KCSU LIVE In-Studio

DJ D-Lone and DJ Road Rash run through responses from local bands about what things they had questions about when they were getting going. Not just for bands, but for anyone looking to get more involved.

This week on "KCSU Live In-Studio," local music director Dillon King hosts Tiny Human, a three-piece punk band based out of Denver.

KCSU's local music director, Dillon King, sits down with the creator of the new Fort Collins music podcast "Posted Rodcast."

Local Music Director Dillon King brought in Peter Koschnitzke and Hannah Rust to talk about their musical experiences

KCSU's local music director interviews Ash Redhorse about about how his current project compares to his past music.

Dillon King interviews local musician Matt Dooley, frontman for local bands Old Skin, Sinister Pig, Violent High and Trench Knife.

KCSU local music director, Dillon King, talks with Michael "Blasti" Gormley about the local non-profit Blast n' Scrap.

This week Shadow Work brings psychedelic rock to "KCSU Live In-Studio" to promote its upcoming album that will be released this fall.

Miles Stevenson is an upcoming musician within the Fort Collins local music scene. We sat down to talk about the DIY community and what makes it so special.

In this episode of "KCSU Live In-Studio," KCSU's local music director interviews David Miner about his music and inspirations.

For the first in-studio of the semester we welcome back CSU student and singer-songwriter Kayla Katz. In this episode, Kayla Katz plays three original songs and chats with us about how her music has grown over the last few years and what inspires her.

Asher Korn interviews Sunnnner manager and vocalist Rane Miranda about the band's latest project, "Sunnnner."

In this live in-studio, local music director Maddy Erskine chats with Fort Collins indie-pop duo modrn about how the artists met, their recent EP, "bloom," and their new, never-before-heard song, “out of reach.”

In this week's live in-studio, Maddy Erskine chats with Jackson (Jae) Smith about her solo project "Hotel Wifi."

In the first live in-studio of the semester, local music director Maddy Erskine welcomes Miranda Fling, local indie-pop singer-songwriter, into the station. Miranda Fling is a student at Colorado State University who has been making a name for herself this past year in the Fort Collins music scene. On March 1, she released her first album, "Wishful Thinking." Fling recorded this album almost entirely in her basement. In this segment, Fling chats about how she aimed to create a dream-like sound in her songs by layering vocals and instruments. As a songwriter, Fling draws inspiration both from her deeper emotions and from lighthearted daily events. Songs: “Cities,” “Mulberry Street,” “Someone Else" and “It’s Fine” performed live by Miranda Fling. Podcast cover: Maddy Erskine

In this week’s virtual in-studio, local music director Maddy Erskine interviews Denver-based band Black & White Motion Picture. This genre-bending alternative rock band formed back in 2018 and released its self-titled album this past October. While the band misses playing live shows, the pandemic forced the members to take some time to write, record and perfect their music. With a wide variety of influences and musical inspirations, Black & White Motion Picture aims to write music that is relatable and makes listeners feel less alone at the end of the day. Songs: “Retro Heartbreak,” “RX” and “3AM” by Black & White Motion Picture Photo: Courtesy of Black & White Motion Picture Design: Maddy Erskine

In this segment, Maddy Erskine interviews Jay LeCavalier about his second full-length solo album, "Slow Transformations." Some of you may know LeCavalier as the keyboardist for The Crooked Rugs, but in this self-recorded album, LeCavalier sings and plays all the instruments. "Slow Transformations" is a great representation of LeCavalier's talent as an instrumentalist and songwriter.

In this local music segment, Maddy Erskine talks to local country singer David Miner about his new album, "Silver Valley".

In this virtual in-studio, Maddy Erskine chats with Denver shoegaze artist Isadora Eden about what drew her to making indie music and her new EP, “All Night.” Isadora Eden recorded a live version of her song "Choke" for this segment. Also featured are her songs "Bones" and "By Now" from her EP "All Night."

In this special local music segment, Maddy Erskine chats with Glass Cases bassist and vocalist Alex Van Keulen about the band's new single "Chemicals."

In this virtual in-studio, Maddy Erskine interviews band members of The Runaway Grooms about their past shows and what's in store for the group in the future. This segment features recordings of live performances of "Carry Me Home" and "See Where You Land" by The Runaway Grooms.

In this episode, Maddy Erskine chats with local band Lucid Blues about how their band formed, their inspirations, and their upcoming live show. Since the band could not come in live due to COVID restrictions, they recorded some live songs for us to listen to! Songs: "Nostalgia", "Seafoam Dream", and "Dreams In Color" by Lucid Blues.

In celebration of local band The Crooked Rugs new album "IT!", Maddy Erskine chats with band members Nolan Brumbach and Jayce Haley about the inspirations behind the album, and all the fun and hard work that went into the making of "IT!". Songs: "Let Me Down", WHO", "Good Intentions", and "IT!" by the Crooked Rugs Original Podcast Photo: Alden Bonecutter

In this very special local music segment, Maddy Erskine interviews the one and only Intergalactic Funk Cowboy! The Intergalactic Funk Cowboy is a one man band from Steamboat, Colorado that has been creating syntheziser funk operas since the early 2000s. Get ready to blast off into a world of funkiness, and learn more about how the Intergalactic Funk Cowboy battles the various elements of anti-funkiness, both in music and in real life.

In the last in-studio of the semester, local music director Maddy Erskine chats with Sarah Slaton about her newly released single "Get Up", and her love towards the music industry that has been struggling so much during the pandemic. Her new song "Get Up" is about finding the inspiration to keep on going during hard times and is sure to help you keep your head up. Additionally, Sarah chats about the importance of Save Our Stages, and an upcoming project she has been working on to highlight the devastation the music industry has faced with COVID-19, and the need to keep music alive despite this.

In this local music segment, Maddy Erskine chats with Sonic Spotlight finalists Miranda Fling, People in General, and Macy Warner. Sonic Spotlight is a virtual music competition and showcase started this year by the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, 105.5 The Colorado Sound, and Bohemian Foundation. All 3 finalists have been working to make a music video for the final round and showcase on December 10th. Get to know these up and coming musicians in this segment as we chat about Sonic Spotlight, the inspiration behind their new music, and the video each of them filmed for the final round.

In this episode, Maddy Erskine chats with local country band Ain't From Here about why they love making music here in Colorado. Due to COVID-19, we can’t have bands come in and play live in the studio, so instead the band members and I met on zoom, and they picked their favorite songs off their album to share with you. Songs: "Way Back", "West to See", and "Say What You Will" by Ain't From Here.

In this live in-studio, Maddy Erskine chats with long-time local musician and CSU professor Brian Jasper Hull about the local music scene, his lyric writing process, and his musical inspirations. Brian Jasper Hull performs 5 songs live on his acoustic guitar: "The Spark", "One False Step", "Into the Blue", "Skeletons of Language", and "Blues for Sisyphus".

Local alternative rock band Holdfast joins Maddy Erskine in the studio to play some live acoustic songs, share their new song "Walls", and chat about their music.

In this episode, Maddy Erskine chats with Madi Rice, also known as her stage name Lenore. Madi produces her music in her bedroom, and in this interview talks about her inspirations and the process of bedroom recording. Lenore plays 2 original songs, as well as a cover of "Nevermine" by Fourth Wanderers.

In this in-studio session, Maddy Erskine joins psychedelic desert fuzz band Los Toms to chat about their new album "Centipede Sessions". Unfortunately we couldn’t have the full band come in and play their songs live due to covid restrictions, so instead we listened to a recording of their song Rogue Roomba/Sciencefish. The song is normally played as one, but is broken into two sections for this segment. Los Toms talks about the inspiration behind their bizarre song titles and the recording process of their recent album.

In this episode, Katie Shriver, also known by her stage name Twin Riverz, joins local music director Maddy Erskine in the studio for an emotional set. Twin Riverz has been making music her whole life, but recently started sharing her original songs in hopes that people will relate and find some form of comfort. In this live session, she plays 4 original songs on guitar and ukulele and chats about her musical inspirations and journey has a songwriter. She finishes the set with an incredible and touching performance of "Freaking Rat", a song she wrote to overcome pain and trauma.

