SPACE BACON EXCURSIONS | DENVER | 2021
Written by Zachary Andrew Franck
Photos by Rocky Montano Photography
I was on an airplane, being propelled through the sky at 35,968 feet, headed to Denver International Airport. The purpose of my trip? Five nights in the Mile High City, both business and pleasure. My mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts as I looked out the window. There were a lot of emotions running through me. Overall, it was an unwavering sense of palpable excitement. This would be a monumental chapter in the ongoing story of Space Bacon, and I was eager to help write it. For me, this excursion to Colorado was different from those of the past. I wasn’t going to waste another trip in a dingy room at the Ramada Inn, magnetized to a twenty pounder and a plate full of who knows what. It was time to put my newfound clarity to the test. But I digress…
What ended up taking place was even better than expected. All four members of Bacon brought their A game, showing off their full range of sonic weaponry for a packed room of new fans. From the first jam of the first night, it was electric. Simply put, you cannot fake the feeling of a room – when sparks fly, sparks fly. The symbiosis of a band and crowd isn’t a reflection of a venue’s size or the stage production, it’s a primal connection… a wavelength of creative energy that is passed back and forth between the stage and dancefloor. Sure, it may sound like some heady hippy-dippy bullshit, but it’s an unmistakable truth. Does it happen at every show? No, but it happened this past weekend and anyone there can attest to it.
One of the most memorable moments of the run took place during the first set of the second night. A band shows their true colors when they’re faced with a little adversity. So, when guitarist Jack Willard broke his A string after a fiery peak, it gave the band a chance to show the crowd what they’re about. After all, spontaneity is the spice of life (and music). Keyboardist Chris Gironda instantly quarterbacked a play for bassist Kevin LeGall and drummer Sam Crespo to run the ball straight up the middle. They slammed as a trio for a few minutes without losing any. Then Jack returned to the field and put the ball in the endzone, and the crowd went absolutely wild.
I’ve watched the band continuously evolve over the years. The latest incarnation of their sound may be their biggest leap yet. When Jack added a MIDI keyboard to his rig at Safe n Soundz this past summer, they uncovered another layer and struck gold in the process. There wasn’t some elaborate plan behind the addition, he just wanted to see what would happen and his curiosity paid off. Six months later, he and Chris synced up on a deeper level and treated a lively Colorado crowd to the newly unlocked digital realm of Space Bacon.
I could sit here and write about “song title” > “song title” like I (and so many others) have done in recaps one-hundred or so times, but I’m not interested in doing that for this Bacon run. When it comes to these Denver shows, I want new (and old) fans to listen to the soundboards and discover the magic themselves. Whether you like thumping four-on-the-floor, emotionally charged rock n’ roll, headbanging metal, grooved out pockets of bliss, Euro dungeon trance that shakes the floor… it’s all in there. If you’d prefer to watch multi-angle videos of these shows, you’ll be able to find them on the band’s Youtube channel.
Instead I want to capture the journey of a band and their crew as they reach for new heights. The rollercoaster ride of emotions, the shared successes, the laughter, the madness, the adventures, but most of all, the natural high of creating something with your friends that people actually love – etching something into time and space that nobody can ever take; in a world that is fueled by pursuit, these things are worth their weight in gold. While some people sit on the sidelines of life and throw stones, others take risks and work to build something that lasts.
After a crazy two years of high expectations and vast disappointment, all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. This Denver run was an inside look as to what Bacon is bringing to the table in Philadelphia and Chicago. They’re thrilled to end this unpredictable year strong with shows in two of their favorite cities. Everything is clicking again and they couldn’t do it without their fans. After this weekend, I realized that I will never get tired of watching this band captivate the minds of new fans through exploratory improvisation. Thank you to all the Colorado kids that came out and made the team feel at home, I am sure Space Bacon will be back sooner than later. For now, it is on to Philadelphia.
- Zachary Andrew Franck
