Band BLAST OFF! helps students, ages 7-17, develop musicianship, performance, and professional skills to prepare them for successful careers as performing musicians.
Band BLAST OFF! is back for 2023!
Free/donation based event. At the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, it’s 10 days of song writing, recording, and performing—collaborate with peers & instructors alike to build the sound of your band!
All culminates in a band showcase on July 28!
Interested in Band BLAST OFF!? Register below for more details.
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Ren Ash
FOUNDER, PLASMA CANVAS
VOCALIST, GUITARIST
she/her
Adrienne Ash is a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter based in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has played music professionally for the last 10 years, including 7 years with her current band, Plasma Canvas. Adrienne brings a DIY punk rock ethos to everything she does, but knows how to take it from the basement to stages across the country. Starting from making spray-painted shirts as a teenager, she went on to release two albums with Plasma Canvas on SideOneDummy Records. She has recorded her music everywhere from her friend's closet to world-renown studios like The Blasting Room, and knows how to navigate everything in-between.
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Hazel Daigneault
CO-FOUNDER, GRRRLS SCRAP BACK
ELECTRONIC DJ, PRODUCER
she/her
Hazel Daigneault, stage name HAZELHATESYOU, is a Fort Collins-based electronic DJ and producer with a focus on dubstep and drum & bass. She has over eight years of production experience, four years of DJ experience, and has played for some of the biggest names in bass music.
In 2022, Hazel began working with Blast N Scrap as a volunteer instructor for Band BLAST OFF! Soon after, she became involved with Blast N Scrap's live shows, which evolved into her becoming a trained audio engineer. She is also one of the founding members of Grrrls Scrap Back, and is the director of the Advisory Horde.
As a Computer Science student at CSU, Hazel meticulously applies her understanding of computers and audio engineering to her music, creating polished and impactful tracks.
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Michael Gormley
FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BLAST N SCRAP
SONGWRITER, VOCALIST, GUITARIST
he/him
Michael Gormley is the founder and Executive Director of Blast N Scrap and a member of the board. Michael, also known as Blasti, conceived of Blast N Scrap to fill a gap in the Fort Collins music scene, creating a donation-based space for young people to perform safely in an environment that is healthy, progressive, inclusive, and supportive.
In 2018, Michael, along with close friend, Grethe Rundquist, started up The CBGGs, a concept project transposing punk rock song into country bluegrass blues fashion, in which he plays guitar, harmonica, and sings.
When the 2-piece began adding additional members, they updated their moniker to CB & the G Jeez. Now, having released their first single of original material, the once again rebranded, CB’s RAT10 (Ratio), are performing sets showcasing Cap Blast’s lyrical wordplay laid over the hybrid sound that over the years became his own.
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Jacob Maestas
SONGWRITING INSTRUCTOR, SCHOOL OF ROCK
LOCAL MUSICIAN
he/him
Jacob Maestas is a Fort Collins-based musician and educator who has been working in Colorado music for over 10 years. He started off playing and working with Punk Rock bands in Denver volunteering at local DIY venues like 7 Circle Music collective. After this he attended MSU Denver for Song Writing where he had the privilege of giving a TEDx talk about the importance of music education.
Now he works as a performing musician as well as a guitar, vocal, bass guitar, and songwriting instructor at School of Rock Fort Collins, alongside working with Blast N Scrap putting together educational programs. Jacob has dedicated his life to music and music education and shows no sigh of stopping.
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Aaron Marfizo
CO-FOUNDER OF COLORADO MUSIC BRIDGE
MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, MUSIC PRODUCER, AND AUDIO ENGINEER
he/him
Aaron Marfizo is a multifaceted music educator, producer, and audio engineer with a strong passion for inspiring the next generation of musicians.
As a child, Aaron struggled with traditional music education due to his dyslexia. This frustration inspired him to create a more accessible approach to music education, leading him to develop the Piano Atlas, a unique piano learning method that combines visual mapping and traditional notation, making it more accessible to neurodiverse learners.
As the co-founder of the music education nonprofit, Music Bridge, Aaron's mission is to use modern music education to bridge access and create a more inclusive and equitable society. Through his innovative work, Aaron is emerging as a leading figure in the world of music education and production, dedicated to empowering others with his passion and expertise.
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Forrester Tamkun
FOUNDER, WRITE MINDED
GUITARIST, LEAD MUSIC INSTRUCTOR, COORDINATOR
he/him
Forrester Tamkun (he/him) is the Coordinator of Experience at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and the Lead Music Instructor at The Matthew’s House. He is also a founding member and guitarist of the Fort Collins band Write Minded. A deep passion for musicianship and the music community is etched in all his lessons, performances, and everyday life. He is very excited to be on the Band BLAST OFF! team this year.
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Brett Throgmorton
DRUMMER, SHOVELIN STONE
LOCAL MUSICIAN, INSTRUCTOR
he/him
Brett is a local professional drummer that values all aspects of the music scene. He is specifically passionate about live performances of any caliber as well as studio recordings in different settings.
He has experience tracking drums for a handful of different genres and brings a drum centric point of view for recordings. Having played in bands throughout the past decade, he has successfully recorded EPs of various genres. His experience playing live has carried him in and out of state and he trusts the value of learning from any type of show experience.
As an educator, Brett has only been offering beginner drum lessons for a few years, but is excited to see what he can add to the team for this year's Band BLAST OFF!