the Velveteers

The Velveteers are a band who redefine the concept of a power trio. Though their raw, primal sound is created by just three people, the group's lineup features a baritone guitarist and two drummers, conjuring a boomy but stripped-down attack, with Demi Demitro's lead vocals the sole concession to high end. The result fuses the expressive minimalism of garage punk with the muscular stomp of vintage hard rock (in particular Led Zeppelin), fueled with passion and rock & roll attitude. The Velveteers first caught the attention of music fans with a self-titled EP they issued in 2018, and made a splash in the national spotlight with 2021's Nightmare Daydream. The Velveteers were formed in Boulder, Colorado in 2014 by guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Demi Demitro. Demitro's mother was a student of theater and dance, and creative expression was encouraged in their household. Two of Demi's siblings were members of an idiosyncratic hard rock band called Pink Fuzz, so it came as no surprise when she picked up a guitar at home and started ditching school so she could spend more time practicing. While catching a local reggae show, Demitro met Baby Pottersmith, a multi-instrumentalist who could handle drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards. The two decided to form a group, initially with Demitrio on guitar and vocals and Pottersmith on drums, though they would occasionally pitch in with second guitar or keys. They became a trio with the addition of Demi's brother John Demitro on drums, and in 2016, released the song "Death Hex." That same year, the band Deap Vally invited them to join them as their opening act on a tour of the United Kingdom, and they quickly made the jump from playing small clubs at home to packed theaters on another continent. Not long after the U.K. tour, the Velveteers were back to being a duo when John dropped out of the group to devote more time to Pink Fuzz. Demi and Baby kept playing out as a two-piece and developed a reputation for their compelling live shows, touring frequently. A change-of-pace digital single, the low-key and romantic "This Love Lasted," arrived in mid-2017, and in 2018, they issued a six-song EP titled The Velveteers that was well-received by fans and the press. In 2020, the Velveteers became a trio again when Jonny Fig came aboard as their second drummer, and word about the band's songs and stage show caught the attention of Dan Auerbach, co-founder of another tough rock band with an unconventional lineup, the Black Keys. Auerbach offered to sign the group to his Easy Eye Sound label and produce their first full-length release. The Velveteers were agreeable to the arrangement, and the 12-song Nightmare Daydream was issued in October 2021. During the downtime between the completion of the album and its release, the trio lucked into one of the biggest shows of their career when they were tapped to open an August 2021 stadium show in Denver, Colorado for Guns 'n Roses after the original opening act was forced to drop out for health reasons.
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