This is what happened when Eric Halbord decided to Google “Kirin”: He found out that it meant half deer, half dragon, and loved the idea so much, he named his band . The band, which plays later this month, calls its music psych-blues. It’s full of witty pedal-work and mandolin that’s blasted through an amp.
“We’re basically taking the spirit and stomp of old school blues and we’re combining it with an improvised and at times extended take on the form,” said lead singer and guitarist Halborg. “The psychedelic part comes in because we’re definitely using effects to sort of space it out.”
They pick, strum and mix their magic in Halborg’s basement, which is laced with dozens post-modern portraits in a plethora of mediums. A black and white photo of a giant rabbit in a computer lab stares across from the couches where Halborg and Rudy sipped coffee and light up a glass pipe. All but a handful of the art is Halborg’s, who said he puts equal effort into whatever artistic venture he does. The band’s other venture is in a room next door, where they’re raising their own crop of plants.
To the left of the living quarters is the actual recording studio, which is OCD clean, comparatively.
Dragondeer’s creation was anything but planned. Halborg was recording a solo album for Brendan Kelly (bassist and vocalist from punk-rock group the Lawrence Arms) when Kelly was in need of a mandolinist. A friend of Halborg recommended Cole Rudy (mandolin and steel pedal guitar), who also brought along his steel pedal guitar.
Both Halborg and Rudy clicked after an impromptu jam session that night where they played some blues. They let each other express themselves musically, said Halborg — even the quirky stuff like Halborg’s harmonica.
“One of the key moments for me is when was like ‘dude you should play harmonica on like every song,’” Halborg said. “I was like, really? Then maybe this should be like a for real thing, because most people get annoyed when I play harmonica.”
Itap that sort of informal collaboration that flavors Dragondeer’s sound. They don’t like to perform cookie-cutter sets, so they keep it fresh by tweaking rhythms, beats and their songs.
Both Rudy and Halborg are veteran UMS performers. They’ve played at UMS for years in several different bands, but they love the festival and look forward to it each year.
“Itap got a special place in my heart, man,” Rudy said. “Itap that festival you go to every year and you know you’re going to see like every friends band that you’ve known. Itap so rapid fire.”
Their first full-length album, “Don’t That Feel Good,” was released on June 10.
How would you describe your sound in your own words?
Why the name “Dragondeer?”
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Jordan Gonzalez is a Denver Post features intern and a new contributor to Reverb.
