Photo by: courtesey of www.myspace.com/theautmnfilm
Every once in a blue moon, a show comes along that is so packed with raw talent through and through you cannot help but to be amazed. Friday night the stars aligned for one of these shows when The World Romantic, Paper Bird, Ian Cook, and The Autumn Film cast a musical spell on the Boulder Theater.
Having never heard of The World Romantic before, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. By the second song, I had been completely floored by the effortlessly powerful vocals of James Dzuris and the band’s gritty, 1990s-esque sound.
With stage presence far beyond his years, Dzuris’ soaring high notes alone were enough to make me weak at the knees. When paired with the infectious beats of brother Joseph Dzuris, the bass of Trevor Noel and Jackson Giles’ guitar work, The World Romantic’s unique and invigorating sound gripped like a vice. Pick up their A Hundred Million Lights EP, and you will play it for days.
Paper Bird is by far one of the most captivating live bands I have seen in Denver in quite some time. The cherubic vocals of Esme and Genevieve Patterson and Sarah Anderson possess the kind of impassioned honesty that hits you deep in the chest. Along with their band (guitarist Paul DeHaven, Gabe Summeril on banjo, and Tyler Archuletta on trombone) Paper Bird crafts a down-home sound as sweet as lemonade and comfortable as front porch swings, even in the dead of winter. Their album Anything Nameless and Joymaking is the perfect soundtrack for barefoot dancing in the living room, it’s just too catchy to stand still to, as evidenced by the gyrations of the audience.
The good vibes didn’t subside as the show progressed, and when Ian Cook took the stage, the crowd roared with applause. The dashingly handsome cellist and singer, Ian Cook, is full of all the little eccentricities great musicians often possess. Each song varied so much from one another that the audience was constantly kept on its toes in a brilliant audio two-step. Cook’s passionate performance left old fans satisfied and new fans whirling. While he often performs alone, the accompaniment of his full band on Friday night infused his music with an unprecedented richness.
When joined by the songretesses of Paper Bird for his electrifying song “The Rot,” I doubt there was a single person in the audience whose hair wasn’t on end with excitement. Maybe it’s the quirky lyrics or infectous melodies propelled by pounding cello arrangements, either way, Ian Cook’s music is like good wine: it gets better with every sip. Go pick up his latest release The Fall I Fell, and you will enjoy true musical intoxication.
It was love at first note with The Autumn Film. Formerly known as Tifah, after lead singer Tifa Al-Attas, this Boulder-based band will absolutlely knock your socks off. With vocals and keys that rival the likes of Sarah McLachlan and the sharp-tongued lyrics of Tori Amos that cut right to the bone, Al-Attas’ talent is undeniable.
She is backed by equally gifted performers: Dann Stockton on drums, Reid Phillips on guitar, Aubrea Alford playing violin/keyboard and Juli Royster on the bass.
Together, The Autumn Film crafts a multi-layered collage of sounds that is nothing less than evocative. Each song from their new album Safe & Sound surpassed all expectations, and the performance refused to do anything but rock even though the group didn’t even take the stage until nearly midnight. If this tour kick-off performance was this incredible, one can only imagine the hordes of fans the band will win on the road.
Friday’s show was a testament to the incredible happenings in the Denver/Boulder music scene.
Bands like The World Romantic, Paper Bird, Ian Cook and The Autumn Film break all the rules and hold nothing back, forcing fans to take note of Colorado’s progressive arts and music scene.
