Genetics w/ Star Count 2.20.13

-

Hodi’s Half Note
Fort Collins, Colorado

Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock

Every once in a while a new band emerges from the murky fog of local music and like crème, quickly rises to the top. One such band on its upward climb is Genetics. Harking back to the days of yore, Genetics has the sound and energy of Umphrey’s McGee circa 1998. They are unpolished and their transitions lack the crispness of a band with fifteen or twenty years of touring experience, however their take on progressive jam is certainly fresh and filled with limitless potential. Genetics is the type of band that catches you off guard. The youth of the band and their unassuming nature does little to foreshadow their concrete musicianship. Originally hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Genetics is the latest in a long line of bands that have up and moved to Colorado to play live music. Currently residing in Fort Collins, they have been performing with a real drive.

The snow was falling in Fort Collins causing many would be attendees to stay home. Opening the show were newcomer Star Count that formed only a few short months ago. I’m told they are a side project of a side project, but nonetheless they are a musical force on their own. This show marked the first performance with Nicolai Afansenkov on keys, which really filled out the sound and melded nicely with the original trio. Jim Kincaid absolutely shredded for the thirty or so people in the room. In fact, with the weather, many of those Star Count fans did not stay too much later. Their fiery sound was a blend of trance-fusion jamming with an organic delivery. Brother of the guitarist, Jason Kincaid, was the driver delivering some tightly focused kit work that became the basis for their hard hitting sound. They were a fun way to start the night.

Several people filtered out as Genetics took the stage for their progressive game of hot potato. They are an instrumental band playing huge jams and incorporating the talents of each individual member. The most striking part of their sound comes from Joel Searls’ bass. This young man with his Harry Carey glasses and curly locks absolutely drives the bus. Together with Nat Snow the rhythm section was buttoned up tightly. Given the low numbers they opted to play one longer set which included a sick jam on Star Wars’ “Imperial March.” I look forward to big things from this band. They find themselves on the cusp of a grand new adventure here in Fort Collins. Who knows what will happen, but with upcoming performances opening for Fareed Haque and MathGames as well as at FoCoMX, it won’t be long before word of this talented group spreads.

Nicholas' Photo Gallery

www.facebook.com/GeneticsGR

www.facebook.com/Starcountband

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Livetronica Sampler 3.22.11

-
Image
Words by Greg Molitor ( ReMIND Photography ) Ozric Tentacles This British group has proven innovative throughout the years offering a space-rock meets psytrance sound that remains alive to this day. Though never having a major record label, Ozric Tentacles has produced 28 albums of diverse psychedelia throughout its career. The band met at the Stonehenge Free Festival in 1983 and truly fathered livetronica music with its use of sequencers and synthesizers. Simply put, there would be no livetronica without Ozric Tentacles. www.ozrics.com Octopus Nebula Colorado’s Octopus Nebula has certainly hit its stride as of late with its constant touring and increased festival interest. The group expands on the deep sounds of highly regarded acts such as STS9 and Shpongle but also carves a path of its own with its fresh takes on synthesizer tones and sampling in the live setting. Octopus Nebula Live at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom on March 26, 2010. <--- Direct Archive Link www.octopus
Read more

Buckethead: Gimmick or Guitar God?

-
Image
Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock ( phatphlogblog.blogspot.com ) At what point does the gimmick overshadow the performance? The obvious answer is Buckethead. The man is an amazing guitarist but something is not right in this world. The idea a performer who dons a KFC chicken bucket on his head for a concert has always intrigued me, and some of his side projects such as Colonel Claypool’s Bernie Bucket of Brains have been huge successes. However his performance last weekend in Fort Collins simply left me perplexed. From his robotic dancing, to his nunchuck display, to the fact the he performed with an iPod rather than a band all added to my confusion. Going into the show I was ready to be blown away, despite rumblings of disgruntled fans from the previous night’s show at The Gothic. Buckethead had had some sound issues and some missed cues in Denver but I was still trying to be positive for the show in Fort Collins. It did go off without a hitch technically but that was the least
Read more

Billy Strings 4.18.19

-
Image
Salvage Station Asheville, NC Words by Jason Mebane Photos by J. Scott Shrader Photography When asked to write a review of last week's Billy Strings show at Asheville, North Carolina's Salvage Station I almost passed on it. I just wrote a review of his last Asheville show a few months ago and I thought it may be hard to come up with another set of words to describe to the readers exactly what a Billy Strings show is all about. I am sure there are a plethora of other reviews that other people have written focusing on how well he has mastered his instrument. I suppose I could recycle those thoughts and just sit here typing out a few adjectives describing each note Billy and his superb backing band played this past Thursday night, but that wouldn't be fun for me. Additionally I'd imagine a review like that wouldn't keep your attention either. Instead I have decided to focus on a few random parts of the Billy Strings show that seemed interesting to me. One: B
Read more

Shwarma, Cloud Catcher & Kaepora 6.21.24

-
Image
Cervantes Other Side Denver, CO Words & Photos by Pavel Gábor Kaplan Two weeks ago, Denver locals Shwarma graced the stage at Cervantes’ Other Side for the second time as headliners, with support from other Denver locals Cloud Catcher (stoner metal/power metal) and Kaepora (metal/funk/fusion). Coincidentally, both this year’s Summer Solstice and the Strawberry Full Moon transpired around Shwarma’s Album Release show, with the full moon falling on the night of the show. Certainly strong energy to power up the night of dancing and raging - from appropriately cosmic occurrences for a cosmically cool bill. It’s rare to have a full moon actually fall on the same day as a solstice. However, something not very rare is an unforgettable performance from Shwarma at Cervantes! I totally enjoyed photographing their Otherside shows last February when they opened for Lespecial to perform to a sold-out Ballroom-side, as well as their performance last Halloween at ‘Oogie Boogie’ alongside Dopapod,
Read more

Yarmony Music Festival 6.28 & 6.29.24

-
Image
Rancho Del Rio Bond, CO Words by J. Picard Photos by Scott Seifert Gratitude and appreciation have been the foundation of our time at Yarmony Music Festival (formerly, YarmonyGrass). Gratitude for the beauty of the space, Rancho Del Rio, and the mighty Colorado River that flows through it. Appreciation for the experiences, friendships and memories created. Over the span of the fourteen years that we've attended, we have seen firsthand a bonding of a core group of people who have become great friends, characters in each others' stories and in some cases, life partners. Following the incredible energy of the 2019 festival it was announced that Yarmony would be put to rest, to the dismay of many pirates. Though times got strange and folks were pushed apart, there was still a low, slow, pulse beating in the background. We did what we could to keep the spirit of the memory alive until one unsuspecting day, a long five years later, promoter Andrew McConathy announced that from its re
Read more