The past year has been a wild ride - that’s for sure. Along the way, I’ve gotten to meet, interact with, and work with so many wonderful musicians and artists who are committed to honing their craft and bringing their creativity to the people. In a year like the last one, that has been such a saving grace. One of the incredible musicians that I got to meet over the last year through a variety of avenues is Mark Cooley of Shuj Roswell and Shuj Roswell Live Band. Now, I have the extreme honor of announcing that Mark will be joining us here at Sonder Music Management.

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately getting to know Mark and his passion for his music and the local scene. I’m so excited that I got to interview him to introduce him as Sonder’s newest artist! Please enjoy learning all about Mark in this article - and don’t forget to pre-save his newest single, “Jus Because,” which is dropping THIS FRIDAY! It’s one for the fans and you won’t want to miss it. Please also check out Shuj Roswell on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube, Bandcamp, and Super Best Records, and keep up with his shows and tours on his website! Without further ado, please meet Mark Cooley:

The Colorado music scene is one of the most magical places for collaborations, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was amazing to see all of the artists who adapted and found creative ways to keep music alive during a time when live music was nearly nonexistant. The individuals who make up Oomah (Jake Hall) and Forrest Pump (Jeff Barlow, Rich Allison) exemplify that creativity, continuing to fuel the creative process by thinking outside of the box with their various projects, and increasing their digital footprint, leveraging technology to make new music possible. Today, these two projects released a new single, HAHAHA, available on all streaming platforms now. Of this new single, Jake Hall says, it’s “A grand orchestra of bass wobbles and arps conjured in a way that will blast you right out of your mask into outer space, it’s a weapon on the dance floor."

Once you’ve given HAHAHA a listen, I guarantee you’ll want to keep dancing. Luckily, Forrest Pump has two live shows tonight at Moe’s BBQ Englewood with Melody Lines so that you can do just that. Grab your tickets now - they’re going fast. Then, make sure to follow both Oohmah on Facebook, Instagram, and Soundcloud, and Forrest Pump on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, Spotify, and wherever else you stream music.

I am so excited that I got to take a peek behind the curtain of the creative process and talk with Jake, Jeff, and Rich about their newest release, what they’ve learned from the pandemic, and what’s to come in 2021. Please enjoy these interviews with Oomah and Forrest Pump.

One of the most beautiful things about music is that it can mean anything to anyone. So many great songs are great because they are open for interpretation, and can mean different things to different people based on when they hear it, what’s going on their life, where they first hear the song, and so much more. Elise Lieberth’s approach to music as a tool and vehicle for healing and self-love serves that mission very well, ensuring that no matter who hears it, when they hear it, where they hear it, or what they’re going through, they’ll be able to relate and to take a very special, personal meaning from the song. As luck would have it, Elise realeased a brand new original, Live in Peace, TODAY - and it’s got a beautiful message paired with a Nashville sound. I had the extreme pleasure of talking with Elise about this new release, how her musical career has developed, what music means to her, and what’s in store for her in 2021. I hope you enjoy this interview with powerhouse singer-songwriter Elise Lieberth. Make sure to listen to her new single, Live in Peace, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube.

It is indisputable that Denver is one of the most rapidly growing cities in The United States. The rapid growth Denver has experienced has created a melting pot of cultures that have enhanced and expanded Denver in the areas of music, food, and entertainment. Being born in Colorado, I have been able to grow up and watch Denver’s music scene form into what it is today. This has given me the ability to form an appreciation for of a lot of different music styles.

On any given night in Denver (During the Pre-COVID era) you could walk down Colfax and see a Hip-Hop/Rap show going on at The Fillmore, an EDM show at The Ogden, and a rock show at The Bluebird. The variety of choices in the music that Denver provides can be overwhelming and intimidating to newcomers and visitors. Living in Colorado since I was born, I have been able to experience many parts of the vast variety the Denver music scene has to offer. I’ve come up with a list of 5 ways newcomers and visitors can explore and experience the music scene in Colorado to the fullest.

“It’s funny how some people don’t come into the foreground of your life until the exact right moment - that moment when you need them to the most, and may not even realize it. That’s how I met Katie Mikesell, the newest contributor to the Sonder Blog. Katie and I went to high school together at Holy Family High School (which seems to be becoming a theme here), but were separated by a year. We didn’t really talk then; We knew of each other, but ran in different circles with different interests. As time pased, I couldn’t help feeling a growing connection with this semi-stranger, one built on parallel lives separated by hundreds of miles. One day a few years ago, and thank goodness for this, Katie reached out to see if we could grab a drink. We met up at Union Station and the rest is history. Katie is a sister of my soul - who values self-love, the beauty and passion of music, and finding the human connection in everyone. I love going to shows with her and experiencing music with her - and I am so beyond thrilled to bring her on as a contributor to the Sonder Blog. Without further ado, please enjoy Katie’s first piece.” - Sarah Shuel, Owner, Sonder Music Management

I can remember the exact moment that Charla Harvey came into my life - and I’m so so so thankful she did! She is not only one of the best concert photographers in the state, but also a force of positivity and light. I’ve gotten to work with Charla on many shows - she’s always my number one pick when it comes to concert photography! Over the years, I’ve also had the privelege of coming to be friends with her. I wanted to highlight Charla’s amazing photography and magical personality, so I interviewed her so she could tell you about what she does in her own words. Like thousands and thousands of people, Charla has been harshly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but remains positive and hopeful through it all. Please enjoy Charla’s incredible photography and reading her story, and be sure to support by purchasing one of her photo masks, following her on Facebook and Instagram, and visiting her website to book a shoot!

