In a dark kitchen in the middle of a sweaty night in Las Vegas, all 6’4” of Dan Reynolds is hunched over a laptop, slapping beats on the table and crooning lyrics into a tiny microphone. Before long, he and the other three members of indie rock band Imagine Dragons would be playing “It’s Time,” that same laptop-demo-turned-supersized-anthem, from the roof of a parking garage to a wave of thousands of screaming fans. This song title to the single from their 2012 debut KidInaKorner/Interscope release “Continued Silence EP” is an all too apt descriptor of the band’s hard-earned success—but it’s also emblematic of the deep-seated anxiety Reynolds and the rest of the band experienced leaving behind any realistic expectation of a normal job to do the thing they love most.

A third-generation Las Vegas native, Reynolds is no stranger to the adage “the house always wins,” choosing to pave his musical career with a near obsessive work ethic and hundreds of unused demos rather than roll the dice with the first songs that sprung from his mouth. It’s no surprise, then, that he was drawn to guitarist Wayne Sermon, another founding member of Imagine Dragons. Having practically grown up in a recording studio and graduated Berklee College of Music, Wayne had been practicing his guitar through meals and other socially inappropriate situations as long as he could remember; he challenged Dan in a way that was both uncomfortable and exactly what they both needed. When they began writing songs together and recognized something special was happening, Wayne called up his Berklee friend Ben McKee, who promptly dropped out of school with only a few credits left, moving across the country to play bass for the band. This sort of reckless/genius behavior is typical for Ben, who has an uncanny penchant for spicy food and a suitcase full of unbelievable road stories. More recently, the band was joined by drummer Daniel Platzman, another Bostonian schoolmate who seems way too nice to be playing rock and roll until you actually see him in action.

Several tours and three self-released EPs later, Imagine Dragons had made a serious name for itself, particularly in the west coast circuit. Although their songs vary from nearly whimsical and light to brooding and powerful, listeners are drawn to the inherent honesty in the music. The only rule of thumb for the band, it seems, is to write from a true place; the result is songs that literally run the spectrum of human emotion. Attend a concert, and it becomes clear that the live performance of deeply personal songs has a real effect on people. And the band itself is not immune, as demonstrated when Dan literally passed out into the drum set during a finale song, sending cymbals and drum stands crashing while the rest of the band played on until the close.

Great songwriting is bound to be noticed eventually. As proof that the harder you work, the luckier you get, one of those people who noticed was Grammy winning producer Alex da Kid (Eminem, Rihanna). Alex and Dan began collaborating on projects, and soon the band had developed a relationship with Alex and his team. The alchemy resulting from Alex’s hip hop sensibilities and Imagine Dragons’ anthemic rock is nothing short of explosive. The byproduct of this creative collision is “Continued Silence,” a six song in-your-face sonic grenade that breaks musical boundaries and yet is strangely relatable by its improbably diverse audience.

Despite it all, on any given day when they aren’t on the road playing shows, you can still find Imagine Dragons huddled away in a rehearsal room somewhere, banging out song after song in search of the next perfect track. Like most things in Vegas, the band is angled at going big or going bust. For the sake of those who love great music, we hope it’s the former.

OKeh short history: 

OKeh was founded by Otto K. E. Heinemann when he set up his own recording studio and gramophone record pressing plant in New York City in September 1918. Heinemann formed the name of the record label "OKeh", from his initials.  OKeh began by issuing popular songs, dance numbers, and vaudeville skits similar to the fare of other labels, but Heineman also wished to experiment with music for audiences neglected by the larger record companies. OKeh produced lines of recordings in German, Czech, Polish, Swedish, and Yiddish for the USA's immigrant communities. In 1920, Ralph Peer's recordings by African-American blues singer Mamie Smith were a surprise smash hit for Okeh. The company perceived the significant, little-tapped market for blues and jazz by African American artists. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Bix Beiderbecke are only a few names of jazz greats that have recorded for the label. By 1926 Columbia Records bought the label and kept it running into the 60's with jazz and R&B recordings. 