In this week's episode of KCSU Live In-Studio, Maddy Erskine talks to People in General about their formation as a band, their musical inspirations, and how they are handling the pandemic. People in General is a 3 piece math-rock and jazz-pop band from Fort Collins. People in General plays 4 original songs: Way Rad, Goodbye, Cinderella, and Buster.

In the first episode of the semester, Maddy Erskine talks with The Red Scare about their musical inspirations and DIY recording. The Red Scare is a punk band from Fort Collins, Colorado, and known for their wild performances at DIY venues. The Red Scare sent in 3 songs recorded from their basement since they couldn't come into the studio to perform due to COVID-19. One of these songs is their new single "Marmalade".

For the semester’s final live in-studio session, Joshua Kellogg talks to Mary Ellendorff of Girl in a Band about the effects of COVID-19 on academics and the potential of DIY bands & venues to get back on their feet in the wake of the pandemic more easily than others.

The Tight are a local vintage power trio who wear their classic rock influences proudly on their sleeve. They brought their bombastic style and a high level of musicianship into the KCSU studio, where we discussed the Get Launched! concert (Which, sadly, had to be cancelled later the same week), just over a year after […]

On March 9th, 2020, The Sickly Hecks came into the KCSU studio to play some songs and talk about heck house and the possibility of new music on the horizon.

Los Toms visited the studio to play some songs and discuss Colorado weather and getting electrocuted at rehearsal.

Próxima Parada– a groovy soul group from California- stopped by Fort Collins as part of the tour they are currently on. After braving the snow so foreign to the California lads, we began the performance where the band played four originals. Between songs, we discussed the challenge that comes with vulnerability and how the bands […]

Sugar Britches came into the studio this past Tuesday and played some music for us. We also discussed how to talk about hard topics in a lighthearted manner, and the joys of collecting CDs in the digital age.

Bluegrass powerhouse Head for the Hills came back to our studio last week to premier their new track “Omotola” and discuss what they’ve been up to. Between their original music, we discussed the Nigerian influence on their new track, working with Color Red Music, and more. You can hear the full performance and interview below. […]

modrn, a duo from Denver specializing in electronic pop, was the first in-studio of this semester. They came to our studio last week and played four original songs which you can hear below. Between the songs we discussed how they met, what inspired Sofia to play the drums left handed, and more. — Support local […]

The Greeting Committee was in town last month, and before opening for Hippocampus, the band came to our studio to play some live music. They played straight through their latest EP “I’m Afraid I’m not Angry” which we discussed in the interview. Specifically, we discussed what inspired the shift from optimistic, love-filled songs present on […]

On their way through Fort Collins, The Brazen Youth, an indie group from Connecticut, stopped by the station to play and discuss music. With a fresh EP released earlier this year, the band has been touring the country since July. Throughout the session they played three songs from their latest EP. We discussed the influences […]

Choir Vandals, an alternative band from St. Louis was passing through the state last week, and while they were here they stopped by KCSU. They played four songs throughout the set, and between songs we had a tangent filled conversation. We started the conversation with how the band name originated from an anxiety filled camping […]

A few weeks ago weareforests, a local ambient folk band, came to our studio to perform live music. Among the double bass, ambient vocals, and focused drums was a random conversation waiting to happen. Between weareforests’ original music, we discussed their stage plot’s ‘existential dread zone,’ how nature influences the band and ended up with […]

In celebration of their newest EP, “The Color & Decay,” Places Back Home came to KCSU for an in-studio performance. They’re a post-folk band that got their start at CSU who have now mostly moved to Denver. Despite the introspective lyrics, the group has a hilarious chemistry together. The band’s positive personality came through as […]

The local electronic scene is something I think deserves more attention, and chitchat, a new group from Denver, supports that claim. They came in for an in-studio performance last week and played two new originals throughout the set. “Play it Cool” has an upbeat music video that accurately portrays Josh Kern and Madisen Vogel’s lighthearted […]

The Red Scare is a relatively new band in the local scene, which explains why half of their performance consisted of unreleased songs. Between songs, we discussed the sporadic nature of songs like “Dog Park” and the literary influences behind more personal songs like “Scrotum.” If you’re interested in how the band’s name came to […]

