But with such a large lineup of so many genres and great talents, where to begin? For those who like to plan, use the UMS app to create your schedule and navigate the fest, which is hosted by Two Parts and Youth on Record. For those who don't like to plan, you're going to hear some fantastic music no matter where you stop this weekend.
In the meantime, here's a starter set with our suggestions:
The Underground Music Showcase happens in Denver from July 26 to July 28.
Underground Music Showcase
Underground Music Showcase Picks: Friday, July 26
Ritmo Cascabel
Katie Langley
Showcase Stage, 4:20-5:05 p.m.
Psychedelic rock mixed with Peruvian cumbia? Yes, please. And that's just what Ritmo Cascabel will bring to kick off the festival at the Showcase Stage on Friday. Comprising members of multiple Denver bands, including Kinky Fingers, Love Gang and Los Narwhals, Ritmo Cascabel formed during the pandemic and won a 2024 Best of Denver award for Best Psychedelic Latin Band. As we wrote of its debut album, "Just one listen and you'll know it's a band you have to see live." Here's your chance!
Blankslate
Sara Elizabeth Grossman (CODE-mktg.)
Underground Stage, 5:25-6:10 p.m.
Queer powerhouse trio Blankslate has been on our minds since it dropped its debut album, Summer on a Salt Flat, in 2022. The band's sound is an upbeat, masterful exchange between indie pop and rock, with infusions of punk and experimentations with electronics. After seeing this group, chances are good you'll be adding it as a favorite on your streaming platforms. Soy Celesté
HQ, 60 South Broadway, 7-7:40 p.m.
We just included Soy Celesté in our list of local punk bands you need to see live, so head over to HQ, where the band is sure to put on a raucous show of unfiltered punk rock. Started by Celesté Martinez in 2022, the band delivers a sound centered on "Latin feminist punk," and Soy Celesté is set to release its first full-length album, Feminista Manifestó, on August 2. But you can catch the tunes first at this show.
DNA Picasso
Hornet, 76 Broadway, 8-8:40 p.m.
Denver rapper DNA Picasso has taken a Best of Denver award for Best New Album in 2023 and Best Music Video this year. He's been ramping up the hip-hop scene with pure talent that will take him far; his latest release, EXTENDED PLAYLIST VOL. 1, kicks off with a Tony Montana sample. This is a rapper you want to follow; go to the show to see what the hype is about.
The Milk Blossoms
Backyard Stage, 9-9:40 p.m.
Moody and ethereal, the Milk Blossoms sprouted from the Denver DIY underground scene and have maintained an experimental ethos since their inception. The band's music is certainly indie but also undefinable, approaching new sonic territory in graceful, deep rhythms and melodies. The Milk Blossoms don't just put on a show; it's more like a musical ceremony that leaves audiences spellbound.
See Grace DeVine live at UMS this July.
Kaitlin McMullen
Skylark Lounge, 140 South Broadway, 12-12:40 a.m.
See why Grace DeVine won Best Pop Musician in our 2024 Best of Denver at the Skylark on Friday. DeVine makes dreamy pop with contemplative lyrics, and is sure to share songs from her upcoming EP, Blabble, and perhaps some hit covers. If you can't make it to this show and are filled with inevitable regret, see her perform an intimate concert at Westword on August 15.
Underground Music Showcase Picks: Saturday, July 27
Kayla Marque
Showcase Stage, 2:15-3 p.m.
Start your Saturday with the anthemic pop of Kayla Marque, who was born and raised in the Mile High City by a musical family (her uncle was in Earth, Wind & Fire, her dad was a sax player, her mom was a writer, and her sister is a musician, too). She's been a Denver legend since releasing her debut album in 2016, and is a force on the stage. It's definitely worth getting to UMS early for this one.
Horse Bitch
Underground Stage, 3:30-4:15
Who wouldn't want to see a band with songs titled "a song about severus snape" or "a song about a three legged dog? (͡° ͜ʖ °) [one eye too?]" and such lyrics as "Getting fucked up on cough syrup the night we slept inside your car" on "a song about cough syrup." (This won Horse Bitch a 2024 Best of Denver award for Best Out-of-Pocket Lyrics.) Horse Bitch obviously has a sense of humor and a sense of abandon, as do the rowdy audiences the five-piece riles up.
Los Mocochetes
Showcase Stage, 4:25-5:10 p.m.
Los Mocochetes are a UMS staple that we named the Best Band of Activists this year; the act delivers an intoxicating blend of Chicano funk and rock.
Schama Noel
Backyard Stage, 5-5:40 p.m.
After you see Los Mocochetes, run, don't walk, to Schama Noel's set at the Backyard Stage. This Denver rapper has been building his rep on the scene for several years, and each set is an impressive display of boundless bars and conscious lyrics. Prepare for a hip-hop party and keep that energy going. Velvet Daydream
Banded Oak, 470 Broadway, 6-6:40 p.m.
Broomfield band Velvet Daydream has been making waves since the release of its self-titled debut album last October. If you're a fan of classic rock, this is the band for you: It aims to revive and emulate the sound of such rock purveyors as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and more, with a dash of ’70s and ’80s hair bands, to boot.
Big Dopes
Backyard Stage, 7-7:40 p.m.
