Stompit

A big thank you to all who attended our set at this year's FOCOMX Festival.  For those who missed out, FOCOMX is a 2 day festival in Fort Collins, Colorado, where 200+ bands perform across 20+ venues.  We've had the pleasure of performing for you for 8 years now.  

On Sunday May 2nd, Stompit competed in the finals for the Colorado Blues Society's International Blues Challenge (IBC), and won the title of Solo/Duo Champions!
Stompit is slated to represent The Colorado Blues Society (CBS) in Memphis, TN in January 2020 for the International Blues Challenge, in the Solo/Duo category.  

Stompit is as of today the only band where there are only 2 members, sharing drums with their feet, to play wearing gloves at the same, with a female lead-singer/bassist, in weather below freezing temperatures.  

Check out this video taken today by Richard Bender, The Hillbilly Savant.  

Review: The Symbols' 'Catching Fire' Is a Solid Funk Blues Mash-up 

January 28, 2019 

By: Julia Talen 

Fort Collins-based bluesy-soul band The Symbols are out with their sophomore record, Catching Fire, an album infused with front woman Mer Sal’s sultry, Amy Winehouse-esque voice, and her husband Jasco’s funky, rhythmic guitar solos. 

In an interview with Westword on Catching Fire, Jasco shared that the album differs from Smile, their first record saying, “I wanted to get a fairly live feel. I didn’t want to do tons of overdubs and soundscaping, things that would make it hard to duplicate live. In some ways, it’s a little bit sparse in terms of vocal harmonies, extra guitar parts and keyboard parts that a band can [get away with] in the studio. But we decided not to do too much of that.” 

THE SYMBOLS. 

While listening to Catching Fire, I felt like I was close to a stage in the Rocky Mountains swaying in the summer to some of their latest tunes. With the first track “Good For Me,” listeners get a sweet taste of Mer Sal’s incredible vocals paired with bluesy, textured harmonies before hearing more of the breadth and range of her voice in “Let’s Be Love,” the album’s second track. 

The title track certainly was one of my favorites, beginning with a sparse drum beat before Sal’s fierce vocals cry lyrics, “Boy you better run/because I’m catching fire.” Jasco shows off his guitar skills (he used to played for Grammy-nominated band Blinddog Smokin’) in this one too, with mesmerizing solos and far-reaching scale.

Other tracks of note are “Shake It,” a total jam dance number sure to energize summer music festival this year with lyrics, “Shake that butt/funk it up/get your groove on.” “Soon” is another favorite of mine. Sal scats through this tune and the mid-century vibe reminds me of jazzy buskers in the French Quarter. The album ends with “Our Song,” an emotional, heart-wrenching ballad that truly reveals the rich power this duo evokes in their music. 

Catching Fire is out now and The Symbols are set to tour throughout Colorado and the Midwest this spring with forthcoming shows in Denver, Boulder, Loveland, Fort Collins, and more. They also give back many of their proceeds to charities like Realities for Children and Adoption Dreams Come True. Scope out this magical, funk-meets-rock-meet-blues mash-up’s latest raw and rich project. 

Keep up with The Symbols here. 

-Julia

It's mid December already! 

Stompit's 3 piece version, The Symbols has recorded a new album called Catching Fire, and it's been receiving great press!
https://coloradoplaylist.com/2018/11/16/the-symbols-catching-fire/

In Chris K's Colorado Playlist he states
 "”Catching Fire” sets the standard against which all other female fronted Americana blues oriented recordings will be measured in the coming year in Colorado."

You can hear and buy the new album at www.thesymbols.net/catching-fire
The album release party is at The Zephyr Lounge in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, December 29th, 2018.  

Consider doing some Symbols/Stompit shopping- we're always a low price for a high quality.  
Check out our new USB Wristband Flashdrives - they come in multiple colors, loaded with over 70 songs - across 5 albums of The Symbols and now featuring Stompit.  
www.thesymbols.net/music-and-merch
Have a happy holiday! 
 

We got out to the midwest pretty fast.  November 2018 included a tour through parts of the midwest USA, and a homecoming CD release show at The Walnut Room for Xpansion of a Sum (feat. Mer Sal, Jasco, Gary Dean Smith and friends).  
Videos of the midwest shows are still being processed and are to follow in this post.  
Here are some pictures and videos of our night at The Walnut Room, opening for Xpansion of a Sum.  


 

A few videos captured at The Walnut Room on November 15th, 2018:

Ball Bearings - Written and Arranged by the members of Stompit

Welcome to the Jungle (Guns n Roses) Cover - Arranged by Stompit

Stompit has made the news! 
Entire photo article about Stompit at The Coloradoan
https://www.coloradoan.com/picture-gallery/news/2018/09/15/fortoberfest-brings-little-bavarian-culture-old-town/1322498002/

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