Join us Thursday October 25th for an open jam where we are bringing together musicians from the community to celebrate the inception of fall. Hosted by Saja “Spectacular” Butler on the banjo. Expect a lot of jamming, laughing and celebrating!

All levels welcome, beginners encouraged. Bring your own instrument.

Join us as Spaceship of the Imagination hosts a synthesizer hang out session! It will comprise some musical performances with some rig rundowns and an explanation on their musical processes. The topics will include analog and digital synthesis, midi implementation, Clock Sharing, arranging techniques, and the overall creative process.

SOTI gear:

MOOG Voyager
MOOG concertmate mg-1
MOOG Minitaur
Roland JX-8p
Yamaha DX-7
Yamaha psr6
KORG Poly Six
KORG KRONOS

Assorted computers, midi controllers, and software including Ableton Live and Native Instruments MASCHINE

Come see how they all work together in harmony!!!

About The Spaceship of the Imagination:

The Spaceship of the Imagination (SOTI) is a synthesizer band that has morphed into a theater troupe. All the directors are also members of the pit orchestra, composing and performing the music.

Mr.Jimmy, founding member of SOTI, is an ideas man, overseeing the big ideas and making sure they are delegated to the appropriate channels.

Peter Wallace, also a founding member of SOTI, is our schedule wizard. In between writing music he will be working the calendar and making sure we use our human resources wisely. He’s also pretty much in command of the writing room and keeps that creative process moving forward.

Doni Schroader is our technical director. He is the liason between the ideas in the writing room and the people who make the stage possible: sound people,lighting people, graphic designers, animation, video, sets and costumes. He’s got a big job. He also takes care of our percussion and foley in the music world.

Corey Taylor (Catfish) is the super utility man of our baseball team. When he’s not making our most futuristic sounds, he splits his time between the writers room and the technical side, and is one of our lead graphic designers and video editors.

The Music District, in collaboration with FoCoMA & CCI will be hosting a session to offer one on one advisement for your grant application. Get started on your own and bring in your unfinished grant to finish it alongside former grant recipients, music industry specialists and CCI employee Sydney Clapp.

The Career Advancement grant supports Colorado creative entrepreneurs and artists to help support career growth and enhance their commercial creative business. The goal is that awardees will achieve tangible business benefits such as increased revenue, new audiences/consumers or improved management practices.

Awards range from $500 – $2,500 and are paid on a reimbursable basis. Applicants will be reimbursed 50% of documented, eligible cash expenses, up to $2,500 for cash expenses of $5,000 or more. Additional funding for musicians and music-based businesses provided by Bohemian Foundation in continued support and implementation of the Colorado Music Strategy.

2pm-8pm

All week SOTI will be composing, programming, and organizing music, editing and compiling video content for our show and it’s publicity, managing our human resources in Nashville, all while making sure we are under budget.

Alongside actors and musicians, we have a multitude of lighting people, set designers, costume designers, makeup artists, digital animators, video people, and production coordinators. We will be into our final two months and there are many moving parts to organize as to manifest our vision.

Oct 30 will see Xmas come early to the Music District. SOTI will be set up in the public space for an open rehearsal that will culminate with a q&a session in the evening. Topics can include but are not limited to: the creative process, group collaboration, talent assessment and acquisition, musical and theatrical composition, creative group ritual in the modern day, and our group’s history and purpose. We welcome any and all interested folks to come check out our workflow, have some creative fellowship, and be inspired to do BIG THINGS.

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar.
Hip Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with theDowntown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.
Join us for an interactive sampling workshop diving into the history, the controversy, the art form, and the how-to of sampling, with Detroit-based Hip-Hop Artist Sacramento Knoxx and Fort Collins Hip-Hop producers Kind Dub.

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound recording in a different song or piece.

Upon taking and finishing this course, Kind Dub will be giving away a free download to their newest unreleased Sample Pack with drums and sounds engineered for previous Kind Dub Studio albums.

“My life’s goal is to find a happy medium for sampling to be not only legal but for the right parties to benefit from it. There have to be sampling laws. The survival of hip-hop is based on that.” – Questlove

We have a two part-workshop planned for everyone interested in sampling. First, we will dive into sampling history and the importance and impact of sampling on hip hop music. We will discuss the controversy and why sampling is considered an art form by many, and a crime by others.

