.:The Solution w/ DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez:.

Friday, 2/6 at 7pm -> The Solution’s 8 Year Anniversary Party + The Art Of Records IV:4 Decades Of Classics opening! DJ Low Key, Lazy Eyez & guest Sounds Supreme, classic album artwork reimagined by 15 of Denver’s best artists, live screenprinting by Filthe, Armando & Blake’s birthdays, live performances from CRL CRRLL and Yonnas of BLKHRTS, free Solution buttons, ZenOne & more at The Meadowlark!!! #TheSolution8…

FRIDAY, 2/6 at 7pm -> 8 years. Wow. Seems like just yesterday that me & Sounds Supreme started The Solution with no grand plans, just an idea to make the kind of party we wanted to go to and have doing it. At the time, we didn’t know quite what that was, but we knew we were tired of playing the same top 40 records for whatever crowd happened to walk into the club/bar that offered us the most money on a Friday night. The Solution wasn’t the first time either of us tried to start our own party, but somehow we were able to use everything we had learned from previous attempts to promote our own events, combine that with a large amount of youthful determination and somehow get the party of to a good enough start to ride through the initial struggle that starting anything different and unique can be.

Over the last 8 years, we’ve bounced around venues, Sounds Supreme fell back from weekly duties and Lazy Eyez joined the party, we added our official photographer Knower Of The Ledge, we’ve thrown a bunch of offshoot events and done of lot of pretty damn cool stuff, that frankly, I wouldn’t have ever considered a possibility when our little party started. All the changes and particularly the success we’ve had since partnering up with The Meadowlark (who we can’t praise enough) have us hungrier than ever and excited about how far we can take the party. That’s led us to film a video for CRL CRRLL’s “Cheers”, launch a small Solution Records label to release music we believe in and constantly strive to upgrade everything we can about the party. Hopefully you’ll dig some of the new projects we work on as we try to figure out what exactly the next level is and take the party there.

If you follow us or come out regularly, I’m sure you’ve noticed that we praise and shout out our crowd constantly. We know that there are DJs trying to throw cool niche parties like The Solution all over the world that don’t pan out, often times because there’s not a musically inclined, open-minded crowd coming out to help get the party off the ground, and we know that we could very easily be in the same boat without your love and support, so on that note, let me thank you on behalf of the whole crew for an INCREDIBLE 8 years and cheers to many, many more Denver!!! – DJ Low Key

So anyway, let’s talk 2015 and all the great stuff we have lined up to celebrate our 8 year anniversary! On an all month long note, we’re excited to bring together an all-star lineup of Denver favorites for The Art Of Records IV:4 Decades Of Classics, the latest in our ongoing art show series based around reimaginations of classic album art and the vinyl records the sound and art are immortalized on. 2/6/15 is the show’s opening party and to make sure there’s ample time for everyone to take in the artwork before things get too crazy, we’re going to be starting the party early, at 7pm, for First Friday fun. Check out the fantastic lineup of artists we have contributing to the show:

Joseph Martinez
Karma Leigh
Meeg Conroy
Thomas Evans
Jaime Molina
Michael Coriano
Tristan Minton
Patrick Hansen
Delton Demarest
Filthe
El Marsito
Dunn The Signtologist
Rawh
Dread
TiredPirate

On top of the beautiful surroundings, we’ll be welcoming party co-founder Sounds Supreme out to join weekly residents DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez on the turntables for what’s sure to be some inspired music. We’re excited to start getting Sounds Supreme back involved in the party with monthly guest spots, so stay tuned for more from him. We’ll also be celebrating the birthdays of our two favorite photographers, official Solution photographer Knower Of The Ledge aka Armando Geneyro and his #TheyShootn associate Blake Jackson. Both of these guys have taken a ton of great photos of the party & probably you if you’re a party regular, so make sure to wish them the best and grab them a birthday drink or two.

As if that wasn’t enough, Filthe is going to bless us with live ‘bring your own shirt’ screenprinting once again!!! Bring a tee, sweatshirt, hoodie, sweatpants, etc and he’ll customize it into fresh new Solution gear, on us!!! Don’t have a shirt to bring in? Don’t worry, we’ll have some available for sale too! Check out the picture above from last time around (when he helped us retire our previous logo) for a taste. We also had to bring in two longtime friends of the party to do some quick, mid-party performances of their party anthems. CRL CRRLL will be performing “Cheers”, party favorite and the first single from the upcoming Solution Tape #2 and Yonnas from BLKHRTS will be performing “Porties”, their super dope club anthem from last year. We’ll also have some nice new Solution buttons, hot off the press, as well as party photos by Knower Of The Ledge & ZenOne. Whew. That was a lot. Gonna be a classic night, don’t miss it!!! Things kick off at 7pm, no cover until 11pm & just $5 after. 2701 Larimer Street.

