Sofar Sounds secretive shows are an incubator for diverse talent

“There it goes with the wind, there it goes with the wind,” a masked audience of about 20 sings on a snowy January night in Denver. Boulder-based musician Bob Barrick, playing under the stage name Kingdom Jasmine, then repeats the beginning of the chorus: 

“Hold me close my darling / ’Cause I don’t know if this is going to be the end / We worked hard for all we had,” he sings, lightly strumming his acoustic guitar. 

“There it goes with the wind, there it goes with the wind,” the crowd sings together again. 

Playing the song for the first time, Barrick explains it was written in response to the recent Marshall Fire that swept through Superior and Louisville, burning more than 1,000 homes. Encouraging the audience to join in creates a poignant moment as the wind visibly whips snow around outside the foggy windows. Kingdom Jasmine, surrounded by string lights, backed by a variety of tropical potted plants and a living room set-up including a couch, rug and coffee table, is the second act of the night’s Sofar Sounds show, hosted in the backroom of Nurture, a wellness marketplace in northwest Denver. Continue Reading here.

Sofar artist spotlight: Kid Astronaut

Aliens do exist, at least according to Denver musician Jon Shockness, aka Kid Astronaut. Aliens are what he calls his fans: myriad expressions of self transcending earthly constructs of race and culture. And Shockness is the journeyer, the artist always traveling and exploring other-worldly realms, interpreting them through musical expression. But he doesn’t take himself as seriously as it may seem. He is “Kid” Astronaut afterall. 

Born and raised in Denver, Shockness made a name for himself with the local hip-hop group Air Dubai, which he co-founded in high school. When the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2014, a solo project began calling, asking Shockness to grow as an artist and musician, he says. Kid Astronaut descended to Earth in 2015, an outlet for Shockness to express a certain fearlessness he hopes to embody in his own journey, founded in his personal fascination with space.

This is “a new phase of just enjoying myself and my art and learning and being OK with what I don’t know and going after that,” he says. “I’ve been chasing music for a long time.” 

In 2021, Kid Astronaut released Cosmos, a collection of soulful R&B inspired tracks where synthesized beats and acoustic melodies create empyrean soundscapes, all enhanced by Shockness’ rich vocals. It is deliberate, almost spiritual. 

“As Kid Astronaut, I’ve always wanted to just be honest in the music that I write,” he says. “The authenticity comes out in each moment I’m just expressing this journey and it’s true. . . . I hope that what people get from the Kid Astronaut experience is that it touches something deeper in their soul than just being good music to listen to. It hits your different energies and feelings, memories. That’s what I hope for.”

There’s a certain intentionality that shines through both Kid Astronaut the project, as well as Shockness as a person. It feels like an invitation to join him on a journey of self-discovery, one that doesn’t necessarily come with answers. Rather, it humbly asks the listener to consider a different way of being, a way of moving through the world that requires the need for guidance from other-worldly wisdom, the ability to look beyond the stars.