Part two of this interactive workshop will include an introductory dive into the how-to of sampling. We will explore topics like finding and recording samples, where to look, and how to use pieces of music production hardware and software to begin sampling. Kind Dub will share some of their own sampling projects, as well as answer any questions the audience might have about sampling with a Q&A to follow.
Bio:
Sacramento Knoxx (Detroit, MI):
A hardworking interdisciplinary artist with strong Detroit roots, has built community concerts and workshops that engaged many audiences in public spaces all around the city. Currently, he travels nationally and internationally sharing interactive music performances, blending captured moments in life & creative imagery through large projection motion graphics. Building from raw experience and grit his works send vibrations to help assemble the worlds we want to live in. In addition to creating these dynamic storytelling installations, he creates documentary film and music video encapsulating the experience of struggle and celebration of diverse layers of communities.
Kind Dub (Cory Clarke & Cody Marsden – Fort Collins, CO)
Kind Dub, LLC was launched on November 1, 2013, after Cody Marsden and Cory Clarke spent a couple of years living and collaborating together in Fort Collins, Colorado. Cory moved to Fort Collins from Denver,  Colorado to study Business and Arts Leadership at Colorado State University. Other than working and the entertainment life, he enjoys traveling the outdoors, gardening, and sports. Cody moved to Fort Collins from Atlanta, Georgia to pursue music and business after attending college back home. When he’s not producing or diving into technology he likes to travel with his fiance and visit family. The two founders met each other through their love of music as well as mutual friends studying at CSU in 2011. They like to spend their time creating audio and video productions, touring and playing concerts, and discussing exciting business plans and ideas. Kind Dub opened their doors at The Music District in 2016 with the help of the Bohemian Foundation to assist fellow up-and-coming artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs in finding opportunities, and creative ways to succeed and collaborate in our unique scene.

Catch Sacramento Knoxx w/ Kind Dub & Friends live at the Downtown Artery for First Friday!

First Friday Live w/ Kind Dub & Friends, Sacramento Knoxx & more

Opening Reception : November 2, 2018 6:00 PM
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 2 PM – 6 PM

Featuring new art
&
Music by:

Kind Dub
Sacramento Knoxx
Tone Ranger
Equanimous
& more plus live projections
Come see for yourself.

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar. Hip-Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

Kick off the month of Hip-Hop in Fort Collins with a fun hip-hop flash mob performance on First Friday Gallery Walk in Downtown Fort Collins, CO.  Easy to learn and no dance experience needed – get your groove on!

Original choreography by local dancer Kevin Yu of MightyrockmoreZ. This event is part of Hip Hop History Month at the Music District in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District.

To learn the choreography, join us at Impulse Dance and Fitness on Sunday, October 28th from 3:00-4:30pm. All levels welcome!

There will be a site-specific run-through in Old Town Square on November 1st for those participating. This rehearsal is not intended for those learning the choreography.

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar. Hip-Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar. Hip-Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

Some people listen to music. Others make the music that people listen to. Both positions are pivotal to one another.
While there are seemingly many requirements that must be met when writing quality music, what sounds ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depends on the taste of those choosing to listen. Us artists – although often times afraid to admit it, are sensitive to critique. And let’s face it: everybody with a smartphone is a critic. Similarly, everybody with a computer chock full of music software has a studio and makes music.
I, Carnage The Executioner, am quite pleased to present COMFORT WITH COMPOSITION – a give-and-take dialogue centering around:

• what circumstances enable artists to create efficiently and effectively
• what experiences qualify writers to call themselves musicians
• what music lovers are looking for in final musical compositions

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar. Hip-Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

Join us at The Music District Tuesday 11/6 at 6:00pm for an intimate conversation with Sarah Slaton (Edison) and Terrell Woods aka Carnage the Executioner, on the ups and downs of being an independent artist in today’s transformative music industry. Moderated by Cory Clarke of Kind Dub, we will dive into topics like how to diversify your approach as a performing and recording artist, as well as the struggles and successes of DIY touring and independent artist management. These two veteran music professionals and touring artists will share stories, experiences, and invaluable knowledge on how you can design and carve your own path in chasing your creative dreams and endeavors.

