The first night of Rocky Mountain Rhythm for the spring 2025 semester opened with a Pueblo-based band, The Ragetones.
The alternative-rock, pop punk, and emo-styled band featured three members for the performance in the TV studio at the Buell Communications Center (BCC) at CSU Pueblo on Feb. 15.
The three musicians were Jesse Hed, Christopher Farris and Taryn Tibbs. According to Hed, the group has been together more than five years. Farris and Hed played together before that in another “skull band” that featured 7-8 members.
When that original group dissolved, Farris and Hed got together again with other friends to form The Ragetones. They had asked Tibbs to fill in for another member during a tour, and she’s stayed with the group ever since.
“We write all our own songs. We write a lot about things like mental health and things we like such as anime. We just try to be as raw and real as possible when we write music,” Hed said.
Rocky Mountain Rhythm is a live recording session and concert featuring local bands. It is a continuation of last semester’s production. Originally led by recent graduate Nathan Martin, the project now is a part of senior Media and Entertainment student Dave Moody’s Capstone project.
“I’m in love with the project. That’s why I did it in the first place,” said Martin, who was in attendance to show his support for the production and its new leaders.
The Ragetones were on Martin’s original list of bands he considered during last semester’s production, but because of the small window to work with (having only six bands in total), the group did not make the final approved list.
“I was really excited to see that (The Ragetones) ended up coming to join the project this semester because I listened to their music on Spotify when I was trying to study about what other bands to find locally, and I think they’re a great talent,” Martin said.
Rocky Mountain Rhythm is designed to create a more intimate setting between the artists and the audience. The artists are encouraged to share stories behind their music.
“Normally, we’re kind of a louder heavier rock band and they wanted us to be a little more stripped down, not quite as heavy, so we get to play arrangements of our songs that we normally don’t get to,” said Hed before their performance.
The performance was video- and audio-recorded with the assistance of SOCO Student Media and faculty within the Department of Media and Entertainment. If the band wants to start a song over, they are allowed to do so for their recording purposes.
“We’re used to playing in bars where it’s really loud and we’re just kind of in the background, so to have a really engaged audience was different. People were really supportive and nice, even when we had a couple of little flukes,” Tibbs said after their performance.
The band sold merchandise in the lobby of the BCC which included vinyl records, T-shirts and bracelets.
The Ragetones are staying in town for two upcoming shows in Pueblo: Feb. 23 at Blo Back Gallery; and March 22 at the Nerd Emporium.
The next production of Rocky Mountain Rhythm will take place tomorrow night, Feb. 22. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
