"Captivating indie-pop earworm vignettes of American malaise and hope.” – Tom Murphy, BIRDY MAGAZINE
BIO
On April 23, 2024 — coinciding with the full moon — Denver rock band Big Dopes released the song "Moon Car," an escapist sugar-rush of swooping synthesizers and shouted choruses. "We wanted [the song] to feel like being on a carnival ride," said lead singer Eddie Alexander. "We might have been too successful."
Like rocket-boosters strapped to a janky tour van, the catchy single kickstarted a new phase for the group, becoming an instant crowd favorite. The band toured behind "Moon Car" throughout 2024, headlined by an energetic main-stage performance at Denver's Underground Music Showcase beneath a dazzling double rainbow.
The song showcases the band's commitment to craft and ridiculousness as it refines its brand of inviting, 90s-indebted indie rock and lounge-pop. Alexander uses his playful, conversational baritone to sing through neuroses and inner dialogues about long-distance relationships, being a houseguest, and thank-you notes to friends named Tom. The band's engaging, upbeat live shows have earned them a loyal following throughout the Midwest and beyond.
The band's second album, Destination Wedding, was released in November 2021. That fall they opened for Tokyo Police Club at Denver's Bluebird Theater. After several national tours behind the LP, the band marked the album's one-year anniversary by releasing a psych-pop remix of their song "Take You Anywhere," a collaboration with Little Trips, in November 2022.
More new music is planned for release at the end of 2024.
PRESS QUOTES THAT MAKE US SOUND POTENTIALLY INTERESTING
"Big Dopes’ music video for “Moon Car” is a quirky, offbeat gem that integrates their fun and familiar aesthetic with playful, Wes Anderson-style visuals ... The video’s whimsical charm complements the song’s rays of indie pop joy, making it a standout release from one of Denver’s most consistently exciting bands. Big Dopes keeps things entertaining and imaginative, showcasing why they remain a key figure in the local music community." James Lane, 303 MAGAZINE
"Big Dopes is one of the best Denver bands not enough people know about yet. Its new LP Destination Wedding picks up where its outstanding 2019 album Crimes Against Gratitude left off with affecting lyrics and exquisitely crafted melodies. Fans of C86 era pop, Magnetic Fields and Carissa’s Wierd will likely appreciate the band’s attention to sonic detail and knack for a poetic and thoughtful turn of phrase." - Tom Murphy, QUEEN CITY SOUNDS AND ART
“Uniquely beautiful… a group of guys wearing ties, vests, and sometimes turtlenecks have delivered a shot of happiness straight to my gut. I’m not talking about that fake filtered happiness we often chase. No, I’m talking about the happiness that comes from taking it one day at a time and appreciating the small things. Which is just the feeling I get when listening to Big Dopes. … Crimes Against Gratitude is in the running for my top 5 albums of the year. It came out of nowhere for me, but hit at the right time and in the right way.” Robert Mayper, TASTE MUSIC
“You’ll find that the band’s creative output is clever instead of crass and assiduous instead of sloppy. They’re likelier to hit up a library over a frat house-style party — if their trademark turtlenecks and sweaters are anything to go by. This is not to say that vocalist and guitarist Eddie Alexander (who you might know from the Denver dream-pop band, Oxeye Daisy), bassist Justin Catanzaro and percussionist Ricky Brewer are starchy stiffs, either. The music video captures the band’s professional yet lighthearted personality, endearing the viewer to them even more than their name does (who can’t love a big dope?). – Josie Russell, 303 MAGAZINE [“Don’t Get Up” music video premiere]
“The trio’s songs combine a rich, moody low end courtesy Justin Catanzaro’s bass and Eddie Alexander’s rich vocals. Intricate melodies and dynamic rhythms with the band, including drummer Ricky Brewer, [give] the songs a rare expressiveness and vibrancy. Alexander’s lyrics seem to come from poignantly observational biographical snapshots. In telling these stories the band tells the story of a generation coming to terms with diminished future possibilities but refusing to give into despair yet finding a way to cope with creativity and empathy rather than callousness.” – Tom Murphy, QUEEN CITY SOUNDS AND ART
Denver Westword article and interview about the new album Destination Wedding
Crimes Against Gratitude – one of the top 10 Colorado albums of 2019, COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO / INDIE 102.3
“Don’t Get Up” music video — official selection for Denver Film Festival, November 2019
Colorado Public Radio – featured artist in October 2021 for the Local 303 on Indie 102.3
CONTACT
management: Isaiah DeRose / isaiah.derose@idtalentdenver.com
Contact bigdopesbooking@gmail.com for interviews, guest list additions, or zucchini bread recipes
header photo by Julianna Photography