Last Saturday, April 16, Northern Colorado band The Velveteers played Aggie Theatre as one of two homecoming shows before they head back out on the road to open for big names in rock, like The Smashing Pumpkins and Greta Van Fleet. 

The Velveteers were joined by two local groups: Cody and Plasma Canvas. Members of all three acts have been active in the Fort Collins music scene for years, sharing bills at local house venues and music events, like the Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest.

Each band came to the stage — one littered with amps, synthesizers and bedazzled pedalboards — with a distinct aesthetic and identity, showcasing the eclectic but harmonious environment the Northern Colorado music scene provides. 

Beginning the show with delicate synth melodies contrasted by the harsh crackle of a drum machine, opener Cody gave a soft and intimate performance. Cody began as a solo project of local indie-pop group Slow Caves’ lead vocalist, Jakob Mueller, over the initial COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. 

“I needed to be productive … and also just to, like, keep myself sane,” Mueller said. “But it was this very low-pressure kind of productivity where I wasn’t doing a million takes on what I was recording. I was kind of like, ‘This is gonna be my home-recording solo record, and it’s just gonna be whatever it is.’”

After a positive reaction from the community, Mueller decided to expand the project, putting on Cody’s first-ever performance with a full band for Saturday’s show. 

“I really liked Cody’s new album (‘Lean Forward’) a lot,” said Demi Demitro, vocalist and guitarist for The Velveteers. “When that came out, I just listened to it all the time, especially on rainy days.”

Throughout the performance, it was evident that Mueller, the primary songwriter, drew from a wide variety of influences to create the sweet and unimposing sound of Cody. 

“I’m still so infatuated by the TV show ‘Twin Peaks’ and the music from that show,” Mueller said. “I wanted to have that be an aspect that could shine through as well as Brian Eno‘s ambient music. I was really obsessed with that at the time.”

“I want to feel like the energy we’re putting out there is being bounced back out. … We’re out there losing our minds. I want to see that reciprocated.” -Baby Pottersmith, drummer for The Velveteers

Mueller’s dreamy vocals paired with simple basslines echoing those found in country and doo-wop and a slide guitar that seemed to float through the air recalled bands like Mazzy Star, invoking the same sort of comfortable mysticism. 

“I just want to feel good in association with music because it used to be (associated with) negative emotions, … and now I just want it to be a vehicle to feel good,” Mueller said. “I hope that transfers to the listener as well.”

Adrienne Rae Ash, frontwoman for Plasma Canvas, seeks a similar response with her music. 

“At the end of the day, the reason that I wanted to make music is because I felt alone,” Ash said. “And I know that so many other people feel alone, especially queer people and trans people — marginalized people in general. … I just wanted to, even for 30 minutes at a time, give everyone a space to belong.” 

In direct contrast to Cody’s slow build on the ambient synth drones and soft vocal harmonies, Plasma Canvas opened their set with a wall of sound, plunging the crowd straight into a high-energy pop-punk tune. 

“Our job as a band, when we’re not headlining, is to make the headliner sweat,” Ash said. “We’re not here to play a show, we’re here to steal one.” 

Over the years, Plasma Canvas has proven themself capable of balancing the polished, accessible nature of pop-punk with the level of raw authenticity that allows a band to really connect with its audience. 

“I want to be as transgressive as possible, and I don’t really have time for rockstar bullshit,” Ash said. 

After playing with members of Cody and The Velveteers for years, Ash said being booked with The Velveteers again is proof the band has stayed true to their roots. 

“I think the last time we played together was at a garage show at a venue called Hotel Hillcrest, and that was in 2019. … That was one of the first things Demi (Demitro) and I talked about,” Ash said. “Like holy shit, y’all are killing it, and I’m so fucking proud of you. It’s amazing.” 

When The Velveteers took the stage for a rowdy audience, freshly energized by the loud, nostalgia-driven set of Plasma Canvas, they were certainly ready to fulfill the expectations of longtime fans. 

While Demitro brought a gritty guitar tone and smooth, nonchalant vocals, drummers Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig worked ecstatically, laying into a tandem drum set with impressive synchronized accuracy. 

“I want to feel like the energy we’re putting out there is being bounced back out,” Pottersmith said. “We’re out there losing our minds. I want to see that reciprocated.”

Onstage, each member was totally enthralled in the performance, bringing the audience along for the ride. 

“It can feel otherworldly sometimes,” Demitro said. “It’s one of those moments where you’re forced to be present.” 

Every aspect of The Velveteers’ performance was evidence of their meticulously curated aesthetic, even their microphone stands painted in the same teal as the rest of the set pieces and wrapped in delicate plastic flowers. 

“When Baby (Pottersmith) and I first started the band, we really wanted to … make (every show) like an event,” Demitro said. “Every little detail mattered.”

Saturday’s lineup worked to illuminate each band’s qualities: the shared hazy, dreamlike aesthetic of Cody and The Velveteers and the raw, high-energy performances given by Plasma Canvas.

Reach Max Hogan at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @macnogan.