On Sunday, April 20 Denver Black Sky, an extreme music fest based in Colorado’s capitol, unveiled a lineup of over 30 of metal and hardcore’s premier acts. Included on the bands list were the likes of Nails, Phobia, Noisem, Cephalic Carnage and headliners Municipal Waste and Brutal Truth (who are playing one of their last shows).
The festival, which will take place over August 2nd and 3rd at Denver’s Gothic Theatre, is in its second year.
“It’s just an awesome group of different bands. You never see a good lineup like that,” said Harry Smith, founder of Black Sky Brewery, the festival’s title sponsor. “And we get two days which makes it even better.”
Sherwood Webber of the band Skinless, who reconvened for Black Sky last year, started the fest in 2013. In its inaugural year, Black Sky spanned only one day with a 20-band roster.
“It’s great that its two days this year,” said Nate Fitzgerald, an 18-year-old Laramie resident that attended the fest last year. “The lineup is stacked. Nails is a bucket-list band for me, personally.
Fitzgerald also said that last year’s fest was an excellent opportunity to see a lot of aggressive bands that do not always tour regularly.
“Getting to see Mammoth Grinder was awesome,” said Fitzgerald. “They never tour, so that was pretty lucky.”
Black Sky features a large number of local bands in its lineup as well as nationally renowned groups. In 2014, the local delegation will be made up of Denver’s 908 and Khemmis among others.
Last year, Laramie’s own Reproacher played the fest.
“It was a lot of fun. It was different than a typical show because there were a ton of bands on the lineup, bigger bands than we usually play with,” said Reproacher’s guitarist T.J. Snook. “Being one of the bands on a show like that is cool because a lots of people get to see your band that normally wouldn’t, but it’s also daunting because of the sheer size of the show.”
The folks behind Black Sky have made a conscientious effort to support local music through the fest.
“Supporting local music is something that we have always been about,” said Smith.
Pre-sale tickets are on sale now for Black Sky 2014, and if last year’s campaign is any indicator; it should be a rousing success.
“Denver has such a supportive crowd,” said Smith. “ They’re clearly ready for a fest like this.”
