Join the Band: Musicians Wanted for a Denver ’80s-Focused Party Band

Drummer Wanted: Keep the Beat Like It’s 1985

Remember taping the Top 40 countdown off the radio and getting mad when the DJ talked over the intro? Yeah, us too. We’re putting together Gen X Parte, an ’80s-focused party band here in Denver, and we need a drummer who can drive “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and still have fun with “Hotel California.” (Yes, we know that one came out in ’77. It’s staying in.)

What we need:

• Your own kit, in gig-ready shape
• Comfortable playing to a click, or willing to get there (some songs may run with backing tracks)
• Reliable transportation, because a drummer without a car is just a guy with a lot of heavy stuff
• You show up to rehearsal having learned the songs
• Groove over flash. Stewart Copeland energy is a bonus.

Audition: Send a clip of you playing something from the ’80s catalog, or a ’70s or ’90s favorite that fits the set. Phone video is totally fine. We care about the pocket, not the lighting. Tell us where you’re located and what you’ve played before.

Guitarist Wanted: Got The Edge’s Delay and Prince’s Attitude?

If you learned guitar by rewinding a cassette over and over until the tape stretched, you’re our kind of person. We need a guitarist who can handle the shimmer of U2, the chord voicings of The Police and a little Purple Rain swagger when the moment calls for it.

What we need:

• Your own guitar(s), amp and pedals, ready to gig
• You can nail the parts people expect to hear, and you know when to lay back and when to step up
• Backing vocals are a big plus
• Reliable transportation
• You come in to rehearsal prepared

Audition: Send a clip of you playing something from the ’80s catalog, or a ’70s or ’90s favorite that fits the set. A solo, a rhythm part, a full song, whatever shows what you’ve got. Phone video is fine.

Bass Player Wanted: Somebody’s Gotta Hold This Mixtape Together

The bass player never gets the poster on the bedroom wall, but the bass player is the reason everybody’s dancing. We need someone who locks in with the drums and makes “Every Breath You Take” feel like 1983 all over again.

What we need:

• Your own bass and rig, gig-ready
• Solid time and feel. You’d rather sit in the pocket than show off, but you can play the iconic lines note for note.
• Backing vocals are a plus, not a must
• Reliable transportation
• You show up to rehearsal knowing your parts

Audition: Send a clip of you playing something from the ’80s catalog, or a ’70s or ’90s favorite that fits the set. One song is plenty. Phone video is fine.

Keys, Synth, Keytar (Yes, Keytar) Wanted

You can’t do the ’80s without keys. Depeche Mode doesn’t exist without synths, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” needs that piano and Prince needs, well, everything. We’re casting a wide net on this one, because the right person might not look like a classic “keyboard player.”

We want to hear from you if you’re any of these:

• Synth player who loves building patches that sound like 1984
• Piano player who can carry a ballad
• Keytar owner looking for a reason to bring it out of the closet
• Someone who’s good with sequencing, backing tracks, Ableton, MainStage or something like that
• Multi-instrumentalist (keys plus guitar, sax, percussion, whatever)
• Vocalist who also plays keys
• Any experience level, as long as you’re willing to put in the work and learn the songs

What we need:

• Your own keyboard(s) or controller and whatever you run it through (if you’re still building a rig, tell us, we can talk)
• Reliable transportation
• You come in to rehearsal having done your homework
• A good attitude. I always tell people I’d rather have someone who works hard and shows up than someone who’s brilliant and flaky.

Audition: Send a clip of you playing something from the ’80s catalog, or a ’70s or ’90s favorite that fits the set. Synth line, piano part, a backing track you programmed, singing while you play, it all counts. Phone video is fine.