[Music] - Thank you all so much for being here.

We really appreciate it.

How long have you been in Denver now?

You made the move.

Or are you still in Durango?

- We're in Durango, Colorado.

- Fantastic!

- Still there.

- Oh, good.

Haven't made the move yet.

- So, that means the commute is serious whenever you're doing things here.

How long is that drive?

- Six and a half?

- Yeah, six and a half.

Yeah.

Yeah, serious commute, speeding tickets.

Yeah, I got a $200 ticket this time around.

- Really?

- Pay to play, baby.

- Yeah, baby, exactly.

It's all about paying your dues.

That's what I'm talking about.

[Music] - Hello, hello, hello.

How are y'all doing tonight?

We are bringing back the show Sounds on 29th.

The show will be on PBS 12, and the whole point is to bring light to the incredible bands that are in Colorado.

So, let's make some noise for these bands.

[Cheering] I had the honor and privilege of talking with Desert Child before this show.

I got to interview them.

And I gotta tell you, it is a rare pleasure to talk to a group of people that are so talented, so bearded, and so sensitive.

Oh my goodness.

It really says something when you have a group of beautiful musicians who have been brought together by their love of wilderness and its healing properties and playing at a bunch of really weird weddings.

Bringing that synthesis together kind of brings together a stew of people who are hardened, dope musicians who will get you moving, who will connect with you, and will make you feel.

So, can you all make some noise for Desert Child?

[Cheering] [Music] ♪ - Could all be so easy ♪ ♪ Could all be so nice ♪ ♪ Could all be so beautiful ♪ ♪ Can you tell me what's the price ♪ ♪ Come on and just believe me ♪ ♪ Come on, I'll make it right ♪ ♪ Don't speak, you know you're beautiful ♪ ♪ Wait, something isn't right ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ That I didn't have a say ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ Stupid games we played ♪ ♪ Why did you lie to me ♪ ♪ I'm just a child ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ Could all be so easy ♪ ♪ Could all be so nice ♪ ♪ Could all be so beautiful ♪ ♪ Can you tell me what's the price ♪ ♪ So, come on, you know you need me ♪ ♪ So, come on, it's out of sight ♪ ♪ Your flesh, you know, is beautiful ♪ ♪ Get on your knees, don't fight ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ That I didn't have a say ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ Stupid games we played ♪ ♪ Why did you lie to me ♪ ♪ I'm just a child ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ Nobody told me ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ I don't wanna live this way ♪ ♪ No, I don't know ♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ You know I don't know.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ ♪ I don't want to live this way.

♪ [Cheering] - You all started as a wedding band.

- We do play weddings.

- You do play weddings.

- Yeah.

- We didn't start, but we do it now.

- But you do it now.

Okay.

What special lessons do you think your band has learned from playing weddings that has helped you as writers or performers?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Well, I think just gearing up for a wedding is just a different ballgame.

I have to show up, and sing, and dance these songs that aren't mine.

And now, every time I play original music, I just feel it in a different way.

It's like, this is my music.

And people are responding to it in a similar way as they would at a wedding.

And it just feels like this gift now.

We're talking about that 45 minutes after three days.

That's a performing time.

Yeah, it's just a gift to be able to play our original music.

But also a gift that affords us the ability to be full-time artists.

Just being able to take off the mask, and show up for an original show, and be myself on stage.

- That's beautiful.

Is there anything chops-wise you think you learned as performers?

- Yeah, I can do that.

Yeah.

I mean, I think about the Stones and the Beatles.

Especially the Beatles had their Hamburg years where they just played every night.

Covers, covers, covers.

From a songwriting perspective, we're playing 40 songs a night for these weddings and we're seeing what people respond to.

And it, not only consciously, but subconsciously, informs how we write our music.

We want to make people have an involuntary reaction to the music we're making.

And when you're playing the greats, you're playing-- I wasn't a huge Tom Petty fan.

And you're seeing Tom Petty and how people connect with his songs.

And it's like, he's got it.

