Robby Wicks Band

The Robby Wicks Band has taken a new approach to soul music. Heavily rock driven but with tinges of Americana and in places even some light hip-hop, Wicks and his crew have actually done something unusual with their full length record Songs From The Biltmore.

Acoustic yet catchy, with solid lead guitar and piano- the band throws in danceable elements of funk and folk music and vocals that seem heavily influenced by pop and blues- a true plethora of musical diversity. Good promotion of this album will lead to good things for the band in the near future. - Colorado Music Buzz

Performing tomorrow evening at the Bluebird Theater with Birch Street and Tommy Freed and The Sound, soulful Denver folk sextet Robby Wicks Band has been building momentum since they started playing together last year. As the cohesion amongst all six members grows strong, Robby Wicks Band is currently working on an album and hope to tour outside of Colorado in the near future. For the time being though, Robby Wick Band is more than content with their lives here in the Mile High City. Take a few minutes to better acquaint yourself with Robby Wicks Band in this exclusive AXS interview.

AXS: Are you all Denver natives? If not, where is everyone originally from?
Robby Wicks (lead vocals/rhythm guitar): I grew up a military brat. Born in Bakersfield, California. Then Phoenix, Arizona, Minot, North Dakota, Lawrence, Kansas, Prattville, Alabama, Colorado Springs, and Denver.
Sean Pyrtle (bass): Born in Tennessee, raised in Virginia and Lakewood and have lived in Colorado Springs for 15 years.
Taylor Biskup (lead and rhythm guitar): I was born in Denver and grew up in Colorado Springs. I’ve been living in Denver the past 10 years.
Matthew Taylor (keyboards/backing vocals): I was born in Colorado Springs and have been all over the state. I moved to Denver 3 years ago.
Austin Johnson (lead and rhythm guitar): Born in Colorado Springs
Nicholas Hureau (drums): Born in Alaska, grew up in Colorado.

AXS: What brought Robby Wicks Band together?
Robby: After Taylor and I met in 2010, I began a songwriting project where the idea was to write, record, and post to the internet a new song everyday for a year. It was an awesome excuse for Taylor and I to get together and write. We already had Sean Pyrtle and Nick Hureau in mind because it was the nastiest rhythm section we could dream of. Every step so far has felt serendipitous. Now as a 6 piece, we are all brothers and band mates. I couldn't dream of a better group of musicians and friends to rock out with.
Taylor: Robby and I met a few years ago, began writing a ton of songs and played small bars up and down the front range. It was always our goal to put a full band together and Sean and Nick made that possible. Sean and I played in bands together in the past – as did Robby and Nick. Sean helped bring Austin and Matt aboard last year after our band officially launched, and all 6 of us have been working together since. These are the most talented players I’ve ever worked with.

AXS: Where was your first show in Denver, and what was the experience like? Who else did you play with at the show?
Robby: Our first show was our CD release party at Cervantes’ Other Side (July 2014). We were amazed by all of the support from our family, friends and fans. The energy was outrageous and we had a blast. We played with our good friends, The Wandering Monks. Austin and Matt’s first show with us was at Quixotes, (September 2013).

AXS: Have any Denver musicians inspired Robby Wicks Band?
Robby: The music scene in Denver is blowing up. Denver is full of all sorts of different music. I love Scatter Gather and The Wandering Monks Band, to name a couple.
Taylor: There are so many great musicians in Colorado and it’s easy to draw inspiration from a lot of them. Honestly, the guys in RWB encourage and inspire me to be a better player and writer every day.
Sean: Kim Stone, Break Mechanics, Taylor Biskup.
Matthew: Robby Wicks was part of a band called Porcelain Hand Jive and I saw them at a local bar in Colorado Springs. That performance actually inspired me to start playing the local “scene. I don’t think Robby or the guys knew this before this interview. Since then, there are too many great musicians to name in the area that have inspired me. Sean Pyrtle, Austin Johnson, Nicholas Hureau, Robby Wicks, Taylor Biskup, Dean Woodward and Jake Loggins have since pushed me to my musical best. I’ve played on and off with some of these cats for the past 8 years.
Austin: Jeremy Vazquez, Michael Hornbuckle.

AXS: What projects are Robby Wicks Band currently working on?
Robby: We are currently working on material for a new album and maintaining a steady performance schedule in Colorado. It’s our goal to hit the road in the future. Hopefully sooner than later. The new material is a product of us being a cohesive band for a while now. We are growing together as musicians and friends. It shows in the music!

AXS: What else is Robby Wicks Band involved in locally, either as individuals or as a group?
Robby: Some of us have families, we all work to keep a roof over our heads and we definitely enjoy giving back whenever possible. We stay busy to say the least. I’m also very involved in the Denver cannabis industry. I’ve been a part of it since the midst of the medical marijuana boom and now work as a cannabis compliance expert for iComply LLC., which makes sure dispensaries are operating compliantly with state rules and regulations.

AXS: Does Robby Wicks Band have a goal in mind for the sound the band produces? Are there certain influences or themes the band tries to inject into its own music?
Robby: The songs usually begin as a folk like, acoustic guitar song. The songs evolve into what they become as a result of so many amazing musicians getting their hands on the songs and the creative process. Everyone in this band could front their own project, no problem. It’s awesome. RWB is packed full of creativeness and musicianship!
Taylor: We have so many influences (rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, soul, hip-hop, jazz, etc.) and we love to infuse these genres into our songs as long as it feels real and genuine to us.
Sean: A combination of Robby's writing and Taylor's tasty chord voicing/progressions have had a major influence in directing the whole band. Everyone adds depth with rhythms/solo melodies/bass grooves, etc.
Austin: To unify all different genres of music and break down barriers.

