Denver, CO
HALLOWMASS 2023; ECHOES FROM THE ĀOTH
Itchy-O’s sacred rite of reflection, adoration, and musical exaltation.
Set under the vaulted ceilings of Denver's historic Mercury Cafe, this year's Hallowmass promises an elevated experience in a more intimate space than it has ever been held in before. Itchy-O’s tentpole attraction, typically known for its hyperbolic scale, will be laser-focused on just four sets across two consecrated evenings. This eagerly awaited event sells out at much larger venues, so those with a mind to experience the power and the glory should be sure to secure tickets before they’re gone. Since 1975, the Mercury Cafe has been a home to poets, punks, rebels, and artists from all walks of life. Itchy-O’s has deep ties to this legendary space, having performed some of the epic collective’s memorable early performances on the storied premises. Now in its 9th year, itchy-O’s Hallowmass has become a beacon for those seeking to connect with something deeper than a Halloween party. Yet, this is no solemn ceremony. Itchy-O’s radical-avant community celebrates impermanence in all its forms, adorning an altar with offerings representing things passed and passing in an enchanting and bombastic celebration of life and impermanence. This year promises a profound evolution of the ceremony while also honoring its raucous roots in a legendary and sanctified space. The 2023 ceremony promises a whirlwind – from poignant reflections on being, beliefs, and epochs gone by, to the sheer euphoria of percussive performances that will coax the celebrants into an ecstatic dance of sheer abandon. The resonance of the Hallowmass rituals will be heightened for itchy-O’s loyal Patreon Supporters with a Resonant Primer – an esoteric guide provided in the weeks before the rites. COVID/FLU/RSV PRECAUTIONS- MASKING IS ENCOURAGED IN THIS INTIMATE INDOOR SPACE. If you are experiencing the following: Cold or Flu S/S • Difficulty breathing • Fever • Chills • Muscle pain • Headache • Sore throat • New loss of taste or smell ...Please stay do the right thing.
Audience Role
Itchy-O is an avant-garde music performance group that goes beyond the traditional confines of any typical concert. For an audience member attending an Itchy-O performance, the experience is immersive and boundary-pushing. - Expect the Unexpected: at any moment, a member of itchy-O might interact with an audience member in unexpected or peculiar ways. Agency and consent is always implied. Audience members are never forced to do anything they are not comfortable with. - Hallowmass: this event offers the opportunity to process and honor impermanence. A shrine is built to honor people, places, and/or things that have moved through our lives and attendees are encouraged to bring artifacts or offerings. Opportunities to participate with the altar are also provided. - Active Participation: Audience members might find themselves becoming part of the performance, either through direct interaction or by being enveloped in the sensory experience of the music and visuals.
Ages: All ages
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Years on EI
About THEE ITCHY-O
Since 2009, this Colorado-based meta-mystical ensemble has been thrilling audiences across the U.S. and beyond. A battery of fourteen-plus power percussionists comprises the spine of the fifty-plus strong performance troupe whose orchestral arsenal of avant-instrumentation runs the gamut from guitars, gamelan, and synths to less conventional instruments including theremin and vocoders in concert with more experimental trance-inducing appurtenances. Itchy-O dismantles assumptions of traditional performance models to break down the barriers between audience and experience, administering a blast of ceremonial chaos; baptizing the audience—body, mind, and collective soul—in a spectacular, pan-sensorial sea of music, mystery, and transcendental spiritual spectacle. Itchy-O proudly served as a centerpiece at MONA’s world-renowned Dark MOFO fest in Tasmania in 2016 and is ecstatic to be invited back to perform, again in 2023. They have performed on stage with David Byrne & St. Vincent. JG Thirwell and Dan Deacon have opened for itchy-O and they have warmed up audiences for numerous legendary artists including DEVO, Beats Antique, Iggy Pop, Bad Religion, and Public Enemy. They have performed countless private engagements, including a legendary performance for Maynard Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards in 2019. Jello Biafra’s iconic underground record label, Alternative Tentacles has released three of their groundbreaking studio albums. Itchy-O is also committed to providing spontaneous free public performances in the spirit of upending the mundane and delivering mesmerizing art to the streets by providing impromptu musical encounters in non-traditional settings; delighting unsuspecting audiences with surprise ontological assaults on ordinary reality. www.itchyo.com