If anyone had told me in 2003, when we started The Marquee, that by 2008 hip-hop would be as big as it is now in Colorado, I would have told them that they were out of their friggin’ mind.
The entire Front Range was gripped in jammy and bluegrass madness and while hip-hop did very well in the region, that scene seemed fragmented, un-directed and destined to be a mid-week club filler with little significant impact on the region.
But now, in 2008, Denver/Boulder hip-hop has gotten so big that its giant waves are reaching both coasts, and when the great deluge recedes, the high water mark that will be left may just change how our region is viewed in the future.
The Flobots, who put in a damn-near perfect set at last month’s Mile High Music Festival, have hit number one with their song “Handlebars” and are getting unprecedented national exposure.
3OH!3, our cover story this month, seems to be close on the heels of the Flobots, setting records for the amount of merchandise sold on The Van’s Warped Tour, a tour that doesn’t typically cater to hip-hop acts.
But the real mystery is what finally prompted all of this. Sure both bands have talent, as do some of the other up-and-comers locally in the genre. But why all the notice, suddenly?
Is it the myspace/facebook revolution — a revolution which puts these band’s slightly younger audiences in touch with their music so effortlessly? I think not — and not just because I personally despise myspace and would stab myself before giving the “community” any credit.
I think it’s a backlash. I think it’s just like when political correctness overflowed to the point that some assholes were calling “manhole” covers “utility access” covers. It wasn’t long after that, people started using every offensive thing they could pull out of their arsenal to show that they weren’t politically correct anymore.
If this really is the case, and not just a figment of my imagination, then it only stands to reason there will be a backlash again in the future as our fickle tastes continue to fluctuate. What will be the next step we all take? Are we going to embrace something we’ve never heard before or will we revert back to something that we’ve experienced over and over?
Will we go deep into singer/songwriter material? Indie pop? Country? Fusion?
I guess when it comes down to it, who really cares, as long as whatever comes out of our region is good, right?
See you at the shows.
2 Comments
Brian, I am writing out of great concern for the Front Range New Orleans music lovers. As you know I love getting the new Marquee every month, but every month I also feel left a little empty. Over the past 5 years I think I can count the amount of articles written about NOLA artists on one hand and again
as you know I have a copy from every month sitting in my house to reference.
Colorado’s Front Range has been New Orleans second home for many years now. The Funky Meters were the Fox’s first act for Christ sake. This month is no different with some great talent coming by our town. One of the hottest young acts out of NOLA is Trombone Shorty and there is no mention of him other than
in the calendar. He has toured with Lenny Kravitz in his horn section before he was 18 years old. He has played with U2 and Aerosmith as well as his own group he leads with everyone in the group under drinking age. He is playing
the Blue Bird in September, so maybe next month?
Let’s not forget Bonerama, Dirty Dozen, ReBirth, Dr. John, Anders Osborne, Eric Lindell, Galactic, Papa Grows Funk. Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Tab Benoit, Theresa Andersson, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, The funky Meters, PBS, Brotherhood of Groove, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstphunk, Zigaboo, Voices of the Wetlands, The Wild Magnolias, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Stanton Moore Trio, Sonny Landreth…………
All of these fine artist are worth at least a few lines to let these Front Rangers know about some of the hottest music in the country.
Thanks for the time and see you at the shows.
Mr.Dodge,
You have been our number one fan for a long time. If this is your wish than your wish is our command.. Thank you so much for your input and for continuing to read, even if we haven’t been covering your favorite genre. If folks like you want to see other artists covered, all you gotta do is tell us.
Yours truly,
BFJ