Lady Denim, a new indie-pop band formed late last year, brought their dreamy songs to our studio last week.  You know them from their hit single “Pipe Dream” which, despite being the first released song of the band, gives them an aura of experience. Their music has a depth and charm difficult to emulate, and […]

The Crooked Rugs is one of the newer bands to come through our studio as they officially became a band earlier this year. However, the band has is no stranger to the music scene and the members have been inconsistently playing together for a while. We discuss what took the band so long to make […]

In the Whale, a band who has been in the local scene over 9 years, joined me for a live performance and interview last week. Between the high energy songs, we discussed Nate’s background in mortuaries, the symbolism of flowers, and more. They’ve got a show this Friday at the Downtown Artery, so if you’d […]

Another week, another in-studio. Last week featured Fat Stallion, an experimental rock group which recently delved into the realm of hip-hop and folk. By recently, I mean a few months ago as they’ve already released two unique albums this year. We discussed their sporadic change in style, and more during the session.

Dry Reef, a Philadelphia band currently touring through Colorado, graciously fit an in-studio performance into their schedule. The surf rock group brought their good vibes to the studio yesterday with five original songs and four positive attitudes. Between songs, we discussed their music, tour life, and more. If you’d like to experience Dry Reef’s live […]

Schitzo-pop band, The Sun Machine, delivered during their live performance last week. The group is based in Austin, Texas, and they are currently in the middle of a West Coast tour. The band is know for their paranormal influences, as their latest album, “Turn on to Evil,” was based on first-hand experiences with spirits. Between […]

Acoustic sessions are always a delight at the studio, and FoxFeather was no exception. Three members of the Boulder based band came in last week and debuted two new songs during the session. Between songs, we discuss the feminist nature of their music, their projects in Colorado’s music scene, and more.

Metal music may just seem like a lot of screaming, but as UnEarnest Apologies displayed a few weeks ago, the genre is more than an aggressive outlet. They blasted the studio with 5 original songs, and between the music, the band discussed the passion and art enveloped in their music.

Slow Caves, a local band on a break from their hectic touring schedule, brought their synth-pop sounds to the studio last week. The band is known for their beautiful harmonies which are still highlighted in their new music. During the acoustic set, Slow Caves debuted two new songs called “Before I Leave” and “Minimum Rage,” […]

By Zay Reyes Aberdeen is a Nashville based, country-pop duo that debuted their first self-titled album in January of 2018. Aberdeen is composed of Caleb Maitland and Jordan Anderson. The duo was passing through town to perform at Jordan’s hometown of Loveland, Colorado for the Larimer County Fair. Aberdeen debuted a couple of unreleased tracks, […]

Easy Lovin’, a Denver based band quite familiar with Fort Collin’s music scene, came in last week for a live performance. The set consisted of all original, unreleased music, and showcased the variety of the band. With a mix of  dreamy vocals and psychedelic sounds, Easy Lovin’ brings a unique vibe to Colorado’s music scene.

Stella Luce’s in-studio session was one for the books. The unorthodox group specializes in making what they want to hear, which happens to be beautiful music. Beautifully eerie is more accurate. With flawless vocals and a dominant viola, the rock band sets itself apart in the local scene. Each project Stella Luce puts out excels […]

The Timberline is coming into the local music scene strong with their new album “Faulty Wires.” With sounds reminiscent of Holdfast and The Wonder Years, their alternative-punk album showcases their great potential as a band. A few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to have The Timberline in for an acoustic performance, something rare for […]

A few weeks ago, The Ugly Architect performed new music in our studio. Between songs, we discussed their touring adventures, the intimidating nature of squirrels, and more. A few of the songs performed were from their latest release, “Anything, Anyone” which maintains the calm, folklore sound the band is know for while intriguing the listener […]

My Dog Ate Chad brought a lot of energy to the studio during their live session. The progressive band braved Fort Collins’ sporadic hail storm a few weeks ago to perform six original songs on-air. Between the music, we discussed the future of the band, as most members will graduate high school shortly, and explored […]

With a band name cultivated from a love story, it makes sense that Lois and the Lantern’s music embodies optimism. The harmonies and positive lyrics made each song feel good throughout the night. Between the music, we discussed the constraining nature of fear, Tara’s involvement with the children’s music scene and more.

