Underground defined
It’s defined here as cutting-edge bands that are most deserving of more mainstream recognition.
The Top 20
Colorado’s underground bands most deserving of more mainstream attention, as chosen by 61 local-music experts and selected citizens who considered 625 bands; 301 of them scored points. Judges awarded 1 to 20 points, with 20 awarded for first place, 19 for second, 18 for third and so on. (The five columns show where each band has placed in each of the past five years.)
| ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | Band | Total pts. | No. 1 votes | Total votes |
| 1 | 34 | – | – | – | Snake Rattle Rattle Snake | 516 | 9 | 34 |
| 2 | 14 | – | – | – | Houses | 324 | 1 | 25 |
| 3 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 48 | Nathaniel Rateliff | 323 | 4 | 19 |
| 4 | 5 | 28 | 64 | – | The Knew | 301 | 3 | 24 |
| 5 | 6 | 3 | 48 | – | Paper Bird | 296 | 0 | 23 |
| 6 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 21 | Bad Weather California | 277 | 2 | 21 |
| 7 | 10 | 14 | 36 | 58 | Git Some | 253 | 3 | 16 |
| 8 | 13 | 12 | 17 | – | Gregory Alan Isakov | 248 | 5 | 18 |
| 9 | 16 | – | – | – | Tauntaun | 220 | 2 | 21 |
| 10 | 15 | 41 | 80 | – | The Hollyfelds | 182 | 0 | 16 |
| 11 | 11 | 19 | 19 | 10 | Woven Hand | 181 | 2 | 15 |
| 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 6 | The Swayback | 162 | 0 | 16 |
| 13 | 32 | 20 | 125 | – | Achille Lauro | 158 | 1 | 13 |
| 14 | 77 | 76 | 67 | – | John Common | 148 | 1 | 14 |
| 15 | 28 | 54 | 25 | 39 | Lion Sized | 143 | 1 | 11 |
| 16 | 54 | – | – | – | The Pirate Signal | 142 | 0 | 12 |
| 17 | 25 | 18 | 21 | 205 | Kingdom of Magic | 139 | 0 | 11 |
| 18 | 33 | – | – | – | Jim McTurnan and the Kids That Killed the Man | 137 | 0 | 14 |
| 19 | 236 | – | – | – | Accordion Crimes | 136 | 0 | 10 |
| 20 | 25 | 136 | – | – | Wentworth Kersey | 129 | 0 | 11 |
Other bands receiving votes
With place, band name, and total number of survey point in perentheses
21. Air Dubai (128)
22. Widowers (126)
23. Young Coyotes (116)
24. Candy Claws (115)
25. The Omens (114)
25. Pictureplane (114)
27. Tennis (112)
28. Hello Kavita (110)
29. Natural Selection (109)
30. The Don’ts and Be Carefuls (106)
31. Bela Karoli (103)
31. Bad Luck City (103)
33. Ideal Fathers (101)
34. Overcasters (97)
35. Night of Joy (96)
36. Hot White (95)
37. Danielle Ate the Sandwich (92)
38. The Fire Drills (89)
39. Popwreck (82)
40. d.biddle (79)
41. Boulder Acoustic Society (77)
42. Kissing Party (75)
43. The Chain Gang of 1974 (70)
44. Married in Berdichev (69)
45. Mike Marchant (68)
46. Andrea Ball (66)
47. Black Lamb (65)
47. Gangcharger (65)
47. Vitamins (65)
50. Tin Horn Prayer (64)
51. Blue Million Miles (60)
51. Dust on the Breakers (60)
51. Hideous Men (60)
51. Joshua Novak (60)
55. The Heyday (59)
56. Oblio’s Arrow (58)
56. Le Divorce (58)
58. Get Three Coffins Ready (57)
58. Woodsman (57)
60. Gauntlet Hair (56)
60. The Jim Jims (56)
60. Moonspeed (56)
60. The Outfit (56)
64. Dualistics (54)
65. Astra Moveo (53)
65. Hindershot (53)
65. The Legendary River Drifters (53)
68. Magic Cyclops (52)
69. Wire Faces (51)
70. I Sank Molly Brown (50)
71. Astrophagus (49)
71. Dan Craig (49)
71. Lust-Cats of the Gutter (49)
74. Action Packed Thrill Ride (47)
74. Pacific Pride (47)
76. Ego vs. ID (46)
77. The Buckingham Squares (44)
77. The Railbenders (44)
79. Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams (43)
79. A. Tom Collins (43)
81. Enemy Reign (41)
