The Fox Theatre was dark as the members of Technicolor Tone Factory made their way on stage. The restless audience chanted its name as the band got ready to perform its first headlining show at the Fox Theatre.
“It’s one of those things where you’re sitting in your dorm room for a while, and you’re like, ‘Dude, one day I’ll headline The Fox! It’s gonna happen!’ and then, finally, it comes,” guitarist Jarrod Guaderrama, 23, said. Guaderrama immediately started working the crowd as Technicolor began its set. He drew screams and whistles from the audience as he played, goofing off with his bandmates and high-fiving the crowd.
Technicolor Tone Factory as they headline for the first time at the Fox Theatre Friday night. (CU Independent/James Bradbury)
Even without Guaderrama’s showboating, the crowd was completely enthralled in Technicolor Tone Factory’s high energy performance. The other members were visibly enjoying themselves on stage, grinning at each other during solos and interacting with the fans. In response, the packed audience danced unreservedly and screamed things like, “Let me have your babies!” to the band members on stage. The fans were energized for the entire set, sticking with Technicolor Tone Factory until the end.
To be honest, I rarely have the patience for music without vocals, but Technicolor Tone Factory never gave me the chance to be bored. Their set consisted of almost non-stop music, shifting from upbeat funk to more relaxed jazz in seconds, dabbling in a wide range of genres.
“That’s the thing about Technicolor,” guitarist and CU student Brian Boster, 22, said. ”We’re all so different. We all have our own influences,”
The members individually cited different musical influences, from Pink Floyd to Explosions in the Sky to String Cheese Incident. Because they all collaborate on their original music, Technicolor Tone Factory has something to offer almost everyone.
Even their opening acts reflect their musical range. James and the Devil and West Water Outlaws have somewhat similar sounds with their high energy rock, but they also have distinct differences. Technicolor Tone Factory has opened for both bands in the past, making this show even more monumental for the headliner.
“They’ve always helped us out and we just wanted to return the favor,” Boster said.
The band, which played its first gig at The Sushi Spot on April 20 last year, took third place in Program Council’s Battle of the Bands in October, winning discounted recording time at Coupe Studios. They are planning to record a 3 to 4 song demo in February.
“Hopefully we’ll distribute them everywhere,” bassist and lead vocalist Zach Jackson, 22-year-old CU alum, said.
As for the next step in their musical career, Technicolor Tone Factory is looking to travel.
“We want to go to the road and open up for national acts,” drummer Bryan LeFever, a 22-year-old CU student, said.
A name complication could stand in their way, however.
“We recently got a warning that the word Technicolor is trademarked,” Guaderrama said.
“They’re telling us that we can’t use the word, we’re trying to see if we could like spell it differently,” Jackson said.
“Or try to get a sponsorship out of the sons-of-bitches,” Guaderrama said.
Check out Technicolor Tone Factory’s jams on their Soundcloud.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Ainslee Mac Naughton at Ainslee.macnaughton@colorado.edu.
