Kinetix: Alumni Tour Worldwide
Kinetix started as five DU students with an idea, but the band has grown into a national presence. They’ve just released their second album, and they’re touring major venues around the country. Band members say they’re living their dream, and their DU education was the catalyst that started their trip to the top.
Kinetix, the five-member rock band touring across the nation, struck their first chords together at DU.
Just two years ago, the five students from the Lamont School of Music played their first gig at an annual DU party called Mustache Bash. But their fan base grew quickly. In the summer of 2007, shortly after they dropped their second album, Talking to Faces, they headed off for a tour of the national festival circuit, including an appearance at Minnesota’s popular 10,000 Lakes Festival.
Their nationwide tour has continued into the fall, including a Halloween show in Denver, where they shared the stage with popular jam band Umphrey’s McGee. The band’s funk/rock style and jam band performances keeps dance floors full, and their popularity continues to grow. (Their MySpace profile boasts nearly 10,000 friends.)
"Even if all we ever did was play small clubs, we’d still be doing what we wanted,” says guitarist Jordan Linit. “This is all we’ve ever wanted to do."
An education for success
It’s their education that sets Kinetix apart from Denver’s notable lineup of homegrown musicians.
Four of the band members sport DU bachelor’s degrees. Jordan and his childhood friend and baseman Josh Fairman graduated in 2006. Drummer Jack Gargan and keyboardist Eric Blumenfeld earned their degrees in 2007. The fifth member, guitarist Adam Lufkin, hasn’t finished his bachelor’s degrees in music and commercial music yet, but he’s taking time off to tour.
Music Adjunct Instructor Ken Walker credits the band members with seeking an education, and he says the skills they’ve learned in school give them options.
"Having an education makes them more versatile," Ken says. "When you learn to play your instrument to where you don’t think about it, that’s when you can really expand."
The band members say learning at Lamont gave them an opportunity to learn from master musicians on the faculty and work with professional-grade equipment, experiences they wouldn’t have had if they’d tried to make it as musicians without the university experience.
"It’s hard work," Jordan says. "You look at it, and you’re working, you’re spending time in class—but it’s music. It’s what you love."
Life on the road
Currently Josh is the only member with a permanent place of his own, a single room in a house packed with recording equipment. The others live in the tour bus, or they crash with friends and even sometimes DU alumni who offer them a place to stay on the road.
"For me, this is my way to see the world," Adam said. "If that’s all I get out of this, if it just lets me get out there and see everything I can see, that would be fine."
Published on Nov. 13, 2007