A stretch of South Broadway will once again host the annual Underground Music Showcase (UMS), where over 200 artists will be performing across indoor and outdoor stages the weekend of July 28-30.
Ever since it was founded by Denver Post journalists John Moore and Ricardo Baca in 2001, the UMS has aimed to highlight Denver's vibrant local music scene. It's become one of the longest and largest-running music festivals in the Mile High, drawing all sorts of music listeners for one big celebration.
This year's UMS will be headlined by Chicago musician and poet Jamila Woods, indie electronica singer and producer Emmit Fenn and psychedelic rock band Crumb.
Other notable acts include Toronto singer-songwriter AVIV, local up-and-comers like N3ptune and Rusty Steve, and multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Garzón-Montano.
Click here for the full 2023 UMS Lineup.
The showcase will take place July 28-30.
Festival hours are 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Outdoor stages will close by 10 p.m. each night.
Weekend passes are $120 and give general admission access to any show all weekend long. Single Day passes are $50. Click here for tickets.
Venues run along Broadway between 6th and Alameda. There are three outdoor main stages as well as the all-new UMS House (109 S. Broadway), the official indoor stage that will be hosting late-night sets, underground parties and two full bars for attendees to check out.
For festival attendees, a helpful UMS App is available as a one-stop-shop for schedules, lineups, maps and other live updates throughout the weekend.
Expect parking to be very limited, so using ride-shares or public transportation to get there is recommended.
As part of this year's UMS mission to promote accessibility throughout its showcase, a comprehensive UMS Accessibility Guide is available with useful information on venue accessibility, best places to be dropped off, sidewalk conditions and where to find the UMS Accessibility Team.
Our friends at Indie 102.3 has compiled a list of throwback UMS performances going as far back as 10 years that is worth checking out. The Indie team will be hosting live recordings of their radio show from the Broadway Goodwill's window displays, where they'll talk to local artists that are part of this year's UMS lineup.
If you're interested in researching a bit more about this year's lineup, check out the official 2023 UMS Spotify Playlist.