He's got this message.

And so, for me, I think the guys, when we write music, we're really thinking about subconsciously too just from all the weddings.

They really inform our songwriting.

We're trying to make this for us but also for the people.

I wouldn't say we're trying to make music that's hard to understand.

I'd say the opposite.

- Yeah, palatable.

- So, we're just so grateful for that, because we're paying our dues for sure, but we're doing it in a way that supports our lives and our families in Durango.

[Music] ♪ - Oh, I've been saying all my prayers out loud ♪ ♪ And I'm just wondering, do you hear me out ♪ ♪ You could be and should be ♪ ♪ Oh, we'll see ♪ ♪ And now I'm watching all my dreams play out ♪ ♪ I can't believe I ever had a doubt ♪ ♪ That it would be as it should be ♪ ♪ Help me see ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Well now I'm asking can you show me how ♪ ♪ Help me stay grounded when I get too proud ♪ ♪ It could be ♪ ♪ It should be ♪ ♪ Oh, we'll see ♪ ♪ Help guide the words coming out of my mouth ♪ ♪ And stay connected to the here and now ♪ ♪ That it would be as it should be ♪ ♪ Help me see ♪ ♪ Well, I got stories getting in the way ♪ ♪ And I collect them all throughout my days ♪ ♪ Won't you help me find grace ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Won't you help me find grace ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ And I got stories getting in the way ♪ ♪ And I collect them all throughout my days ♪ ♪ I think I'm done with trying to run the show ♪ ♪ How it should be, I don't need to know ♪ ♪ Won't you help me let go ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Help me let go ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Well, I've been saying all my prayers out loud ♪ ♪ And I'm done wondering if you hear me out ♪ ♪ It could be ♪ ♪ It should be ♪ ♪ Now I see ♪ [Cheering] - One of your musical ah-has was playing at a desert festival?

Was that the one put on by Mark?

What was it?

Or what was that for you?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I can speak to that.

So we-- There's a layer before the weddings, which is that four of the founding members, we all worked.

All three of us, we worked at a wilderness therapy company in Utah and Colorado.

That's why we're in Durango, that's why I met Dan.

It's pretty cosmic in the sense that we all came from different parts of the country to work with kids in rehab basically two weeks at time for three years.

You worked there for seven years or so.

And that was the start of our community building.

We all played different instruments, we started playing bars.

We went from Durango Tire Fire to Desert Child.

And it became clear in the pandemic it was time to make a switch and do something for ourselves.

That video that you see in the desert, you're talking about covers in the canyon, that is a cover video we made the season after the pandemic to try and get weddings.

But the people that are filming that is our entire community off a generator in the middle of Canyonlands, totally off-grid.

So, everyone you see in that video are all our friends, and they're all just wilderness educators.

So, people responded really well to that video, and we basically went to supporting ourselves and put that out in February and got weddings for May, like 20 weddings.

So, we're really leaning into that and trying to do this thing where it's not-- We want to bring a real band to play your wedding, and there's a couple coming tonight to play for their wedding, and they're coming to see our art.

But all of this comes back to our connection with Open Sky Wilderness Therapy and our ability to communicate.

And we're a bunch of sensitive men that want to play music now.

♪ - Can I wait ♪ ♪ Can I take my time ♪ ♪ Trying to wait ♪ ♪ Let it come to me ♪ ♪ Can I play ♪ ♪ Within this endless rhyme ♪ ♪ When I'm spending more than I can ever make ♪ ♪ It's not a race, and I can't see it ♪ ♪ Keep on running, wheels are spinning ♪ ♪ Love can't make sense ♪ ♪ It's in front of me but I can't catch it ♪ ♪ Keep on running, keep on missing ♪ ♪ I can't catch my breath ♪ ♪ So, don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ Can't keep it together ♪ ♪ Don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ It's all twisted together ♪ ♪ Well today, the sun is burning hot ♪ ♪ Can't find the shade ♪ ♪ The heat will never stop ♪ ♪ It moves so fast ♪ ♪ Trying to slow it down ♪ ♪ But it can't last ♪ ♪ With my feet on the ground ♪ ♪ On your way, and I can feel it ♪ ♪ Come to me, it's getting clear ♪ ♪ My heart is making space ♪ ♪ In between, it's getting closer ♪ ♪ All I know is I keep my focus ♪ ♪ Find your hiding place ♪ ♪ So don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ Can't keep it together ♪ ♪ Don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ It's all twisted together ♪ One more time, we are Desert Child.

