Today was a blast. Cheyenne has a thriving music scene pulsating through the underground. Only a few really understand how great it is, but I assure you it lives strong along with our vibrant arts.

The day kicked off with the 2024 Cheyenne Arts Celebration, which keeps getting better and better every year.

Ocean Plains kicked it off and came in strong with some great originals. He delivered delicately crafted singer-songwriter music with an upbeat vibe and incredible vocal performance. He even performed a killer song by fellow Cheyenne musician Mason McTell. Check out the new Ocean Plains video.

YOTP followed with their brand of music that is reminiscent of a fusion of Velvet Underground, Black Sabbath, and a touch of Bauhaus.

The Peculiar Patriots were next. This was my first time seeing them, but I’ve known Niles forever. Incredible musician and all around awesome dude. I have also played shows with other bands that featured the drummer Thomas. They cooked up some great danceable jazzy vibes and a memorable performance.

Avenue were after them. But unfortunately I missed them due to a slight rain event. But I did catch Onwuka and DJ Hans who followed Avenue.

Onwuka is a talented local MC who delivered tight hip hop that any pop culture con fan would love. Some moments reminded me of Mega Ran’s ability to tap into our childhood with comic references and great celebrations of hometown dreams.  

Alt-country folk outfit Jason Buchanan & the Short Timers gave a solid performance of originals and covers. Fans of Nathaniel Rateliff and alt country may appreciate. I may be biased though as Cheyenne legend and personal longtime friend Jake Williams delivered a solid back beat at today’s performance.

Shout out to Mike Morris, and the rest of Cheyenne Arts (Including my pal, the talented J O’Brien) who really go above and beyond to bring culture to the forefront of the Magic City. Adam Bender and crew mixed a consistent sound throughout the day that never missed a step. It was also great to see local artists cheering on the each other.

Jenny and I also talked to several artists throughout the day. Chad Blakely, who does incredible comic art and has done several posters for our previous band, Sunnydale High, had some captivating guitar pieces. Steve Knox and his mixed media tea bag art was a crowd favorite and a great conversation.

We also chat with artists such as Rhiannon Knight who has adorable comic renderings. (Her crew was awesome as well); Sarah Bee Designs had adorable art; we also chatted with Danielle Kirby who has incredible vibrant paintings encapsulating Wyoming in its truest form; and Cari Faye Antonovich who delivers passionate cyanotype prints on display that were truly moving. I was in awe by the effort she spent to make these incredible prints. A must follow for anyone.

Even though we desperately wanted to see headliner Kayla Marque per local musician Josh Gonzalez ‘s excellent recommendation, we were booked to go see local acts AJAK and an anonymous band called RUNT.  

At the show, we also ran into Resident Rock Star Magazine’s Ashley and her crew who came up from Colorado. It was great to hear how much they loved shows in Cheyenne. I can’t wait to get her take on such an awesome experience. Be sure to check out what they do!

AJAK gave a solid guitar driven rock performance. In fact, it was possibly one of the best performances I’ve got to see them play. The three-piece is constantly laying down driving tracks that is sure to get the crowd moving along.

Our night ended with RUNT’s high energy and infectious beats that shook all the fans to their core. This is the loud post-hardcore band that should be on everybody’s radar.  Fans of metal, punk and indie may appreciate their voracious playing and incredible ability to make everyone in the audience bounce with them. No one knows who they are, but every one who sees them will not forget their name.

I’d like to end this by saying it is great to see local musicians and artists supporting each other. When I see folks like WINCT in the audience clapping to a variety of musicians or when Steve Knox tells me to be sure to walk around and chat with the up and coming artists who aren’t big, that’s what warms my hear and makes me proud. To be successful, you must shout out your peers and raise them up too. To be the loudest band, you need to be the loudest cheerleader. So let’s cheer each other on.

Love and Squalor – Seneca