Tags: #TheSolution8, BLKHRTS, CRL CRRLL, DJ Low Key, Lazy Eyez, Sounds Supreme, The Art Of Records, The Art Of Records IV, The Meadowlark, The Solution, Yonnas Abraham

Flashback: 2013 SX704 Solution Showcase Recap…We teamed up with one of Austin’s best BBQ spots and some of our favorites acts out for our first ever showcase during SXSW!!!

Austin during SXSW.  The undisputed heavyweight champ of music festivals in the US and one of the coolest cities in the country year round.  Having been down to play at the festival for the last six years, it had become a goal of mine to throw a SXSW version of The Solution with the countless greats acts I know who attend every year, but that’s a little easier than said than done with countless brands, promoters, artists, labels and such scouring the city for unique venues and locking them down well in advance of the festival.

And while this year SXSW continued to grow at a frantic pace, with venues scarcer than ever, we were able to team up with infamously delicious BBQ haven, La Barbecue, the Austin Nomad and one of our favorite music sites, PotholesInMyBlog.com, to create the inaugural SX704 Solution Showcase.  One (somewhat major) catch though, we only had about a week’s notice to put together the whole event (and to make matters worse, I was in Los Angeles for some DJ gigs when I got word).  Never one to back down from a challenge or great opportunity, my week in LA was quickly taken over by SXSW prep work and a flurry of phones calls.

Over the next few days, me, DJ Trackstar (aka Killer Mike’s DJ) & our friend France (aka Eric Maitrepierre) started working out logistics and details and within no time, we’d put together a lineup that rivaled bigger corporate events, but strictly through our relationships in music and reputations.  When everything was said and done, the acclaimed lineup, with ridiculous talent from all over the country, looked like this:

Spree Wilson & Go Dreamer (ATL)
BLKHRTS (Denver)
Yonas Michael (LA)
Black Spade (St. Louis)
Tef Poe (St. Louis)
Family Affair (St. Louis)
Denniro Ferrar (NC) & BK Beats (Albuquerque)
Ness/Weekend Money (Brooklyn)
Trackstar The DJ (ATL)
SL Jones (ATL)
Uzoy (Houston)
Rich Kidd (Toronto)
&
THE PHARCYDE (LA)

And so, on the afternoon of March 14th, 2013, hundreds of people crossed the bridge from downtown Austin over to South 1st St for the inaugural SX704 Solution, where they were treated to some of the best acts in hip hop, free Lone Star beer and some of the best BBQ in all of Texas (no exaggeration, check out the rave reviews about La Barbecue here, here and here).  Better yet, we were able to set everything up as a free event, with no official SXSW wristband requirements and a refreshing vibe that offered a welcomed contrast to the drunken zombies wandering through 6th St.

With rap legends The Pharcyde and up and coming Dungeon Family affiliate Spree Wilson closing out the day, we packed a ridiculous amount of talent into our four hour showcase and left everyone with some great experiences, new favorite acts and a belly full of rave-worthy BBQ.  As if that wasn’t enough, the party was free to get into, didn’t’t require an RSVP, wristband or any of that hassle and had free beer to compliment the incredible BBQ, plus a complimentary photo booth, courtesy of Austin Nomad Photography.

A few days later, La Barbecue made sure I left Austin with an enormous freeze-dried brisket and asked us back for 2014, setting the stage for another, bigger & better event, especially based on what we did in one week in March.

Last but definitely not least, extra special shouts to everyone who helped make the event such a success: Leann & everyone at La Barbecue, Chisum at Austin Nomad Photography, France aka Eric Maitrepierre, DJ Trackstar, David & Potholes in My Blog, Sean, Greg & The Pharcyde, Yeti Frozen Custard and all the artists that came through and rocked! – DJ Low Key

1502 S. 1st St (that’s South First Street, not downtown, but close; check out the map below for directions).

Austin hip hop legend DJ Nick Nack on La Barbecue: “It’s the best brisket in Austin”

Tags: BK Beats, Black Spade, BLKHRTS, Denniro Ferrar, DJ Low Key, DJ Trackstar, Family Affair, France, Go Dreamer, La Barbecue, Ness, Rich Kidd, SL Jones, Spree Wilson, SX704, SXSW, Tef Poe, The Austin Nomad, The Pharcyde, The Solution Showcase, Trackstar The DJ, Uzoy, Weekend Money, Yonas Michael

Meet Yorrissey of BLKHRTS/Pirate Signal, our featured CO producer for The Solution Showcase #12 on 1/26 at the Meadowlark…

DNVR say hello to Yorrissey of BLKHRTS & The Pirate Signal, our featured PRDCR for The Solution Showcase #12.  You might know him better by his previous nom de beats, Yonnas Abraham, as 1/3 of newly signed Denver hip hop headbangers/Solution Showcase #6 guests BLKHRTS or as the mastermind behind constantly award-winning Denver group, The Pirate Signal, but regardless, if you know him, you know he always keeps it interesting.  Drawing on a variety of influences from all across the board and creating his own unique sound, Yorrissey’s work is usually abrasive in the best way possible.  Jeff Weiss, writer for the LA Times/Pitchfork/Passion of the Wiess says, “The words and beats hit like shrapnel, with samples from “Eraserhead,” Matthew Dear and Joy Division’s first incarnation, Warsaw.”, amongst other praise.  In a rare opportunity to showcase as a producer, expect to hear crazy beats of all sorts from the BLKHRTS maestro.

