Feb 14 Feature – Euforquestra

by Tim Wenger

Euforquestra might be a tough name to pronounce, but it’s easy to see why this Fort Collins based sextet has gained so much steam. Since getting their start in Iowa City, IA, the band moved to the big CO in 2008 and jumped head-first into the rapidly evolving music scene here. The band will be dropping their fourth studio album this March, followed by a plethora of touring to spread it around to as many ears and eyes as possible. Colorado Music Buzz has had an eye on these guys for quite a while, and decided that the time was right to pull the trigger and get acquainted the Euforquestra and what their plans are for what looks to be a big year in their career.

CMB: Let’s hear about the upcoming album- where was it recorded, how long did it take?

EQ: The new record was recorded and mixed at Scanhope Sound out in Littleton, CO. It’s a fairly new studio and is a great facility. They’ve got lots of great equipment and it’s run by two great engineers (Joel Scanlon and Josh Fairman). We tracked and mixed over several sessions starting in late August and wrapping in early December. We probably did about 20 days in the studio total. We mastered the record at AirShow Mastering in Boulder with Dominick Maita.

CMB: How was working with Kyle Hollingsworth?

EQ: Working with Kyle was great for us. He really jumped in helped us make a record that we’re very proud of. He helped us write and edit lyrics and melodies, tightened up forms and arrangements, but also encouraged us to experiment. We are fortunate to have developed a relationship with Kyle over the last several years so it was a very comfortable and creative experience.

CMB: Any plans for music videos or single releases?

EQ: Yes! Both! We are going to release the album in March and we’ll release the first single prior to that. We are currently working on storyboards and pre-production for the first video, which will accompany that single. We’ve got several ideas for other videos coming up and we’re excited to push that medium a little harder with this record.

CMB: How does the record differ from what you have done previously?

EQ: I think this is the funkiest music we’ve written to date. It’s also our strongest songwriting and our best studio work. We listened to a lot of great music to prepare for this album and found a lot of inspiration in different tones and studio techniques. We really poured our hearts and souls in to this one, as did Kyle, and the result is something that we’re very excited to share with the world.

CMB: Your music is pretty diverse and eclectic, would you consider yourselves part of the “jam” scene or perhaps something else?

EQ: Yes, I consider us part of the jam scene, but I do not consider us a jam band. Our music is structured and tight, but we keep it loose and open up for improvisation in spots. The great thing about the jam scene is that it is very eclectic and the fans are very open-minded. They want to hear all kinds of things when they go to a show, so you end up with festivals that have all kinds of great music… reggae, jazz, funk, bluegrass, folk, fusion, electronic, indie rock, etc. And that’s just a start. A lot of festivals even book comedians and other forms of entertainment, which I think is cool.

With many CO bands across genre lines making big footprints nationally, what are your thoughts on the local scene here along the front range? Do you think we are at a peak, or still on the rise?

The scene here is amazing right now. You’ve got bands like The Lumineers, Pretty Lights and Big Gigantic that are really blowing up incredibly fast and helping to keep Colorado in high-standing on the national scene, but there’s also an insane amount of local talent with tons of up-and-coming potential. It’s an honor to be a part of it. One of my favorite things about the local scene is that it’s very communal. It’s community, not competition. I think that’s part of why we were drawn here.

CMB: What else is coming up for 2014?

EQ: We will release the album in March and then tour to support it. We are going to release singles and make videos to go along with the record as well, so we will really be promoting it hard. The first video is the pre-production and planning stage right now and we excited to get it moving!

CMB: When you first got going, who were some of the clubs, promoters, etc. that gave you a shot?

EQ: Our band started in Iowa City, IA and at the time we only had a couple places to play. There was The Green Room and The Yacht Club. Blake and Scott (owner’s of the clubs, respectively) were the guys that gave us a most of our early gigs when we were still very young. The first big festival we ever played was SummerCamp in Chillicothe, IL and it was a great experience. On our first trip to Colorado a few years later we met and played a show with The Motet at the Blue Door in Snowmass, CO.  Then, on our next trip to CO, Dave had us open for The Motet at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. That was a big moment for us because we still hadn’t played a theatre like that, and we’ve always been grateful for the support that The Motet crew has given us.

CMB: What originally brought you guys from Iowa to CO, and why Fort Collins?

EQ: We met a lot of great people when we started touring around Colorado and the music community seemed to dig what we do. People were very welcoming and encouraging. But it was also a lifestyle choice. The music industry is great out here, but so is the weather. Several of our original members grew up vacationing in Colorado, so we’ve been drawn this way for a long time. Fort Collins was an easy place for us to move because it has similar vibe to Iowa City. It’s a great college town. Austin (sax) and I live in Denver now but the rest of the crew is still in Foco and we still rehearse up there.

CMB: What are some of the strongest markets for you when on the road?

EQ: There are a lot places across the Midwest where we do well. Iowa is obviously great for us since it’s where we’ve got our roots. But we also love places like Chicago, St. Louis, Madison, Minneapolis, etc. In Colorado, our best market and favorite place to play is Durango. Every time we go there it just gets better and more insane. We usually sell out the theatre and our friend Eugene Salaz from Durango Massive Productions always knows how to take care of a band.

CMB: What do the members have going on individually right now?

EQ: We all have different musical side projects that we work with and we tend to keep ourselves pretty busy in our personal lives too. We all do miscellaneous work to make ends meet too. Some of the guys teach private lessons on their instrument. I do a lot of graphic design work. Also, Austin got married last summer and Matt (keys) and I are both getting married later this year so that’s super exciting. We are lucky to be doing what we love and to have the support of all our families and friends.

CMB: Do you feel that marijuana legalization is a good thing for show business?

EQ: I certainly don’t think it will hurt show business. I think it will increase Colorado tourism for a while and will probably open up doors for the same thing to happen in other parts of the country. It’s important for people in Colorado and Washington to remember that it’s our responsibility to set a good example of what this can do. It’s not just about the delightfully intoxicating effects of cannabis, it also has the potential to do wonders for the local economy. Let’s enjoy it responsibly and make the most of this opportunity to be the leaders of a new movement.

Online: euforquestra.com