How one band adds depth to the local music scene with their self-cultivated enthusiasm for music creation.
January has proven that 2020 is officially the year of good music, thank God. While Red Rocks has been quiet in the Colorado cold this month, more light has been shining on the local music scene. From pop-up house shows in craft stores to surprise single releases, the NoCo music scene practically melted January's face, with only more sick line-ups to follow. In the midst of all this noise, this featured band has dubbed 2020 as their year to shine -- and they have the bones to back it up, too.
Gestalt is a Denver-based band of four that went from house jam sessions to leading full-throttle mosh pits in Fort Collins and Denver. Their shows have an energy like none other, and their enthusiasm has seeped into the local scene. All of this sudden hype raises the questions: where exactly did they come from? Who is Gestalt, and what about it all makes them so authentic?
The first time I saw/heard this band perform was in the summer of 2019. My co-worker (and now close friend), Diana, had approached me after work with a proposition I hardly ever refuse: Her boyfriend was in this "local band thing." No big deal. They were performing that night, and sweet Dee just couldn't go alone.
Long story (sorta) short, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. At this point in time, I was still discovering what the local music scene had to offer. I had gone to, what, one house show? The thought of branching out beyond Greeley wasn't even on my radar yet. Then I thought, what's the harm in trying out this new sound? Worst case scenario, I chalk it up as a good time out with friends and leave it at that.
Oh, dear readers, it was the beginning of the end. I was downright surprised at the amount of sheer talent I saw on the stage that night. The chemistry between sweet guitar accents and grungy vocals was insurmountable. Plus, the steady tempo changes from the drums provided head-turning music twists throughout the entire set. No song ended the way I thought it would. They were able to keep me entirely enthralled -- which can be hard considering I knew NOTHING of them prior to this show.
But I was officially hooked by the end of the night. Weirdly enough, I became borderline obsessed with their sound. How could they mesh so well on stage? How is their chemistry so infectious in the audience? Where the HELL have they been all my life? After one stellar performance at what seemed like a mediocre venue, the questions just kept rolling -- and the only way to answer them was to, well, stalk them.
I'M KIDDING. I didn't stalk them. Not "really." TECHNICALLY, it's not stalking if you donate $10 during their set and show up with the drummer's girlfriend .... right?
So, I've been going to Gestalt shows for a while now -- slowly meeting everyone in the band and getting acquainted with other regulars at their shows. With that being said, I feel I have enough experience to accurately say that they have evolved SO MUCH since the first time I saw them last year. Since then, their sound has skyrocketed to a near professional level, and their enthusiasm onstage has done nothing but grow exponentially. I cannot stress it enough: This band has shown the most growth within the past six months than any other local band I have seen in the NoCo region, I promise.
This past weekend, I was able to snag a long-anticipated interview with guitarist Cooper Dickerson and singer/songwriter Zane Deluccie. I had a ton of questions for them that countless concerts obviously couldn't answer. Having been just a regular fan of the band, I was beyond excited to pick their brains a little. I wanted to understand the origins of Gestalt and their current set-up, as well as future intentions they have set for 2020. You guys know the drill: past, present and future.
To my excitement, they actually had a lot to say. The interview was both eye-opening and laid back, full of laughs. I witnessed the meme-loving humor featured on their social media and onstage. At the same time, I learned a lot about what Gestalt stood for as a creative collective.
I began with Zane, who is the mastermind behind the origins of the Gestalt brand. It all began in a psychology class. The topic of the day was the Gestalt principles, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It explains the way our brains take complex imagery and organize it with context into conceptual scenery. The word, as well as its concepts, stuck with Zane, eventually becoming the name for his next big project. (And if you were wondering, he passed the class.)
I then asked the guys what genre they thought they fell under, and I was met with a surprising "country emo" -- which actually doesn't seem far from the truth at all. Whenever I describe any band's sound, I try to think of a popular artist that generally anyone may have heard ... but with a twist. When I describe Gestalt's sound, it's something along the lines of Blink-182 on anti-depressants. But I think "country emo" can work.
Here's a front row video from Gestalt's performance at the Downtown Artery as they opened for Lady Denim.
Zane and Cooper were throwing down some major bombs that turned into interesting conversation about adapting to the music industry as we know it today. Zane is probably one of the most introspective and talented people I have ever met. There would be points made during the interview that made me realize how one-sided I've been thinking. Hearing his perspective as the artist/content creator really opened my eyes to issues that can come up while climbing your way to the top in the music industry.
I took the boys back to their first album and the processes that went into it, as well as how those processes have changed over albums and time. Zane talked about the writing process and lyrics that went into the band's first album, LongBoix (2017) -- an emotional album that he honestly didn't expect much from.
"LongBoix hit in such an emotional way, I feel like. Songs released after that were catchier, but they didn't mean as much to me as those first ones did 'cause I did those -- I mean, I'd say they're fun but also kinda necessity. Classically, I've always not been great about talking about problems and shit that I'm facing, whatever."
And that's when my third music eye opened, and the whole world made sense. LongBoix IS in fact more heartfelt, featuring some of the band's heavier songs like Tear Jerker and Sad Lil Man. And it also happens to hold one of my Gestalt favorites, New Song. Zane attributed his inspiration for this album to the midwestern pop punk style of Mom Jeans., specifically their album Best Buds (oh, I absolutely linked it for you). Zane was also inspired by The Cardboard Swords self-titled album.
