FREE LIVE MUSIC @ THE VELVET ELK
2027 13TH ST.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2ND, 6-9:30PM
SATURDAY, MARCH 4TH, 6-9:30PM
For the 11th anniversary of the BIFF Singer-Songwriter Showcase, we collaborated with Sonic Guild to put together a roster of local Colorado musicians. 8 acts will perform, 4 per night, that have been selected by a music industry advisory board, Sonic Guild members, and selected media partners. These acts will perform this year at our new venue, The Velvet Elk.
We have a hand-picked host of performers who are excited to share their music with you. We’re thrilled to continue our commitment to local, original music with these and other great performers.
BIFF 2023 Singer-Songwriter Playlist
DAVE TAMKIN
THURSDAY, MARCH 2 | 6:00 PM
Singer/Songwriter, Dave Tamkin, currently resides in Boulder, CO. He has created his own unique style of rhythmic-acoustic sounds that’s based around a fresh musical vision. His shows vary from intimate solo acoustic performances to a full band experience (DT&CO.) encapsulating a mixture of personal lyrics and skilled songwriting set against a high-energy percussive backbone. He’s shared the stage with Guster, The Samples, Brendan James, Rusted Root, Donavon Frankenreiter, Butch Walker, Freddy Jones Band, Eric Hutchinson, Willy Porter, The Violent Femmes, and Peter Mulvey to name a few. Tamkin has a style that’s hard to resist. His lyrics are unabashedly honest and his passion for playing is undying.
SAJA BUTLER
THURSDAY, MARCH 2 | 7:00 PM
Saja Butler is old Southern roots Music wrapped up in a crispy, sex’d up, Blackneck shell.
Birthed down South and living in Colorado, her sound emits tones of sultry smoky seduction, airy breezy hope, and down right dirty sass.
She’s been playing Music since a kid and has honed her craft in her solo career, her studio, Urban Monk Studios, and in her band Lois and the Lantern. Uplifting herself and others with the Gift of Music is why she is here.
VERONICA MAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 2 | 8:00 PM
Veronica May is a blend of music and madness. Plugging in and digging in on her electric guitar or dragging her fingers across sandpaper on the body of her acoustic guitar. She builds layers of acoustic elements not often heard from the instrument. She’s a multi-instrumentalist and she also has Bipolar 1, two facts that combine to produce a unique musician whose life work of
destigmatizing mental illness is set to music. Veronica May seeks to spread hope, joy, vulnerability, and support through her music. She’s also on a mission to rock your world musically. Her music has been compared to Alabama Shakes, Queen, and KD Lang.
MEGAN BURTT
THURSDAY, MARCH 2 | 9:00 PM
Megan Burtt is an international touring singer/songwriter decorated with national recognition. She is the winner of the Kerrville NewFolk, Rocky Mountain Folk Festival and Westword Music Award and a finalist in Mountain NewSong, Songwriter Serenade and Great American Song Contest.
December 2019 marked the 10th year Megan performed throughout the Pennsylvania state maximum security prison system with her band.
Megan has toured as a headlining artist, and as support for acts including Gregory Alan Isakov, Marc Cohn, Brett Dennen, Glenn Phillips of Toad The Wet Sprocket, Lissie, Stephen Kellogg and Leanne Rimes. In 2015 she collaborated with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra as a featured artist.
ANNA CUTLER
SATURDAY, MARCH 4 | 6:00 PM
The music bug found Anna at a young age. When she turned six, Anna was gifted her first electric Yamaha keyboard that she went on to play through college. Inspired by other singer-songwriters like Norah Jones and John Craigie, she loves to connect with fans through lyrics and story telling. She often offers her crowd comedic relief in between songs because sometimes the truth in her lyrics hits hard. She has sung to crowds as big as ten thousand people but loves to play cozy and intimate venues just the same.
https://www.annacutlermusic.com/
LUCAS WOLF
SATURDAY, MARCH 4 | 7:00 PM
Lucas Wolf is a South Dakota born, Arizona raised singer songwriter currently touring the western region of the United States. He has supported bands such as Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Leftover Salmon, Lion Vibes, Gipsy Moon, Mountain Standard Time and more. He writes heartfelt, thoughtful lyrics and his songs are delivered with passion and sincerity each and every time. Once upon a time he lived as a wandering, hitch-hiking busker playing his music from town to town, never knowing where he would end up next. As time went on, life on a never-ending road lost its allure and he decided to stay put a while and pour himself fully into his music. He is currently working on his second full length record out of Boulder Colorado.