AXS: For someone who has never seen or heard Robby Wicks Band, what would you tell them to entice them to watch your set?
Taylor: We’re fans of real instrumentation, poetic lyrics, top-notch musicianship, polished songwriting and energetic live performances. It’s our goal to bring those elements to anyone who comes to see us.
Our live shows pack a punch of energy. Most people are easily entertained by everyone in the band. Everywhere you look you become entranced with what you're listening to. It could be Robby’s soulful lyrics and melody, Sean's bass grooves, Austin’s screaming solos, Nick’s drumming, Matt’s busy fingers on the keys, or Tay’s innovative guitar precision. There's something for everyone.

AXS: What would your ideal live show look like? Where would it take place? Any particular time of year? Would a specific band/musician share the bill with or open for Robby Wicks Band?
Sean: Red Rocks. Anytime. With anyone.
Robby: I'm with Sean!
Matt: I also agree with Sean. We can’t forget the Union Station though! (Inside joke.)

AXS: This Friday, Robby Wicks Band takes the stage at the Bluebird. How are you guys feeling about the show? Are you looking forward to playing with Birch Street?
Robby: We have had our sights set on a Bluebird show from the beginning. I'm so proud of everyone in the band working hard for us to keep progressing and growing into the best band we can be. Of course we wouldn't be talking with you about a show at the bluebird if it wasn't for our loyal fan base. They come and root us on and help to fill every room we play with energy and love. I can't wait to give our fans a great show at the bluebird. It's going to be a huge pleasure to share the stage with Birchstreet and Tommy Freed and The Sound, both great bands! We thank them and look forward to an awesome night!
Taylor: The Bluebird Theater is such a fantastic, intimate venue with great sound, and we are terribly excited to play with Birch Street and Tommy Freed and the Sound. They’re incredible bands and we’re looking forward to sharing the stage with them.
Austin: I’m pumped. It’s going to be a great time.

AXS: What do you enjoy most about Denver’s music scene, and why?
Robby: I enjoy the people and camaraderie between bands here. We are all on the same team and truly want success for our fellow musicians in the scene. With all the musical diversity in the city, you can find some awesome, unique bills. Not only the musicians, but the club owners and promoters as well. There a sense of pride here and all the efforts of people to grow this Denver scene is so cool to be a part of. We as a city are putting Denver on the map when it comes to a mountainous musical Mecca!
Taylor: I dig the diversity more than anything. There are great hip-hop groups, jazz musicians, bluegrass bands, blues gurus, and on and on. We’re fans of music and it’s nice to know you can see superb talent any night of the week.
Sean: There are great venues, supportive concert-goers and it’s really exciting time for artists to perform. - axs.com

BY: JEREMY FLEISCHER

4/5 STARS

In 2013, Denver’s Robby Wicks Band released Songs From The Biltmore, the band’s only album to date. The album featured a collection of songs that deserved way more attention than they got, which was minimal, for some unknown reason. Recently, however, the band released a single, “Vices in Disguise,” presumably from a forthcoming release. This track deserves the admiration of any fan of soulful, danceable Americana. Like other RWB releases, it’s full of heart yet has a danceable swing.

What seems to make Robby Wicks Band so great is that, despite the songwriter/singer’s name front-and-center, this is a true ensemble. From the first snare roll on the track, to the saloon-style piano, to Wick’s sweet-gravel voice, each member showcases talent while understanding a sense of place, contributing just what’s needed for the song to reach its potential. And this is a band that is beholden to the integrity of its well-crafted, dynamically arranged songs.

It remains to be seen what, if any, album “Vices in Disguise” will end up on. But if it does, and the rest of the album is anything like this song, RWB deserves a featured slot at the 2017 Folks Festival. - Scene Magazine

In 2013, the Denver Americana rock group Robby Wicks Band released “Songs From The Biltmore.” This impressive collection of music was the culmination of Wicks’ “365 Project,” where he wrote a song per day in the historic Capitol Hill apartment building for a year.

Without backstory, it’s an interesting project. But the backstory is that Wicks lived in The Biltmore with his then girlfriend. After a devastating breakup, Wicks used music as his therapy, his means of working through it. Hundreds of these songs have yet to reach the light of day, but the ones he has released are equally as cathartic for the listener. That isn’t to say they are all downers. Robby Wicks Band’s music can bring a danceable, bouncy quality to its mostly acoustic sound. Then again, it can also make you cry.

Though “Songs From The Biltmore” didn’t gain much traction, it should have vaulted Robby Wicks Band to prominence in Colorado music. Masterfully crafted songs were draped in an appealing blend of rock and Americana.

Not much has been heard from the band since — until now. Recently, the band has released a new single, “Vices In Disguise,” and accompanying video. This song picks up where “Biltmore” left off, showing a band that has grown in its collaboration. Each member contributes something special to this foot-stomper.

Robby Wicks Band is somewhat vague about whether this single signals an album. They say there is one coming, but no details yet. We sure hope there is an album release, and soon.

The band is setting off on a Midwest tour this summer, but you can help send them off on August 27 at Pub on Pearl. Till then, download “Vices In Disguise” below. - Denver Post - Hey Reverb