The lyrics also tend to hit closer to home in this album.The Vape Song brings every bubbling lung cancer fear to the surface for nicotine addicts everywhere. You know, the some fears you stifle by saying, "I can quit," when you know you won't be quitting anytime soon, and those little nicotine sticks have definitely made you their baby bitch. Don't worry, this is a place of understanding -- and the Gestalt boys are right there with you, apparently. Brakelights&w__d is another song on the LongBoix album that begs the age-old teenage question: Are there not bigger fish than brake lights and weed? Take that, cops. (This song also happens to be the one that goes HARDEST at shows. I've seen people get trampled for the instrumental in this song.)
Zane brought up an interesting point that has stuck with me since the interview. He loves the songs that he's put out with the band after LongBoix. At the same time, he wants to find the happy medium between LongBoix's lyrical expression and the fun atmosphere in their 2018 album, do i look lovely.
"People like to see the growth and narrative. If it stays in the same place the entire time -- you write the same album more than twice -- people will be like, 'Okay, I hear you ... What else?'"
And progression is exactly what they accomplished in their newest release, do i look lovely. This album is when they started to embrace a little more of the commercialized pop genre in demand today, while still minding their roots in underground punk rock.
This album highlights something I've already mentioned, and that is this band's ability to constantly keep me on my toes with their music. The tempo changes keep the songs fresh and exciting every time, and they only become more accentuated during their live performances. You can feel the shift in the audience. It almost feels like a collective explosion of adrenaline when the chorus hits or the band goes into an instrumental break. THAT is when people start throwing elbows.
One thing I like to ask musicians about is what I call the "a-ha moment." The moment that they realize that maaaaybe they could do this forever. This question always yields the most interesting conversation in the entire interview, in my opinion. For Gestalt, that exact mosh pit, get-a-black-eye-for-fun energy is just fuel to the fire.
Zane described his a-ha moment as a show at Seventh Circle in Denver. The set was full of flailing people and crowd-surfing -- a chaotic energy that Zane never expected his music would create. That night, Zane was approached by a kid whose nose was definitely broken. That alone sent Zane into full Gestalt gear.
"Like holy shit, people are too hype for this, like bodily harm is happening. I didn't expect anything. I started [Gestalt] out of the love, you know, but it turned into something powerful .... something evil."
Now let's talk about Cooper. Cooper will crowdsurf while shredding on the instrumental break. Cooper will jump into the mosh pit when the beat drops. Cooper embraces the rock 'n roll lifestyle that Gestalt's shows create, elbows and all. So, when I directed the a-ha moment question towards him, I half-expected it to be some crazy story about any of those scenarios.
Instead, Cooper recalled the first time he saw Gestalt perform acoustic in Zane's backyard. He said the sound alone made joining the band his next goal.
"I thought, you know, they got something. Zane's got something going on. There was so much potential that I felt could be expanded."
Here's a shot from their mini-tour with Lady Denim in October, playing a slow tune at the Marquis Theater
One thing that I think really blew me away about the band was how truly humble they are. Like Zane said, he started this out of the love -- and that was seriously evident in the interview.
During Gestalt shows, it's as if the line between talent and consumer is completely wiped away. Their narrative onstage is casual and borderline hysterical.
Yet, this was something that I had honestly been noticing for a while now, since it's becoming more common with the close-knit local scene. Coming from Nashville, I'm used to big shows, bustling crowds and ginormous venues. The thought of being front row at any concert was nonexistent, much less actually getting to meet the band afterwards. In moving to Colorado, that belief was flipped on its head as I started getting closer to the stage in tighter venues.
When it boils down to the local music scene with bands like Gestalt, Cooper believes the tight community is their foundation. To Zane, the constant support and dedication that some of their fans have put into going to Gestalt shows will forever amaze him. The idea that people he has never seen before know him and want to meet hime astounds him to this day.
"You just establish that connection over the fact that they believe in you, despite having never met you."
Nicely summed up by Cooper, if you come to a Gestalt show, you're automatically their friend -- not another "fan."
And that is the energy I'm talking about. This is why I firmly believe this band tends to stand out from a lot of other local cats on the scene. This is why their chemistry is so easily transferred to any audience they are put in front of. In talking with Gestalt, I saw the genuine love they have for crafting and performing their music, putting some serious hard work into it. It felt as if the popularity they've been getting recently at shows is just a neat side effect to releasing their music. They do this solely for the artistic expression, as well as showing people a helluva good time -- and THAT is why you value local art, folks.
Finding the right words to do Gestalt justice has been a rollercoaster of a time. But, needless to say, working with these guys has been an absolute breeze. This band of friends is just downright cool. (I know, journalism major using the word "cool" in a super important article. I honestly don't know what other word I could use without getting down on one knee and kissing all four of their asses individually -- even though that's what they deserve. So, we'll keep it at the nonchalant "cool.") They are beyond talented, and they've grown into a brand new band from what they were six months ago. Credit where credit is due.
Gestalt has been working hard in the studio, given their recent social media activity. Zane and Cooper confirmed that all the studio time will pay off in dishing out some sick new NoCo sounds for the world to hear. I, personally, can't wait to see what this band will put out next.
Are there any bands you're just as obsessed with and want to see an interview with? What are your predictions for Gestalt's new music? Comment below!