2017 Lineup
The Magic Beans (3 Sets)
Colorado's space-funk, groove grass, ameritronica band plays host to the Beanstalk every year. Known for high-energy shows, infectious grooves, and inspired improv; the Beans will perform 3 big sets and probably pop up elsewhere. Fusing acoustic roots music and traditional instruments with modern technology and electric dance music, The Magic Beans are as unique as their place of origin, the Colorado Rockies.
Fruition (2 Sets)
The first time they ever made music together, Fruition’s three lead singer/songwriters discovered that their voices naturally blended into stunning three-part harmony. Eight years after that impromptu busking session, the Portland, Oregon-based quintet has grown from a rootsy, string-centric outfit to a full-fledged rock band with an easy but powerful grasp of soul, blues, and British Invasion era pop. On their new album Labor of Love, Fruition shows the complete force of their newly expanded and electrified sound, matching their more daring musicality with sophisticated, melody-minded songcraft. With Anderson, Asebroek, and Naja trading vocal duties and offering up their own singular brand of gutsy yet graceful songwriting, Fruition infuse each track on Labor of Love with timeless urgency and three-part harmonies that never fail to enthrall.
James Brown Dance Party
The James Brown Dance Party is a rotating All Star Tribute to James Brown featuring members of Snarky Puppy, Trombone Shorty, Galactic, Trey Aanastasio Band, The J.B's, James Brown Band, Bootsy Collins Band, Lettuce, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Victor Wooten Band, Break Science, Pretty Lights Live Band, Kung Fu, Deep Banana Blackout, Strange Design, American Idol, Dopapod and more!
Moshi Fameus
Moshi Fameus is a rare chance to see members of The Disco Biscuits create a full set of all-improvised livetronica. This only happens once in a blue moon, so its not to be missed.
Theo Katzman
If you've heard the name Theo Katzman recently, you probably know him as the singing drummer and guitarist in the funk band Vulfpeck. But with his 2017 release, Heartbreak Hits, Katzman returns to his roots as a rock and roll inspired singer/songwriter. A 10-song collection of musings on loss and letdown, Heartbreak Hits blends personal vulnerability with imaginative songcraft, yielding an album that's somehow a living dichotomy of tragic/comedic, serious/satirical, over-the-top/subtle, and healing/hurting. In his own words, Katzman says he writes "songs to soothe your post-Y2K pop culture hangover." He also wrote this bio.
Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven
After cutting his teeth in Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Tea Leaf Green, bassist extraordinaire Reed Mathis established himself in the Grateful Dead world with membership in Billy & The Kids, The Rhythm Devils, Mickey Hart Band, Steve Kimock Band and the Golden Gate Wingmen. But Mathis' first love was always Ludwig van Beethoven. With his new Electric Beethoven project, Mathis did the unthinkable and fused all of his worlds together, bringing old world masterpieces by Beethoven to today's premiere musical improvisers — an elite class of live performers who have individually made names for themselves in every genre except classical: jazz, funk, folk, blues, and jam rock.
Kitchen Dwellers
Montana's reigning galaxy-grass champions. The Kitchen Dwellers started picking in the kitchen and have moved up to some of the biggest clubs and festivals in the nation. Their upbeat, un-traditional new-grass incorporates elements of folk, funk, rock, and psychedelia. For the bluegrass fanatic, don't worry these guys can pick the standards impressively and their chemistry is undeniable. 2nd Place at Telluride Bluegrass Festival's band competition in 2014, these guys are out making a waves in the bluegrass community. Expect to see the Kitchen Dwellers 2 different days of the festival and most likely picking in the campgrounds until 5AM
Tom Hamilton's American Babies (featuring Aaron Magner of The Disco Biscuits)
Since 2007, American Babies has been the mouthpiece for Philadelphia based musician Tom Hamilton. After spending the early 2000s building a national fan base fronting the electro-rock band Brothers Past a change was in order. Musically, I wanted to get back to the basics" he explains, "Get the song right, first. Then worry about the live show and how the music opens up from there." And it certainly has. American Babies has solidified themselves with some great albums and a solid touring schedule. The live show has evolved to take these neo-classic rock songs to the next level while still pushing the genre forward composition wise.
Holly Bowling
Holly Bowling is a classically trained pianist who began playing piano at the age of five. There’s one major distinction, however, that separates her from other similarly studied musicians. That is Holly’s devotion to the legendary rock band Phish. Having attended over 300 shows by the Burlington-based quartet, she became obsessed by their famous rendition of “Tweezer” from Lake Tahoe on July 31, 2013. It led Holly to transcribe this 37-minute improvisational masterpiece note-for-note and arrange it for solo piano. The process, both painstaking and fulfilling, inspired her to transform other Phish songs and well-known live jams into solo piano interpretations. Holly’s breathtaking renditions of Phish classics like “It’s Ice,” “The Squirming Coil” and “Harry Hood” serve not only as a tribute to the modern day kings of jam, but stand on their own as fully developed classical pieces. The past year has seen Holly expand her repertoire into the realm of the Grateful Dead, including an “Eyes of the World” based on the band’s spectacular exploratory June 18, 1974 performance at Freedom Hall. Using classical piano technique to reinterpret these jamband luminaries, Holly’s live performances infuse new with old, tradition with surreal, and creates a concert experience like nothing else in the music world.
