(Photo by Brian Carney.)

Denver’s folk conglomerate Pee Pee did a great job of filling up the Oriental’s stage and with their opening set for Akron/Family and Young Coyotes a few weeks ago.  The improved lighting/effects in the venue (intelligent lights, neon backdrops, smoke machines) complimented the band’s party-favor mood, as all 10+ members moved around the stage with a variety of instruments, including a 4′ rainstick!

Pee Pee
3.17.2009
The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resample to 16/44.1 > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. unknown #1
2. unknown #2
3. Freakout Jam >
4. Pee-Pee Song
5. Love Needs A Quivering, Restless, Aching Fire to Lay Its Head On >
6. unknown #3
7. Jaroline
8. O, Little Boy

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

(Photo by Denise Chambers.)

Six months after their last appearance at the Hi-Dive, The Broken West made another stop in Denver!  Check out John Wenzel’s review of the evening over at Reverb while you’re giving the set a listen, and also consider purchasing one the the band’s albums via Merge:

2008 – Now or Heaven
2007 – I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On

The Broken West
3.11.2009
The Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resample to 16/44.1 > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. So It Goes >
2. Auctioneer
3. On The Bubble
4. Please
5. Gwen, Now and Then
6. Ambuscade
7. Got It Bad
8. House of Lies
9. Down in the Valley
10. Perfect Games

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files are available via BitTorrent over at dime.

(Photo by Brian Carney.)

In what has been labeled by several as their favorite Denver show this year, Akron/Family concluded The Oriental’s St. Pat’s festivities with a two-hour performance that took the audience on an emotional roller coaster.  Boasting a dreadfully serious opening song, thundering jams with Pee Pee, punk rock, and singalongs in utter darkness, you won’t fully appreciate this journey by sampling one or two tracks.  Stay along for the entire ride, and you just might experience a renewed faith in the potential of experimental rock.

Akron/Family
3.17.2009
The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO

Source:  Mix [Microtech Gefell M300's > Lunatec V3 > digi-coax] + [SBD > 1/4"] > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resampe to 16/44.1 > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Untitled (last song from s/t album)
3. River >
4. The Alps and Their Orange Evergreen >
5. Gravelly Mountains of The Moon >
6. Lake Song * >
7. Jam * >
8. Ed Is a Portal * >
9. Creatures > Jam * >
10. Everyone Is Guilty
11. MBF
12. Sun Will Shine *
13. Last Year
(Encore)
14. I Know You Rider
15. Crickets

Notes:
* = with members of Pee Pee

Tim Weilert has posted some great video footage of Pee Pee jam here, courtesy of Something Like Sound!

Zipfiles of the mp3s are available here:  Part 1, Part 2.
FLAC files are available via BitTorrent over at dime.

(Photo from Noise Pop ‘09 by Cameron Platt)

St. Patrick’s weekend is not the most opportune time to book quiet shows at dive bars, the nightlife being much more interested in intoxication and revelry than in a listening experience.  After skipping out early from the Les Claypool show, I made my way down to the Lion’s Lair to catch Two Sheds, who were on their way from California to SXSW.  Lacking a drummer for this trip, Two Sheds gave their tunes the mellow treatment on this particular night.  Those of us sitting close to the stage had the chance to soak in Caitlin Gutenberger’s dream-like vocals.  In time, the background chatter and beer buzzes were melted away.

Two Shed’s first full-length and more recent EP can both be purchased here (in physical form) or via iTunes.

Two Sheds
3.14.2009
Lion’s Lair, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resample to 16/44.1 > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. For Theresa
2. The Ballad of Salty Dog
3. Undertow
4. To Be Alive
5. You
6. WTF?
7. unknown
8. Momma
9. Psycho Killer

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

(Photo by Brian Carney.)

Denver’s Young Coyotes are prepared to land at several SXSW parties just after lunch today.  If you’re actually reading this, chances are you’re not down in Austin seeing them this afternoon,  but instead one of many wishing you were.  To lift your spirits (if only a little), here’s the next best thing…a Young Coyotes live set from this week’s St. Pat’s festivities at the Oriental Theater.

Young Coyotes
3.17.2009
The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resample to 16/44 > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro/soundcheck
2. Hell Is
3. Buried
4. When I Was In The Fire
5. Momentary Drowning
6. A Thousand Masks
7. Splitting Prisms
8. The Sun Continues to Reach Me
9. (new song)
10. In The Garden
11. In My House

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files are available via BitTorrent over at dime.

(Photo by Marla Keown.)

Here’s another Achille Lauro set, part of an excellent night of music organized by the Hot Congress collective.

Achille Lauro
3.05.2009
The Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. Under The Bridge (tease)
2. Cardboard Divas
3. (new song)
4. “Friend’s War”
5. Summertime
6. Cold Poetry
7. Buried Under Ice
8. Super Natural Beings
9. “No Brakes”

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

Fissure Mystic
3.05.2009
The Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. Mr. Yoshi
2. unknown
3. (new song)
4. unknown
5. Breakthrough
6. unknown

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

(Photo by Brian Carney.)

The Legendary River Drifters
2.25.2009
The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. Wash Away My Whiskey Ways
3. unknown
4. unknown
5. unknown
6. Soapy Rail Stomp
7. unknown
8. The Fly
9. The Mountain Song
10. unknown
11. unknown

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

Brian has full photo essay and review on the Denver Post’s Reverb blog.

(Photo by Brian Carney.)

Laura Goldhamer and The Silver Nail
2.25.2009
The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. Lion
3. unknown
4. No Ability
5. Humpty Dumpty
6. Little Baby
7. unknown
8. Gently Now
9. unknown
10. Ye Old Leave Behind
11. Born There

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

There was a good turnout on Wednesday night for Portland’s Blind Pilot, who made a pass through Denver on the way to SXSW.  This turnout also resulted in a lot of chatter (especially on the quiet songs), but I suppose the recording is still quite listenable.

Blind Pilot
3.11.2009
The Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Oade Mod Edirol R44 @ 24/48 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > Resample to 16/44.1 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. Oviedo
2. Go On, Say It
3. Two Towns For Me
4. White Apple
5. Paint Or Pollen
6. The Story I Heard
7. I Buried a Bone
8. Poor Boy
9. One Red Thread
10. 3 Rounds and a Sound
11. Rock Salt and Nails
12. We are the Tide

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files are available via BitTorrent over at dime.

Update: John Wenzel just posted a review of the show on Reverb.