Angie Stevens: Press

"Go on: Just try to find a single soul who's seen Angie Stevens live and not been completely entranced. ... Hell, she's so compelling, we're pretty sure that her earnest acoustic-based rock could win over a Cephalic Carnage crowd. " Westword, Best Singer/Songwriter of Denver 2006

"She's a got a bubblegum rock voice, but she ain't singin' bubblegum, she's amazing." Steve Thorpe, Panache magazine

"When she performs, she rocks out. She doesn't just sit there, strum her guitar and stare - she rocks!" Lucas Johnson, St. Cloud Times

"Angie's voice knocks audiences over like a sledge-hammer! " Matt Fecher, Executive Director, Monolith Festival

"She accomplishes in three minutes what I spend entire novels doing, she does it better, and groups of tattooed women go-go dance on bartops when she does. Tell me that isn't special." Rob Callahan, writer and former KVSC (St. Cloud MN) radio guy

Standup, Slap Down!
by Sydney Hostetler

In the age of high tech instrumentation and digital sampling, the standup bass has become almost extinct in modern music. Standup bassists are a rare breed, and so it all the more special that Colorado is unusually blessed with two crazy and capable players: Susan Phelan and Tyson Murray. Phelan, of the Angie Stevens Band and The Velvet Elvis, and Murray, of the country-rock band The Railbenders, add their respective flavors to their company as only a standup player can.

Ladies first: Phelan is as colorful a character as you could ever meet, both figuratively and physically. The former X-Pro wrestler, known as “Liberty” with POWW in the late 90’s, whose current day gig is as a traffic reporter for several local Denver radio stations, is a statuesque 6’1”, and covered in an impressive array of lively tattoos. With her black and red hair, one would hardly expect this beauty to be seen hauling around a 150 lb. acoustic bass. Not only does she haul it, she plays the hell out of it. A natural showman, Phelan has perfected the art of spinning, dipping, and yes, even standing on her bass while playing it – she’s indeed something to behold.

Murray on the other hand is a smooth operator, and has been seen enjoying a cigarette or two during many a song. Murray describes himself as a hack when it comes to his bass playing, but there are many fans of The Railbenders who would fiercely disagree. The Railbenders, who won the official sponsorship of the Coors Brewing Company, along with a really great logo, were started by Murray and Jim Dalton in 2000. These boys have been slappin’ down the track as fast as they can, and it’s been paying off. The band is seeing a surge of interest, including recent tours alongside the Supersuckers and Cracker that took them to Salt Lake City, along the I-70 corridor through Durango, over to Colorado Springs and ending with Austin and Dallas where they performed at South by Southwest. They’ve opened for some of their beloved old-school country stars like Dwight Yoakam, Willy Nelson, and the Oak Ridge Boys.... (read more)