Check out the bands from the 2011 Taste of Fort Collins:

Third Eye Blind

Since 1997, San Francisco’s Third Eye Blind have recorded three best-selling albums and assembled one career retrospective. 3EB will release ’Ursa Major’, their first studio collection in five years, in autumn 2009.

Led by Stephan Jenkins, 3EB won wide success during a tumultuous group of years when the major-label recording industry was finally losing its grip on an enterprise that for decades it had dominated with steely efficiency. Nothing could have made 3EB happier! 3EB, however, have experienced no comparable loss. Instead, they have gained artistic clarification -- and, surprisingly, a fan base larger than ever.

Participation in the older, untouchable realm of nervous star-making and could color a band’s identity. In the case of 3EB, it often blurred the perception of their brilliant musical creations. In recent years, those creations have recast the band among a current generation of fans.

3EB now write, tour, record, and communicate in a fluid new world where their music continues naturally to evolve. Their exchange with their audience is unfiltered.

Fierce Bad Rabbit

When Fierce Bad Rabbit formed in 2009, regional media called them a “supergroup.” The standout talent of each member of the band was already well established in Northern Colorado. But supergroups are engineered by record labels. The members of Fierce Bad Rabbit were magnetically drawn together to create indie pop music with a hook and a heart.

Featuring Chris Anderson (vocals/guitar/piano), Alana Rolfe (viola/vocals), Dayton Hicks (bass), and Adam Pitner (drums/percussion), Fierce Bad Rabbit found regional success nearly immediately after coming together. Songwriting came natural, and the band soon released a self-titled EP that had airplay before it hit the streets. They were voted “Best Indie Rock” by peers in the Fort Collins Musicians Association, and Westword nominated the band for “Best Indie Pop.” They performed at the 2011 South by Southwest in Austin, received featured airplay on stations throughout the region, and were selected for the inaugural class of SpokesBUZZ Fort Collins, a non-profit that raises awareness of Fort Collins as a music hub.

The Heyday

Formed in 2006, The Heyday spent their early days honing their soulful sound into an honest but radio-friendly new take on rock and roll. Critics called the band’s debut record the “epitome of radio-friendly rock” and predicted that The Heyday would become the next-generation Fray. Their all-American, guitar-driven brand of pop rock has prompting a steady stream of shows stretching from Fort Collins to Florida.

Sunday Headliner: Steven Page, formerly of Barenaked Ladies 

Legend has it that Steven Page was a member of the little-known but critically lauded band of Canadian troubadours once known as Barenaked Ladies. He has composed the score for three productions at Canada’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and in 2005 he released his first solo album, The Vanity Project. He has recently struck out on his own full-time and has two recordings due this year, as well as much concert-touring. 

Buckner Funken Jazz

Buckner Funken Jazz is bringing old-school be-bop and funk energy to new audiences. There aren't any original Denver bands that can seamlessly transition through Miles and Monk to Maceo, and back again, the way BFJ does. Their sets can blow up the party or implode with quiet intensity. With a lineup of younger brother Ron Buckner (B-6) (on bass), Bobby Hill (percussion), Tyson Nemechek (tenor sax), Chester Owens (guitar), Dave Hutchings (synths and piano), Amber Hutchings (vocal) and Tony Davis  (drums), Buckner has cultivated a band that celebrates the roots while exploring new ground. "Denver is changing," Buckner says. "It is growing by leaps and bounds. So there is opportunity for performers to grow out of the Denver scene to the national level." Denver is welcoming its newest overnight success, 30 years in the making.

SHEL 

The Love Royale 

The amazing local talent is booked - check the daily schedule for line-ups.

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