Covering a popular song may intimidate some bands, but for Venture Still it’s become a signature part of their discography. Earlier this week, Chris and Elvin performed covers of Lorde and Billie Eilish songs during their live session. Chris admitted to not having heard Billie’s song before they covered it, and he says that unique […]

Power trio Pappy Longlegs and the Cosmic Gnarwhales started the summer in-studios sessions off strong last week. They are a fairly new group considering their debut album, Applebutter came out last year. The unique group performed six original songs throughout the set. We examined conspiracy theories and discussed how being eco-friendly can apply to the […]

Local “newgrass” group Head for the Hills performed a combination of old and new tracks during their in-studio session. The group has bluegrass roots, but has recently incorporated drums and a horn section into their music. We discussed their recent musical changes and their love for coffee, beards and vinyl between songs.

Holdfast joined me in the studio a few weeks ago to share some acoustic tunes on-air. We discussed their trip to California and the brotherly dynamic between members throughout the session. The set started with “I’ll be Waiting for It,” and ended with three new songs that will be on their album coming out this […]

Chess at Breakfast blessed the airwaves with their music last week. They performed four songs from their album “Wealthcare,” which came out today. We discussed their genius branding strategy, how Justin’s double bass added a creepy vibe to the “Maybe it’s Your Birthday (The Dead are Dead)” music video, and more between the live songs.

Bluegrass group Wood Belly brought the energy a few weeks ago during their in-studio performance. They performed six orginals during the set and laughed their way through the interview between songs. We discovered the stand-out hipster of the group, Taylor’s lonely barbecue routine, and more throughout the session.

Glass Cases joined me in the studio last month to perform some new singles. Their combination of electronic and raw elements gave each song a sense of uniqueness. Between songs, we discussed the relevance “The Catcher in the Rye” has to the band and the backstories of the singles.

Alex Moore of Satellite Pilot joined me in the studio a few weeks ago to share some songs from the group’s new album, “Lovely Day.” We discussed Alex’s interest in the cosmos and the inspiration for a few of the songs off “Lovely Day” between songs.

Electronic group 3420 joined me in the studio last month to perform some live music. They performed two originals in the set, and we discussed their band name’s origin and Colorado’s electronic music scene between songs. Photo: AJ Frankson

Write Minded, a local hip-hop/reggae/rock group, came in for an in-studio performance a few weeks ago. They performed five songs from their upcoming EP “Pieces of Mind” and discussed the influences of their unique sound throughout the episode.

The six-member Cactus Cat crew joined me in the studio last week to share their love of surf-rock. They performed a combination of originals and covers throughout the set, and we discussed their intriguing band name and influences between songs.

Mitchell James brought some bars to the airwaves last week as he performed some tracks live from our studio. We discuss the challenges of being in a lyric driven genre, stigmas in rap, and more throughout the conversation. Mitchell debuts a new track called “Winter Pt. 2” about half way through his performance.

Bryan, Will, Ryan, and Miguel of the indie rock band Dream Feed joined me in the studio a few weeks ago. Between performing songs from their debut album, “Dream Feed,” we discussed the intriguing meaning behind their band name, Miguel’s experience on America’s got Talent, and more. Towards the end of the set, the band […]

Adem, Luke, and Andrew came to the studio to make some noise, and they accomplished this goal with their Green Day-esque sound. The set started with a new song from their upcoming EP, called “Panic,” and ended with a high energy performance of “Danger Days.” Intro/Outro Music: “Hello”- Jaunt

Jonathon Snyder of the Lollygags came to the studio to perform some comedic yet insightful songs. The acoustic set started with the modern love song “Don’t Ask Why” and ended with an unreleased track “Grand Constellation.” Throughout the performances, we discuss the Lollygag’s structure as a band and the pressure on our generation to continue  […]

Ghost Revue came down from Denver to perform some songs from their latest and upcoming albums. The trio brought a surprising amount of energy with an electric ukelele, djembe, and acoustic guitar during the live set. We discussed touring experiences, album artwork, and more between songs. Intro/Outro Music: “Hello”- Jaunt