John Common says he dreams about being a filmmaker or a painter, but we're lucky he ended up with an obsession for making music instead. His voice and his songs can pin you to the wall, break your heart, or just send you off thinking for a while.

John is a notoriously prolific songwriter, mostly because if he didn't write songs all the time, they'd clog his mind and his heart, create a log jam of sorts, and then he'd get stuck at stop lights and in coffee shop lines, mumbling incoherently to himself.

John makes records, mostly because as fun as the architecture of songwriting can be, it closes a kind of karmic loop to actually build the house too. You can sleep in those records. They'll hold you, if you let them.

John plays shows with his band, mostly because, on a good night, he leaves his body down there on stage and just floats around with everyone else in the air. And that makes all of the loading of gear and winding of strings worth it.

BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT

Blinding Flashes of Light stretch the traditional definition of a band. It's more like a collaborative crash pad where musicians, artists, and friends cycle through, making music, films, written and visual art. Each musician in Blinding Flashes of Light is an artistic force in their own right. Come to any show—you'll hear it.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light make music that's difficult to classify and hard to resist…and they're really okay with that. The layers just keep unfolding. Come see.

PRESS

“John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light emerged through smoke dressed to kill in black and red. From the second they took the stage until the second they left it, they played with the sort of blind joy that will make you believe in whatever they're doing—it's pure passion and happiness.” – