A Bang Or A Whimper: Bye Bye UMS
- Cleo Mirza
- Jul 24
- 8 min read
Disclaimer No. 1: All opinions expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent Couched Media as a whole or anyone besides me, Cleo Mirza. If you’d like to debate, I suggest you phone a loved one!
Disclaimer No. 2: This is not an advertisement or UMS-sponsored post. Couched Media and I are not affiliated with UMS in any official capacity.
The Notorious UMS and I have always had a love-hate relationship. I LOVE the idea, I hate the politics. To give credit where credit is due, UMS has booked some of my favorite female hip-hop artists as headliners the past few years (Flyana Boss this year, Tkay Maidza last year, Audrey Nuna in 2022, and to this day I’m pissed that I missed Leikeli47 in 2019). But really, if you’re going to UMS to see the headliners and other nationally-recognized names….you’re completely missing the point of this festival. The Colorado-based acts are the ones that put the “Underground” in “Underground Music Showcase,” but the local booking seems to be a shitshow every year. Of course you can’t book everyone, so someone is always going to feel slighted, and of course there’s the pressing need to sell tickets, but I personally think there’s a serious disconnect between the people who book UMS (and moreover, booking agents here in general) and the fans who actually buy tickets and attend.
Here’s my take: because UMS doesn’t have the bandwidth (I’m choosing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they WOULD do this if they could) to have representatives from their organization physically attend local artists’ performances during the festival, they don’t know who is actually delivering impressive performances and catching the ears of passersby, versus who should stick to the studio. This skews their booking towards bigger names, people they have personal connections with, or the genres that they enjoy listening to in their own time. The discovery aspect of UMS becomes limited, mediocre performers get invited back year after year, and incredible, dynamic performers are cast aside if they don’t have the “numbers.” And that’s always been my beef with UMS. It’s absolutely fine to want to book artists that will draw a large crowd (although since the artists themselves aren’t selling tickets and no one is buying a festival ticket to see a single artist, it’s silly to me that they even consider how many tickets an artist normally sells), that have eyebrow-raising follower counts or Spotify streams, or have already made a decent name for themselves in Colorado. But for UMS to book with that intention while simultaneously positioning themselves as champions of inclusivity, diversity (I won’t even get into the frustrating use of queerness to deflect from whiteness), and UNDERGROUND MUSIC, just doesn’t sit right with me. If you don’t believe that festival-goers WANT to support undiscovered local music, what are we even doing here guys?
By and large, UMS does not have a finger on the pulse of what and who is relevant in today’s music scene. Knowing that this is the final UMS (“As we know it,” whatever the hell that means), their focus on “legacy acts” makes a little more sense, but it also reinforces my belief that their frame of reference for what’s fresh was determined five to ten years ago, and hasn’t evolved since. I’m not surprised this is the final UMS. It outgrew itself, lost its local focus, and became unsustainable (not to mention the ongoing war on art and the world burning down in general). I don’t hate UMS, and I’m certainly not looking to celebrate its demise. I critique you because I believe in you!! I just want better for the musicians that live and work here, better for the music fans who came to love UMS, and honestly, better for everyone involved in producing the festival, too. I hope whatever UMS shapeshifts into is something that Colorado can feel good about rallying around, because no matter what you think about UMS, this is a huge loss for Colorado’s music community.
But enough haranguing. We've got one last UMS, so let's give this old gal a Viking funeral. I still haven’t quite decided how to split up my time this weekend, because this lineup demands that I make some tough choices. Putting sweethearts Nelo and Rebecca Hartt in competing time slots (Saturday from 6 to 6:40, at Skylark Lounge and Sportique respectively) is diabolical! And what do you mean I have to choose between seeing a full set from Schama Noel, Lane-O, or Flyana Boss (all starting at 9 on Saturday, at Sportique, HQ, and The Showcase Stage respectively)?? But there are a few people I simply cannot miss, and I sincerely urge you not to miss them either. Here are some of the acts that I’m most excited to see, in order of their set times. (And yes, they’re all from Colorado. However, I will still be attempting to see Flyana Boss and Jean Deaux.)
Friday, July 25
8-8:40 p.m.
Hi Dive
If you haven’t been to an M.T.G. show, where have you been? Hailing from California's Inland Empire, Monica The Great (M.T.G, La Reina, La Jefa, pa que sepal y nunca se les olvide!) has been slaying stages on a regular basis in both Colorado and in her home state for years now, so there’s really no excuse. The first generation Mexican American rapper spits in both English and Spanish, but she’s so expressive that you don’t need to be bilingual to get the message. Her fiery, in-your-face performances will ring in your ears for days–just be warned that if you’re in her path when she hops into the crowd, there’s a good chance you’ll be pulled into a dance circle. (Be ready or hide!!) Rumor has it she's performing with a full band, so I'm curious to see how that brings a new dimension to her signature performance style.
9-9:40 p.m.
Hi Dive
Stick around after M.T.G's Hi Dive set, because the ethereal beauty of Hunnie's voice is not to be missed. The first time I saw her perform, there were some technical difficulties, so she ended up doing a fully a capella cover of SZA’s “The Weekend”– and fucking blew me away. Like, goosebumps and spine tingling. Many artists have tried and failed to cover SZA, but Hunnie nails that tough-tender balance that makes SZA such a powerfully relatable musician. Her original songs carry the same ethos, especially when stripped back to just her heart-splitting vocals and mellow guitar, courtesy of veteran guitarist don. Prepare to feel all the feelings, bring tissues, and if you see me boohooing in the back, no you didn’t!
