Denver-based Psych Rock group, Taverns, has the simmering summer tunes you’re craving

One of the most exciting, up-and-coming music scenes in Denver right
now is psych rock. Following in the wake of well-known psych cities like Austin
and San Francisco, Denver is finally cashing in on the fact that we have the
perfect blend of laid back outdoors life and cool musical culture, fostering a
vibrant community of those inspired by the weird, the colorful and the
musically creative. One of the bands spearheading this emerging scene is
Taverns, who play a self-described mix of shoegaze, post rock, garage and
noise.

While that blend may sound eclectic, that’s one of the things that sets
psych apart from many other genres, which are mainly characterized by their
sound. Psych is more of a state of mind or attitude, an embraced aesthetic,
rather than a prescribed way that a band has to sound. And the psych scene in
Denver is extremely diverse. “We think it’s really great that there are so many
talented artists in Denver to play with,” states the group collectively, which
consists of Justin Schnauber, James Hansen, Kevin Ott and Broox Pulford.
“Groups that have been around for a while like Snake Rattle Rattle Snake,
Colfax Speed Queen, The Knew, Emerald Siam, Tjutjuna, The Blue Rider, Shady
Elders and Wild High . . . they have all inspired us.”

Taverns itself formed from the ashes of a band called Sunland, which broke
up and later reformed as Taverns. “When we were apart we were able to focus on
playing more and bringing something to the group,” the group stated. “We
recently had a lineup change bringing in Kevin Ott on drums. The goal was to
play something that we could all enjoy and have fun, while hanging out together
and pushing ourselves as musicians.”

The band prides itself on its unique and psyched-out sound, as well as
having strong contemporaries in the scene, and being a part of exciting events
like Synesthesia, the second annual Denver Psych Fest to be held in town this
year. It is working on an upcoming EP this Summer, entitled Simmer. “The
underlying theme of the album is about gentrification and how it’s spreading
like a wildfire in the city and taking over the mountains,” the band members
told CULTURE.

Additionally, the members of Taverns are all big supporters of the
cannabis scene in Denver and Colorado at large. “It makes the creative
experience more enjoyable and less stressful,” they stated regarding the herb.
“Overall it helps to keep a band from getting stuck in a rut of playing the
same thing over and over again and to expand on new ideas. We all indulge to
some extent. Some more than others. It’s felt like a pretty standard part of
the lifestyle of Colorado for years (at least in Denver). Now that it is legal,
it just makes it easier to come by.”

However, Taverns  does wish that cannabis
was legal to imbibe in public just like alcohol, which is a sentiment many
Denverites share. “Originally Amendment 64 was sold to the public as the
‘Regulate cannabis like alcohol’ amendment,” they state. “Ideally that would
have been awesome! Anyone over 21 could smoke the same way they could drink.
The thought of a cannabis club or café, where you could indulge in recreational
marijuana while hanging with friends, would have made it more regulated like
alcohol. But, it’s a really positive step away from
prohibition. Much more progressive than most other states in the U.S.”

Taverns has a lot of exciting things in the works this summer, such as
a slew of local appearances and its forthcoming E.P.

facebook.com/tavernsband

IN CONCERT

RiNo Final Fridays @ Black Shirt Brewing Co. on July 31 and
August 28

Synesthesia: Denver Psych Fest @ Savoy Denver on August 15