Christmas may be over, but there’s still plenty of excitement to be had. Today, starting at 12:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. MT), Georgia Comes Alive will launch a one-day virtual music festival promoting active votership”in the upcoming runoff elections by supporting local grassroots organizations Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda and CivicGeorgia. Coordinated by HeadCount, the event will be produced by the team behind Democracy Comes Alive, Quarantine Comes Alive, and Justice Comes Alive, which collectively raised close to $300,000 and garnered nearly 2 million views. GCA is also proud to partner with Participant, the producers of the new film John Lewis: Good Trouble.” The festival’s stellar lineup includes several Colorado artists - Andy Frasco, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Big Gigantic, and Nathaniel Rateliff. To support these local artists and the overall cause, Sonder Music Management and Rocky Mountain Virtual have partnered to donate and will give away 5 tickets to the event to the first people to claim them in the comments of the Facebook posts, Instagram posts, or on this blog post. One of these five tickets will be given away in Dog House Music Studios’ name, as they continue to be an incredible support for our local Colorado music community, offering a place for artists and musicians to be seen and heard while venues’ doors remain closed.

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.

This holiday season, let’s remember that it’s not about the material things. Some of the best gifts are experiences, and our local Colorado music scene offers a wide variety for you to choose from. They need your help now more than ever - so if you’re feeling generous - support some of our local Colorado music venues this Christmas. Many of these gifts can be ordered today to go under the tree tonight, and by making purchases from our venues, you’re supporting the entire musical ecosystem. This income will help these stages survivie, which gives us all the gift of music for years to come. Here’s our giant list of how you can monetarily and non-monetarily support every single music venue in Colorado.

We are so lucky to have a massive number of music venues and I’m sure we missed some here. If you own or know of a venue that’s not on this list, let us know in the comments, along with ways people can support them during the pandemic.

New Years Eve is going to look much different from normal this year - but there are forces at work on the quest to ring in 2021 with as much joy, excitement, and yes, music, as ever. One of those forces is ARISE Music Festival, who is throwing an online bash, complete with performances from Desert Dwellers, Magic Beans, Spectacle, and Melody Lines, live painting with Laura McGowan, poetry, interviews, and more. Meant as a global celebration of the things that bring us together as a community, the night will also serve as a means to raise money for the performers and for all artists affected by the Covid-19 pandemic through donations to Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. It has been such a gift to work with ARISE Music Festival as partners to Rocky Mountain Virtual during these past 9 months, and I can’t imagine a better way to end 2020 and look toward a brighter future. I had the extreme honor of interviewing ARISE’s Executive Producer, Luke Comer, and its Marketing Director, Shannon Bock - the two people responsible for creating the magic that is ARISE Music Festival.

COVID-19 has impacted the Music Industry a massive amount over the last 9 months. Touring staff, crew members, artists, venue owners and their staff have been greatly affected by the pandemic across the country. While artists and their immediate staff have been able to barely stay afloat through virtual concerts, merchandise sales, and streaming royalties, smaller venues are not able to benefit from these sources of income. Smaller venues’ lack of opportunity to make money has led them to become the most negatively affected Music Industry sector due to the pandemic. As COVID-19 has worsened over the course of its existence in the United States, it has affected venues across the Front Range. It has most recently contributed to the closing of the historic eighty-seven year old venue known for its jazz roots, El Chapultepec.

During the Covid-Era, there has been a shift in mentality to doing whatever we can to simply keep the music alive. Musicians, venues, and industry workers have been focused on keeping the lights on and getting the music into people’s hands - because we need music to get through all of this - and we need stages to be there when we get to back to normal. Shawn Eckels has gone above and beyond to keep music as a part of our Colorado community, and despite all of the hurdles Covid has thrown out, has continued to grow and advance his already prolific musical career. You may know him as the Lead Guitarist for Andy Frasco and the U.N., but Shawn is also constantly playing with other musicians locally and around the world - making music with his own bands and playing a multitude of socially-distanced shows and live streams as a solo artist. I’ve had the extreme pleasure of working with Shawn on various things for a few months now, and I’m so excited that I got to pick his brain about his musical history, favorite bands (local and non-local), and what he’s accomplished during Covid - which has been a whole freaking lot. Please enjoy my interview with Shawn Eckels, and make sure you head to one of his solo gigs, buy some of his merch, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to show your support.