81. Murder Ranks (41)
81. St. Elias (41)
81. Jon Snodgrass (41)
81. The Still City (41)
86. Jen Korte and the Loss (40)
86. Porlolo (40)
88. Panal S.A. De C.V. (39)
88. Kal Cahoone (39)
88. Reverend Deadeye (39)
91. Rachael Pollard (38)
92. Epilogues (37)
92. Future Jazz Project (37)
92. Milton Melvin Croissant III (37)
95. Rob Drabkin (36)
96. Joseph Pope III (35)
96. Cody Crump (35)
98. Elin Palmer (34)
99. Cephalic Carnage (33)
99. Reed Foehl (33)
101. Crawl (32)
102. Tjutjuna (31)
102. Eyes and Ears (31)
104. b.sous (30)
104. Glass Hits (30)
104. Eric Shively (30)
107. Jim Yelenick (28)
107. Churchill (28)
109. The Northern Way (27)
109. Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire (27)
109. Angie Stevens & the Beautiful Wreck (27)
112. Jonny Woodrose & The Broken Hearted Woodpeckers (26)
112. ManeLine (26)
112. BDRMPPL (26)
112. Frontside Five (26)
115. Bury My Bones (25)
117. Snake Mountain (24)
117. Sonnenblume (24)
119. The Potato Pirates (23)
119. Little Fyodor (23)
119. The Orangu-Tones (23)
119. To Be Eaten (23)
119. Army of Summer (23)
119. The Nicotine Fits (23)
125. Jack Redell (22)
126. Last Eyes (21)
126. A Shoreline Dream (21)
126. Speedwolf (21)
129. Wetlands (20)
129. Fell (20)
129. Flashbulb Fires (20)
129. Marty Jones (20)
129. Il Cattivo (20)
134. 200 Million Years (19)
134. Radical Knitting Circle (19)
134. Hemi Cuda (19)
134. Speakeasy Tiger (19)
134. The Rouge (19)
134. Alan Alda (19)
134. Sole & The Skyrider Band (19)
134. Only Thunder (19)
134. Ethyl & the Regulars (19)
134. Mombi (19)
144. Via (18)
144. No Funeral (18)
144. Phonebooks (18)
144. Fanatics (18)
144. Extra Kool (18)
144. Synthetic Elements (18)
144. Lady Parts (18)
151. Ego vs. Id (17)
151. Fellow Citizens (17)
151. The World Romantic (17)
151. Itchy-O (17)
151. Solar Bear (17)
151. Smooth Bore (17)
151. Calm (17)
158. The Autumn Film (16)
158. Ian O’Dougherty (16)
158. Buckwild (16)
158. Chella Negro (16)
158. Science Partner (16)
158. Thee Goochi Boiz (16)
164. Wendy Woo Band (15)
164. Fissure Mystic (15)
164. Hunter Dragon (15)
164. deadbubbles (15)
164. Vonnegut (15)
164. The Bedsit Infamy (15)
164. Ukulele Loki (15)
164. Kinetix (15)
164. Sour Boy Bitter Girl (15)
164. M. Pyres & The Season Creeps (15)
164. Ross Etherton and the Chariots of Judah (15)
164. Aenka (15)
164. New Ben Franklins (15)
177. Lil Slugger (14)
177. Kellie Palmblad (14)
177. Taints (14)
177. Paean (14)
177. Illuminado (14)
177. Cannons (14)
177. Casey James Prestwood and the Burning Angels (14)
177. The Mighty 18 Wheeler (14)
185. 900 Ancestors (13)
185. Open Road (13)
185. Pink Hawks (13)
185. George & Caplin (13)
185. Modern Witch (13)
185. Ashley Raines (13)
185. Sara Century (13)
185. No High Fives to Bullshit (13)
185. Nightshark (13)
194. Buckner Funken Jazz (12)
194. Littles Paia (12)
194. Ellison Park (12)
194. Dugoutcanoe (12)
194. Jonathan Byerley (12)
194. Sandusky (12)
194. King for a Day (12)
194. Laura Goldhamer (12)
194. Cobraconda (12)
194. Lion Vibes (12)
194. Power Point (12)
194. Trees (12)
206. 12 Cents for Marvin (11)
206. The Life There Is (11)
206. Iuengliss (11)
206. Hot Robots (11)
206. Havok (11)
206. 29th Street Disciples (11)
206. Christina the Hun (11)
213. Spring Creek Bluegrass Band (10)
213. The Construct (10)
213. Platte River Killers (10)
213. Munimula (10)
213. Lion Souljahs (10)
213. Buckskin Stallion (10)
213. Jason Cain (10)
220. Calf Branders (9)
220. Pop Culture Rape Victim (9)
220. Oakhurst (9)
