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The Underground Music Showcase (UMS) is a longstanding favorite in the Denver music scene and, according to the event organizers, is the largest and longest-running independent music festival in Colorado.
During the 2025 event, Denver residents and visitors can experience performances by more than 200 bands on four stages and in 12 venues. This year, the festival will be celebrating its 25th year.
“This year, we’re celebrating our 25-year history while staying true to our history of introducing crowds in Colorado to discovery bands and new acts,” said Jami Duffy, co-manager of UMS.
The 2025 UMS lineup has yet to be announced, but 2024 acts included musicians like Los Mocochetes, The Mañanas, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Virgi Dart, Blankslate, iies, Mr. Knobs, Beasts of No Nation, Kayla Marque, Kid Astronaut, Nina de Freitas and Siembra Soundsystem.
The 2025 musicians will span genres and experience, offering attendees an opportunity to discover new sounds and explore musical styles to which they might not regularly listen. For the 25th year of the festival, UMS will also showcase legacy artists who have been involved in the festival throughout its quarter-of-a-century history.
As UMS continues to vet artists for the upcoming event, Duffy said they are “looking for folks who are making high-quality, interesting music from every genre,” and for artists who have a “commitment to their community.”
“We look for a wide variety of representation, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists and artists with disabilities,” she said.
About 80% of the bands will be Colorado artists, though artists from other regions are also featured. According to Duffy, the 2024 event received applications from 2,000 artists from 46 states and nine countries. UMS is also working with the Wyoming Arts Council to showcase five Wyoming artists to help them “gain exposure beyond state borders and reach broader audiences.”
Each year since its inception in 2000, UMS has brought a unique music experience to Denver music lovers, but it is more than just a festival. UMS also serves as what Jami called a “container for community.” UMS is a place to listen to new music and also an event that nurtures local artists, fosters a sober-curious environment and provides resources for artists and attendees alike.
For the audience, UMS has gone to great lengths to create a safe space. The festival put together a three-year accessibility plan led by disability and accessibility advocate Jessica Wallach and activist, educator and emcee of Wheelchair Sports Camp Kalyn Heffernan to improve how musicians and attendees with disabilities experience the space. The event also supports a sober-curious environment and will have sober bars serving non-alcoholic beverages throughout the festival.
In 2023, the event partnered with Keep the Party Safe, an education and awareness campaign working to prevent or reverse fentanyl overdoses. At the festival that year, they distributed 1,860 fentanyl test strips and 1,596 doses of naloxone.
From paying a living artist wage to professional development opportunities and care lounges—substance-free calming spaces with snacks, a nap area and access to mental health providers—UMS is also dedicated to providing resources for artists. Participating artists will have access to a two-day conference, which UMS said provides “opportunity for artists to learn, network, and navigate career choices in the industry.” According to Duffy, the 2025 conference will host elected officials and philanthropists so they can hear directly from the artists what they need.
The development of youth artists is at the core of the festival. UMS is co-owned by the non-profit Youth on Record (YOR), an organization that implements music-centered programs that help young people from historically under-resourced communities find success and strengthen their community, and Two Parts, a Denver-based creative agency.
Duffy serves as the executive director of YOR, which has a partnership with UMS in which young people get opportunities to work at the box office, at merchandise stands or work on producing Underground at the Showcase, UMS’s official podcast.
UMS’s dedication to caring for the community in a way that supports attendees and artists while putting on a lively three-day festival featuring talented local artists is arguably the reason the festival is now entering into its 25th year.
The 2025 lineup for Underground Music Showcase will be announced at the end of April. Pre-sale tickets are now available at undergroundmusicshowcase.com
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