Sept. 16, 2013
Shelby Shively
[email protected]
C.J. Hackett, frontman for the band A Bad Night for a Hero, and Timmy Vilgiate have shared many things over the past few months: a tour, a drummer and a passion for promoting the local art scene in Colorado Springs.
They met when Hackett brought Vilgiate on for The Redheaded Zombie Show, a free monthly show at a local coffee house.
“We host at least one show every month and we usually keep our Facebook up to date … with our events,” Hackett said in an email.
His goal is usually to give local musicians their first show in front of a live audience at no cost to them.
Hacketthad heard of Vilgiate through his ReverbNation account, and he was interested in meeting him.
Once Vilgiate joined the show, they became friends and Vilgiate joined Hackett’s mission: “So many talented people go completely unnoticed … I’ve made it my mission … to make sure that they are heard. Everybody has a voice.”
The Redheaded Zombie Show’s website features other kinds of local artists and links to their own websites, including writers, comic book artists, painters and even costume designers.
When talking about the success of the show and his own music endeavors,Hackettsaid, “[T]hat’s kind of turning into a much bigger project, so that might take over.”
He formed a band with Brandon Arnold and Colin Bovberg at the beginning of this year, but they were not able to go on the tour.
“There were financial issues and [medical] reasons why they couldn’t come,” Hackettsaid, but they “all agreed that it would be best for [Timmy and me] to go.” That way, the band’s name and music would be getting out there.
They played fourteen venues on the Aug. 9-17 tour. Vilgiate said he “did really enjoy playing in front of a bunch of a bunch of people [he] didn’t know. That felt good, and it felt good to meet new people.”
Hackettagreed. “It felt overwhelming at first, but I kind of liked being honest with people. We would tell them the stories behind our music, the songs and stuff, and that would seem to get them more interested.”
Vilgiate is currently attending UCCS and majoring in both music and history. He hopes to become a teacher, but when asked if he wants to make a career out of music, he said, “I wouldn’t say I’m really planning on anything; I’m just kind of leaving it in God’s hands and seeing where it ends up going.”
He is planning to go on tour again in January with his and Hackett’s mutual drummer, Colin. He is also working on recording and producing his own album, using an app on his phone, which he will call “Little Canyons.”
Vilgiate said, “I want to do another tour next year when I release that other album. This time I’ll go to other places outside Colorado.”
Hackett does see music as his career path, either through A Bad Night for a Hero or through The Redheaded Zombie Show.
He just released his last solo project, “I Am the Yeti,” and the band is looking to record a new album called, “More Reasons to Hate Me.” This will feature songs on which the entire band has collaborated.
Vilgiate’s albums are available to stream for free through his ReverbNation account (reverbnation.com/vilgiatetimothy) or to download for a small price. He recommended “Too Much Time on their Heads” and “Vigilante Justice (Unmastered).”