Denver-based songwriter/singer/musician, John Common and his band, Blinding Flashes of Lights, will be debuting their new record, entitled Beautiful Empty, at Casselman’s in Denver, CO on January 16th, 2010. The CD release will be a collaborative event that offers independent music, film and visual art, all related to and inspired by the new record. The band features John Common (vocals/guitar/keys), Jess DeNicola (vocals), Wes Michaels (cello/sax), Adam Revell (keys), Jimmy Stofer (bass/vocals) and Carl Sorensen (drums). The band will be joined on stage by a string section and other musical guests. Also playing that night are two popular Colorado artists, both who are superb: Achille Lauro and Danielle Ate the Sandwich.

Tickets are $15 presale and include an exclusive bonus EP (digital download), a copy of the new CD (given at the door) and other surprises on the night of the show. Tickets are $20 day of show and come with a copy of the new CD and the fabulous surprises, but no bonus track.

Earlier this fall a collaborative short film festival was organized for this event, named the Beautiful Empty Short Film Conspiracy. A call went out to Colorado-based independent filmmakers who shot and submitted their short films, all inspired by and incorporating songs from Beautiful Empty. A handful of the most interesting short films will be shown throughout the night of the CD release.

The event will also feature box art by 60 artists from across the U.S. who were invited to create unique works of art inspired by what would eventually become the new record, Beautiful Empty. Each artist was sent a simple wooden box, along with early stage lyrics, images and music. They then mixed it all together into a beautiful collaboration called the Common Box Project. The final exhibit of the Common Box Project will happen the night of the CD release inside the venue. For more information visit .

Date: Saturday, January 16th, 2010
Location: Casselman’s Bar and Venue (26th and Walnut, Denver, CO)
Music: John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, Achille Lauro, Danielle Ate the Sandwich
Film: The Beautiful Empty Short Film Conspiracy
Art Exhibit: The Common Box Project
Tickets: $15 presale / $20 day of show. Price of ticket includes a copy of the new CD, other surprises and an exclusive bonus EP (digital download) for those who buy tickets in advance
Doors: 7pm / Show starts at 7:30pm
Ages: 21+
Buy tickets: Casselman’s | John Common

Listen to some gorgeous tracks off the new album. It is thoughfully written and the vocal harmonies between Common and DeNicola are almost as stunning here as they are live.

mp3: John Common – Good Heart
mp3: John Common – Turnaround
mp3: John Common – Love Is A Shark

MySpace | Website

Download through Amazon: Beautiful Empty

Tags: Achille Lauro, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, John Common

Made it out to both days of the Monolith Festival. Crushing acts were Phoenix, Passion Pit, and Chromeo. Sets were packed and dance heavy. Phoenix’s electrifying Sunday performance on the main stage set them up to be huge in Colorado and beyond. Chance had it that MSTRKRFT cancelled, leaving the 2nd to last main stage slot open. Certainly feels fated that Phoenix played for the most sizeable audience of the weekend. Their lightning speed rise has been incredible to follow. Passion Pit’s surging set confirmed that the eletro pop craze is on. And Chromeo’s sex-saturated synth funk throw down triggered a dance freak-out from the crowd and had everyone smiling hard.

New favorites included OK Go (finally saw them live after all that YouTube hype), Health, The Walkmen, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Woodhands, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and The Royal Bangs. Great to see Stars of Track and Field again after they took most of 2008 off. Other sweet catches included Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Grates, Tigercity, and Danielle Ate The Sandwich. The eletronica was also pumping with choice acts The Glitch Mob, Savoy, and Beats Antique.

The setting of Red Rocks couldn’t have been more beautiful and the bands knew and recognized it.

mp3:We Were Promised Jetpacks – Keeping Warm – These Four Walls (2009)
mp3:Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home – Up From Below (2009)
mp3:The Walkmen – In the New Year – You & Me (2008)

Listen to more of the music from the acts mentioned above through MySpace:

PHOENIX – Paris, France
PASSION PIT – Boston, MA
CHROMEO – Montreal/New York
OK GO – Los Angeles, CA
HEALTH – Los Angeles, CA
THE WALKMEN – New York, NY
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS – Scotland, UK
WOODHANDS – Toronto, CAN
EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS – Los Angeles, CA
THE ROYAL BANGS – Knoxville, TN
STARS OF TRACK AND FIELD – Portland, OR
THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN – San Francisco, CA
GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV – Boulder, CO
THE GRATES – Brisbane, AU
TIGERCITY – Brooklyn, NY
DANIELLE AT THE SANDWICH – Ft Collins, CO
THE GLITCH MOB – California
SAVOY – Boulder, CO
BEATS ANTIQUE – Oakland, CA

Monolith Festival
September 12-13, 2009

Tags: Chromeo, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Gregory Alan Isakov, Health, Monolith Festival, OK GO, Passion Pit, Phoenix, Red Rocks, Stars of Track And Field, Thao With The Get Down Stay Down, The Glitch Mob, The Grates, The Royal Bangs, The Walkmen, Tigercity, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Woodhands