CLAIRE HEYWOOD
SATURDAY, MARCH 4 | 8:00 PM
Claire Heywood is an indie songwriter with an unmistakable smoky voice and a literary-leaning approach to lyric writing. Heywood’s music has been featured by Colorado Public Radio, Out Front Magazine, Country Queer, and Two Story Melody. One of the Colorado-based 2022 recipients of the Sonic Guild Grant, Heywood is currently using her grant to record a full-length album with producer Matt Hoffman (Strange Americans, The New Mexican, Ellsworth).
https://www.claireheywood.com/
DZIRAE GOLD
SATURDAY, MARCH 4 | 9:00 PM
Dzirae Gold is a Denver based RnB Singer. Her sultry vocals have been described as “smooth as liquid gold” and her music is often compared to a Memphis Soul inspired Pop style with a classic jazz influence, which inspired the name “DZIRAE GOLD” – fresh, sexy, and timeless. While, you’ll love the sultry twist DZIRAE GOLD puts on many of your favorite pop songs, and her crooning rendition of some of the best vocal jazz classics, it’s DZIRAE GOLD’s deep and thoughtful original lyrics and passionate instrumentals that will surely stir your heart and mind.
https://www.dziraegoldofficial.com/
MUSIC AT THE PARTIES
PERPETUAL MOTION
3/2/23 | CINECHEF | 5:00-6:45 | AVANTI OFFICE
Exploring different styles of music keeps Perpetual Motion’s compositions fresh and exciting. For guitarist Tom Carleno and violinist Josie Quick, everything is an inspiration. They jump from bossa nova to blues, surf to swing. Everything ties together with the mastery of their instruments.
Perpetual Motion burst on the scene in 2014 with the release Perfect Imperfection. The disc won the Zone Music Reporter Best Instrumental-Acoustic award. Since then the duo has received many citations, including Best Jazz in the 2020 Peace Song awards.
http://www.perpetual-motion.net/
TIE DYE SUSHI
3/3/23 | OPENING NIGHT | 5:00-6:45 | AVANTI OFFICE
Tie Dye Sushi is a colorful melding of experimental jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, rock infused with rhythmic inspiration from every corner of music around the globe. The group focuses mostly on their original music, with a heavy emphasis on experimental writing and compositional concepts. Tie Dye Sushi likes to create music with an edge and an inherent air of danger, using a unique palette of sounds and concepts, while still maintaining a tight pocket to hold the ear of the listener and dancer.
MIGUEL ESPINOZA FUSION
3/3/23 | OPENING NIGHT | 5:00-6:45 | BOULDERADO
Miguel Espinoza Fusion has been delighting audiences in Denver, the state of Colorado, and more recently, other parts of the US with their original, Flamenco-infused music for half a decade.
“Miguel Espinoza Fusion is world class global chamber music making that explodes the parameters of style, yet ever remains close to the heart.”
— David Balakrishnan, founding violinist/composer of the two-time Grammy winning Turtle Island Quartet
Winners of Westword Magazine’s Best of World Music Award, as well as two-time winners of the Indie Acoustic Project’s awards for Best Instrumental Album (Turtle Dreams) and Best Jazz Album (Veneta), their original compositions are imbued with harmonic adventure, rhythmic complexity, and heart-rending soulfulness that moves audiences emotionally. Their third album, Living in a Daydream, was released in the Spring of 2022, and their fourth album, Gabriella, featuring the collaborations of David Balakrishnan and fellow two-time Grammy winner, Howard Levy (of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), among many other guest artists, is expected to be released by Octave Records in February of 2023. Their album. Veneta, also placed 9th of 200 in the Roots Music Reports’ “Top World Album Chart” of 2022.