Bio:
Carnage The Executioner (Terrell Woods – Minneapolis, MN)
Terrell Woods/Carnage The Executioner has spent over 20 years making music and working with youth and adults from all walks of life and various socio-economic backgrounds. He possesses a knack for establishing strong and healthy relationships. His specialties include fostering personal and artistic growth while helping all people find the voices they might not identify with just yet.
Terrell stands firm in his support and practice of provoking positive self-expression, nurturing leadership skills building and speaking in favor of social justice. He’s also no stranger to acting as a motivational speaker based on the hardships he’s overcome as a youth, and expressing the Do’s & Don’ts of being an independent, Do-It-Yourself artist.
10+ years of teaching beat boxing/vocal percussion and song writing has helped him build an impressive artist resume that extends all the way to Europe and Asia. The impression Terrell leaves behind will likely last a lifetime!
http://carnagetheexecutioner.com/
https://www.instagram.com/carnagetheexecutioner/
https://www.facebook.com/CarnageTheExecutioner
https://www.youtube.com/user/CarnageXXXL
https://soundcloud.com/carnage-the-executioner

Sarah Slaton – Fort Collins, CO
Sarah Slaton is an Arkansas native who first came to Denver for a marketing internship at Live Nation in 2008. Slaton received a B.S. in Entertainment Management and the following summer she came to Colorado full time. Since that time she has worked with AEG Live, Live Nation, ESPN, CID Entertainment, and been a part of the teams at Coachella, Bonnarroo, Electric Forest, Riot Fest, and Warped Tour. In 2011 Slaton joined a small boutique agency, The Vinefield, where she booked and managed bands like Rob Drabkin and Eldren. In 2014 she became the Director of Artist Development for music non-profit, SpokesBUZZ, working with artists like Pandas & People, The Burroughs, and The Yawpers, in addition to helping curate programs like BandSwap and The Colorado Music Party. Throughout the last decade Slaton also performed as a solo artist in Colorado and in late 2014 she began the group, Edison, where she was the primary songwriter, booking agent, and manager for 300+ shows. Edison was an official artist at SXSW, CMJ, and Folk Alliance International. The band was signed to Rhyme & Reason Records and worked with Big Picture PR and The Syndicate. Edison was featured on Daytrotter, Consequence of Sound, and toured with Iron & Wine and Jared & The Mill.

Kind Dub (Cory Clarke & Cody Marsden – Fort Collins, CO)
Kind Dub, LLC was launched on November 1, 2013 after Cody Marsden and Cory Clarke spent a couple of years living and collaborating together in Fort Collins, Colorado. Cory moved to Fort Collins from Denver,  Colorado to study Business and Arts Leadership at Colorado State University. Other than working and the entertainment life, he enjoys traveling the outdoors, gardening, and sports. Cody moved to Fort Collins from Atlanta, Georgia to pursue music and business after attending college back home. When he’s not producing or diving into technology he likes to travel with his fiance and visit family. The two founders met each other through their love of music as well as mutual friends studying at CSU in 2011. They like to spend their time creating audio and video productions, touring and playing concerts, and discussing exciting business plans and ideas. Kind Dub opened their doors at The Music District in 2016 with the help of the Bohemian Foundation to assist fellow up-and-coming artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs in finding opportunities, and creative ways to succeed and collaborate in our unique scene.
http://www.kinddub.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KindDub/
https://www.youtube.com/user/KindDubRecordz
https://www.instagram.com/kinddub/
https://soundcloud.com/kinddub

Join us for a potluck style community meal to benefit the Food Bank For Larimer County.

This is our 3rd annual friendsgiving and we are looking forward to smashing our fundraising goal of $1,750 this year.

We will provide the entree and drinks, YOU can bring a side dish or dessert to share and a $5/person donation for the food bank.

This event is family friendly so bring your whole clan. We’ll even have a craft table for the kids staffed by “Grandma Dee”!

Parking is available in the Jefferson Street lot just across the street from The Articulate.

To celebrate Hip-Hop History Month 2018, we welcome Hip-Hop royalty Bahamadia to the Music District on Friday, November 9. Veteran hip-hop journalist Kyle Eustice (Wax Poetics, The Source, HipHopDX, Vice), will moderate the conversation.

Music District Mic Check invites you to go behind-the-scenes and beyond the music with intimate conversations featuring some of your favorite musicians and industry insiders.

This event is free, all ages, and open to the public, RSVP is required, seating is first-come, first served.

