The UMS: Blog

The UMS presents ... ticket giveaways

Ricardo Baca — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:21:00 MST

The UMS is thrilled to be presenting some of the biggest and most buzzworthy indie shows in Denver leading up to our festival on July 22-25 — and we’re starting with Saturday’s We Were Promised Jetpacks show at the Hi-Dive.

The buzzy Scottish band will surely sell out the Hi-Dive — a UMS partner venue, of course — so get your tickets soon. They’re only $10 here

Did we mention we’re giving away a bunch of free tickets to some of these shows?

And here's another bonus for buying your wristbands early!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:42:00 MST

The early birds are getting the best prices on UMS wristbands and badges — but wait, there’s more.

The first 100 orders will also get a free CD from last year’s festival — a compilation CD with 20 tracks from artists who played the 2009 UMS. It’s a great CD curated by The UMS’s founder, John Moore. It features Mark Mallman, The Knew, Natural Selection, KaiserCartel, The Heyday, Iuengliss, Smug Brothers, Dualistics, The Hollyfelds, Mike Marchant, the late Everything Absent or Distorted, The Pseudo-Dates, Elin Palmer, Red Light Driver and more.

So buy your wristbands and badges now, and get in on this offer while there are still CDs to give out!

THE UMS CELEBRATES TEN YEARS OF MUSIC IN JULY 2010

Chris Vetrano — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:28:00 MST

DENVER – The Underground Music Showcase, now known as The UMS, will celebrate its ten-year milestone in July 2010. The western region’s largest indie music festival will span four days, starting Thursday July 22nd and running through Sunday July 25th. This year’s event is bringing national, regional and local performers to a half-mile stretch of Denver’s vibrant South Broadway arts and shopping corridor. More than 300 bands, singer-songwriters, DJs and comedians will take the stages at 25-plus traditional and non-traditional venues including the Hi-Dive, 3 Kings Tavern, The Irish Rover, The Skylark Lounge, The Rule Gallery and The Walnut Room Pizzeria.
While the UMS ’10 won’t have any artist announcements for a few months yet, here are just a few of the artists who have played past UMS fests: Langhorne Slim, Megafaun, DeVotchKa, Bowerbirds, Ian Cooke, Matt Morris, El Ten Eleven, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel, 16 Horsepower, KaiserCartel, Dressy Bessy, Houses and many others.
The UMS started out modestly in July 2000 with 300 people coming out to the Bluebird Theater with four bands taking the stage. After a number of years bouncing between the Bluebird and Gothic theaters, The UMS was moved to South Broadway in the Baker Historic District in the summer of 2006. The first year on Broadway started simple: 25 bands in five rock clubs, all within walking distance of each other. A couple of years later, The UMS had grown into a different beast entirely: About 4,000 fans in attendance to see 200 local artists in 15 venues across two days – and with ticket revenues going directly to the artists.

Happy new year, and welcome to 2010!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:32:00 MST

Hello, Friends. Happy New Year!

We’re psyched to bring in 2010 with the news of our 10th annual UMS — the premiere indie music festival in the Rocky Mountain Region. Last year’s party with 5,000-plus of our friends was a delight, but this year we’re ensuring the party with more stages, more bands and more fun.

Mark your calendar: July 22-25, 2010. Tell your friends, and help us spread the word.

And also: Get your tickets now for a steal of a price — right here at theums.com. Prices for festival wristbands and badges will only go up from here on out, so get them while they’re cheap, and we look forward to sharing more information about the festival with you, out friends.

Best!

Team UMS

Follow The UMS on Twitter!

Ricardo Baca — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:19:00 MDT

We like Twitter. *So do you? *Weird!

Follow The UMS on Twitter at @TheUMS. It’s easy! And we’ll give you band insight and schedule updates and tasty tidbits!

http://twitter.com/theums

2009 Archive UMS Videos: "Haircut Edition" with Mike Marchant of Widowers and Houses

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:15:00 MDT

Our fifth subject in this year’s UMS Videos: Mike Marchant — the man who was voted most likely to be a rock star by his high school class. (They were right!)

2009 Archive UMS videos: "The Outtakes Edition" featuring the Hollyfelds, Mike Marchant, Andrea Ball, Jacob Hansen, Ricardo Baca and Mat Luschek

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:10:00 MDT

Our fourth subject in this year’s UMS Videos: The ridiculously great stuff that happens when Denver Post employees Ricardo Baca and Mat Luschek make videos about local music.

2009 Archive UMS Videos: “Secret Lives Edition” with Andrea Ball

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:24:00 MDT

Our third subject in this year’s UMS Videos: Andrea Ball, one of the most mesmerizing — and recognizable — singer-songwriters in Denver.

