Joey Porter's Vital Organ 8.15.12

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Highland Tap & Burger
Denver, CO

Words By J-man
Photos By Preston Heffley (IdeaZign Media)

Wednesday's Free Music Showcase welcomed an extension of The Highland Tap musical family, and supergroup, Vital Organ. Led by Joey Porter (Juno What, The Motet) his group consisted of Garrett Sayers (GST, The Motet, Kyle Hollingsworth Band), Dan Schwindt (Kyle Hollingsworth Band) and Daren Hahn (formerly of Ani DiFranco & The Eels)! What began as a rare treat of one or two dates with Vital Organ, will hopefully grow into a staple for upcoming Music Showcases at The Tap!

As the band set up near the front garage door style window of the restaurant, excited fans began to stream in and claim tables. Before we knew it, the Tap was packed. The quartet launched into their two hour set, as owner Paul Brown and I moved tables to accommodate the growing crowd. The packed Tap loved what they were hearing, and maybe more so than ever, they danced with approval. The combination of four of the hardest hitters in Colorado, showcased their pure musical ability through fantastically funky instrumentation. Joey's chops and solo work mesmerized as Garrett's low end work blew minds and laid down the groove. Dan's guitar playing elevated the group exponentially adding a fitting layer of raging guitar work. Daren destroyed his kit with fury as if he were not at the Tap, but instead a sold out Madison Square Garden. There was no shortage of intensity with this quartet.

One encore turned to two, two to three and the evening finally came to close with the announcement of free LOHI Music Festival t-shirts for everyone in attendance. The focused shifted from dancing and getting down to showing appreciation for the musicians and scooping a shirt. Outside on the patio folks began to unwind with some of their favorite musicians. That night at the Tap members of The Motet, Juno What, GST, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Lotus and Octopus Nebula turned out to participate on one level or another in the musical happening. The Tap has become a sort of melting pot of talent, growing at an increasing rate with new opportunities for local talent and music fans alike.

Join us every Wednesday at The Highland Tap & Burger and stay tuned for upcoming announcements regarding new weekly showcases!

Preston's Photo Gallery

www.highlandtapdenver.com

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