- El Chapultepec Resurrection for our final showcase was a feat born from the ashes of neglect.

The venue gutted by the previous tenant stood as a skeletal reminder of its former self.

Yet through the collaborative efforts of the 87 foundation and PBS 12 a Phoenix emerged.

The combined forces not only breathed life back into the Hollywood space but also illuminated its historical significance creating an a poignant stage, for our farewell to a Denver legend.

The last performance echoed with the resonance of legends, a poignant finale to an era that defined the pulse of this but remarkable city.

It was an incredible honor and opportunity to be able to have some of the final shows at this legendary venue.

This episode features Crooked Rugs.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ - For a band of folks that want to be space pilots they are doing that by sailing the cosmic sea waves of psych rock.

I would like to welcome to the stage, the Crooked Rugs.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ Thank you.

[Applause] - Crooked Rugs, thank you all so much for being here so I have a question for you all... how did you get together, how did you meet and how did you start playing?

What's the story there?

- I'll take this question.

A lot of different ways, Jason and I met playing lacrosse at CSU, and had known each other for about a year, both decided to stop playing at the same time, and then go oh you play guitar, no way that's really cool, and our other guitarist Rex lived on the same floor, and wow you're the other guy who plays music that is so cool.

So we played for a bit, our base player is Rex's his younger brothers, four years younger so when he came up to school, oh when Finn gets up here we are going to play music together, and then I moved into a house and Jay was in the duplex next door and we need a keyboard player, and that's how we all got together.

- I wanted to ask you, if you were to be looking at what was responsible for your musical awakening or you seeing yourself as a musician, what contributed to that for you all?

What led to you all's awakening?

- One thing I think was common between the three of us was we all had musically inclined families, so either people who played music, or were really into it.

So it was a very encouraging environment to let that grow.

- Yes I definitely had like a lineage of musicians in my family and my great grandma played in a jazz bar in New Orleans, piano and sang all through the week and stuff, and both of her kids, and my grandpa and great uncle, were musicians all throughout Austin and New Orleans and Nashville for a while.

I kind of expected to do that.

All the people who were my favorite relatives were musicians so that's what I'm gonna do for sure.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ - We actually talked a little bit before when you talked about growing up down the street from Connor Oberst.

- Yes, definitely Tim Kasher from Cursive and Connor Oberst from Bright Eyes are probably some of my greatest inspirations.

We went to the same high school, and remember watching a bunch of YouTube videos when I was in junior high, and it kind of just clicked.

Oh this kid grew up down the street and he's touring the world, I could do that.

I could do that.

So that was the big inspiration growing up.

- Oh man, that's awesome and have you ever seen him before?

- I've actually never seen bright eyes live before I've seen Cursive several times.

- And so moving from this awakening you and all these things leading to you, what musicians and what bands or artists actually influenced how you play?

Like Jason, who?

- I think collectively a lot of our biggest inspirations are people that take it upon themselves to put music out and just DIY mentality of self recording and production, a lot of our favorites namely the OCs or Brian Jones Massacre King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard.

They are extremely prolific for one, and also yeah, pretty much a lot of control being like big label bands or anything, but I think we all kind of think the grassroots have our own spin on everything.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ [Applause] - You are now in Fort Collins.

Colorado city that is near and dear to my heart.

But I went there almost-- over 20 years ago, so can you talk to me about some of your favorite venues, like home places, where did you all cut your teeth as a band?

- The first place worth mentioning is Pinball Jones, that was really where we got our start I would say, is an underground bar that had cement floors and ceilings.

- Could not hear yourself play at all, but they loved us and consistently had us in there.

So that was really where I think we came into being a live band.

Was in that space.

- Hotel Hillcrest was a venue in Fort Collins, that was definitely, they were touring bands they had some bigger bands like Pink Fuzz come in and play, and like definitely was kind of the start I feel like of the uptick of the Fort Collins music scene, like really kind of oh yeah if you can book a Hillcrest show which was pretty easy to do, then you could be a band.

- It also sounds like you're part of like this rising tide in Fort Collins, that there's something happening there.

- It is so much fun, I could hop on my bike and see three shows a night and my friends are playing in every band.

And to be able to walk around and just be influenced and inspired by the people around you is unparalleled.

- You see it during [indiscernible] when it's like you look at the schedule and you're like man, I missing one of my favorite bands in town because there's 4 other bands that are great at playing at the same time.

And there's just that number of like sheer talent in Fort Collins around that's pretty cool.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ [Applause] - How would you all talk about your contributions to the Fort Collins music scene, the psych rock scene and what are the characteristics that make that special?

- I would say one thing is that we are really paving our own path and every aspect of it, just the way we approach writing music and the way we record things the way we mix, just the way that we do what we do is very much our own path that we are paving, kind of the real deal in that regard.

- I think people can see that and are inspired by that, or how we are inspired by OC's and King Gizzard on a national level.

People are inspired at a local level like these people are doing it.

Why can't I start a band?

It's also a really big question because I believe Fort Collins has a really long history of music I'm also part of the music district in Fort Collins, and I have a bunch of mentors there that are 10 years or 15 years older, from Wire Faces, Hayden from The Burroughs and things like that where that inspiration doesn't stop.

So it's hard to kind of pinpoint exactly where it comes from or where it's going, I'm just glad we got to be a part of it.

I'm super honored to be able to sit here and hear more about the process and I'm a little envious because you are able to do most of that at home and you get to have your hands on the wheel of the entire creative process that is so important in this day and age.

So yeah, Crooked Rugs thinks you all so much.

- Thanks for having us.

It's been awesome.

- Thank you all for coming, we got one more for you.

♪ (Music playing) ♪ - Thank you!

[Cheering] ♪ (Music playing) ♪ [Cheering] If you enjoyed watching Sounds on 29th we hope you will support PBS 12, to help bring you more fun grassroots local music programming.

Visit PBS12.org/programsupport and donate today.