Rocky Mountain TentacleFEST Friday, August 30th - Levitt Pavilion Denver, CO
On Friday, August 30th, Alternative Tentacles Records brought its TentacleFEST series to Denver, CO, for Rock Mountain TentacleFEST at Levitt Pavilion! Excitement was palpable, as this marked the first major Alternative Tentacles-sponsored event outside the San Francisco Bay Area in years. What made it even more special? The event was completely free and all ages!
TentacleFEST was born from the need to showcase the wide array of artists featured in the Alternative Tentacles catalog. The label, long defined by the eclectic tastes of its founder, Jello Biafra, boasts an array of sounds that don't always overlap. TentacleFEST has become a way to unite these diverse acts, proving that while their music may differ, their underlying messages are often aligned.
This latest TentacleFEST was a perfect example of that philosophy in action. The lineup featured two Colorado locals: the punk rock spoken-word stylings of Dead Pioneers and the jazzy hip-hop of Wheelchair Sports Camp, forming the backbone of the show. Add Seattle's gypsy-folk-punk outfit Kultur Shock and the dark pop-punk sound of headliner Tsunami Bomb, and you had one of the most diverse punk shows Denver had seen in a long time.
The weather cooperated, and the night felt perfect. Host Jello Biafra, donning a Krampus button-up shirt and leather vest, greeted the crowd before introducing Dead Pioneers. Based out of Payton, CO, the band launched into their set, delivering blistering punk rock with spoken word by frontman Gregg Deal. Though this was reportedly only their 9th show ever, you wouldn’t have known it! A solid crowd had gathered early to catch them, and their polished, unapologetically political performance fit right in with the ethos of Alternative Tentacles. Their single “Bad Indian” (a supposed favorite of Deal's son) was a standout, and the post-show rush to their merch booth confirmed their growing popularity. Dead Pioneers is definitely a band to watch
Next up was Wheelchair Sports Camp, a group Jello Biafra proudly introduced as a perfect representation of Alternative Tentacles’ desire to release incredible acts that the world needs to know about. Vocalist Kalyn Heffernan and drummer Gregg Ziemba, along with their rotating guest backup singers and trumpet player, put on one of the most unique performances of the night. Heffernan even switched to drums while Ziemba played guitar for their new punk song, because as Kayln put it “They are punk now”. As the sun set and the Levitt Pavilion lights came on, the band closed their set with “Yes I’m A Mess.” From start to finish, they were unforgettable and absolutely killed it.
Biafra returned to introduce Kultur Shock, sharing just a teaser of the fascinating story of frontman Gino Srdjan Yevdjevich, who transitioned from being a pop star in Eastern Europe to leading the gypsy-folk-punk band. Whether or not the crowd knew of Kultur Shock before, they certainly did by the end of their electrifying set. Opening with “King,” the band’s relentless energy had the audience dancing and engaged throughout. Featuring a violin and saxophone, Kultur Shock fired off song after song with precision. Gino, sporting a fez and a T-shirt with "AARP" styled in the AC/DC font, charmed the crowd, cementing their reputation for delivering unforgettable live performances.
Finally, the crowd gathered closer to the stage, eagerly awaiting the headliner, which even Jello Biafra remarked there was no question who everyone was excited to see! Tsunami Bomb immediately proved why the audience was so excited. Blasting through a mix of classic tracks, songs from their Alternative Tentacles release The Spine That Binds, and brand-new material, frontwoman Kate Jacobi led the crowd through one sing-along after another. Joined at times by keyboardist Oobliette Sparks on vocals, the band never stopped moving, dancing, and engaging with fans as the crowd called out different song requests. The band promised to try and get to them all. Some highlights were the newly released track “Star Power!,” inspired by an 8-year-old girl’s story and released through singmeastory.org to benefit Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas, along with classics “Lemonade” and “Take The Reins” that had the crowd singing along with every word. Tsunami Bomb closed the night with a powerful encore, covering T.S.O.L.’s classic “Code Blue,”
From start to finish, Rock Mountain TentacleFEST was an unforgettable experience. With this success, alongside the Oakland-based concert series earlier in the year, one can only hope this is just the beginning of more TentacleFESTs to come.
(all photos by Jason Myers Insta: @memorandum_media)