16 DECEMBER 18-24, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | OPEN 24/7 NOW HIRING DENVERSTRIPCLUB.COM ASK ABOUT EARLY BIRD SPECIAL ....................... ................... ................... ................. .................. ....................... ................... ................... ................. .................. .............................. ............................ .............................. ............................ BOULDERTHEATER.COM FOXTHEATRE.COM DEC 19 DEC 31 JAN9 JAN8 JAN 10 JAN 16 JAN 15 PICKIN’ ON THE DEAD TONEWOOD STRING BAND THE FRETLINERS BEAR HAT NEW YEAR’S EVE SCOTT NICE & TONE RANGER MILK PHYPHR + 5AM TRIO MCWAVY BITCHFLOWER LIQUID CHICKEN, BLURREDRADIO, GUSH EAST NASH GRASS SUNKISSD THE SPEEKS, ABERNATHY SHAGNASTER JUST ANNOUNCED FEB 12 ...................................................THE GALENTINES FEB 28 .....................................................................TAUK JUST ANNOUNCED FEB 7 .............................................. SHAKEDOWN STREET MAR 27 .............................................................BAD SUNS MAR 28 ....................................................THE HAPPY FITS MAY 1 .........................................................HAIL THE SUN DEC 31 JAN 31 JAN 27 JAN 10 JAN 24 JAN 30 BOOMBASSADOR (THE POLISH AMBASSADOR & BOOMBOX) NEW YEAR’S EVE FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE MURDER NIGHT IN BLOOD FOREST WITH MUSICAL GUEST MAL BLUM THE BIG LEBOWSKI FILM SCREENING DEAD FLOYD THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD? FILM SCREENING UMPHREY’S MCGEE THRU JAN 15 JAN 17 mony and melody taking precedence over anything else,” Pendergast says, “is the core of what makes Khemmis Khemmis.” “The harmonies ultimately are there to serve the emotion of the song,” Coleman adds, “and I think that’s maybe the Khem- mis formula.” The three laugh now at how green they were back then: how they didn’t have any Absolution demos or click tracks ready before stepping into the studio, and some songs had to be buttoned up or rearranged on the fl y. But it ultimately culminated in a more authentic and, in certain moments, spon- taneous record. “I love how that lack of foresight results in some real gems at times. To this day, I still feel like the solo I play at the begin- ning of ‘The Bereaved’ is the best solo that I have ever had,” says Pendergast, currently an assistant sociology professor at Western Washington University. “And I haven’t ever been able to play it better than I played it on the record. I’m always like, ‘God dammit, why does that have to be the fi rst guitar solo that I ever played?’ But I love it. It wouldn’t have turned out the same if I was thinking about it as much. I just let it rip and that was what happened, and it got captured in this moment in time. That shit’s cool.” Naturally, as the band has matured and settled into its own recording routine, shit’s not necessarily like that anymore. For ex- ample, Khemmis is wrapping up a yet-to- be-announced album, again with Otero at his Flatline Audio studio. And while there are still remnants from the Absolution days musically and emotionally, it’s much more intentional and focused. “I see the two as spiritually linked a little bit,” Pendergast says. “But we’re driving a doom-metal Ferrari now, instead of a doom- metal El Camino.” To be fair, both are badass in their own right. Khemmis — which currently includes bassist Dave Small, who holds down the same spot in Hutcherson’s death-sludge project, Glacial Tomb — has also teased that an unreleased new song will be part of the anniversary celebration. “If people want to be in a video for a new song off the upcoming Khemmis record,” Hutcherson says, “they should defi nitely be at the show and be ready to headbang and mosh and act a fool.” While the future looks heavy, it’s still a trip to think that Absolution, that fi rst proper Khemmis offering, is ten this year. “The sentiment that it’s hard to believe it’s been ten years defi nitely rings true, be- cause the older you get, the faster time goes by. We’re middle-aged now. That’s a weird feeling,” Hutcherson says. “When we started this band, we were just a bunch of no-good punks drinking beer in the basement of Black in Bluhm Studio,” he concludes. “Fast forward all these years later, and here we are.” Khemmis, with Of Feather and Bone and Hashtronaut, 7 p.m. Saturday, December 20, Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway. Tickets are $43. Music continued from page 15
