November 14 brought the unwashed masses to Hodi’s Half Note for Scene Magazine’s 19th annual Battle of the Bands. This year’s battle presented nine of Northern Colorado’s best new acts; everything from ‘90s grunge to metal to progressive rock and bluegrass acts pitting their musical prowess against fate and judgment, in hope of some exciting prizes, good public exposure, and most-importantly, the title of best.
The Patti Fiasco
Lets begin with some honorable mentions: The Varmints got the night rolling with a high-energy, psychedelic grunge-inspired set, a good ‘ol late afternoon mosh pit, and a surprisingly large crowd for their 4pm set time.
Soulgrinder brought a sound far darker than the dimly lit venue, with a particularly theatric (check the facial expressions) brand of metal, and a brutality in no way limited by the stage. The singer, who spent the majority of the show giving audience members wide-eyed, one-on-one metal therapy sessions on the venue floor, was surely using some sort of black magic to keep his mic cord from being tripped over or unplugged.
Bourbon Toothpaste dazzled with psychedelic charm, progressive creativity, and impeccable oral hygiene, while the Honey Gitters kept the crowd going with a sweet, energetic blend of bluegrass, blues and jam styles.
As much as Scene would love to have taken the “everybody wins” paper certificate and macaroni necklace approach, the night’s end grew close, and victors had to be chosen. Winner selections were made based on a combination of audience votes and the scrupulous notation of Scene’s own (extremely attractive) judges.
The Holler! took third place for their creative blend of bluegrass, rock and experimental magic.
Although their sound is firmly rooted in Appalachia, they have no problem probing the realms of blues and jam tunes, and they may be known at times to orbit the far-flung reaches of Pluto. Prizes for third place included three hours of graphic design work from Creaform (Scene’s graphic design company of choice), as well as an article in an upcoming edition of the magazine.
In second place came Musketeer Gripweed. The blues-fusion group resembled a religious revival of sorts: reverently extolling a firm gospel of ass-shaking, and performing a set of dirty-blues funk baptism in the muddiest of waters. The compositions were well conceived, with musicianship to boot, and a stage presence of incomparable energy. For winning second place, Musketeer Gripweed will receive an EP recorded at Morningwood Studios, as well as a feature-length article in Scene.
This year, the title of best belongs to The Patti Fiasco. The five-piece western-rock outfit hit Hodi’s with guns ablaze, dousing fans in a bourbon-laced cocktail of gritty country style and fiery outlaw rock. Throw in some sweet-tongued ballads, an unshakable charisma, and a host of very dedicated fans, and there were few other options for first place.
Featuring Alysia Kraft (vocals, guitar), Dee Tyler (vocals, lead guitar), Scott Clabby (drums, vocals), Niles Mishke (bass), and Ansel Foxley (dobro), The Patti Fiasco is the self-described “wild-eyed lovechild of Loretta Lynn and the Sundance Kid; or Alice Cooper after a good piece of cake.”
The songs alone, with just enough twang, pop sensibility and outlaw charm, were enough to leave the bartender lonely in the next room. The Patti Fiasco’s performance rode this compositional quality like a wild horse, displaying a natural energy and confidence that would surely make John Wayne (or even John Denver) a little jealous.
The charisma of frontwoman Alysia Kraft was hard to miss: a strong country swagger backed by all the right moves: hair flips, well-placed hand gestures, and calls to action that got the whole place moving. Her confidence alone gave the crowd the go-ahead to rock out.
Alysia’s swagger was justified: every member of the group is a phenomenal musician, and their ability to interact onstage is well noted. The music could surely stand on its own. Still, Kraft’s enthusiasm pumps a lot of magic into an already stellar performance.
The Patti Fiasco seems destined for greatness. On one hand, they have all the aspects a music executive would look for in a marketable act. On the other hand, they have that sort of organic charm and grassroots style that proves its about more than just money and popularity. If you haven’t heard The Patti Fiasco yet, you surely will hear them soon. Stay tuned.
For taking first place, The Patti Fiasco received two days and one night of recording time at Loveland’s Backbone Studios, a slot at NewWestFest’s Bohemian Nights, and, as you can see, their photo on this month’s cover.
As always, Scene would like to extend a great big thank you to all bands who participated in this year’s Battle of the Bands and also to all the fans who attended. Your continued support is what makes the Fort Collins music scene great. See you next year!
[...] roll outfit with roots in Wyoming. Their energy and solid songwriting helped them take the crown at Scene Magazine’s 19th annual Battle of the Bands. This year, the title of best belongs to The Patti Fiasco. The five-piece western-rock outfit hit [...]