When most Modern Jam fans hear the name Mihali Savoulidis they immediately think of his primary project Twiddle. Somewhere between playing the Vermont bar circuit and heading Red Rocks this year he created a solo concept based on loops, beatboxing, multi-instrumentation, and his signature vocals. Known simply as Mihali he has been playing to intimate audiences across the country, occasionally bringing out a live band. Mahali plotted a 4 day run zigzagging across the Centennial State with stops in Denver, Steamboat Springs, Fort Collins and Vail. He invited local phenom Graham Good with a stripped down version of The Painters to start off the show at Washington’s in Fort Fun. The renovated Wash Bar has become the crown jewel of the local music scene since it opened early last year.

Graham Good is a big ol’ bucket of positive energy in a world that sorely needs it. He and his band were all smiles for the intimate performance. Graham Good and The Painters is normally a 7 piece party bus, but tonight they were performing as a trio with Cameron Collums on the upright acoustic bass and Daniel Thompson on keys. They played a forty minute set that included raw versions of fan favorites “Be Happy” and “Good Things.” They also treated us to some new tracks specifically one banger entitled “Dream Big,” which was well received. Graham also offered up a stellar version of John Cragie’s “Rough Johns.” These cats live in Northern Colorado, but they are on the cusp of releasing a new album and garnering a much larger following. Do yourself a favor and get in on the ground floor with Graham Good & The Painters; they are going places.

Mihali has taken a handful of solo songs, mixed in a few Twiddle tracks and hit the road. His stop in Fort Collins was preceded by a live band performance at Ophelia’s in Denver with Todd Stoops, Ross James, and more. Many in the room were touring with Mihali catching every show on the run. There was a palpable level of excitement when he took the stage just after 8 PM. His set lasted about ninety minutes and he informed us early of some laryngitis from the night prior. Honestly his signature rasp was on point throughout the evening despite his warning. Mihali got the night going with “Carved Lines” and a pair of Animal Liberation Covers including a salacious rendition of “Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down.” The first half of the show was loop heavy, but the second half was pretty much Mahali and his guitar. He treated fans to a haunting version of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt” before continuing with a tight “Land and Sea.” Mihali closed out his set with “Apple” into “Heart Song.” He belted out “Lost in the Cold” to encore asking for a little help from the crowd. They happily obliged as the massive sing along carried us all home.

Mihali continues to work on his first solo album, but he has been steadily releasing singles to fill out the track list. He has been at it for over two years and the songs that have been shared are a testament to his craft and his own artistic momentum. Both Mihali and Graham are on a strong upward trajectory and I look forward to seeing what comes next.