Check out this recent Westword interview where Yorrissey talks about signing to ORG Music and working with TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek on the upcoming BLKHRTS album, JZBL JNKNS, which is almost complete!

.:Yorrissey talks ORG Music, working with TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek & what’s next:.

.:BLKHRTS Music on Bandcamp:.

Now that you’re up on Yorrissey and what he’s been up to, catch him rocking at The Solution Showcase #12 on 1/26 along with LA’s Yonas Michael (aka Y-O, formerly of U-N-I), Denver up and comers Team Latchkey, Solution co-founder DJ Low Key & Solution Boulder alum B-Money for what promises to be another dose of the best in hip hop at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).   9pm/21+/$5 pre-sales at all 3 Family Affair locations or only $8 at the door.

Tags: BLKHRTS, Dave Sitek, The Meadowlark, The Pirate Signal, The Solution Showcase, Yonnas, Yorrissey

Meet BLKHRTS, our featured Denver group for The Solution Showcase #6 on Saturday, 5/26 at the Meadowlark…

Above: Yonas, King F.O.E. and Karma are BLKHRTS /// Below: BLKHRTS EPK, courtesy of the super prolific Konsequence aka Pape

.:BLKHRTS music on Bandcamp:.

.:King F.O.E. of BLKHRTS brand new project, J.U.N.K.I.E.:.

If you’re in Denver or you’ve been paying attention to the national blog scene over the last few years, you’re probably already up on Yonas, King F.O.E. & Karma aka BLKHRTS.  They’re one of the wildest hip hop groups I’ve ever seen, on some rock star rap shit, if that makes sense.  If you’re not up on F.O.E., Karma & Yonas, check out this great piece on them from one of my favorite music writers, Jeff Weiss of the LA Times/Pitchfork/Passion of the Weiss, written right before BLKHRTS played the infamous LA party, Low End Theory last year:

Denver’s BLKHRTS describe themselves as M.O.P. meets Morrissey. A strong claim, but the union of the Mash Out Posse and Mr. Meat Is Murder does make for something noteworthy. Imagine the gladioluses  that fans would drop at Morrissey’s feet, only now getting bashed by lead pipes of M.O.P. Picture a trio of vowel-averse velociraptors rapping as if the phrase “he who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain being a man” was tattoed on their foreheads.

Member King Foe described them as “a breath that you take the moment after the bungee cord is extended to its fullest extent jumping into the Grand Canyon.” The words and beats hit like shrapnel, with samples from “Eraserhead,” Matthew Dear and Joy Division’s first incarnation, Warsaw.

They merge the crowbar rap of Brownsville with a disjointed post-Def Jux aesthetic. Their voices sound as if they’ve been slit with scythes. Denver doesn’t have a subway, but somehow their songs rattle with the shuddering velocity of a train car going off the rails and killing dozens. It is rap as hard-core punk music that never forgets it’s hip-hop.

Topic include sex, drugs, money and death, nightmares, demons and hearts pumping like the fury of angry slaves. At a time when the rap world is monomaniacally fixated on the throne, BLKHRTS play like a poisonous agent assassinating the tired tropes of fancy watches, foreign cars and esoteric concerns. After all, their debut EP, this year’s “BLK S BTFL,” examines a subtext similar to that of Jay-Z and Kanye’s recent would-be opus: racial strife, temptation and gods and men. It’s rap by mad villains, rawer than the fish that richer rappers feast on. Underground not because of a willfully obtuse aesthetic, but for its sense of subversion.

.:More BLKHRTS press:.

BLKHRTS will be bungeeing minds in person at The Solution Showcase #6, along with Chicago’s Add-2, Izaak Haze aka Mass Prod & Mo Heat of the Foodchain in their live production debut, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 5/26 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  Stay tuned to @DenverSolution for more info, a chance to win free tickets & more.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales available at Family Affair downtown (plus get 15% your entire purchase when you buy a Solution Showcase ticket) /// $8 at the door.

Above: BLKHRTS “BLK S BTFL (Unofficial Video) /// Below: BLKHRTS “OVR” live at the BLK S BTFL Release Party

BLKHRTS Alt EPK

Tags: BLKHRTS, Jeff Weiss, Karma, King F.O.E., The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase, Yonas