220. JT Nolan (9)
220. Danghead (9)
220. Victoria Woodworth (9)
220. Break Mechanics (9)
227. Girls Walk By (8)
227. Drag the River (8)
227. Thee Goochi Boiz (8)
227. Aquasonics (8)
227. Bluebelle (8)
227. Three Miles West (8)
227. The Clam Daddys (8)
227. Aloft in the Sundry (8)
235. The Dropskots (7)
235. The Allergies (7)
235. Adam Pedersen (7)
235. Judge Roughneck (7)
235. Broken Spirits (7)
235. Reno Divorce (7)
235. Magic Mice (7)
235. O’Holloran (7)
235. Tijuana Pillbox (7)
235. Abracastabya (7)
235. The Velveteen Loveseat (7)
246. I Know You, Rider (6)
246. Dario Rosa (6)
246. Motel Saints (6)
246. Like Pianos Crashing (6)
246. Honkey Tonk Hangovers (6)
246. The Raven and the Writing Desk (6)
246. Carbon Choir (6)
246. The Nervous (6)
254. Red Line Defiance (5)
254. The May Kit (5)
254. Black Market Empire (5)
254. The Mansfields (5)
254. The Dendrites (5)
254. Hearts Like Lions (5)
254. Liberry (5)
254. The Tanukis (5)
254. The Inactivists (5)
254. French Chemists (5)
254. Stella Luce (5)
265. Yerkish (4)
265. Slackjaw (4)
265. Vices I Admire (4)
265. Andy Tanner (4)
265. Team Firefox (3)
265. Swimming With Models (3)
265. Night Owl (3)
265. Potcheen Folk Band (3)
265. Novasak (3)
265. Doo Crowder (3)
265. Fingers of the Sun (3)
265. Ode to the Marionette (3)
265. Sin Vida (3)
265. Fight Spider With Spider (3)
265. Eyes Caught Fire (3)
265. Suzi Homewreker (3)
281. Spokeshaver (2)
281. Pena (2)
281. Big Timber (2)
281. Pee Pee (2)
281. Space in Time (2)
281. Roger Green (2)
281. Britt Rodemich (2)
281. Weed Diamond (2)
281. Page 27 (2)
281. Dream Wagon (2)
281. Action Friend (2)
281. Rebecca Folsom (2)
281. The Pitch Invasion (2)
281. Ralph Gean (2)
281. Truckasaurus (2)
296. Lyin’ Bitch and the Restraining Orders (1)
296. Pollination Population (1)
296. Bambi Lee Savage (1)
296. Rachel’s Playpen (1)
296. The Salt Walthers (1)
296. Double Penitentiary (1)
Winners by year
2001 16 Horsepower
2002 DeVotchKa
2003 Planes Mistaken for Stars
2004 Dressy Bessy
2005 Matson Jones
2006 Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots
2007 Born in the Flood
2008 Hearts of Palm
2009 Ian Cooke
2010 Snake Rattle Rattle Snake
Other bands on the 2010 ballot
The following bands were on the ballot but received no points. Voters were also allowed to write-in any band not included on this list:
Abbie Norm
Adai
Alphabets
Ancient Mith
Andy Monley and the High Horses
The Angry Hand of God
Animo
Apathetic Drive
Apocalyptic Christ
Architects Office
Aria Tari
Armenia
Ascaris
Ashley Said Yes
Asphodel
Ate Bitten
Audio Dream Sister
Alchemy
Bad Engrish
Bankrobber
Banzai 3
Basheba Earth
Belhor
The Best Response
Birdy
Biscuitland
Black Acid Devil
The Black Apples
The Black Sleep of Kali
Blake Brown
Blue Light
The Bluebird Equation
Boldtype
Bongo Fury
Born in Winter
Braden Smith
Brocken Spectre
The Bronz
Brothers O’Hair
The Brothers Mor
The Build-Up
Burn Sand Burn
Byron Shaw Projex
Cacheflowe
Candescent
Cap’n Fresh
The Carnivores
Carnie Bums
Catheter
The Clause
Charles Van Rosenberg
Circle Number Dot
Clusterfux
Cognitive Dissonance
Code: Bear
Coles Whalen
Colors
Congress of the Crow
The Conjugal Visits
Cost of Living
Cougar Legs
Cowhause
Crooked Ways
Crowboy
Damon JeVon
Dan Kaufman Superstar Eruption
Dangerous Nonsense
Danny Huber
Dave Beegle
Dead Heaven Cowboys
Dean Station
Degrees of Sanity
Delby L
Demon Funkies
Dent
Devil Got Five
Dialektix
The Dicky Jaguar Band
Die Brucke
Dinner with Cannibals
Disease Called Human
Distance Engine
Doctype