GUERRILLA FANFARE BRASS BAND
3/3/23 | OPENING NIGHT | 6:45-7:15 | OUTSIDE
The Guerrilla Fanfare Brass Band (or simply Guerrilla Fanfare or GuFa) brings the high energy funk of New Orleans-style Brass Band to the Northern Colorado area. Our mission is always to get everyone up and grooving to our relentlessly fiery and funky sound. GuFa is composed of some of the finest and rowdiest horn players and percussionists in Northern Colorado, and performs hard-hitting funk, New Orleans Second Line style, fiery originals, and raucous arrangements of modern pop hits.
For more information on booking, visit us online at:
ESPRESSO!
3/3/23 | LONGMONT OPENING NIGHT | 5:00-6:45 | STEWART AUDITORIUM
Colorado-based band Espresso! merges two musical traditions with red-hot interpretations of American swing and Gypsy jazz favorites. The traditions of the past come alive with powerful instrumental leads and vocals in French and English. Espresso! includes an abundance of Colorado talent: Bill Pontarelli (clarinet), Jordan Ramsey (mandolin), Emily Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and Duane Webster (bass). Bill and Emily have performed Gypsy Jazz and American Swing for many years at venues in and around Boulder and Denver, Colorado. Jordan Ramsey came on board in 2010, greatly enriching the new group dynamic. Bass man Duane Webster has been putting it all together since 2016 to create our saucy swing sound. Very danceable, this music is infectious. “You owe it to your ears.”
THE CONSTANT TOURISTS
3/4/23 | BIFF NOIR | 8PM-11PM | BOULDERADO BALLROOM
Rocky Mountain Battle of the Bands “Acoustic” winner, The Constant Tourists, play gypsy folk rock. They mix Nate’s upbeat guitar lines and vocals with Cassie’s sultry voice, accordion, and jazzy trumpet licks. Shortly after moving to Denver, the dynamic duo was joined by Dustin, on bass, Rebecca, on cello, and Sammy G, on percussion. Their eclectic style can only be categorized as Gypsy Folk Rock with influences from the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pink Martinis, Django Reinhardt, and waffles. The group has recorded two full-length CDs together entitled, “Missed Connections” and “Carry On” which were fully funded by Kickstarter and two other previous disks as trios entitled, “Tourist Information,” and “Postcards.” The Constant Tourists frequent venues in Denver and the surrounding areas such as The Local 46, Denver Public Library, Children’s Hospital, Odell’s Brewery, Littleton Museum, and The Pike’s Peak Brewing Company. They have also toured through New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.
http://www.theconstanttourists.com
MUSIC BEFORE THE FILMS
Thank you to Roots Music Project for these exciting artist bookings. Go to rootsmusicproject.org for more info on their live music venue.
CHRISTOPHER MORSE
3/4/23 | 10 AM | BOULDER THEATER
After a long run of shows across Colorado’s front range in 2021 and 2022, Christopher Morse is set to release his new EP, Covering Old Scars, on February 17th. Blending elements of folk, country, and mellow indie/pop, Christopher Morse’s music has evolved into a rich soundscape that listeners can really sink their teeth into.
At the young age of 10, Morse became a literal choir boy after auditioning for the American Boychoir School (ABS). With ABS, he toured the country, sang with the New York Philharmonic, and performed at Carnegie Hall – all while taking classes on the tour bus. While on the road, he saw Colorado for the first time, but never expected to make the move out West.
After the boychoir, Morse discovered John Mayer’s Room For Squares, which led to him picking up a guitar for the first time. Before long he was writing songs to share with friends and family and started playing in local coffee shops. He gradually expanded his reach to playing in larger venues from Washington DC to New York City. During that time, Morse graced the stages of many legendary venues including The Tin Angel in Philadelphia and Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.
