Last Friday, Surfside 7 celebrated the Fort Collins scene’s newest release “Hear & Now” by The Crooked Rugs. The well-loved Fort Collins bar was packed to the brim with an audience dressed to impress in their best 70s attire. Attendees danced the night away with sets from three local bands, illFRAME, King Crawdad, and The Crooked Rugs.
Local band illFRAME kicked the night off, with their set citing inspiration from early hip hop & pop-punk pioneers. The four-piece consists of the Stowers- brother trio, Finn, Rex & Cooper fronting the band, backed by drummer Jorge Coronel. The trio of brothers lining the stage created an unbeatable dynamic that was both cohesive and fun to watch for the audience. Lead singer Cooper Stowers complemented most songs in their set by playing samples, and towards the end of the set, added turntable scratching. In true Beastie Boys fashion, illFRAME did not fail to captivate listeners.
The night carried on with a set from King Crawdad. Miles Mercer and Nick Perich originally formed the Fort Collins band in 2005, their sound developing over the years into the alternative & psychedelic garage rock sound they play today. The dynamics of King Crawdad are truly the driving force behind their live performances, both the varying structures of each of their songs and the interpersonal onstage interactions between band members. Energy was shared between band members both through their exciting onstage movement & the passing of a vape – both comedic & relatable for attendees.
After two sets from illFRAME and King Crawdad, the crowd was warmed up for the headlining band, The Crooked Rugs. The Crooked Rugs are a psychedelic rock band based in Fort Collins Colorado, channeling soundwaves from bands like The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets & The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Members Jayce Haley, Rex Stowers, Finn Stowers, Jay LeCavalier & Nolan Brumbach have been creating since 2019. Celebrating their newest release, “Hear & Now”, they played their new record in its entirety, followed by a couple of deep cuts from the band’s past releases. The newest album is arguably their best yet, with mind-bending melodies mixing with 70s cowboy fusion. With instrumental tracks sprinkled in the album, this release takes listeners on a joyous western ride throughout each track. And do not be worried – the live performance of the record not only held up to the standard of the recording but was even better with accompanying live visuals by Charlie LeCavalier. Locals know that The Crooked Rugs never disappoint, this release show proved that point & served as the band’s proclamation that they are only getting better.
For more details on upcoming events at Surfside 7, the bar & venue can be found on Instagram @surfside_7 & online at surfsideseven.com. The Crooked Rugs’ newest release is available on all streaming platforms. Find the bands mentioned above on Instagram @_illframe_, @kingfcrawdad, & @thecrookedrugs. The Crooked Rugs visual artist Charlie LeCavalier can be found @charlieclams. Photos by McKenzie Tharp, @__mackphoto on Instagram.