Dodsfalla
The Drinking Gourd
Drug Under
Dykotomy
Eddie Clendening & the Blue Ribbon Boys
El Toro De La Murte
Elligoria
Encomiast
Enemyswim
Entropic Advance
Epileptinomicon
Fear Before the March of Flames
Fighting Cocks
Final Blow
The Final Formula
Five Style Fist
Foodchain
The Freeman Social
Funhouse
Gata Negra
George Inai
George W. Nixon
Get Your Going
Gloam
The Gones
Good Grime Soundsystem
Grace Gale
Grease Machine
Great Room Victorian
Green Carpeted Stairs
Gritch
Gritt Hitter
Hamster Theatre
Haunted Windchimes
Hawk Attack
Headhum
Hearts in Space
Hellen Keller
Hexen
Hollagramz
Holley 750
Holophrase
Ice Hunter
Identity Pusher
Ill Distortion
Ill Will
I’m a Boy
The Indulgers
Input
Ion
IZ
Jane Da Pain
Jay Ady
Jef Otte and the Fatality
Jessica Sonner
Johnny Eager
Joshua Trinidad
Juliet Mission
Kathryn Ostenberg and Dash Benison
Katie Herzig
Kevin Mileski
Khale
Kill City Bombers
King Rat
Kory Brunson Band
Kyle Smith
The Last Seen
Leftmore
The Legendary Beep Beeps
Lenore
Light Travels Faster
Lions the Brave
Loverleigh
Lungs They Burn
MAiNiAM
Makeout Point
The Manxx
Mark Darling
Marie Litton
Masquerade Scene
Megalodon
Mehko and the Ocean Birds
The Microdots
Midlothian
Missing Dufrenes
Mjolnir DXP
MoTrucker
Mourned by Flies
Mourning Sickness
My Shadows Existence
Mystic Bummer
nervesandgel
New Ancient Astronauts
New Pleasures
Nigel
Night of Ultraviolence
No Thought
The Nobodys
The Nod
Nueva Vulcano
Nuts + Berries
The Ocean Bed
Old Radio
Onemanna
Orbit Service
Orbiteer
The Orchid Riot
Origami Hands
Otem Rellik
The Outta Controllers
Owetraviye
Painbow
Paper Stars
Pariah
Pep*Squad
Peru or Germany
Pillow Garden
Pina Chulada
Pinkos
Pistis Sophia
Plasmacrash
Pleistocene
Portamento
Postmodern Troll
Preacherboy
Primasonic
Princess Army Wedding Combat
Project 12:01
Proto Bird
Protosonic
Psyborg Death
Pythian Whispers
The Quee Quegs
Quillion
Rad Vibes
Rasmussen
Rebel Force
Receiver
The Red Electric
Red Stinger
Red Vs. Black
Reform Control
Requiem in Black
Rexway
Roadside Profits
Robin Walker
Rogue Sound
Rooster Brothers
Rosalie
Rosskopp
Rotaree
Royal Dead
Rowboat
Rubber Planet
Rubedo
Ryan Flick
Safe Boating is No Accident
Sarina Simoom
Satyr
Savage Henry
Sega Genocide
Shanty Vamps
Shards of Seven
The Shift
Shygone
Signal to Noise
The Silver Cord
The Siren Project
Six Months to Live
Skully Mammoth
Smaug
Sofo
Solitary Sinners
Sonic Vomit
Spare the Legion
Spellcaster
Sperm Whale Sperm
The Standstill
Starfuzz
Steel Blades of Vengeance
Sterile Garden
The Stinos
Strange Lights
Stupendous Sound Society
Sulla
Sun Red
Sunray Breaker
Sunshine
Sup Danny
Swanks
Sweet Tooth Meat Tooth
The Swindlers
Syble Vane
Sympathy F
Take
Take the Mickey
Tami Nichols
Tango Red Tapestry
Temples
Ten Cent Redemption
That Silver Shell
They Will Use Your Bones For Tools
Thinking Plague
Three Sisters
Throwaway Sunshine
Thundercade
ThunderDome
Time
Tin Tin
Titans Courageous
The Trampolines
Treeverb
Tribes of Asher
Tristraum
Tyfoid Mary
Unbridled Sonic Anarchy
Under The Drone
United Dope Front
Valet Park This
Valio Mierda
Varlet, featuring Lilly Scott
The Vergers
Veronica
Vicious Women
Voices Of
Voodoo Stingray
Warhawk
Water
Weird Turn Prose
Western Ritual
Whiskey Throttle
White Cat Pink
Whygee
Willie Houston
Workhorse
Yellow Second
Yuzo Nieto & The Hand that Rocks the Dreidel
Zayante Spoils
Zebra Junction
Ineligible bands
Bands that have moved on or broken up; those that are no longer considered underground or are now signed to major labels; also previous winners.
