Andy Frasco & The U.N., The Main Squeeze & Squeaky Feet Throwdown At Denver’s Mission Ballroom

Three bands with deep connections to Denver took to the Mission Ballroom on Friday. Andy Frasco & The U.N., The Main Squeeze and Squeaky Feet showcased how eclectic and thriving The Mile High City’s music scene is. The throwdown saw Squeaky Feet proving their prog rock cred, The Main Squeeze delivering shimmering soul and Frasco leading his band through a set of the group’s feel-good grooves with special guests aplenty.

The evening got underway with a set from Squeaky Feet. At every turn, it seems like these guys are leveling up, as was the case as they made their Mission Ballroom debut. The musicality in the band is impressive. Colin Shore and Greg King are one of the best double guitar attacks in the jam scene. Bassist Jimmy Finnegan holds down the deep end alongside the always locked-in and yet wide-ranging rhythms from drummer Kevin D’Angelo. Keyboardist Brian Keller’s versatility from keys to sax drapes the jams with the appropriate bells and whistles.

Kicking things off with “Brainrot,” Shore led the way vocally before the band cycled through the composition with Shore and King linking up on intricate “guitarmonies” plus sax from Keller. Finnegan delivered jazz bass runs before the band swooped back into the lyrics with Shore then blasting off over a cymbal-laced dash on drums from D’Angelo.

While “Brainrot” stuck close to the composition, the band dipped into some improvisation on “Never Break” with segments that went from sinister to triumphant featuring more fretboard magic from Shore. D’Angelo revved things up with a four-on-the-floor rave while King took his turn on the shred stick. Next, SF unveiled a very apropos cover of the Styx prog-rock classic “Mr. Roboto,” led by Finnegan and complete with “Domo arigato” robot voice. Squeaky Feet brought their set to a close with a 20-minute journey through “Premonition,” off their 2023 LP, Cause for Alarm, which traversed terrain at once slithering, slow-boiling and goblin marching. SF definitely set the tone for the evening.

Official Audio (via nugs.net)

Squeaky Feet Phots & Setlist

Los Angeles-based band The Main Squeeze took the stage next. The quintet — lead vocalist Corey Frye, guitarist Max Newman, keyboardist Smiley, drummer Reuben Gingrich and bassist Rob Walker — concocted a set of their soul-funk-fueled originals and choice covers.

The Main Squeeze launched their set with “Forever Feel,” which boasted a “Pure Imagination” tease interlaced in Newman’s incredibly expressive guitar playing. The band also delivered their vibey cut “To The Moon.”

A bevy of great covers also populated The Main Squeeze set, including Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out” and Thundercat’s “Them Changes.” Additionally, the band also touched on elements of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” along with a take on “All Along the Watchtower.” Frye’s silky vocals and Smiley’s synth stylings were highlights of The Main Squeeze’s wide-ranging, dance-inducing frame, which also featured a sit-in from saxophonist Nick Gerlach on “Dr. Funk.”

Every Andy Frasco & The U.N. performance feels like a celebration, and this was especially true for their set at the Mission. Frasco and company commenced with “Crazy Things,” which saw Andrew Cooney (Tenth Mountain Division, Cashmere Sweater) on acoustic guitar. Later in the set, Frasco would introduce Cooney and saxophonist Sam Kelly as “new band members,” with the pair on board for much of the set.

The frame was full of the band’s hyphy antics and audience engagement, complete with Frasco, guitarist Shawn Eckels and bassist Floyd Kellogg hopping up on Frasco’s keyboard desk, which features a rising platform. The band also welcomed a host of guests, including vocalist Lyle Divinsky on Frasco’s latest single “Try Not to Die.”

Frasco and the U.N. were augmented by a horn section led by Gerlach on “Try Not to Die” as well as “Find A Way,” “Love Come Down” and “Waiting Game.” A big ol’ jam came when The Main Squeeze jumped on stage — alongside the horns and local drum hero Will Trask on percussion — for “Slam Piece,” which folded into a rowdy medley of “La Bamba” and “Twist and Shout.”

Next, former Yonder Mountain String Band fiddler Allie Krall made an appearance on “Iowa Moon,” from Frasco & The U.N.’s 2023 album L’Optimist, as well as “Life Is Easy” and “Easier” during a more acoustic, laid-back portion of the set.

Moving on, “Floyd Song” — which saw Floyd on Andy’s piano singing about “monsters and robots” — prefaced a medley of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Drivin’ My Life Away.” The set would come to a close with live favorite “What More Can I Say,” which saw Frasco getting into the crowd and giving a shout-out to his mom, who was in attendance ahead of leading the audince in “Hava Nagila.” The band would return to encore with a trio of songs, “Somedays,” “Dancing Around My Grave,” and finally “God At A Festival,” to cap a fun evening at the Mission Ballroom.

A livestream of the complete show is available via Volume.com.

Andy Frasco & The U.N. Photos

Andy Frasco & The U.N. Setlist

Crazy Things, The Walk, Birthday Song, Try Not To Die, Find A Way, Love Come Down, Waiting Game, Slam Piece > Jam > La Bamba > Shake It Up, Iowa Moon, Life Is Easy, Easier, Change Of Pace, Floyd’s Rabbit Sings About Robots N Pigs > War Pigs > Drivin’ My Life Away, Struggle > Train In Vain, What More Can I Say

Encore: Somedays, Dancing Around My Grave, God At A Festival

Catch Andy Frasco & The U.N., The Main Squeeze and Squeaky Feet on the road. Find their tour routing and ticket info below.