The Belly Up Aspen

The Velveteers bring a visceral energy to their explosive sophomore album, A Million Knives, loaded with blistering rock anthems infused with melodic indie songwriting. With GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Dan Auerbach at the helm, the Boulder, CO trio encapsulates the raw, forceful, and profoundly heavy power of their live performances and laser-focuses a spotlight on tightly crafted songs as they carve out their own distinctive niche.

Driving The Velveteers is the commanding presence of frontwoman Demi Demitro, a no-bullshit, five-foot-something spitfire with thunderous guitar riffs and soaring vocals, backed by the incendiary duo of Baby Pottersmith and Johnny Fig on drums. The band’s signature dual drum setup creates a thunderous foundation that propels their gritty, dynamic garage rock sound. On A Million Knives, this setup melds seamlessly with a more modern indie rock influence–the attitude of Wolf Alice, the colossal sound of Queens of the Stone Age, and the singular lyrical voice of Hole.

The Velveteers have built a dedicated following through relentless touring and electrifying performances, sharing stages with renowned acts such as Smashing Pumpkins, The Black Keys, Greta Van Fleet, Guns N’ Roses, and Des Rocs. With A Million Knives, The Velveteers offer a compelling testament to their rising stardom, a rock ‘n’ roll album as beautiful as it is electrifying.

SKORTS is a product of creative chemistry and sweet serendipity. The foundation for the band was laid when lead singer and guitarist Alli Walls made what she calls her “big romantic gesture to music” and moved from Denver to New York City in 2021. Upon arrival, she hit it off with Char Smith (lead guitar) at a local guitar shop, and the duo laid down some demos. Char connected with Emma Welch outside a bar, and just like that, the band had their bassist. 

While coming from different corners of the country, and bringing different performance backgrounds, what these band members share is a deep commitment to their art and to each other. Rock ‘n’ roll is more than a genre; it’s also an ethos. And SKORTS is a group built on heart and on hustle—one that can’t help but lay it all out on the line.

Since that first show, SKORTS hasn’t stopped. For the last few years, the band has been everywhere, riding the wave they’ve swirled up themselves while forging their sound on stages across New York City—earning the title of Oh My Rockness’s Hardest Working Band in 2024; taking the crown at Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness battle-of-the-bands tournament that same year; and catching the eye and ear of radio icon Alisa Ali, who invited them to record a live session for 90.7 WFUV in early 2025. The band––completed by drummer Max Berdik– has also been cutting their teeth on tour, packing bigger and bigger rooms with returning fans and new recruits, all keen to stake their claim and earn the right to say I knew them when.