2024 was a momentous year for my music career and I got to develop not only professionally, but personally as well throughout many incredible experiences throughout the year. In 2024 I ended up playing 98 shows in total, more than any previous years thus far; and so in making this list it was hard for me to choose just a few of my favorites. I had many prestigious opportunities presented to me in 2024, including getting to open up for some pretty big names and even some childhood heroes including: Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Franz Ferdinand. I also got to grace bigger and better stages this year that I had never played before such as The Ogden Theatre, Summit Music Hall, and the Marquis Theater - as well as traveling to new cities across the nation and witnessing new venues that I would've otherwise never known existed. This list does not discount any of the other amazing shows I got to play this year and this is just some of my personal favorites, whether due to the performances themselves, a deeper meaning behind the show, or due to just the cherished memories made along the way.
Zumiez Party with The Losers Club - 01/09/24 (Keystone, CO)
(Photo Credit: Lex Mainwal)
This show all came about when the Zumiez social media team reached out to us via Instagram - at which point we surely thought there had to have been some kind of mistake or that it was simply a spam message. But once we saw that the profile messaging us had that famous blue checkmark we knew it was legit. The Losers Club had played in Keystone the previous year for a Blink 182 tribute show, and so getting to return to this epic ski destination was a no brainer for us. Playing on the bare, snowy ground was definitely a challenge and this show was by far the coldest show I have ever played, but regardless of the cold the crowd was digging us and we had an epic time getting to shred some classic pop punk tunes before shredding the slopes!
Years Down with Driveways and Rematch - 04/20/24 (Marquis Theater - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Morgan Elizabeth)
I'll be honest, I had never heard of Driveways or Rematch before playing this show, but getting to open up for them and witness their talent live made me a lifelong fan of both bands. This was one of the first times that I was asked to fill-in for Years Down, and being that it was at the Marquis Theater meant that the stakes were high. Never mind that this show also happened to be sold out, which only further added to the pressure on myself to make this a performance worth remembering. But the Years Down guys welcomed me in with open arms and it was as if we had been playing together for years (pun intended) with our chemistry onstage!
Tarantula Bill Takes On Wichita - 04/26/24 (Kirby's - Wichita, KS)
Never being to Wichita before, we really didn't know what to expect when it came to the music scene there. A lot of people might think that Kansas doesn't have a lot to offer, but they'd be wrong. Not only did this show end up being one of the best on Tarantula Bill's tour, but I honestly think this might've ended up being one of my favorite shows EVER in my career. We didn't know what to expect upon first walking into Kirby's, but we soon found out just how much Wichita shows up for their bands. For it being such a small room, that place was packed wall to wall to the point where sometimes you had to stand outside just to watch the performers. Not to mention we then had some of the best BBQ of our entire lives, thanks to local legend, Ernie Mack. Between the crammed show, good beer, and life-changing BBQ we definitely left Wichita with smiles on our faces.
The Losers Club Reaches The Summit - 05/05/24 (Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Lex Mainwal)
This show almost didn't happen because I was on the previously mentioned tour with Tarantula Bill when we received the offer for this show. Luckily for everyone involved, TB's final show of tour finished the previous night before this show, so you bet I woke up at 6 AM the following day to fly back home to Denver to play the legendary Summit Music Hall. There was just absolutely no way I was missing this show at the famous Summit Music Hall, where I had seen so many of my childhood heroes and early inspirations including Trivium, The Menzingers, Cannibal Corpse, and Sabaton. It made the red-eye flight all the more worth it!
The First Ever Southwest Emo Fest - 06/29/24 (Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO)
This day especially sticks out to me because I got to play not one, not two, but THREE sets with three different bands for this festival. I started off early with Oh Drifter, followed by back-to-back sets with Years Down and The Losers Club later in the day. This was the first-ever Southwest Emo Fest in Denver and was especially memorable for the stacked line-up of exceptionally talented artists that made it so special. There were even many bands from out of state, including Troubled Minds, Savings, and Right On, Kid.
Tarantula Bill's Telluride Trip - 07/20/24 (The Alibi - Telluride, CO)
Despite living in Colorado my entire life, I had never actually visited Telluride until playing this show. The town itself is quaint, but popular enough to ensure that we had a packed-out venue for the night. Not to mention the views are absolutely stunning so it makes the show just that much more special. We also played an exclusive set filled with covers, as well as originals that we extended into 10-15 minute long jams, so we had fun getting to essentially turn into a jam band for the night.
Opening For The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - 08/15/24 (HQ - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Lex Mainwal)
When The Losers Club initially got the offer to open up for RJA, it seemed to good to be true. I couldn't believe we were being offered this incredible opportunity to open up for THE Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Getting to open up for a band as prestigious as them was truly amazing and it was even more special to hear hits like “Face Down” and “Your Guardian Angel” being performed live by the legends themselves in RJA.
Tour de Fat with Shady Oaks - 08/24/24 (Fort Collins, CO)
(Photo Credit: Jesus Ortiz)
Over the course of this year I had the opportunity to fill in with my good friends in Shady Oaks on two occasions, and this all culminated in our performance at the Tour de Fat in Fort Collins opening up for Country star, Paul Cauthen. The crowd added to the magic of this show - dancing from the start of our set until we hit the last note a little over an hour later. With the crowd being so energetic for us, you can bet we put on a performance to remember and the vibes all around that day made it so much more special.
Sibyl Vane Goes Acoustic - 10/18/24 (Stella's - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Jesus Ortiz)
This is probably the most unique show on this list and for good reason too. I had been eyeing up and thinking of getting a cajon for quite a few years and so of course I had to jump at the opportunity to finally get one for this intimate, coffee shop show. I had never played an acoustic show quite like this before and it was a new experience that I'd love to do again sometime! Plus I'm kind of a caffeine addict, so you know that this show was just perfect for me!
Opening For Scary Kids Scaring Kids - 11/09/24 (Marquis Theater - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Morgan Elizabeth)
The band that initially got me into emo music and pop punk in the first place was none other than Scary Kids Scaring Kids. So imagine my surprise when it got announced that we would be opening up for them when they came through Denver. Never mind the fact that they were also playing through their self-titled album in its entirety. Getting to hear songs like “Faces” and “The Deep End” live was truly a life changing experience for me, and also getting to meet the band (who were some of the kindest humans I've eve met) was a full circle moment for me, both as a drummer and as a music lover.
Not So Silent Night 2024 - 12/12/24 (Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO)
(Photo Credit: Morgan Elizabeth)
I first attended a show at the Ogden Theatre in 2017, when I got to see Parkway Drive and August Burns Red play there. Since then I have seen Bullet For My Valentine, Amon Amarth, Ocean Alley, as well as many other notable acts grace that same stage. What made this show even more special was that it was also sold out - with over 1,500 people in attendance for the night! After nearly a year of waiting for this show to finally arrive, it was all worth it and it was by far one of the most memorable shows I've ever played. Not to mention we were opening up for the rock music legends in Franz Ferdinand!