Photos and review by Shannon Shumaker
If I had to describe Young Culture’s first headlining show in Denver with just one word, it would be supportive. From start to finish, Wednesday night’s show at The Marquis Theater was filled with a sense of community, inclusion and support between both the local and national acts on the bill – a refreshing reminder of the beauty of Colorado’s music scene and pop-punk as a whole.
Kicking off the freezing Wednesday night was Denver pop-punk quartet, Contender, and their set was full of energy from the moment they began to play until the final notes of their last song. Friends and fans alike crowded the stage and sang along to the songs they knew and even moved around a bit to those they didn’t. A highlight of their set was definitely their final song, when Andrew Elofson of fellow local act, 1000 Miles Of Fire joined the band on stage to provide some energetic guest vocals. Keeping energy high following Contender’s set was Colorado Springs act, The Last Echo.
For a smaller show at The Marquis, it was refreshing to watch fans rush enthusiastically back onto the floor with each band that played, and this was most noticeable when second to last act, Riviera went on. The Warped Rewind At Sea alumni not only drew quite a crowd from those who had the chance to see them on last year’s cruise, but they also proved why they’re a force to be reckoned with. Even with vocalist Mike Higinbotham behind a mic stand with his guitar, the energy definitely wasn’t lacking throughout their set, and it was obvious why fans came out on a chilly February evening to see them live once more.
Playing last was Albany, New York’s Young Culture, and by the time they hit the stage, it was refreshing and surprising to see that not many people had trickled out the doors or gone home for the night, even after their band or the band they came to see had already played. Instead, Young Culture found themselves playing to the same enthusiastic crowd that Contender had started the night out with, whether everyone in attendance had heard of them yet or not. Either way, it was safe to say that the band had won the crowd over by the end of their set. Song after song, Young Culture played as if they were performing to a sold-out crowd, despite how many people were actually in attendance. And if that is just a taste test of what’s to come, they Denver better be ready when they return.
View the full photo gallery from Young Culture’s stop in Denver, CO here.