Underground Music Showcase (UMS) 2015: Photos Day 1 + 2

Every year the Denver Post throws a huge music party on South Broadway called the Underground Music Festival (UMS), and it takes almost a month to recover. 400+ bands, mostly local, at 20+ venues is probably more than a “party” – but when you see friends up and down the street all weekend long, I am not sure what else to call it.

The first two nights, Thursday and Friday, are usually a bit mellow (comparatively) – easing everyone into the hot mess that comes later. I kind of like these evenings better because you can actually breathe a little.

I always joke the UMS is the hardest among all the Denver music festivals to photograph. The venues are mostly bars, making the stages small,  the lighting dark and the crowds right in the thick of it. Not to mention the sheer volume of bands to see in a short timeframe… you always miss so many you wanted to get to. The converse is true as well – you also hear new music walking down the street – sometimes from the random guy just plucking his guitar for spare change.

I loved every band I got to see the first two nights, but I would have to say In The Whale stood out, as they do. The Broncos’ mascot Miles made a guest appearance, rocking out with Denver’s loudest duo and moshing into the crowd after confetti cannons covered everyone in orange.

Yup. Hell yeah, Denver rocks.

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Tyto Alba

John Common Superheart

Input

Dearling

Rossonian

In The Whale

Rowdy Shadehouse

(No “tuck” photos, I promise.)

LSD Bags

Mile High Soul Club

Sunboy

The Other Black

Residual Kid

Post Paradise

Dragondeer

Note: Press passes were provided by UMS. All words and photos mine. © Aimee Giese.