syntax weblog

art + music + literature + essays + complete thoughts the little sister of our big brother our quarterly review: www.denversyntax.com

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Paper Bird at the Opera

From the Westword piece on our secret show with Paper Bird:

Paper Bird did not announce or publicize this appearance at Syntax Physic Opera; the show was designed to be a trial run before a two-week Midwestern tour. Still, word has gotten out, and the small venue is full of friends, devout fans and a slew of Denver musicians, including both Esme Patterson and Macon Terry. For the first time in a while, the members of Paper Bird are nervous. Off stage, they huddle together and sing a section of an older song, "Hold Me Down," as a last-second realignment. Any lingering doubts vanish as soon as the set begins. Paper Bird plays with an ease and skill it has spent eight years developing, and Aikins is a natural. The musicians are no longer grasping, as they were on Rooms; the old songs sound like they were meant to be played this way, and the new ones are immediate hits. The crowd migrates closer to the stage, and a few people start dancing. Terry shows his approval by removing his shirt and throwing it at Genevieve while she plays a new keyboard part. "I'm more excited about what I saw at Syntax than when I was in the band," he says later. "I went as a friend and a former bandmate and left as a fan."

Just as it was during sound check, "Parade" is a showstopper. Aikins finds some primal thing inside her on that final verse, and Genevieve and Sarah meet her there on the chorus:Heard the news today that we don't have to stay/But we can't go home anymore. When it came down to me, I felt free, I felt free/I forgot what I came here for.

The crowd erupts the moment the song ends. Genevieve, her cheeks flushed, sighs contentedly and searches for the right thing to say into the microphone. Her eyes fall on Terry and then her sister, and she decides to paraphrase a lyric by their Harpoontang bandmate Maria Kohler: "Cheers to life. Cheers to change. Nothing but love. Nothing but net."

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Nathaniel Rateliff, Joseph Pope and Julie Davis performing "Still Trying" for an Esquire magazine piece. Go get 'em gang.

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From the Wild Honey Pie Buzzsessions series, Tyler plays two tunes and offers an explanation of where the name, Princess Music, originated from.

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In my head, this would be the perfect soundtrack to a summer night. But since we're still fighting our way out of February, I'll try my best to not hope for those nights, down the road. Distant Correspondent, part of the Hot Congress collective.

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Josh Dillard: We think this kid is incredibly talented. His album made the Colorado Public Radio's Top 30 albums of 2013. Rightfully so. You can listen to the song in the video, as a studio track from his latest album, "The Bright Light of Shipwreck", here: soundcloud.com/josh-dillard-music

Stay tuned. You'll hear more from Mr. Dillard.

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Inner Oceans. Loving what they're doing. The name: feels appropriate.

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I'm enjoying this new one from Rossonian. As was suggested to me: headphones will help lettuce turnip the beet.

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On pursuing the self without reservation and not for self-promoted fame.

A video of the Ouray artist Zina Lahr who was killed by a falling rock on a walk, last November.

This is pretty.

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Keith Slaby. In this issue of syntax: www.denversyntax.com.

Expect a full exhibition at Syntax Physic Opera, this spring.

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Gregory Alan Isakov: "Saint Valentine"

From one of our favorite local releases of the year.

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The Magic of the Creative Process

"To begin a new novel, I look for the biggest problem in my life that I can't solve or tolerate. Something that drives me nuts, but I can't fix. Then I find a metaphor that allows me to explore the problem, exaggerating and expanding it beyond reason. I build it up to the worst scenario possible and then find a way to solve it. By the time the book is done, I've exhausted all of my emotions around the original problem. Whatever it was, it no longer bothers me. And typically, during the time of writing, the problem has resolved itself. It's like magic."

- Chuck Palahniuk

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The Storm

I thought of you when I was wakened By a wind that made me glad and afraid Of the rushing, pouring sound of the sea That the great trees made.

One thought in my mind went over and over While the darkness shook and the leaves were thinned -- I thought it was you who had come to find me, You were the wind.

- Sara Teasdale

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I Sank Molly Brown: A new one from the Denver trio.

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Syntax Physic Opera

We are getting closer to opening our wet and dry goods music venue.

We are looking at opening our doors around March 1. Instead of being open like we thought we would through the cold months, we have spent the winter refining our concept:

Our food: Colorado tapas plates (region-specific, to be shared with friends) will sit alongside our array of house-crafted soups, salads and unique panini.

Our culinary cocktails: savory, herbal drink menu with truly medicinal remedies created by our house naturopathic doc, Dr. Nick Bitz.

Our entertainment and programming: lots of jazz, indie rock, comedy, burlesque and other oddities.

Physic Opera means Medicine Show.

At the Opera, everything is medicine: the food, drink, music, art, community and conversations.

Come this spring: Stop by. Share some stories. Hear others. Tell us your tragedies. Inspire electric eyes.

We are at 554 So. Broadway, in Denver. On the fringe of the Baker neighborhood - where, unlike the bars and venues north of Alameda where they now have a dearth of spots for your car - we have unlimited parking day and night.

The property is split in two and sits much like the Hi Dive does: stage on one side, bar on the other. We're just a bit bigger.

Here's a sneak peek inside:

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Rubedo. Love what they're doing these days.

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Nathaniel Rateliff's new song: "Still Trying"