Sometimes, a person comes into your life unexpectedly, and you can just see their passion worn on their sleeve. I feel like meeting one of these people - a person that you can connect with immediately over shared interests and devotions - is such a gift from the universe, or whatever higher power it is that you may believe in. For me, meeting another human that’s incredibly passionate about the music industry makes me feel so lucky - to have someone who “gets it,” to buld our community just a little, and to be able to lift Colorado music up together. I felt all of this when I first met Allyce Carlson (virtually of course) in the middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Through a series of social media events, Allyce asked me to be a guest on her podcast, Women, Wine, and Song, where she encourages her guests to be 100% their authentic selves. We had an awesome conversation about all things music industry, the impact of the pandemic, and life in general in this crazy time we live in. I was so happy to get to know her better. Fast forward to Summer of 2021. An event that we were both looking forward to for 2 years was coming up fast - Summer Camp Music Festival. Allyce, because she’s the bees knees, became a Summer Camp Camp Counselor. She truly embraces the spirit of what it means to be a Camp Counselor in so many ways. Make sure you check out her SCamp journey and all of the beautiful moments she captured at the festival this year. One of the most important parts of Summer Camp is building community - and Allyce took that mission to heart, even once she’d come back home. Her first independent event as a Summer Camp Camp Counselor came to fruition last Thursday: The NoCo Open Jam benfitting Groovesafe at 830 North. The event was presented by Allyce and by Mishawaka.

On this Christmas Day 2020, I find myself once again feeling emotional over how lucky I have been over the year. I know it isn’t the year we all asked for or wanted - and I definitely had down moments, where the loss seemed overwhelming - but there were so many surprises and things to wonder at this year. Here are 7 things that I’m insanely thankful for, and that give me so much joy to look back on.

“Though 2020 has been a horrific year in so many ways, it has had its silver linings. For me, one of those silver linings is that the absolute lack of live music and oppressive headlines of the day-to-day news cycle kicked my drive to make a difference into high gear. I am doing this. I am managing incredible artists. I am expanding Sonder Music Management. And I’m doing it with a little help from my friends. I’m so excited to announce a few additions to the Sonder team, and I’m starting with Alyssa Montaño, my Co-Founder on Rocky Mountain Virtual. Alyssa is coming on as a contributor to the Sonder Blog, and seeks to focus her attention on topics that involve education and representing those populations that are sorely under-represented in the public eye of the Colorado Music Scene. I’m so excited to have her on board, and I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future. Please meet Alyssa Montaño, the newest contributor on the Sonder Music Management Blog.” - Sarah Shuel, Owner of Sonder Music Management

I have had the extreme honor of managing Denver Funk Titans Float Like a Buffalo for three years now. In that time, the band has made 3 appearances on the main stage at Red Rocks, have sold out major Colorado venues like The Bluebird and The Gothic Theaters, have joined the bills for major festivals and played with iconic headliners. has received multiple awards, including Denver Westword’s Best Funk Band, and released their freshman full-length album, Back from Nowhere, three singles - Sunday Afternoon, So Damn Cold, and Gone By Morning - and their newest 4-song EP, Vertigo.

I have a lot to thank these guys for. If it weren’t for Float giving me a chance, I would never have discovered my love of the music industry, and I’d probably still be working in corporate America, wondering what I was doing with my life. I wouldn’t have met the countless amazing individuals who I’ve come across in the process. I wouldn’t have 7 people who 100% have my back and have become my family.

It’s no secret that Cory Pearman, Float Like a Buffalo’s vocalist and rhythm guitar player and I have been together that same amount of time. In fact, we just got engaged. On Wednesday, December 9, 2020, Cory surprised me by getting down on one knee at Red Rocks - the most sacred place on earth to us - with all of my family and friends secretly in the audience. Cory is an incredible musician and human (though I know I’m biased), and I have wanted to interview him for a very long time. It was the perfect chance to do just that this weekend, and we got to talk about the thing he is most passionate about - music. Please enjoy my interview with Cory Pearman below.

Today, Float Like a Buffalo Announced their latest Single Release Party, set for January 3, 2020 at The Bluebird Theatre. This will be the band’s first headline appearance at the iconic room.