The Top 5 Ways to Keep Up with your Favorite Fort Collins Bands
There are dozens of rising bands located in the college town of Fort Collins, who vary between genres of punk, rock, alternative, and pop. With numerous venues around the city, local bands used to be able to show off their talents to music-savvy locals as well as music hungry college students, looking to experience different music in the live concert setting. However, living in a pandemic makes it hard for audiences to gather in front of a stage and for bands to find ways to gain exposure. I spoke with Jerel Teichroew, a guitarist for the local band, Los Toms, where we discussed the different ways people can stay updated and connected to local band’s music while still practicing social distancing.
Social Media
One of the best ways to stay updated on your favorite bands is through their social media accounts. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are useful for both the fans and the bands themselves, in the sense that they post updates, information, and messages to allow better communication between themselves and their followers. Teichroew mentions how “social media is the easiest way to keep in touch with our audiences, it’s kind of a neccesity to update the people who follow us”. If you’re interested in checking out more of what Los Toms is all about, follow them on their instagram account.
Spotify
Spotify, one of the most common platforms for music publication and listening, is a great way to listen to your favorite bands on your own time. Similar to other platforms such as Apple Music or BandCamp, Spotify allows bands to publish their new music so people can enjoy it whenever they want. It also provides bands with a great way to track their progress in how many listens and followers they gain. One local Fort Collins band, The Crooked Rugs, announced the release of their EP on spotify. “ We started recording these [singles] back in November, and it is so great to finally be able to share these songs with everyone,” they stated a recent instagram post. Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, people are spending more time in their homes and away from large crowds, so fans can enjoy listening to their favorite bands by logging into Spotify and bumping to songs on their headphones.
Outdoor Venues
Outdoor venues are a great place to enjoy live music and the fresh air, but amidst the pandemic, the typical outdoor venues a lot of us are familiar with are closed. However, a local band named The Wandering Natives has recently put on small festivals up in the mountains, away from the large crowds that downtown Fort Collins usually attracts. “Its a tiny little festival they put on where they invite a bunch of bands to play for whoever wants to come, and everyone brings their camping gear,” Teichroew states. “We just have a fun little show out in the middle of the moutains.” If you’re interested in staying up to date with future outdoor mountain shows, check out The Wandering Natives website.
Bars
If you’re 21 or older, bars are a great way to watch bands perform live. There are still a lot of safety precautions that bars are required to follow due to COVID-19, but they don’t inhibit people’s ability to enjoy bands playing on stage from a safe distance. Some bars around the Fort Collins area that allow bands to play in-house are Surfside 7, Lucky Joes, Ace Gillets, and more. According to Teichroew, Avogadro’s Number is potentially hosting his band, Los Toms, on October 31st for Halloween.
Virtual Concerts
Virtual concerts are becomming more and more common this year, as music fans still want a taste of experiencing a concert but can only do that from behind their computer screen. Most concert venues are still closed to the public due to the pandemic, but bands are utlizing those empty spaces to perform for audiences that tune in through technology. CSU grad student Bevin Luna, a local musician in Fort Collins, used the stage at Washington’s to perform live with audiences all around the world. “The venue was completely empty but was full of tripods and cameras to live stream across the globe…we had people watching from the states, Austrailia, Tasmania, and England and Wales,” Luna said in an feature with CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Virtual concerts definitely don’t equal the same experience of watching a concert in person, but it does pose as a great alternative.
