Dec. 5, 2023
Story by Slade Rand
Yugs gathered loved ones and local artists for an hours-long group hug at Lost Lake Lounge this weekend.
Silver Screen Fantasy joined Citizen Tempest and a tight-knit gang at the Colfax venue to celebrate Yugs’ golden birthday ahead of the Denver stalwart’s own headlining performance.
Yugs summoned an array of local musicians for three sets of music overflowing with creative collaboration. A beacon on the Denver scene, the 27-year-old is a musician, producer and manager – and he wants his friends to dance.
Citizen Tempest and Silver Screen Fantasy got the birthday throw-down going, giving kudos to Yugs’ ability to bring people together throughout their opening sets.
Silver Screen Fantasy gifted mingling music fans with its first-ever live performance as the party started Thursday night.
Sliver Screen Fantasy is Chris Voss on guitar and vocals, Will Carman on drums and Nick Moulds on bass guitar. Carman and Moulds have played together in Ghost Tapes for years, though Moulds swaps his guitar for the bass onstage with Silver Screen Fantasy. The project came together as a trio this year, blossoming from Voss’s solo music and his studio production gig at the Salt Lick.
The trio’s triumphant debut show began with a deep breath and original songs “Sleepwalking Pts. 1 and 2.” Jazzy arrangements and warm guitar define a Silver Screen Fantasy show, with danceable grooves emerging from clever songwriting.
Original songs ‘Tapestry’ and ‘Tundra’ showcased Voss’s unique arrangements and songwriting talent for the early, energetic crowd gathered at Lost Lake. ‘Tundra’ built force and Voss invited the crowd to mosh during the rocker that strayed from the tone of his more introspective compositions.
Live ink drop projections by Pigment Pond swirled on the venue walls while the trio’s live debut unfolded, a constant reminder of local collaboration fueling Yugs’ birthday bash.
“It’s a room full of people I love,” Voss said after Silver Screen Fantasy’s set.
Silver Screen Fantasy played newly-released ‘Orbit’ toward the end of the party’s opening performance. The band shared a music video for ‘Orbit’ in October.
“It’s great to feel it permeate the room,” Voss said.
Yellow birthday balloons and rubber ducks bounced among the crowd readying itself for Yugs’ headlining set. Citizen Tempest hit the stage next, exploding with passionate club-rock energy.
Alex Creighton led the band on vocals and guitar, with Gavin Varner on bass guitar and Brad Willard on drums. The trio gave a fiery performance of new track ‘All in My Head,’ released this week on streaming services.
Loud, rapid-fire bass plucked along with effects-heavy guitar and vulnerable lyrics during Citizen Tempest’s hour-long birthday gift to Yugs. The crowd swayed together and sang along on cue, honing in on the special night’s energy.
Yoni Gottlieb earned his nickname ‘Yugs’ years ago, but the moniker’s become a symbol for dancing with friends and remembering to laugh. Yugs was born and raised in Denver, and he had some family by his side Thursday night at Lost Lake Lounge.
His mother Gabriela Kaufmann Gottlieb is a lifelong pianist born in Santiago, Chile, and held down a front-row-center spot at Lost Lake. Yugs said his great-grandmother also played piano – it runs in the family.
Yugs began his set behind the keyboard.
“I’m Yugs, like hugs with a ‘Y.’ Enjoy the show,” he said.
Yugs honored his mother’s roots with a cover of Chilean standard early in his set, both beaming wide through the rendition. The band helped Yugs celebrate all of his favorite music, including a cover of The Strokes’ ‘Someday’ that welcomed a friendly mosh pit.
“Sometimes we need permission to push people around a little bit,” Yugs said before delivering the Strokes classic. “It’s like therapy.”
The birthday band featured Baz Gillen on drums, Aaron Marfizo on guitar and keys and Kyle Loeffler on bass guitar. The in-sync quartet called on some musical pals from the crowd to join onstage as the party rolled on.
Creighton returned not long after wrapping the Citizen Tempest set to deliver he and Yugs’ newest song, ‘Tears on my Bed,’ released earlier this month.
“Everyone who played tonight had a hand in this song,” Yugs said as Creighton climbed onstage.
Yugs recorded ‘Tears on my Bed’ with Voss of Silver Screen Fantasy and wrote the song with Creighton. The collective released a music video for the track this month.
Yugs said the track will be on his next album, ‘Dancing in My Room,’ which is due next year.
The headlining birthday set rolled on with another guest appearance by iies., delivering freestyle raps over a beat Yugs started on his keyboard and Gillen picked up with gusto behind the kit.
Before saying goodbye and sharing embraces with fans, family and co-creators, Yugs gifted the Lost Lake crowd with one more new track, ‘Filet Mignon.’ Yugs, of course, wrote and recorded the song with friends in the band Pool Sharks also on the birthday guest list.
Listen to ‘Filet Mignon’ here, and follow Creighton’s organization Coastless Creatives on socials to stay in the loop.
Citizen Tempest plays with Tulpa and Blankslate at Skylark Lounge on Thursday (12/7) opening for Daisychain. Access tickets and other details here.
After Midnight 
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