Date: Friday, November 9, 2018
Time: 7:00pm
Free with RSVP

This event is part of Hip-Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar. Hip-Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

Bahamadia (Philadephia, Pennsylvania) 
As a visionary, multidisciplinary innovator and creator, Bahamadia is an artist whose body of work embodies quality over quantity. Though her skills as an MC are what first elevated her to prominence, she has since led a multi-decade career extending well beyond a microphone. Also a producer, record-label owner, radio personality, fashion guru and mentor, she is celebrated as a truly authentic maverick in an era of over-saturation and mass-produced content.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the trailblazer’s LP Kollage remains a hallmark of uncompromised authenticity; it stands today as an unadulterated example of what happens when a multifaceted artist remains true to an original and powerful voice. Though cherished for her universal and multicultural appeal, Bahamadia has never swayed from being a staunch proponent of individualism.
A maverick since the earliest days of her career, she pioneered the concept of creative control for women in the industry. Today, her music remains a progressive audible montage rooted in traditional hip-hop fundamentals, honesty, substance and quality. Her presence as an influencer and taste-maker in hip-hop is evidenced in the direct roles she played in fostering the careers of esteemed artists such as DJ Drama, Jedi Mind Tricks,Talib Kweli to name a few.
A self-described techie, Bahamadia extended her prolific production skills through her Dialed Up series, a collection of beat tapes made entirely on an iPhone. She credits an impulsive need to create as driving force behind her decades-long career, during which time she has led the charge in founding a record label focused primarily on the creative pursuits of women in hip-hop culture, B-Girl Records.
As for the future, Bahamadia looks forward to facilitating creative workshops, developing her body of work as a music producer and establishing herself as a project coordinator. With more installments of Dialed Up in the works, she is poised to release new music soon. Ultimately, the expansion of her B-GIRL RECORDS brand is a top priority, as is the continued realization of her mantra: Create the reality you LOVE +++
To find out more about Bahamadia’s work, visit www.BGIRLRECORDS.com and follow her on FB, Twitter and Instagram.

Join us at the Music District every 2nd Tuesday of the month for the Songwriter’s Meetup!

Our mission is to provide a place and format for songwriters of all levels to share new, original works-in-progress to get constructive and supportive feedback from fellow songwriters so we can all improve our craft.

Please bring your instrument (keyboard available on-site), or a demo recording of your song (stereo system also available for playback), as well as multiple copies of your lyrics for others to follow along to aid in the critique. Bringing snacks to share is optional, but appreciated.

The Songwriting meeting is hosted by Justin Roth, a nationally touring singer/songwriter and fingerstyle acoustic guitarist who combines an artful blend of hooks laid on a bed of brilliantly inventive guitar technique, bridging contemporary and indie/alt folk.

MD in the Mix: hang with the Music District crew at venues far and wide as we find our place in music at radical performances, festivals, and much more!

Come out and hang with the Music District team at the Magic Rat for a performance by Denver’s own kid astronaut.

November 15th || 7 PM

tweets – http://twitter.com/kidastronavt
photos – http://instagram.com/kidastronavt

This event is part of Hip Hop History Month at the Music District. Check out our other events on our events calendar.

Hip Hop History Month is brought to you in collaboration with the Fort Collins Creative District and the Downtown Artery.

Groove Theory: Producer Meetup

Join us at the Music District every 3rd Wednesday of the month for Groove Theory: Producer Meetup.

Our mission is to provide a place and format for music producers of all levels to share new, original works-in-progress and to get constructive and supportive feedback from fellow producers so we can all improve our craft.

Groove Theory will host workshops, masterclasses, “producer open mics”, gear demos, and plenty of opportunities to collaborate and grow as an artist.

We encourage bringing your laptop/DAW, or recordings of your tracks. Bringing snacks to share is optional, but appreciated.

Come out on Saturday, December 1st to The Music District for the second Synthesizer Saturdays! Hosted by the Fort Collins Synthesizer Enthusiasts and The Music District. Bring a synth (or two or three!) and we’ll be sharing synths and making friends from 2pm-6pm. All skill levels welcome!

If you have your own audio interface or mixer/ feel free to bring them, too. Last time we had a slight shortage of inputs and this event is set to be bigger and better, so we’ll need as many ins as we can get!

Synthesizer Saturdays is an open platform event designed to foster a sense of community among musicians, hobbyists, and anyone interested in the art of synthesis.