The Funky Knuckles
The inevitable result of a talent-soaked soul and jazz community, The Funky Knuckles are taking the sound of Dallas to an entirely different level. They have been together six years and have held a weekly residency since the beginning. The band is comprised of sidemen from some of the most respected acts in the music industry (Beyonce, Erykah Badu, Chrisette Michelle, Talib Kweli, P. Diddy, The Polyphonic Spree, etc.), yet possesses a sound distinctly separate from any of their individual projects.
Lespecial
lespecial carves their own path in contemporary rock music with the release of their second album, cheen, on October 31, 2017. Pole vaulting over traditional genres, cheen is a snapshot of a band finding a remarkable creative stride, fearless in their pursuit of a synthesis of the diverse musical idioms that have inspired them as listeners and artists.
Cycles (2 Sets)
Throughout the last year, Cycles has picked up some serious steam around Colorado. Every show Cycles plays garners new fans. In January of 2016, the band released their first EP, “Loads Of Fun” which showcases their one-of-a-kind sound. This summer will see Cycles embark on their first nation-wide tour. With runs of shows ranging from Chicago to Portland, the rest of the country will soon get to experience first-hand what all their friends have been talking about.
Pho
PHO is a Twin Cities funk band creating a new Minneapolis sound utilizing modern taste and classic influences to break musical boundaries.
Yak Attack
Yak Attack will make you dance. Founded in Portland, OR in 2013, the live electronica trio has been making waves in the local scene and expanding its fan base regionally in its short history. Rowan Cobb (bass), Dave Dernovsek (keys) and Nick Werth (percussion/xylosynth) combine technical chops, live looping, and versatility to create a wall of danceable sound far beyond the capability of most three piece bands. Electronic and traditional genres including house, breakbeat, downtempo, jazz, and funk, tight compositions seamlessly blended with improvisation, and frequent contributions from guest musicians define a typical Yak show. The band released its first full-length album in 2015, “Real World Conditions”, and will soon be bringing its unique mix of live chops, electronic techniques, and monkey noises to a venue near you.
Mama Magnolia
Mama Magnolia is your guide through a groovy and dangerous musical landscape. Their sound pushes musical boundaries while capturing the ear, touching the soul and moving the body. Their powerful blend of groovy rhythms, explosive horn lines, captivating melodies and soulful lyrics will invite you to want more. With a love of shifting meters, polyrhythmic structure, evolving harmonies and complex dynamic shape, they let the music guide them to create danceable and undeniably deep music that is tasty soul candy to those who hear it.
Lady & The Gentlemen
Lady and the Gentlemen is an 8 piece band from Boulder, CO formed by musicians who frequented a local jam session together for a year before creating the band. Featuring violin, horns, powerhouse vocals, and some of the most talented jam-band musicians in Boulder, the band is able to sweep across genres with ease while maintaining their unique style. Lady and the Gentlemen brings the songwriting skills of each member to the table so that every song features the talent, which there is plenty of, of every musician in the group. These guys and gals are on to something big and are here to share their unquestionable love for music with you!
Teddy Midnight
Brooklyn based Teddy Midnight demonstrates a creative combination of progressive rock, drum and bass, jazz and downtempo. This unique blend earned the term Electro-Dance-Funk, a self- described genre based on the style of Teddy Midnight. The band’s live show instinctively gets the party moving and won’t let up any time soon.
Malai Llama
The Malai Llama is an artist collective from Rollinsville, Colorado. The group has grown from a musical quartet to a burgeoning community that embraces fire dancers and artists of the visual and performance variety. Malai Llama's music blends all you know about electronica with the freeform beauty of traditional jam bands and improvisational jazz groups. The Malai Llama pushes musical boundaries by combining the real energy of instrumentation with the electronic exploration of synthesizers, and samples in dynamic song structures. People all around Colorado have been moving their feet to their grooves.
Tenth Mountain Division
Tenth Mountain Division revives the soul, spirit and eclectic intersection of influences that birthed rock’n’roll, afresh for the modern ear. Just a fancy way of saying that we’re bringing back classic rock, because that’s what we love!
Good Touch
The Denver-based quartet, Good Touch, comprised of Alex Newton (guitar/vocals), Tyler Hobbs (drums/vocal), and Mike Givens have been creating a powerful sound based around thoughtful and heartfelt songwriting, and deep grooves that move fans. Blending the sounds of rock, funk, psychedelia, bluegrass, and jazz to create their signature sound of funk 'n' roll, Good Touch's sound comes through as mature and powerful.
Amoramora
Amoramora is a traveling, working, multipurpose rock and jazz fusion quartet from Boulder, Colorado. With members from Chicago, Cleveland, Washington D.C., and Boulder, the band formed after crossing paths in 2015 and has been performing, as well as expanding their extensive catalog with original material ever since. After gaining traction amongst the legendary students at the University of Colorado, the group of composers and multi-instrumentalists quickly jumped from packed house parties, to small bars, and then to bigger stages. An Amoramora experience is an eclectic mix of improvisational musical gumbo, blending and stirring together integral aspects of Progressive Funk, Psychedelic Rock, African High Life, Jazz, Bluegrass, and Soul. Astronomic compositions take the listener on an engaging journey while whimsical and captivating lyrics fuel the fire of musical imagery. The instrumentation of guitar, bass, percussion, trumpet, and EWI mixed in with vocal harmonies add up to truly original and endless musical possibilities
Part & Parcel
A tasteful mix of rock and folk with an upbeat bluegrass feel.