If you love the soundtracks of early-2000s indie movies, then Big Dopes is the move for you. We're sure the band will perform its latest single, "Moon Car," which we could definitely see backing a Michael Cera/love-interest-with-bangs scene. Prepare for a fun set of indie pop and rock that uplifts and sets a positive mood for the rest of the evening.
Jade Oracle
Banded Oak, 407 Broadway, 9-9:40 p.m.
Bask in the neo-soul of Jade Oracle, which has released a trio of singles this year that invites repeat listens over and over again. Jazzy and soothing, the group's lead vocalist Coy Lim won a Best of Denver award this year for Best Neo-Soul Vocalist; her vocal range exceeds four octaves. So don't miss out on the siren songs set to swirl around Banded Oak on Saturday evening.
YasmineEmani
Skylark Lounge, 10-10:40 p.m.
It'll be a vibe at the Skylark Lounge, where you'll soak up ethereal R&B from YasmineEmani, who was born and raised in Colorado. Her vocal range is stunning, and her stage presence will have you captivated. This is one artist you really, really don't want to miss. Trust us.
Bluebook started out as a solo project.
Rett Rogers, Douglas Spencer and Hayley Helmericks
Skylark Lounge, 140 South Broadway, 11-11:40 p.m.
Bluebook has been a Denver treasure since Julie Davis started it as a solo project twenty years ago, growing it into a four-piece with local music veterans Jess Parsons, Hayley Helmericks and Anna Morsett. Expect dark and melodic bass lines meshing with synths and harmonic vocals, creating a musical landscape that makes you feel as if you're in a dream. This show will be a sonic journey, so enjoy every moment.
Shae District
Hi-dive, 7 South Broadway, 12-12:40 a.m.
We caught Shae District at the new venue Zodiac Hause back in April, and this is a must-see duo if you dig EDM mixed with live vocals and instrumentation. The two DJs' first big gig was opening for Jai Wolf in 2017, and they're now back from a successful set at Electric Forest. They put a lot of intention and curation into their sets, so expect a psychedelic, spacey journey to finish off your Saturday.
Underground Music Showcase Picks: Sunday, July 28
Nina de Freitas
Showcase Stage, 2:15-3 p.m.
Nina de Freitas is a mainstay in the Denver music scene, and the perfect artist to kick off your last day at the UMS. Her incredible vocals, lyricism and guitar playing will have you so mesmerized you'll be shocked the set has come to a close...and you'll leave wanting more. Live in the moment and take in every chord: She'll have you spellbound.
The Orchestrator
Underground Stage, 3:30-4:15 p.m.
You may know Brandon Theis, aka the Orchestrator, from his TikToks asking people to identify a song he plays on the sax, or through his viral hits such as "Jazz Wobbles" or "Lucid Vision." Either way, the winner of the Best of Denver's Best Solo Multi-Instrumentalist is making a big name for himself, and he's sure to have a big crowd at his Sunday set. From bass wobbles to funky sax solos, this could be one of the most memorable shows of the weekend. Erin Stereo
Oasis Stage, 4-5:30 p.m.
If you're a club-goer in Denver, then you've danced your ass off to Erin Stereo before...and will want to do it again. Known for her high-energy sets, she's performed at such festivals as Bonnaroo and has opened for several big-name EDM acts across the country.
Namebackwards
HQ, 60 South Broadway, 6-6:40 p.m.
After the DJ party, it's time to enjoy some jazz. Enmanuel Alexander, aka Namebackwards, has been engaging with the community through his Off the Cuff residency at the Meadowlark, and he's built a solid fan base in Denver with his band. With a sound rooted in jazz, he cites Ron Miles as an inspiration. Sip on a cocktail and let your mind flow to the tantalizing tunes.
May Be Fern
Skylark Lounge, 140 South Broadway, 7-7:40 p.m.
The queer four-piece May Be Fern won a Best of Denver award for Best Debut Album this year for Okay Grandma, Your Turn, and has been constantly performing around the city since forming a couple of years ago. A show with this group makes for a jammy, funky time, with expert instrumentation, harmonies and cascading solos from each member that will keep you dancing.
Ipecac
Hi-dive, 7 South Broadway, 8-8:40 p.m.
If pure, unadulterated rock is your thing, then put Ipecac on your schedule: The band won Best Rock Band in this year's Best of Denver issue, after all. Ipecac puts on a real show, with vocalist Isabella Osborne tearing across the stage to guitarist Ariadnee Ziady's rapturous solos. Having just signed to Austin's boutique-rock company Dead Rose Management, these guys are really going places.
Sound of Honey
Skylark Lounge, 140 South Broadway, 9-9:40 p.m.
Bluegrass artist Emma Rose took on a singer-songwriter direction while maintaining her folk roots when she created the three-piece Sound of Honey in 2022. Her songs and stage presence create a sense of intimacy between artist and audience, in a space where softness and depth meet.
Barbara
Jo Babb
Skylark Lounge, 140 South Broadway, 10-10:40 p.m.
As Westword contributor Michael Mazenko wrote in May: "If the indie rock of Pavement merged with the dream pop of Mazzy Star, you might end up with the groovy all-female Denver trio Barbara." If you've seen Barbara live, you'd have to agree. And if you haven't? Well, get to this set, which closes out the UMS.
Tickets to the Underground Music Showcase are $75-$460. Find the entire schedule on the UMS website, and check for more concerts in Denver on our concert calendar.
