It’s a real nice place with a view, nobody else, just a recording of Schema Things at Lost Lake!
Lost Lake was bursting at the seams for Schema Things’ first sold-out headlining show at the venue. After explosive sets from openers Splendid Blend and Denver’s premier two-flute experience, Trusetto, the stage was set for Schema Things to bring the bounce to Colfax to close out the evening.
The band wasted no time as they launched into their first song, “September Santa”, featuring a rousing rendition of “When The Saints Go Marching” that permeated through the composition, driving the melody and the crowd’s energy with emphatic force. This ultimately led to the biggest jam of the evening in “Ishtar Dances”, an original that put on full display the band’s ability to craft a jamtronica jam with expert precision and pacing. The jam also gave the band an opportunity to turn fans into followers with some set list antics, as the outro contained the dyslexic completions of their original “Mt. W” from previously unfinished performances on 9/30 and 11/25. Next up, the band kicked into a song-sandwich featuring “Cunaxa” book-ending the uncontainable force that is the band’s anthemic original, “Sharcano”.
Once the eruption subsided, the band wasted no time launching into the second largest improvisational journey of the evening, an expansive take on the Wabikinoset original “Yeoman’s Theme”. The tune bubbled slowly to the surface with sparkling keys and throbbing rhythms before bursting into the main riff to launch the tune into its stratospheric expedition. The song built a steady foundation of layered themes and interactive tension-release moments culminating in several fiery peaks.
The set continued with the band inviting up percussionist JayQuist to assist with a take on “March Of The Interior”, a high-energy romp with ominous lyrics urging listeners to march on to Babylon before thrusting them into a furiously chaotic jam that featured JayQuist and drummer Ben Cummings collaborating on a rhythmic foundation of epic proportions. At the end of the set, the band then invited out members of Trusetto to assist with “Lola’s Theme”, which proved a celebration of all the musical genres on display that evening. The interplay between the jamtronica synths, the atmospheric flutes, and punctuated horns, brought out a personality this song may have never known otherwise. The band then returned to encore with a take on “Nice Place With A View” from their debut album “Human Era”. The song was a bold choice as the band hadn’t rehearsed it or played it since 2020, but that proved a non-issue for the band who performed it with ease, giving fans one final tune to dance to before calling it a night.
Schema Things brings a fresh perspective on the jamtronica genre. The Denver live music scene can often times feel saturated with bands trying to deliver an improvisational experience in an accessible package. Frequently their efforts translate to some variant of jam funk. But in an ocean of phish, Schema Things strives to be a sea biscuit, resulting in a sound that pays homage to the pioneers before them while bringing something fresh to the table. Their sense of melody, pacing, and tonal sensibilities separate them from their peers. Their ability to craft improvisational moments that are just as danceable as they are sonically pleasing is a testament to their understanding of the genre, and their execution leaves little to be desired. Their willingness to take chances with the set list selection and jams shows a band willing to put in the work to set themselves apart. In the sea of Denver music, Schema Things are a catch above the rest.
Schema Things | 2023-01-21 | Lost Lake Lounge, Denver, CO
-= One Set =-
01. September Santa (Saints Go Marching)
02. Ishtar Dances[1]
03. Cunaxa >
04. Sharcano[2] >
05. Cunaxa
06. Yeoman’s Theme
07. March To The Interior[3]
08. Lola’s Theme (The Shapeshifters cover)[4]
-= Encore =-
09. Nice Place With A View[5]
Show Notes: This was a headlining set. Splendid Blend opened the show followed by Trusetto. The show was sold out. Danny Chappa sat-in for Nik Francis on guitar for the entire show. The show was sold out.
Taper Notes: FOB DFC mics raised around 7′ PAS. Board feed from USB stick.
[1] “Ishtar Dances” contained dyslexic completinos from 9/30/22 and 11/25/22 versions
[2] “Sharcano” was inverted
[3] “March To The Interior” featured JaQuist on addiontal percussion
[4] “Lola’ Theme” featured Carley Cusack (Trusetto) on vocals and flute, Nathan Nast (Trusetto) on trumpet, Zeina Toure (Trusetto) on saxophone, and JayQuist on additional percussion.
[5] “Nice Place With A View” was last performed in 2020 and was unrehearsed.
Thanks to Schema Things and Lost Lake for being cool with taping/sharing shows. Go see live music and tip your bartenders! #spacetapes
