The Trujillo Company breaks the stigma at the Underground Music Showcase
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DENVER — It’s not every day people receive an invite to meet John Wick. But for the Denver-based rock band The Trujillo Company, the invitation confirmed they are exactly where they’re meant to be.
Actor Keanu Reeves recently hand-picked the band to open for his own band, Dogstar.
“We bought him cupcakes,” said Mike Trujillo, lead guitarist and singer for the band. The Trujillo Company performed in August of 2023 with Dogstar at the Marquis Theatre in Denver.
“Legendary character, legendary person, you know? To be on the same lineup with someone that you've admired for basically my entire life. It was special to know that not only were we good enough to play with them, but they chose us to play with them,” Mike Trujillo said.
This year, the band is playing the Underground Music Showcase in Denver, which is co-owned by Two Parts and Youth on Record. The Trujillo Company will perform two shows during the UMS, at Bar 404 on Friday, July 26th at 11:00 pm and Saturday, July 27th at Sportique at 10:00 pm.
“The way that I describe it [UMS] to people is it's kind of like the South by Southwest of Denver. If you want to get a sense of what the Denver music scene is, you come to the UMS. You will get to see such a wide array of music,” said Mike Trujillo.
People are surprised to find out that Leny, the band’s drummer who shares the same last name of Trujillo, is not related to Mike. Leny, who started playing drums at four years old, met Mike at a birthday party. They played one jam session and formed an instant connection.
In 2021, Mark Hible seamlessly joined the band. Mike and Leny like to joke that Mark is an honorary Trujillo.
Leny Trujillo, who comes from Los Angeles, prefers Denver’s music scene.
“It doesn't have the music scene you would expect, being so huge there,” he said of LA. “[Denver’s] is amazing. All my friends are jealous back home because they have nothing like that.”
The music festival will use 2024 to launch a mental health initiative and The Trujillo Company will headline as Platinum Music Ambassadors for YOR, the nonprofit that provides free music education to kids, teens and underserved neighborhoods. In their role as ambassadors, the band will fundraise and work with young people directly in the music lab.
Mike Trujillo became a big fan of YOR in 2007 when he saw how the music program changed the lives for the kids and teens within the Denver community. He wanted to be a part of it. YOR returned the favor when it chose the band out of 600 artists as one of their 2024 Impact Artists.
UMS chooses Impact Artists “who embody values of community engagement, artistic growth, and positive change.” Last year, the Impact Artist was N3ptune, whose music and message centers on “mental health, BIPOC wellness, healthy masculinity and sober curiosity.”
“UMS wants every artist and attendee to feel valued, supported, and empowered at the festival this year and that’s why we’re introducing some exciting new initiatives,” said Danielle Lumpkin, UMS and YOR Mental Health and Wellness Manager.
The UMS will partner with Ardent Grove Foundation, a nonprofit group that offers low-cost therapy. It will present festival-goers with wellness pop-up activations for the artists, affirmations on the UMS app, sober bars and sober spaces.
“There's been more attention drawn to the fact that there are actually a lot of musicians that don't drink because they know the effect that it can have on their body or their personalities and overall demeanor,” said Trujillo.
Jami Duffy is co-manager of the UMS and Executive Director of YOR and is expecting 10,000 people per day for the three-day festival running between July 26 to the 28th on Broadway between 6th and Alameda.
“Sobriety is not something that is necessarily associated with music, music festivals, or the music industry. In fact, quite the opposite,” said Duffy.
“This rock and roll lifestyle. We’ve watched a lot of our friends die…and we’re tired of it,” she said.
“Mental health is a topic that is on everybody’s hearts and minds right now. We have Gen Z and millennials to thank for that, they have brought that into the Zeitgeist,” added Duffy. “They are trying to save their lives and save each other’s lives. They’re just trying to live in a healthier way.”
The Trujillo Company is part of the new generation that acknowledges the importance of sobriety and mental health awareness. It is why they were selected by YOR as an Impact Partner.
“It can be difficult to find relief or help when you need it. And it's nice to know that they're offering programs like this because being a musician can be pretty stressful at times and oftentimes, there's no one to talk to about it,” said Trujillo.
The UMS lineup of 700+ artists includes three outdoor stages and performances at the Hi-Dive, Skylar Lounge, The Hornet, HQ, Bar 404, and Illegal Pete’s. In its 24th year, it is officially one of the largest indie music festivals in the Western region.
“Buy a ticket, it's gonna be worth it. You never know which something great you're gonna stumble upon when you walk into a random venue,” said Trujillo. “You might be able to make some great connections and find some bands that you might follow the rest of your life.”