I'm Dan Hayden.

This is Ari Newman.

We've got Clarky on the keys.

The wonderful Alec Mays.

Big Red on the Big Red bass.

And Coach Brian.

♪ Don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ Can't keep it together ♪ ♪ Don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ It's all twisted together ♪ ♪ On your way, and I can feel it ♪ ♪ Come to me, it's getting clear ♪ ♪ My heart is making space ♪ ♪ In between, it's getting closer ♪ ♪ All I know is I keep my focus ♪ ♪ Find your hiding place ♪ ♪ So, don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ Can't keep it together ♪ ♪ So, don't blink, you might miss it ♪ ♪ Shake, shift, dip ♪ ♪ It's all twisted together ♪ [Cheering] - The harmonies of the Eagles was formative for you all in your band sound.

What other bands would you have looked to as influences, even though you played-- I mean, you've been playing all these covers, but who would be for the sound of Desert Child?

- Every band has their own influences, and there's six of us with all pretty-- We go, but it's like where we can find, where we can come together in the middle creates something new for us.

It's like a new sound, and I have a hard time defining it.

It's definitely rock based music, but there's elements of soul, there's elements of-- - Yeah, it's like witchy and kind of like pop sensibility.

So, it's like, you know, I think the classic rock bands of the 1670s like got it right with their energy, but just the timing and I think what men are putting out there at the time it's like, you know, the rock star thing is kind of-- it's kind of not that time anymore.

I just think we love each other.

We're a group of men with this background.

We're not going to sing around-- sing about groupies.

We don't have groupies.

We don't do that.

So, you know, we have partners and we-- but we also, you know, we're trying to connect with a sensuality within ourselves that is, I think, hard to find in six men that are aligned in that.

So, I think there's a lot of feminine energy in our band, and at the same time, we're six bearded dudes playing, you know, soul, southwest soul is what we're kind of trying to call it.

We're trying to brand it, you know?

[Music] ♪ - Living in the memory of your kiss ♪ ♪ Will I never get a moment just like this ♪ ♪ I've been living in the memory of your touch ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Falling back in time ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I search for you ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I make you mine ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I belong to you ♪ ♪ Well, come today when I've run into you ♪ ♪ My standing in the presence of God in deja vu ♪ ♪ Well, I said, sorry, I've been lost and so confused ♪ ♪ But hold on ♪ ♪ It was worth it just to find my way to you ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Falling back in time ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I search for you ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I make you mine ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Did I belong to you ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ You gotta believe in me ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ After what we've been through ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ Do you remember me ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ I remember you ♪ ♪ Swear I met you in a past life ♪ ♪ Something about this moment feels right ♪ ♪ When I see you in the moonlight ♪ ♪ I remember it all ♪ ♪ Swear I met you in a past life ♪ ♪ Something about this moment feels right ♪ ♪ When I see you in the moonlight ♪ ♪ I remember it all ♪ ♪ Now who am I to say this ♪ ♪ Well, maybe I was wrong ♪ ♪ And who was I to love you ♪ ♪ When all your love was gone ♪ ♪ And who am I to say this ♪ ♪ Well, maybe I was wrong ♪ ♪ And who was I to love you ♪ ♪ Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on ♪ ♪ Swear I met you in a past life ♪ ♪ Something about this moment feels right ♪ ♪ When I see you in the moonlight ♪ ♪ I remember it all ♪ ♪ Swear I met you in a past life ♪ ♪ Something about this moment feels right ♪ ♪ When I see you in the moonlight ♪ ♪ I remember it all ♪ ♪ It's hard to tell in the dark night ♪ ♪ But you loved me in a past life ♪ ♪ When I look into your eyes ♪ ♪ Do you remember it all ♪ [Cheering] - Who are some of the folks that you want to give a shout out to within your scene, people that you've played with, in Colorado, outside of kind of a thing, or even folks that you feel like have been really shaping of your career?

