuring the anxiously-awaited return of Denver's own Speedwolf and so much more - looks to outdo them both. It's been an honor covering the event as media partner since its inception and we hope to see a whole bunch of ya this weekend at round 3. More coverage and images can be found in our Issue III, available for purchase through the "magazine" tab.
There are still a very limited (about 20 as of this posting) tickets left for Saturday through the link below! If you are in Denver, there are also a handful of 2-day passes available behind the bar at Trve Brewing. More info can be found on the Dust Presents Facebook and Instagram pages.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/electric-funeral-fest-iii-tickets-42502774944
Photos and notes - mg
Sourvein 2016. This photo gets at the ethos of the festival. Face to face. Headbanging. Pooled sweat and spilt beer. T-Roy is just the guy to put the intensity directly into high gear. Sourvein played both year 1 and 2 - here they are headlining the inaugural event.
Goya, 2016. Love Goya, love Jeff, and LOVE the ghost titties on his forearm. This is rock and roll kids, stay loose.
Mothership and the bachelor party, 2016. Seemingly out of nowhere, a bachelor party (bottom right in the custom tees) came rip-roaring into the front row during Mothership's set, stealing the spotlight for just a second.
Malahierba, 2016. The band has made quite the name for themselves over the past few years, a highlight of every bill the join. Their 2016 festival performance served as a launching point of sorts, helping them gain greater notoriety beyond Juarez, where they began, and Denver, their current home.
Radio/Monti after hours jam, 2016. Though the festival is held in clubs, it's always had a bit of a show-meets-house party feel. This was helped along in the formative years by the actual house party on Colfax that followed each night of the festival, the celebration always running into the following day's sunrise. Here is one of those moments, with Dylan (Sacrimonti) and Paul (Radio Moscow) keeping the jam alive, their brothren checked out behind them.
Toke + T-Roy, 2016. I shot this photo of Toke and T-Roy in a Colfax alley late one night. Sourvein and Toke come from the same region and as fate would have it, crossed paths at a festival in Denver. A year or so later, T-Roy took up a guest vocal spot on their track "Weak Life".
Electric Citizen, 2017. Always down for a good time, always bringing a show. An exhilarating performer, Laura may be one of my favorite people to shoot.
R.I.P., 2017. Frontman Fuzz recently dubbed R.I.P. the "heaviest, hairiest, horniest and most horrifying band playing right now, period." We are inclined to agree. Plus, his use of the adjective "horny" really got us psyched, as it's been in the Denver lexicon for years now (Thanks, Laina) and we strive to make the world a hornier place. R.I.P. is returning this year - we hope to see you dirty freaks up front.
Corky Laing's Mountain, 2017. What a moment this was! You could feel the reverence in the air - fans and bands alike awestruck to be in Corky's presence. Corky loosened up as the set progressed, cracking jokes and rehashing the backstories to some of Mountain's most famous tunes. You get a sense of the wonder in this photo, with a younger generation of musicians, many who have just played and consider Corky, and Mountain, to be a monumental inspiration, filling in behind the cabinets to take in the show.
*It must also be mentioned, that Chris Shutters, who took up guitar duties on this Corky Laing tour did a phenomenal job standing in Leslie West's place. Truly an excellent guitar player in his own right.
While we are on it, we will stick with a couple more images of insanely talented and captivating drummers. Cam of Crypt Trip, 2017.
Josh with Smokey Mirror. (Now plays with Texas' group, Fogg)
Malahierba opened up the Juarez-Denver connection and Dizz Brew has followed up massively. Martin of Dizz Brew, 2017. (They are touring the Southwest this summer, keep an eye out).
Glitter Wizard and Mercho Man. By the time Glitter Wizard's after-party set at the Hi Dive rolled around, tops were being popped, the crowd sufficiently lubed. When the band charged into their Turbo Lover cover, the joint went absolutely wild. It was a horny scene, you might say.
Lori. Acid King, 2017. One of the most humble and excellent people doing it. A lifer and matriarch of the heavy scene. Acid King always delivers, and their festival closing set last year was no exception.
See ya at the party!
Ruby the Hatchet live at Streets of London.
4/16/2018. Another wild one on Colfax Avenue at the resurgent Streets of London Pub.
PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2018
The grandest North American rock and roll event returns to the desert August 16-18! Tickets available now (and probably not for long) here
Artwork by Dirty Donny
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Zim Zam Zim tour finale pt. II
in show gallery
Following up on last week's recap - a few handfuls of shots off the rolls from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown's two night Zim Zam Zim tour finale in Austin, TX. More from this photo set in our upcoming Issue III (release date announced 3/14).
Here I rest, your old friend.
Your ride through hell and back again.
Though worn and torn and overweight,
I’ll speed right through those pearly gates
2017 print and collar announcements coming soon.