Michal Menert, The Music District, and Ableton Present the 'Michal Menert Academy'

Michal Menert, The Music District, and Ableton are very pleased to announce that the 2019 Michal Menert Academy will take place January 18th and 19th at The Music Academy in Fort Collins, Colorado. At this multi-day workshop dedicated to bringing music "From the Bedroom to the Stage," attendees with learn a variety of ways to turn new sounds into songs and then how to get the music from their computer into ears worldwide.

More information and the full schedule is available at:

https://academy.menertmusic.com/


The academy wraps at the first show of Michal Menert & The Pretty Fantastics winter tour in support of their new LP, From The Sea.

In their coverage of the record, Glide describes From the Sea as "a fantastic voyage of songs that combine the jazzy hip-hop of Digable Planets, the futuristic voyages of the Flaming Lips and the pop sensibilities of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros; one of 2018's more diverse and digestible offerings."

With From the Sea, Menert (Pretty Lights, Mickey Hart) has crafted a musical salve for those suffering from the relentless stream of contemporary reality. Uplifting, yet laced with echoes of chaos and friction, From the Sea wraps itself around the listener like a Pacific coast shore break.

"Menert taps into a deep groove that emerges like a turbulent riptide swelling just below the surface of the sea." - PopMatters

"A full-bodied and robust experience, where sound blissfully overwhelms from all directions." - Marquee


Michal Menert & The Pretty Fantastics on tour:


1.19.19 - Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre w/ Russ Liquid, lespecial & Krushendo
1.20.19 - Crested Butte, CO The Eldo
1.21.19 - Aspen, CO Belly Up w/ Nobide
1.23.19 - Salt Lake City, UT Soundwell w/ Nobide
2.20.19 - Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
2.21.19 - Urbana, IL Canopy Club
2.22.19 - Detroit, MI The Fillmore w/ Umphrey's McGee
2.23.19 - Detroit, MI The Fillmore w/ Umphrey's McGee



As Menert co-produced the chart topping Pretty Lights album Taking Up Your Precious Time, it was natural that he was the first artist to join Pretty Lights Music. His debut solo album Dreaming of a Bigger Life was released in 2010, followed by 2012's mega-LP Even If It Isn't Right. In 2015 Menert released Space Jazz, and the debut by his band Michal Menert & the Pretty Fantastics, 1.

Menert's reputation as a live performer continues to grow, as he brings his music to fans nationwide via both his septet, Michal Menert & The Pretty Fantastics, and his 22-piece all-star ensemble the Michal Menert Big Band. Menert has shared the stage with musical luminaries including STS9, Bassnectar, Umphrey's McGee, and more, and played legendary venues including the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, The Gorge in Washington and Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

His collaborations have led to the formation of myriad ongoing side projects including Manic Menert (with Manic Focus), Half Color (with Paul Basic), and work with artists like Eliot Lipp, Mux Mool, Break Science, and more. Additionally, Menert handled sound design for the Dead & Co tours, and co-produced Mickey Hart's 2017 LP RAMU as well as his 360 Surround Sound performance at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Committed to a community driven approach to collaborative creativity, Menert works hand in hand with producers he chooses for his own record label, Super Best Records.


The Music District is a dynamic gathering hub, workspace, and creative playground for the music community. For the novice or pro, it's a place where anyone can develop the art, learn the business, and share skills and passions with musicians and music lovers. A living laboratory, it will continuously evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the Northern Colorado ecosystem and the wider music world.