Listen Up! Free Live Music
Check out BIFF 2020 Music Line Up!

Singer/Songwriter Showcase
Thursday March 5, 7-10pm
Saturday March 7, 6-9pm

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The Filmmaker Lounge
@ The Post Brewing Co.
2027 13th St., Boulder, CO 80302
720-372-3341

BIFF keeps its popular live music program going with the 2020 Singer-Songwriter Showcase. Festival goers are invited to hang with their favorite filmmakers in the Filmmaker Lounge @ The Post Brewing Co. while listening to great music and discovering great new local talent.

Thursday, March 5

Finn O' Sullivan

Finn O’ Sullivan
7:00pm

Award-winning indie pop artist Finn O’Sullivan plays guitar, ukulele, and piano, and her sound has been compared to such artists as Regina Spektor, dodie, and Phoebe Bridgers. She says that songwriting is a way for her to express herself and talk about things that are important to her, which is sometimes hard for her to do in everyday conversation. She is committed to creating things that other people can relate to, and her songs are a testament to this commitment. 

With an Instagram tagline of “love, heartbreak and self-deprecation,” she writes about the universal themes of love and loss with both humor and compassion. Her lyrics range from old soul to millennial quirky, and her clever, catchy tunes simply get stuck in your head.

www.finnosullivanmusic.com

 

Dechen Hawk-Photo

Dechen Hawk
8:00pm

Dechen Hawk creates music that ranges from beautiful ballads to gritty throwback funk and soul. He believes conscious music has the power to heal and transform humanity for the better.

“Like Stevie Wonder and Jeff Buckley thrown in a blender,” Dechen writes, records, and performs Indie Soul music. He imbues his songs with the Buddhist teachings of love, respect and expanding consciousness that he was raised with.

Though musical his whole life, it wasn’t until the death of his father when he was 14, and the search for a way to express that loss, that Hawk found his calling as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

His desire to create and express the joy and fragility of life has kept him busy for the past 24 years performing locally and internationally. He has a wealth of unrecorded songs and plans to continue writing, recording and performing for the rest of his life.

His work creates community by bringing people together from all walks of life to do something they all have in common and enjoy. He wants to change people’s hearts, minds and actions, and commits to expanding in love, abundance, and success every day in such a way that others are inspired to do the same.

http://dechenhawk.com/
https://youtu.be/Al5izdPQT_8

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Bitter Root
9:00pm

Bitterroot is a Boulder-based trio comprised of Caroline Quine (The Keenas, The Clarks), bassist Matt Cantor (Gasoline Lollipops, Gipsy Moon, The Jeremy Mohney band, The Lonesome Days), and former Cleveland-area guitarist Kevin Johnson (Mo’ Mojo, Hillbilly Idol, Brent Kirby, Famous Men). All three members have performed extensively in the Boulder area and beyond. Their Americana/folk sound draws on various roots influences — country, bluegrass, folk, blues — and features original compositions, engaging vocals, and soulful instrumentation.

https://bitterroottrio.com

Mark Oblinger

Mark Oblinger
7:30pm

After years of dancing on the edge of the spotlight as a national touring performer, award winning producer and songwriter, Mark Oblinger’s new release, High Water Line, leaves no doubt that he’s ready to take center stage.

“Mark’s national performing roots include stints with chart topping country rock stalwarts Pure Prairie League (“Amie”) and Firefall (“Cinderella,” “You Are the Woman”). From there, Mark’s had the good fortune to work with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco) Garth Brooks, Amy Grant, John Oates, Jeff Hanna (Dirt Band) and more.

A 5-time Emmy winning producer/composer with multiple works featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Mark was a 2012 Grammy Finalist for his Children’s Jazz Symphony JumpinJazz Kids—A Swinging Jungle Tale, featuring the great Al Jarreau.

On July 15th, 2019, Mark released “High Water Line” and followed with a sold-out concert at the Gordon Gamm Theater in Boulder, Colorado on August 9th. High Water Line has garnered a host of national reviews, press and radio airplay on both commercial and noncommercial Americana and AAA formats.

www.markoblinger.com

Billy Shaddox

Billy Shaddox
8:30pm

Billy Shaddox is blessed with the ability to blend the western qualities of coastal dreamer and high mountain drifter into his deep, easy flowing songs.  This is modern American folk music with pop sensibilities. Rooted in stories of love and fortune lost, perspective and enlightenment gained, Shaddox captures the mystique of the West with indelible lyrical imagery and sharply original musicality: the displaced modern man weary of coping with vanishing ideals, the present-minded realist, the uncontrollable jealousy of the downtrodden miner, and the bright-eyed morning traveler setting out to make his mark on the world.

www.billyshaddox.com

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Fruta Brutal
9:30pm

Martín Better Longo is an Ecuadorian who immigrated with his family to the United States at the tender age of 8 years old. As a young adult, he moved from Boulder to New Orleans to immerse himself in the city’s diverse and explosive music scene. His current project, Fruta Brutal, emerged from his exposure to Latin American music through his extensive travels in South America and the alternative rock and jazz he grew up with. The vision behind Fruta Brutal culminates in the celebration of mixed race, mestizaje, by synthesizing Latin America rhythms with popular U.S genres. Fruta Brutal has performed at the iconic Tipitina’s venue of New Orleans, as well as immigration and social justice related events, such as the Latinx Festival of Colorado, Suave Fest in Denver, and the Immigrants are Beautiful Tour, opening for the nationally acclaimed band; Making Movies.