- A shout out to a nonprofit in our town called I Am Music, and Jesse Ogle, and Ashley Edwards that put that on.

They do festivals, they do lessons, and it was just like a built-in community that we can step into.

- They do amazing work.

- Oh, you've heard of them?

- Oh, yes.

- Yeah, so them and then a local band that feels like little brothers and sisters called Desiderata.

That feels like people I want to shout out.

Yeah, just great energy and like eager to learn as much as I am right now because I feel like I'm at the beginning of this for myself.

- Desert Child, thank you all so much.

- Thank you [Music] ♪ - I can't take it ♪ ♪ I'm surrounded ♪ ♪ Feels like there's no getting out ♪ ♪ But it's a battle in my own skin ♪ ♪ Oh, it's just fighting ♪ ♪ I can't shake it ♪ ♪ But I won't quit ♪ ♪ Well, who knew I was this tough ♪ ♪ But when I grapple ♪ ♪ And I don't win ♪ ♪ Well, maybe I got bad luck ♪ ♪ Am I sick inside ♪ ♪ Is my mind so violent ♪ ♪ I let go of shame ♪ ♪ Trying to find what's perfect, but nothing's working ♪ ♪ All that I can say ♪ ♪ Is it enough ♪ ♪ All I have to give ♪ ♪ Am I out of touch ♪ ♪ From this world I'm living in ♪ ♪ Is it enough ♪ ♪ All we have to give ♪ ♪ Are we out of touch ♪ ♪ I can't shake it ♪ ♪ But I won't quit ♪ ♪ Well, who knew I was this tough ♪ ♪ But when I grapple ♪ ♪ And I don't win ♪ ♪ Well, maybe I got bad luck ♪ ♪ Am I sick inside ♪ ♪ Is my mind so violent ♪ ♪ I let go of shame ♪ ♪ Trying to find what's perfect, but nothing's working ♪ ♪ All that I can say ♪ ♪ Is it enough ♪ ♪ All I have to give ♪ ♪ Am I out of touch ♪ ♪ From this world I'm living in ♪ ♪ Is it enough ♪ ♪ All we have to give ♪ ♪ Are we out of touch ♪ ♪ From this world we're living in ♪ ♪ I can't shake it ♪ ♪ I'm surrounded ♪ ♪ Feels like there's no getting out ♪ ♪ It's a battle ♪ ♪ And we can't win ♪ ♪ What's this fighting about ♪ ♪ When I'm sick inside ♪ ♪ It's a world so violent ♪ ♪ Can we let go of shame ♪ ♪ Trying to find what's perfect ♪ ♪ And nothing's working ♪ ♪ All that I can say ♪ ♪ Is it enough ♪ ♪ All I have to give ♪ ♪ Am I out of thouch ♪ ♪ From this world I'm living in ♪ ♪ When is it enough ♪ ♪ All we have to give ♪ ♪ Are we out of touch ♪ ♪ From this world ♪ [Cheering] [Music] ♪ Got a light up to the moon ♪ ♪ Two lovers in tune, baby ♪ ♪ Got a light up to the moon, baby ♪ ♪ When I'm loving on you baby ♪ ♪ Got a light up to the moon ♪ ♪ Two lovers in tune ♪ ♪ Got a light up to the moon, baby ♪ ♪ When I'm loving on you ♪ - If you enjoyed watching Sounds on 29th, we hope you'll support PBS 12 to help bring you more fun grassroots local music programming.

Visit pbs12.org/ProgramSupport and donate today.