Area Bands Past The Risk 

The Risk was one of a handful of Denver bands in the mid-’00s that understood the necessity of raw rock ’n’ roll. The foursome grabbed at Superfuzz-era Mudhoney, with frontman Joaquin Liebert’s brutally beautiful voice paying homage to predecessors like The Sonics and The Animals. With Nate Marcy on guitar, Nick Anderson on bass, and Greg Wildermuth on drums, the band created a Replacements-style tinder, and Liebert set the shit on fire. There was an unequivocal love for each other as bandmates that came through in The Risk’s sweat-drenched performances; its best sets came out of cramped and explosive house shows. The band broke up in 2004, but it wasn’t out of egos or infighting; Wildermuth was packing his bags for Japan (where he still lives today). 

Years of existence: 2001-2004

Releases: Street Thunder (self-released, 2004). Hi-Fidelity, a precursor to The Risk that included three of the four members, released Adventures In Planet Heartbreakin’ in 2001. The Risk included many songs from Adventures in its early sets.

Currently: Liebert is a regular stage actor at El Centro Su Teatro, and also sings and plays guitar for The Reckless Nights alongside Anderson, who also plays in The Fire Drills. Marcy made a switch to drums for Spoke Shaver and Wildermuth currently drums in the Japanese group Supersnazz.

Key tracks: An ode to dead love, “Long Long Death” unleashes Liebert’s gorgeous howl, channeling The Boss and Joe Cocker with some seriously palpable emotion. 

Bonus trivia: In the fall of 2002, The Risk opened for idols Dead Moon at the now demolished 15th Street Tavern. In 2004, after learning Wildermuth would be moving to Japan, the band rushed to Uneven Studio to record Street Thunder. The Risk’s album release show in September 2004 at the Climax would also serve as its farewell performance. 

Odds of a reunion: “Hell yes,” Anderson says. “I can safely say that we all consider being in The Risk to be an experience like none other.” Although the actuality of it is unlikely, Anderson admits, considering that Wildermuth is living on another continent and has no plans to return to Denver anytime soon.