Veronica’s Ted Thacker brings the righteous indie-punk to the Lion’s Lair on Thursday. iPhone photos by John Moore.
Last Thursday nightap lineup at the was anchored by a couple of longtime veterans of Denver’s long-toothed local scene, there to show off their latest projects. As vibrant and multifaceted as it is now, that scene has long been one to be reckoned with. If Aaron Hobbs’ and Veronica have anything to say about it, it always will be.
If you’ve been part of the scene for a while, Thacker’s name will incite an avalanche of memories of legendary ‘90s Denver band . Stories of the band literally tearing bars and venues apart with their crazed punk rock antics, led by Thacker’s wicked-complex hardcore guitar, still circulate in post-show banter amongst scenesters — and deservedly so.
In Veronica, his latest trio, Thacker is joined by Andrew Kotch (bass, and a former member Denver’s answer to the Butthole Surfers, Tiger Beat) and John Call (drums, also former drummer for Baldo Rex). They carry the viciously sardonic punk spirit of Baldo Rex in sound and antics, hinging on Thacker’s guitar god prowess. Their far-too-short set Thursday night was a flawless representation, and also hinted at a refreshing return to the thrashing, free-for-all indie-punk that picks up a guitar and beats the living hell out of it, then uses it as a weapon to whip the audience into a happy, drunken lather. They only played four songs, the best of which was “Rattle,” and left us calling out for more.
Aaron Hobbs, frontman for Popwreck, also has some significant history in the Denver scene, having been part of popular ‘90s band . Like Baldo Rex, Acrobat Down has a legendary history of wild shows at any number of Denver’s local bars and venues, with stories that are just as fervently circulated among the know. Their sound was more noisy, sloppy indie than hardcore and they courted a large and loyal following.
Popwreck, which features Casey Dexter (drums) and Eliot Zizic (bass, also an ex-member of Acrobat Down) besides Hobbs, showed off a crisp and perfectly sloppy noise that endeared listeners just long enough to mesmerize, and then violently slapped them out of punk-induced hysteria. Hobbs’ high-pitched vocals added the perfect tonal thread to pull together the band’s purposely messy and flailing compositions.
Sadly, they only played three songs, highlighted by “Broken Windows,” which was only enough to whet the audience’s appetite for more. At one point, looking convincingly incensed, Hobbs ripped his guitar strap over his head and threw his guitar to the ground. He then picked it back up and threatened to smash it through the windows aligning the back of the stage that look out onto Colfax, but decided against it at the last minute, and switched the focus of his cartoonish violent rage on his amp instead. It was perfect imagery to reflect the passion of the music, and the crowd loved it.
Billy Thieme is a Denver-based writer, an old-school punk and a huge follower of Denver’s vibrant local music scene. Follow Billy’s giglist at
John Moore is The Denver Post’s theater critic and a regular Reverb contributor.
