The Colorado Music Party five-day music binge is over, but the energy and excitement remain as bands wind their way back home. Wrapping up its sixth year, the party brought in a steady crowd at Austin's SXSW. Returning fans – like Roxanne Urias from New Braunfels, Texas – came back to the venue for one reason.
"Literally last year, it was because there was free Colorado beer," Urias admitted. "I'm not gonna lie. I'm sorry. But we found so many other artists and we kept following them."
That's exactly what these acts are hoping for.
"It's always about making new connections," said Denver singer-songwriter Rob Drabkin. "I used to come down here alone… and I felt like at first it was the most overwhelming experience of all time. Because there's so many bands, you feel like, 'I'm the most insignificant person here' and then – over the past couple years, you meet a lot of people. You come back and you have an agenda."
Bluesman Dave Arcari came all the way from Scotland for the Colorado Music Party. While he had a couple of official showcases, Arcari said that his CMP set was easily one of the most fun – and while he's never performed in Colorado he said that's apt to change.
"Oh I hope so. I'd love to come to Colorado and, you know, the West Coast and into Colorado are areas I haven't toured yet so, hopefully they might allow me in – sometime soon."
The party was considered a huge success by organizer SpokesBUZZ, maybe even a bit too successful. Just before the festival began, the group received several notices from SXSW that the unofficial showcase needed to make sure no SXSW festival references were used on promotional materials and that no official acts were playing on the stage after 7 p.m.
"They are very much aware of the Colorado Music Party this year," said SpokesBUZZ founder Dani Grant. "We have to be mindful that we're hosting a birthday party in their wedding reception."
The notices were taken seriously but, Grant admitted, it also told them that they were on the right track. Just six years ago it all started with five bands and has grown into something that one of the largest music festivals in the world feels it needs to keep an eye on.
"Whatever we have to do to keep them happy is great," Grant said. "But it is like a 'Woo-hoo! South By's watching us.'"