10-10:40 p.m.
Bar 404
A RO$$AY performance always provides an infusion of good energy, even for a staunch grump like myself. There’s a reason he’s called the SOL CHILD of Denver rap–he radiates joy, light, and pure soul. RO$$A¥’s effortless command of the stage immediately puts audiences at ease, knowing they're in the hands of a real pro. One of my favorite things about RO$$A¥ is his relationship with live musicians, so you know he's bringing a sick band with him to Bar 404 this Friday. Burroughs, his co-conspirator on last year's jazz-hop album Mo'green Less Blues?, will play keys, with Harrison Tucker on guitar, Sam Lewis on drums, and Jordan Henderson on bass. I dare you not to have a good time during this set.
Saturday, July 26
2:45-3:30
Showcase Stage
OMG, OMS at UMS! Man, I've been wanting to see Old Man Saxon perform since I first interviewed him way back in 2019, and somehow fate always intervenes. I may have to power walk from Jorts Fest to make it in time, but I am determined to see this man's set. What I adore about OMS is his ability to balance serious rhymes with a deeply unserious, endearingly kooky persona. I'm simply delighted by Old Man Saxon's dorky swagger and unrelenting commitment to the bit, and I wish more artists (especially in hip-hop) understood that they can be professional without taking themselves so damn seriously. Will this throwback MC still wear his signature 3-piece suit in 90+ degree heat? I must see for myself.
4-4:40 p.m.
HQ
Hear ye, hear ye! The crown prince of Denver is returning to the stage! From his playful Broncos disses to his new single "THE BOX," no one reps Denver harder than hometown hero Malcolm Whyz3. Malcolm is not just making his UMS debut this Saturday, he's also doing his first show in a hot minute (he's been busy being a first-time dad <3), so you've gotta pull up to this one. He's also got popular songs with a few other heavy-hitters playing UMS, so we may see some crossover during his or one of his collaborators' sets. I'm crossing my fingers that him and RO$$A¥ perform their recently released sax-y banger "No Sweat." Cigars all around for Papa Whyz3!
7-7:40 p.m.
Skylark Lounge
I just have a feeling that this set is going to be fun as hell. Remember fun?? Everything has felt much too serious and heavy lately, and I'm fucking tired of it! Louisiana-raised hip-hop artist DVNEHPPY is known for incorporating jazz, lo-fi, and other experimental influences into his music. But his most recent project, released under the name "HOT BOYZ" as a duo with artist/producer JG, is (mostly) classic, nod-ya-head rap (minus "4 YOU," a little atmospheric dance moment). Their set is smack in the middle of a long ass day, so I'm counting on the HOT BOYZ to be the pick-me-up that powers me through the rest of the night. Catch me for a smoke sesh before this one, we're setting the vibes high.
9-9:40 p.m.
Sportique
Festival favorite Schama Noel gained viral fame for his comedic hit “Sugar Mom,” and while it’s definitely a bop, it’s a song he purposely made to appeal to/troll the TikTok demographic. It’s been way too long since I’ve been to a Schama show, but one of the funniest things about the success of “Sugar Mom” is that it primes a large portion of his audience to expect a full setlist of goofy earworms. And then they discover his pen is actually lethal. (After all, he is the ghostwriter behind RapLike, a popular Twitter account now on Instagram that imagines verses in the styles of different MCs.) This bait-and-switch is classic Schama strategizing. He's whip-smart, a true scholar of hip-hop, and somehow keeps flying under the radar.
These are just a few of the 20+ artists I’m looking forward to seeing this weekend. And that's not even including all the official and non-official pre-parties, after parties, and other DIY events. My friend/former editor Emily Ferguson beat me to the punch with a more extensive must-see list for Westword, so if you need more recommendations (especially in different genres, because let’s face it, I’m mostly here for hip-hop), she’s got you covered with some stellar picks. I also want to highlight some beloved Couched alumni playing this weekend: DNA Picasso (Saturday, 10 p.m. at HQ), Keddjra (Sunday, 2 p.m. at the Get Loud Stage), E.M.E (Saturday, 8 p.m. at Skylark Lounge), Harrison Tucker (playing keys for RO$$A¥), and don., who will be accompanying HOME (Saturday, 5 p.m. at HQ) and Hunnie on guitar. Attendance is basically mandatory.
And an exciting announcement…..Couched Media is hitting the streets this weekend! We want to find out what YOU think about UMS and more! Who are you excited to see? Who are you sooo bored of seeing? Who do you wish was playing this year? And what do you think happens to UMS next?? You’ve got opinions, we have an iPhone and tiny mics. As long as we don't get yelled at for filming, come share your hot takes, your grand farewells, your good riddances, your best UMS memories, your worst UMS memories–whatever you’ve got to say! Not coming to UMS? We'll also be swinging by Jorts Fest on Saturday to talk jorts, house shows, and DIY excellence.
Stay hydrated and we hope to see you soon!!
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