Fruta Brutal’s Boulder debut took place at the iconic Fox Theatre. The band is currently in the process of recording multiple singles that showcase an eclectic collection of original compositions in English, Spanish, and Spanglish.

www.frutabrutal.com

Saturday, March 7

Landon Tucker Profile Image

Landon Tucker
 6:00pm

Landon grew up beneath the crazy big skies of Kansas, spent time living next to the ocean in southern Virginia, and now makes his home in the shadow of the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. His acoustic driven sound is eclectically soulful and passionate, bringing together influences that range from folk and blues to indie and rock, melding them into a uniquely colorful sound. As a singer/songwriter, performer and worship leader Landon has played across the country for audiences in a wide range of venues from large seaside amphitheaters to intimate house shows. Landon currently lives in Denver with his beautifully talented wife and two amazing, energetic children.

www.landontucker.com

KingdomJasmine

Kingdom Jasmine
7:00pm

Kingdom Jasmine is the pen name of Bob Barrick, a singer-songwriter known for his boundary-bending style of folk-rock. Featuring intricate guitar beneath Whitmanian lyricism, Kingdom Jasmine draws on traditional American themes while simultaneously incorporating elements of indie and experimental music—at once nostalgic and cutting-edge.

First gaining notoriety alongside YouTube Creator Joshua Lee Turner, Kingdom Jasmine’s videos have reached 1.5m+ viewers while his recorded work has garnered 500k+ streams on Spotify. His newest album, Anyone Seen The Light?, marks a departure from his previous collaborations and declares a strong singular artistic vision.

Today, Kingdom Jasmine resides in Boulder, CO, where he has performed in support of Josiah Johnson (The Head & The Heart), Grahame Lesh (Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band), and Brett Dennen.

www.kingdomjasmine.com

Courtney Noe

Courtney Noe
8:00pm

Powerhouse vocals, risqué lyrics, and barely-there latex shorts have earned Courtney Noe comparisons to boundary-pushing pop divas from Christina Aguilerato Lady Gaga. With two self-released EPs under her belt, Noe’s song catalog ranges from undeniably catchy pop-rock anthems to soulful, Motown melodies and dreamy, R&B ballads. While her music transcends any one genre or category, her lyrics are anchored by a unifying theme: celebrating female strength, confronting stigmas surrounding sexuality, and challenging societal expectations of women. “I’m not traditional in any sense,” she says. “I don’t think sex and love should be defined in just one way. I’m here to say being angry is okay. My songs reflect that.”

Her first single, “Invisible Crown,” has been featured during Portland Trail Blazer games and she has performed at GIRLFEST NW, Portland Women’s Expo, Mississippi Studios, Dante’sand Secret Society in Portland, Oregon, as well as Rockwood Music Hall and Bar9 in New York City. Backed by a live band, Noe doesn’t just put on show—she’s here to give fans an experience, complete with costume-changes,back-up dancers, and intricate musical transitions.“I work really, really hard. I don’t take days off,” she says. “I’ll relax later; right now, it’s time to grind.” 

Noe’s sophomore EP, Bad Attitude, was released in September 2019.

www.knowcourtneynoe.com

RileyAnn-photo credit Ablaze Studios (Eric Romero)

Riley Ann (The Catcalls)
6:30pm

Dubbed “One of the region’s most enigmatic artists…”, Riley Ann is known for her prowess in any musical environment. Having toured as a one-woman folk rock band with live looping as well as featured with various rock, metal, country, electronic, and ska bands, she’s currently performing as a founding member of The Catcalls, a new blues / rock band breaking onto the scene across the Front Range. The Catcalls’ new self-titled EP has garnered attention from Relix Magazine, Denver Westword, Bandwagon Magazine, Taste Music, & more, and is available in print & all major streaming platforms. More about Riley can be found at www.rileyannsound.com and at www.thecatcallsband.com.

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Abby Brown and Trevor Krehel
7:30pm

Abby Brown is a singer-songwriter who started her musical career at the young age of 9, where she and her sisters began performing together. After moving to Boulder in 2010, the trio soon became known as “Flatiron Junction”. Abby is now a solo artist signed to the label Pure Music Nashville and released her second EP in October of 2019. Her music is classified as Americana-Pop and has influences from various artists like Stevie Nicks, Kacey Musgraves, Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow. 

Trevor Krehel is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who released his debut EP in June, 2019. “Let Go” consists of 6 original songs all recorded and produced by both Trevor and his brother Palmer. Trevor has a soulful yet soft sound, resembling the likes of John Mayer, Matt Maeson and Ruston Kelly.

