Is it too early to begin making New Year’s Eve plans? I don’t think so. If I were going to be in Denver this New Year’s Eve, I would probably try to go see The Devil Whale, Pink Hawks, Royally Out, and Paper Bird at The Oriental Theater on 44^th Avenue. 

Paper Bird is putting the show together, and the rootsy, Americana group has recently been reviewed in detail by another writer on this network. I will focus on the other bands.

The Devil Whale is an upbeat diy rock group from Salt Lake City. Denver has loads of incredible music, but it’s real value is in the networking Denver venues do with the other great cities of the west. Check out The Devil Whale’s Facebook or BandCamp page for some incredibly well written and produced songs. You can download Golden for free or by the whole album for nine dollars.

The Pink Hawks are quite a bit jazzier and definitely more dance-able. Denver natives, this 12 person group is full of interesting Reggae, Afro-Beat, and Latin influences. It really all comes together better than you’d expect. I love that organ.

Royally Out is a puppet show! It was hard to find much about them online, but the picture on their Facebook suggest that this is a much more artistic endeavor than your typical children’s puppet show. That’s a relief. Puppeteering should not be a dying art.

This show has a lot of different genres and arts to offer. If you don’t have New Year’s Eve plans, of if you’re New Year’s Eve plans seem awful, go to this show! It will be great.