Blog essay: To poll or not to poll?
UMS founder John Moore tackles the question: “Why do you rank the bands by numbers each year? click here
Complete list of 2010 voters
Ricardo Baca, Denver Post music critic
Morris Beegle, owner, Hapi Skratch Records
Michael Behrenhausen, Reverb contributor; formerly Maraca Five-0
Danny Birch, Radio Vagabond
Jonathan Bitz, editor, Syntax; booker, Walnut Room
Mark Bliesener, manager, bandguru.com
Patrick Brannen, graphic artist
Heather Brown, editor, fuelfriendsblog.com
Linda Ruth Carter, invited citizen’s panel
Chuck Coffey, Not Bad World Industries
Nichole Covington, invited citizen’s panel
Bree Davies, Reverb contributor
Lucia De Giovanni, Reverb photographer
Ben Desoto, booker for Hi-Dive and the UMS
Virgil Dickerson, Suburban Home Records
Amber Eagle, invited citizen’s panel
Josh Elioseff, Reverb photographer
Julio Enriquez, editor, Cause=Time blog
Paul Epstein, owner, Twist & Shout records
Eryc Eyl, Reverb writer
Robert Ferbrache, owner/engineer, Absinthe Studios
Bryan Feuchtinger, owner/engineer, Uneven Studio
Mark Frandsen, invited citizen’s panel
Kyle Freeman, invited citizen’s Panel
James Freeman, invited citizen’s panel
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
Nathan Gross, invited citizen’s panel
James Irvine, booker, Larimer Lounge
Tyler Jacobson, DJ
Ben James, invited citizen’s panel
Brian Johnson, editor, Marquee Magazine
Chris K., host, “The Colorado Sound,” KRFC 88.9 FM, Fort Collins
Patrick Kelly, writer, The Onion’s A.V. Club
Cory Knight, invited citizen’s panel
Sarah Levin, band manager
Mike Long, Reverb writer
Chris Maynard, booker, Soiled Dove Underground
Joe McCabe, Reverb photographer
Eli Mishkin, musician, formerly Hot IQs
John Moore, UMS founder, The Denver Post
Jason Mueller, Geeks Who Drink quizmaster
Tom Murphy, freelance writer/historian, Westword
Tuyet Nguyen, city editor, The Denver/Boulder Onion
Todd Roeth, visual director, Gigbot
Lynne Ryan, DJ
Rose Sanchez, invited citizen’s panel
Steven Schalk, owner, Gothic Theatre
Matt Schild, editor, Aversion.com
Cassie Schoon, Reverb writer
Evan Semon, Reverb photographer
Nicole Simpson, bartender, invited citizen’s panel
Sarah Slater, Titwrench
Kendall Smith, UMS venues manager
Alan Stewart, invited citizen’s panel
Don Strasburg, booker, AEG Live Rocky Mountains
Pamela Strong, invited citizen’s panel
Jennifer Sung, invited citizen’s panel
Kathleen Tarrant, Reverb writer
Billy Thieme, Reverb writer
John Wenzel, The Denver Post, UMS, Reverb
Jme White, Reverb writer
10th annual Denver Post Underground Music Showcase, July 22-25
The largest indie music festival in the Rocky Mountain region with 325-plus artists. Venues include rock clubs, bars, art galleries, gardens, coffee shops and more in the Baker District, South Broadway between Sixth and Alameda avenues. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursday (July 22); 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday (July 23); 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday-Sunday (July 24-25). Four-day wristbands are $30 now at theums.com; day-of wristbands are $40. Schedule, wristband sales and more: theums.com
More photos! More video!
We’ve edited down more than 1,000 UMS photos by our team of shooters at the 2009 Denver Post Underground Music Showcase to bring you the very best. To see what we came up with, click here.
Also, to see all the videos we posted from the 2009 UMS, click here .