The two have been playing together for the last 7 years, where they met attending Belmont University and have been inseparable since.

https://abbybrownofficial.com/
https://trevorkmusic.com/

Mojomamma

Mojomama
8:30pm

Mojomama combines Old School Rhythm and Blues and Funk influences from Aretha Franklin to Susan Tedeschi to Steely Dan leaving you with a new yet familiar sound.

They were a semi Finalist at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis for 2018 and 2019 representing the Colorado Blues Society.

In 2015 Mojomama won best self produced Cd and favorite female vocalist for 2015 and 2018 from the Colorado Blues Society.Mojomama Wins Best Band from Colorado Blues Society Members Choice Awards February 2019.

https://mojomama.net/

More Festival Live Music

Thursday, March 5, 5:30-7:30pm
CineChef with Perpetual Motion

Violinist Josie Quick and guitarist Tom Carleno are Perpetual Motion, a dynamic acoustic duo that moves through music from everywhere. It’s a vibrant blend of South American folk, progressive jazz and blues. It’s acoustic world fusion. Perpetual Motion is constantly exploring music, moving through jazz, blues, progressive rock and folk to find their distinct voice. Violinist Josie Quick is a creative powerhouse, drawing from her classical training and love of improvising. Award winning guitarist Tom Carleno (Zone Music Reporter) creates a harmonic landscape for Josie’s musical imaginings.
http://www.perpetual-motion.net

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Friday, March 6
BIFF Opening Night Red Carpet Gala

Hotel Boulderado, 5-7pm
Denver Jazz Trio

Denver Jazz Trio

Denver Jazz Trio presents a new twist on the jazz trio format by featuring guitar, sax and drums.  They ‘make jazz fun’ with unique versions of popular jazz classics mixed with tunes like I Feel Good, On Broadway, More Today Than Yesterday and other old school classics, so there’s something for everyone in their shows.  Denver Jazz Trio is a favorite among musicians and music lovers around Denver. The guitar players love watching Lou Gott create a solid back beat and play cool improvisations all at the same time. The horn players love watching Casey Barnett as he brings passion and soul to every melody or improvised solo.  Everyone else is locked in on drummer Josh Williamson as he lays down the perfect feel for every style. Each member of this band is a great musician, but the best part is how these guys blend together, creating a modern original sound that you don’t expect from a trio. Check out the band and download free music samples at www.denverjazztrio.com.

Rembrandt Yard, 5-7pm
Pianist Benny Shaw

Benny Shaw

Benny Shaw is an improvisational solo pianist with a very unique & capturing style drawing upon the Jazz, Blues & Folk Genres. After studying Jazz & Contemporary Music at the University of Maine he studied at the North Bennett Street School to also become a Piano Technician.
https://www.reverbnation.com/bennyshaw

Boulder Theater
The Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band

Guerilla Fanfare

The Guerrilla Fanfare Brass Band (or simply Guerrilla Fanfare or GuFa) brings New Orleans style funk to Northern Colorado. 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. GuFa always gets the crowd up and dancing to their relentlessly energetic grooves.
 www.gufabrass.com

Opening Night After Party
The Post Brewing Co., 10pm-Midnight
Wendy Woo Band

Wendy Woo-photo by Jim Eckenrode

Wendy Woo has been a main staple to the Colorado music scene for over 2 decades. Many awards and accolades to her name, Woo continues to put out new music demonstrating her diverse styles and talents. From her signature style of playing “Slap Tap” guitar, to the funky rhythms of the band, Wendy Woo promises to please a wide demographic of Colorado music goers.
www.wendywoo.com

Friday, March 6
BIFF Opening Night Longmont

Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, 5:30-7:15pm
Espresso

Espresso2020a

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. Very danceable, this music is infectious. "You owe it to your ears.”;  Espresso! includes remarkable talent: “Best in the West”; Bill Pontarelli (clarinet), National Mandolin Champ Jordan Ramsey (mandolin), Star of the Guitar Alexios Anest (lead guitar), Chanteuse Emily Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and Stand-Up Guy Duane Webster (bass). This group has been putting it all together for years to create our saucy swing sound.
www.espressoswing.com 

Saturday, March 7
9pm-11:30pm
BIFF Noir with Banshee Tree

Devotchka New Years @ The Blue Bird 2019

It’s time to party the night away at BIFF Noir.  License No. 1 underground speakeasy. Enjoy a tantalizing cocktail, socialize and dance the night away. Indy swing-jam band Banshee Tree followed by a late-night DJ set.

Banshee Tree combines the sounds of electric & acoustic instruments with a diverse blend of dance, jam, & early jazz into frenzied, earthy dance music and psychedelic rock.
http://banshee-tree.com

 

Sunday, March 8
Closing Night Awards & Film

Boulder Theater, 6:15-7:15pm
Half Pint and the Growlers

Half Pint and the Growlers2020

Half Pint and the Growlers bring the Bohemian Swing – a tasty mash of swing, gypsy, twang, and soul that’ll take you for a spin from New Orleans to Havana, Paris to Memphis. In true gypsy spirit, they cover a lot of ground –playing originals and covers from this century and that, getting hipsters and old-timers on the dance floor in places from speakeasies to honky-tonks.

halfpintgrowler.com

Music in the BIFF Tent on the Pearl Street Mall