Exploring themes of isolation and nostalgia, Christopher created the Escape EP in 2021. A long string of shows followed the release of Escape, including opening for Tony Lucca in May of 2022. Morse continues to connect with audiences across Colorado through his passionate and heartfelt performances. Keep an eye out for him in 2023 as he brings the songs from Covering Old Scars to life.
https://christophermorsemusic.com/
DAVE TAMKIN
3/4/23 | 12:15 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Singer/Songwriter, Dave Tamkin, currently resides in Boulder, CO. He has created his own unique style of rhythmic-acoustic sounds that’s based around a fresh musical vision encapsulating a mixture of personal lyrics and skilled songwriting set against a high-energy percussive backbone.
JACK BROWN
3/4/23 | 3 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Jack started playing guitar before he was 10 years old. Since that time he has built an impressive musical career, including multiple bands and hundreds of gigs.
“At the age of 15, Jack is already a force in the Colorado music scene.”, Dave Kennedy, founder RootsMusicProject.org.
Jack’s musical influences include: Bill Doggett, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, Muddy Waters, Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler and other blues, jazz, rock and americana legends.
CLAIRE HEYWOOD
3/4/23 | 5:30 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Claire Heywood is an indie songwriter with an unmistakable smoky voice and a literary-leaning approach to lyric writing. Heywood’s music has been featured by Colorado Public Radio, Out Front Magazine, Country Queer, and Two Story Melody. One of the Colorado-based 2022 recipients of the Sonic Guild Grant, Heywood is currently using her grant to record a full-length album with producer Matt Hoffman (Strange Americans, The New Mexican, Ellsworth).
BEAR HAT
3/4/23 | 8 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Mountain Music
JD Songs – Mandolin
Charlie White – Guitar
Clay Bedell – Bass
Josh Wexler – Flute
https://www.facebook.com/people/Bear-Hat/100077602983560/
ANNA CUTLER
3/5/23 | 10 AM | BOULDER THEATER
Anna Cutler is a singer/songwriter and keyboardist based out of Boulder, Colorado. She has been playing piano since the age of six, by 13 she booked her first gig and at 18 she sang to a crowd of 3,000 people. Above anything else, Anna is an entertainer. She is passionate about sharing her stories about the romance of life and the downfalls of love with listeners. Inspired by other singer-songwriters like Norah Jones and John Craigie, she loves to connect with fans through lyrics and storytelling and often offers her crowd comedic relief in between songs because sometimes the truth in her lyrics hits hard.
It is not easy to stick Anna in a genre. Her voice is sweet and raspy and she writes music as if she were the lovechild of Adele and Regina Spektor; call it Americana/Folk-Pop with ballad undertones if you must. She shines brightest when performing live and can captivate a crowd, whatever the size, with her witty charm.
https://www.annacutlermusic.com/
ABBY BROWN
3/5/23 | 12:30 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Abby’s first live gigs started at the age of seven in her then hometown of Cohasset, MA, where she soon rose to prominence at the local level with her two sisters in a band that would eventually become known as Flatiron Junction when they moved to Boulder, CO. The sister trio has since performed around the country, and most notably, the National Anthem at Boston’s legendary Fenway Park and at Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies. Abby has since released 2 solo EPs, “Gypsy Soul” and “Heart on Fire”, with her label Pure Music Nashville. She currently lives in Denver and can be found performing across Colorado.
https://www.instagram.com/abbybrownofficial
THE FARMER SISTERS
3/5/23 | 3 PM | BOULDER THEATER
https://www.facebook.com/thefarmersisters/
https://soundcloud.com/the-farmer-sisters
CHELLA AND THE CHARMS
3/5/23 | 6:15 PM | BOULDER THEATER
Textured, lush, and captivating with a sound that speaks to the traditional country and western of yesteryear while expanding on bare bones, tastefully intertwining smart, modern lyricism and catchy indie singer/songwriter sensibility, Chella & The Charm is a band with a heart of gold and penchant for good whiskey.
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