2009 Archive UMS Videos: "Hollyfelds Edition" with the band's Kate Grigsby and Eryn Hoerig

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:22:00 MDT

Our second subject in this year’s UMS Videos: Kate Grigsby and Eryn Hoerig, the singer-instrumentalists who give the “neo-traditional country” outfit, the Hollyfelds, its voice.

2009 Archive UMS Videos: "Hair Band Edition" with The Knew's Jacob Hansen

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:42:00 MDT

Our first subject in this year’s UMS Videos: Jacob Hansen, singer-guitarist with twangy garage rock heroes The Knew. We called this “The Hair Band Edition” because … well, isn’t it obvious?

2008 Archive UMS Video: Bela Karoli

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:04:00 MDT

So three girls walk into a bar. One has a stand-up bass, another has an accordion and the last a violin.

And then they played a rock show.

It’s no joke. Denver three-piece Bela Karoli has to be experienced to be believed. And here’s our interview with frontwoman Julie Davis.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Everything Absent or Distorted/Stand By Your Band

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:58:00 MDT

Ever cooked rice with tequila, mercury and under-cooked pork? Didn’t think so.

Check this interview out with Bryce Merrill, the creator of such a dish and one of the frontmen behind eight-piece collective Everything Absent or Distorted.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Born in the Flood

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:39:00 MDT

Think you can rock a green kerchief with a v-neck shirt? Think again!

Here’s our interview with Nathaniel Rateliff, the ever-stylish frontman behind Born in the Flood, the winner of last year’s Denver Post Underground Music Poll. Rateliff is known for his love of v-necks, sure, but he’s celebrated and loved for his voice and songwriting.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Andrea Ball

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:34:00 MDT

Andrea Ball played the classical piano for 12 years, but she didn’t start writing her own music until she picked up the guitar.

Ball is one of the many new faces at this year’s UMS. And we’ll also note here that she is currently looking for a bass player. C’mon, Denver. Let’s all help Andrea with the low-end.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Rachael Pollard

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:28:00 MDT

“You can almost hear music in the air,” says Rachael Pollard of living in downtown Denver.

And we couldn’t agree more. Denver is alive with wonderful music, and a lot of it will be on display on South Broadway at the UMS. Here’s Wenz’s interview with Rachael, who is playing the festival again this year.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Widowers

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:18:00 MDT

Do you wanna know what Widowers bass player Mark Weaver will look like the day after this year’s UMS? Well, here’s the band’s frontman, Mike Marchant, with his thoughts on the subject.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Hello Kavita

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:14:00 MDT

Hello Kavita’s “And Then We Turned Sideways” is one of the strongest local records of the year – and we’re lucky enough to have the Denver indie five-piece at the UMS this year.

Here’s an interview with Hello Kavita frontman Corey Teruya, who is the only person I’ve ever met from Niwot. Seriously!

2008 Archive UMS Video: Dan Craig

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:01:00 MDT

You might have heard about the local band Nathan & Stephen? Well have you heard about how they were almost named Nathan & Stephen & Dan.

Well they weren’t, really. But that woulda been sweet. Hey, check out this interview with Dan Craig! He plays in Hearts of Palm (formerly Nathan & Stephen) and he also has a thriving solo career. Word!

2008 Archive UMS Video: We Are! We Are!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:58:00 MDT

Dude, have you ever played a gig right after major hernia surgery? The guys from We Are! We Are! have.

“We weren’t sure if he was going to be able to stay stitched together and all that …” says Jim Sutton of his bandmate.

Yikes. Here’s John Wenzel’s interview with Sutton, who will bring his instrumental three-piece to the UMS this year!

2008 Archive UMS Video: Gregory Alan Isakov

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:52:00 MDT

If you’ve ever seen him live, you know that Gregory Alan Isakov is one of the most captivating performers in the state. Here’s a UMS Short with The Denver Post’s John Wenzel talking with Gregory about South Africa and Boulder, and some of the many spaces between.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Hearts of Palm

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:27:00 MDT

Remember Nathan & Stephen? They’re still here, under the name Hearts of Palm. Denver’s favorite eight-piece indie rock ensemble will be representing at the UMS ’08 – horns, voices, guitars and all.

2008 Archive UMS Video: Cat-A-Tac

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:23:00 MDT

More UMS video!
Jim McTurnan co-fronts UMS veterans Cat-A-Tac – and he’s also been playing on his own lately. (Fans caught his first-ever solo show at the UMS ’07.) Sweet.

2008 Archive UMS Video: The Overcasters

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:15:00 MDT

Here’s the first in a series of UMS videos.
Our kind subject: Kurt Ottaway of the Overcasters. (Formerly Tarmints and Twice Wilted.) Excellent.