Words: Slade Rand
Photos: Jon Angel
The Hip Snacks have had a big year.
The Denver band released its first album, played both Cervantes’ stages and married its bassist to its lead singer. On Saturday night, The Hip Snacks opened up a sold-out rager in the Ballroom ahead of Arkansauce and fellow locals Clay Street Unit.
The Hip Snacks are Dylan French on drums, Kara Durante on lead vocals, Felipe Cantuaria and Ricky Feria on guitar, Ben Suarez on bass and Adam Schini on keys. The close friends and bandmates are helping newlyweds Kara and Ben celebrate the “honeymoon tour” this month, with local gigs in Colorado and a hometown bash back East.
The band formed in Denver about two years ago and played its live debut at Globe Hall in May 2023. The Hip Snacks shared some favorite cuts from their first few shows on a live release. Earlier this year they helped kick off a night of funk on the Cervantes’ Other Side stage.
The Hip Snacks opened Saturday’s set with the sweeping keys of ‘Pieces,’ off the debut album ‘What Lies Ahead’ released this summer. Kara’s vocals start to soar quickly on this one, and new listeners in the Cervantes’ crowd moved in closer as they caught some of the band’s magic.
The six-piece makes soulful music that’s easy to dance to. They smoothly build energy while letting each member find their own groove.
They dropped into funkier gear with ‘New Groove’ next, also off this summer’s ‘What Lies Ahead.’ Kara sang from center while Ricky played a white Fender to her left and Felipe donned his PRS in that stage right Cervantes’ corner.
PBS 12 filmed Saturday’s local bash at Cervantes’ for its Sounds on 29th series that showcases “Colorado’s finest new bands.” The station captured both the Hip Snacks’ and Clay Street Unit’s sets, and will release concert video soon here.
The Hip Snacks recorded their debut album and then played it live for an audience during a week in late January at Colorado Sound Studios. Five days of recording lead to an in-studio dinner party and performance dubbed ‘The Tasting Room.’
Click here to read our story on The Hip Snacks debut album.
Saturday night at Cervantes, the Hip Snacks took a new tune for a spin after a couple favorites from ‘What Lies Ahead.’
The new song, which doesn’t have a name yet, is one of the band’s best written. Kara powered through a chorus about a life changed by love, and the six-piece launched the Southern rock tune into space with a swooning jam. Dylan and Ben locked in and started knocking loudly beneath another fiery Ricky solo.
Brad Larrison of Clay Street Unit leant some extra love from the pedal steel during a cover of Tedeschi Trucks Band’s ‘Soul Sweet Song’ midway through the Hip Snacks set. Brad melded naturally with his Denver neighbors onstage, who harmonized over uplifting keys and swampy slide guitar.
Clay Street Unit later came out swinging after a warmup set of bluegrass from Arkansauce.
Lead singer Sam Walker welcomed the rowdy crowd, and the band lit Cervantes up with its version of The Last Revel’s ‘Engine Trouble.’ Clay Street cut its take on the song at Mighty Fine Studios for a single earlier this year, ahead of a record on the way. The Unit also played ‘Weight of the World’ and ‘Tired of Being Tired’ off 2022 release ‘A Mighty Fine Evening’ at Cervantes on Saturday night.
Clay Street Unit is Jack Cline on five-string banjo, Sam on guitar and lead vocals, Will Kortaba on bass, Brad on pedal steel, Brendan Lamb on drums and Scottie Bolin on mandolin and vocals. They’ve been playing what they call “Good Folk’n Country,” together in Denver for just over three years.
They fired off a lively set that went late into Saturday night at Cervantes, riled even further midway through by a long sit-in from friend and Infamous Stringdusters banjoist Chris Pandolfi.
The big string band took a high-speed romp through J.J. Cale’s ‘After Midnight’ with Chris, and a Stringdusters tune taboot. Sam’s vocal chops shined on covers of ‘Hurricane’ by Leon Everette and ‘Seminole Wind’ by John Anderson.
Locals can catch Clay Street Unit in Buena Vista on Dec. 7, before a pair of ski town shows in Winter Park and Steamboat Dec. 27-28. The band plays New Year’s Eve at Zuni West in Crested Butte, and this week announced a January run of shows taking them back East. Check out the full tour here.
The Hip Snacks continue on the honeymoon tour this month in Colorado. They play Oskar Blues in the Springs on Nov. 16 and then the Velvet Elker Lounge in Boulder on Nov. 21 with our good friends River Spell. On Nov. 23 they’ll be in Pueblo, CO at Brues Alehouse.
For East Coast music fans, The Hip Snacks play the Bethesda Theater in Bethesda, Maryland as part of the Maggie Annual Rose Christmas Concert on Dec. 21.
See a full gallery from Cervantes ‘shot by Jon Angel below.
After Midnight 
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