On Nov. 1, University of Denver student band, Exhaler, hosted the fifth annual Clog-o-Ween. Clog-o-Ween is a house show consisting of various on-campus bands and has taken place on or around Halloween since its inception in 2021.
For the first three years, it was put on by the band Clog, who previously lived in the house. Exhaler has now carried on the tradition in that same home, this year rebranding it as “(Not a) Clog-o-Ween.”
The bands playing this year were As of Today, Rose Cold, Judith Hindle and Exhaler. They played covers and originals with each group showcasing their own unique sound.
A common theme across all the bands was that they were united by their common love of making music. As of Today vocalist Larissa Olson recounted that their group had met in jazz theory class during their first year on campus. According to Olson, there had been no project behind it, just a group of friends who wanted to get together and make music.
They have more than succeeded in their goal, having opened for artists such as Arlie and Jeremy Zucker. This year was the band’s first time performing at Clog and they felt very honored to be there.
“I really liked the energy that the crowd brought tonight. I feel like normally we don’t get people dancing this much, so this was really exciting,” said Olson.
Another group present was Judith Hindle, a female-fronted indie pop-rock band formed in 2022. They got their start when lead vocalist Ava Bross and the band’s bassist, Jess Maltz, became roommates when they transferred to DU. The group started by practicing in classrooms and playing covers, eventually expanding to original music and performing at local venues.
Judith Hindle performed at last year’s Clog as well, which Bross said was one of her favorite shows they’ve played.
“I’m not gonna lie. It’s going to be so loud you’re not going to be able to hear a lot,” Bross explained. “This is a show where I don’t think it represents the talent of the bands…because we’re playing in a small house. Our audio engineers are amazing, but there’s only so much you can do.”
The show’s intimate atmosphere is a defining characteristic, bridging the gap between audience and performers that you’d see at larger, more “traditional” venues.
“Everyone is just jam-packed in there. It gets so hot and sweaty and it’s horrible, but it’s also the best feeling ever to enjoy music with other people,” as Bross put it.
The hosts of the show and tenants of the house, Exhaler, shared this sentiment. Vocalist and keyboardist Trevor Briggs also appreciated the more carefree nature of the tradition compared to other types of shows.
“Its great because it feels like the kind of place to s—post onstage without caring all that much,” Briggs noted.
Like Judith Hindle, Exhaler also got its start in 2022. The founding members all met during their freshman orientation week and have stuck together ever since. Saxophonist and percussionist Drew Tilbrooke, stated that they’ve remained bound by shared interests and similar philosophies around music.
“I feel like that’s what’s helped keep the band propelling forward,” Tilbrooke said. “Because at the end of the day, we’re all on the same page about how we want the music to make us feel.”
The band charged a $5 entrance fee, which went toward refreshments and paying the performers. That small fee was well worth it, as each group put on amazing shows, mixing some Halloween classics into their sets, such as Rose Cold’s rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Briggs credits much of the event’s success to the band that started the tradition and the attraction of an indoor event in late October.
“It’s not anything particular that we’re doing. It’s just live music in a house where it’s warm on a Halloween night,” Briggs explained.
However, he did recall that Clog had around 200 attendees last year, indicating that the DU community truly does find the tradition special.
“This has always been the largest house show I’ve ever seen – not just in this community, but anywhere else I’ve been,” Briggs stated.
As successful as the Clog tradition has been, its future is a bit uncertain. All the members of Exhaler are seniors, meaning they won’t be living in the house next year. While they’ve all vowed to stick around and make music a little longer, the show wouldn’t be the same without its place of origin.
“It feels so tied to this house…even if we were [able to stay], this has to be the last one here because our landlord is redoing the floors,” Briggs explained.
With the audience all dressed in costume and the bands putting on fun, unique performances with music blasting through the small house, this year’s show was truly one to remember. Whether it continues beyond the house, it can be said with certainty that Clog-o-Ween has left its mark on the DU community.
