K. Flay

K. Flay

The path to self-discovery is often littered with obstacles – a journey one must make on his or her own terms. This was no different for K.Flay, who found her sound only after climbing over more than a handful of roadblocks. The indie hip-hop musician, born Kristine Flaherty, had released two mix tapes and three EPs, but was trapped on the roster of a major label that wouldn’t commit to an album. So at the end of 2013, Flay unhooked herself from the label and began writing songs for what would become the most cohesive, truest representation of herself – her debut album, Life As A Dog.

Prior to leaving the label, K.Flay had been living in San Francisco and then Brooklyn. In January, she left her apartment and holed up in a rehearsal space in downtown Los Angeles, isolating herself to see what sort of songs emerged. What had previously been a discouraging spiral was remedied by the process of making music without expectations or preconceptions. She found herself more awake, reinvigorated by the inspiration behind her songwriting. “I started sending demos to my manager,” K.Flay says. “It felt natural. It felt like this was the sound. I think of this album as a return to where my head was at when I first got signed. It’s still a hip hop record but it’s also an alternative record, a pop record.”

The songs were inspired by experiences during, and surrounding, K.Flay’s extensive touring, both with artists like Passion Pit, Icona Pop, 3Oh!3 and Theophilus London, and at festivals like Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Governor’s Ball. “For me, the live show is the crux of the project. It’s that moment when anything is possible, when people interact with your songs in an entirely visceral & unpredictable way.” It was the fans she made along the way that helped fund the recording process. When Flaherty asked her supporters for help in putting out the record, her crowd-funding campaign goal was reached in only six days.

Life As A Dog is imbued with that sense of betterment as K.Flay tries to reconcile the tension between being up to no good and also searching to find the good in everything. “There’s a hopefulness to the songs, like, ‘I fucked up today but I can do better tomorrow,’” explains Flaherty. “Can’t Sleep,” a propulsive, moody number, reflects on the anxiety of missing out, and how that can lead to self-destruction. “Wishing It Was You” harkens back to the musician’s youth, inspired by her admiration for Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyville. “Thicker Than Dust” is an ode to friendship, a thumping recollection of the people K.Flay has connected with during her years of travel. A handful of these friends became the collaborators for the album, including Billboard (Robyn, B.o.B., Britney Spears), Justyn Pilbrow (The Neighbourhood) and Sam Spiegel (Maroon 5, N.A.S.A), and K.Flay laid the tracks down in LA, New York and San Francisco, which she refers to as the “epicenters” of her life.

With her debut album in hand, K.Flay now embarks on this year’s 20th Anniversary of Vans Warped Tour. She will continue touring through the end of the year, doing what she loves best – bringing her energetic live show to new and old fans alike.

NIGHT RIOTS

Alternative rock from San Luis Obispo, California

Wheelchair Sports Camp

Wheelchair Sports Camp, the Denver based pseudo hip-hop band is Kalyn as MC/producer, Abi McGaha Miller as vocalist/saxophone, brother Isaac as live rhythm, and Christopher Behm-Meyer as DJ B*Money. The band unknowingly started in the summer of 1997 when Kalyn moved back from Burbank, CA to her Denver hometown and was invited to attend and corrupt the 14th annual week-long Wheelchair Sports Camp. Having grown-up listening to TLC, Salt -n- Pepa, Missy Elliot and The Pharcyde despite her parent's recommendations, Kalyn entered a talent show at the age of 12 rapping originial rhymes over a cassette of herself beatboxing. After meeting Abi and later brother Isaac in college, Kalyn combined talents to create a more live, jazzy, funky, combination to the traditional hip-hop group. And after hitting their groove with DMC national finalist DJ B*Money, they had everything a group could need to call themselves a good band. The unconventional setup of live instruments, turntables and Kalyn's produced beats, presents a polished sound unique to the hip hop game with old-school lyrics that maintain a sarcastic yet independent and heavy consciousness. After playing for a few years around the Denver metro area, the group has been fortunate enough to share the stage with headliners and mentors like Raekwon, Rahzel, Zion I, Souls Of Mischief, good friend One Be Lo & Binary Star, Blueprint, Mr. Dibbs, Macklemore, DubConscious, Pep Love, Astronautalis and many more. The band has played outside home in places including New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and continues to expand their fanbase in further markets.
Wheelchair Sports Camp persists to stay passionate about many causes, playing shows to raise money and awareness to prevent domestic violence, support Haiti relief efforts, promote equality, advocate an end to the war in the Middle East, aid the homeless, and The OCCUPY Denver movement as well. Taking a nod from one of their favorite artists Radiohead, Wheelchair Sports Camp always has free or pay what you can CDs available at shows for fans. "If you can't afford music or food, steal it!" has been their motto since inception. Their goal is to spread their music like wildfire, and they encourage their fans to share and borrow creativity in hopes to conserve a free culture. To them, it's the only way to keep their music headed in the right direction without allowing money and greed to interfere with the creative process.

Venue Information:
Hi-Dive
7 S. Broadway
Denver, CO, 80209
http://www.hi-dive.com/