5 local must-see bands in Fort Collins

Pamela Shapiro
Beyond the Oval
Published in
4 min readSep 14, 2015

The Fort Collins music scene is continuously growing, as new bands as well as artists begin to emerge. It can be tricky as, if you’re not a part of the “music scene,” you may not know any of the bands, or who to go to in order to find more information. However, it’s your lucky day because here are 5 popular, local bands that frequently play in Old Town. So, if you’re bored with the same top ten hits that are played over and over again on the radio, check out the following bands.

1.) Lion Drome

Original Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gregor_y/358994129/

This alternative/ modern rock band is relatively new, but is already making quite an impact on the Fort Collins music community. The band formed in 2012, but their album Curve of the Earth was released during the summer of 2014. For people that are fans of bands such as Porcupine Tree, or U2 this band’s songs have quite a few similarities. The emotion that they are able to convey through their music is incredible. They recently played at the Aggie Theater this summer and are now playing various shows within Fort Collins and other parts of Colorado. Their hometown is Fort Collins, therefore they are here quite often. Some of their many popular songs include: Winter, The Nite is On and Curve of the Earth. For more information about this band and their upcoming shows, visit their Facebook Page.

2.) American Blackout

Original Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/merille/5149870079

American Blackout is a punk rock band that began in 2012 in Fort Collins. They promote their concerts by saying it’s “the most fun you’ve ever had with your clothes on.” This group has a unique sound and takes punk rock to a whole new level, according to their Facebook page. Some of the must listened to songs are: Save Me, Summer’s Gone and Call Me Strong. On October 17, this band will be performing in downtown Fort Collins at Hodi’s Half Note. The address is 167 N College Ave. More information as well as showtimes will be located on the band’s main website. Check out the creative way this band is able to weave deep, meaningful lyrics with an upbeat punk rock sound.

3.) Aspen Hourglass

Original Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/angelocesare/65893649

Aspen Hourglass, is a classical fusion rock band. This native Fort Collins band produces a very different sound in terms of rock music. They utilize classical piano, as well as various guitar techniques in order to create a sound that is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. According to the band, it took them a while to figure out exactly which genre they would be categorized as, because they are so unique. Some of their songs include: Justify and In the Sand. These two songs specifically, exemplify the way that this band is able to utilize the soft classical sound of the piano and then naturally progress to loud and upbeat guitar sections. Check out some of their songs and experience the unique sound for yourself.

4.) Slow Caves

Original Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Rundgren

Slow Caves is a Synth-Punk group that plays frequently in Fort Collins as well as the Denver area. Their song Amelia has a mystic vibe to it. This makes perfect sense considering it is a special track released specifically for Halloween. This song utilizes soft lyrics as well as instruments that hypnotize listeners into this spiritual, yet seductive sort of trans. The band explains on their webpage, that they utilize “blistering” sounds, yet are somewhat refined. The band plays many shows in Fort Collins, specifically downtown. However, they have a show coming up in October that will take place in Denver. Learn more about the band members, their music and upcoming gigs on their Facebook page.

5.) Head for the Hills

Original Photo: http://8tracks.com/explore/newgrass

This Modern Acoustic/Newgrass band is a group that all music lovers must listen to. This music utilizes strings to produce a folk sound. The best way to describe this group is a mixture of various genres. It feels like there’s a little piece of everything when you listen to them. Some songs feel very country and sound like Newgrass music, however others have folk, jazz and even some hip hop integrated into them. This group is extremely modern and unique to the Fort Collins music scene. This Fort Collins group is branching out from Fort Collins to tour and perform in other states, as well as other parts of Colorado. However, Fort Collins is their home and they will be back soon to perform. Visit their webpage and Facebook page to listen to modern and beautiful songs.

Note: All photos were taken from Google Images and were labeled for reuse.

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