In 1994, Sony Music reactivated the OKeh label as a new-age Blues label. Okeh's first new signings included Keb' Mo, Popa Chubby, and Little Axe. By 2000, the Okeh label was again retired, but in 2013 it will see its re-launch as a jazz label once again.

This is the world of The Knife: precise, particular, dark, occult, funny-peculiar, funny-ha-ha.

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BOOKINGS
Live: dave.galea@unitedtalent.com
DJ: darren@fmly.agency

You might wonder what profound artistic outlook might lead a DJ to mix as masterfully as Denver artist Peter Vaughan. Believe it or not, he always steps behind the decks with a simple intention: to smile and have fun.


Peter ignores fleeting trends, sticking instead to the soulful style of deep house that has remained his calling card over the past decade. He’s well versed nonetheless, equipped to play everything from techno to drum and bass on the spot if the setting calls for it. Recent years have seen him grow even more deeply rooted in the underground. He’s a repeat booking at Denver clubs like 1134 and Bar Standard.


Music lay in the cards for Peter Vaughan Stimson from day one. Growing up down the street from the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, it was only a matter of time he dove into the arts headfirst. His first concert was The Beastie Boys at Red Rocks, and electronic musicians like Fatboy Slim and Dirty Vegas shaped his budding music taste. 


Peter first experienced dance music in its proper context when The Crystal Method played the newly opened Beta Nightclub. He immersed himself in the nascent sounds of early dubstep pioneers like Skream and Benga thanks to the gatherings organized by influential Denver bass music outfit Sub.mission. Before long, West Coast festivals called his name, opening a world of music to him during a pivotal time in his life.


It also happened to be a pivotal time for dubstep itself. A rift had formed between the genre’s dreamy, contemplative roots and its in-your-face Stateside incarnation. Peter Vaughan remained loyal to the former. Taking such a stand helped him forge a deep personal connection to underground music as a whole — be it dubstep, drum and bass, techno, breakbeat or house.


As immersed as he was, it was only a matter of time before Peter Vaughan started DJing himself. His debut 2012 gig saw him warm up the decks for drum and bass DJ and producer Nu:Logic at the now-defunct Denver venue Casselman’s Bar & Venue. DnB wouldn’t remain at the core of his repertoire for long, though. He soon arrived at his dynamic yet nuanced deep house sound signature, getting booked to open for the likes of Till von Sein and Julio Bashmore.


Peter doubled down on DJing more than ever before during the pandemic. He put in work, practiced, and even managed to build his brand, treating his time away from clubland as an opportunity to invest in his passion. By the time live events turned back on, all his hard work paid off. Peter Vaughan re-emerged as a permanent fixture of the Denver nightlife landscape.


Clubs like Bar Standard and 1134 routinely play host to Peter’s DJ sets, which have grown to blend deep tech and minimal with his time-tested flavor of deep house. He’s also no stranger to performing at local staple Club Vinyl and maintains a residency at upscale cocktail bar The Goldfinch. Outside of clubs, music lovers can also hear Peter’s selections via his Perspectives mix series on SoundCloud.


Peter Vaughan surpassed an exciting milestone in 2024. After spending considerable time toiling away in the studio, he released his first-ever music recording: the You Knew This Was Coming EP. It encapsulated a fusion of the style heard in his DJ sets with a flavor all his own. It would be the first of many. Once Peter opened the floodgates, the ideas kept on flowing.


A track plays that will freeze the current moment in your mind as an immortal snapshot of the night. You didn’t even notice it come in — but now that it’s here, it commands your full attention. Glancing at the booth, you see Peter bobbing casually to the rhythm, a knowing grin radiating from his face. The groove is his heartbeat and soul is his guiding star. It’s plain to see, and even easier to hear.


For a sample of the Denver underground, look no further than Peter Vaughan. Trends come and go with the ebbs and flows of dance music, but rest assured he’s not going anywhere.

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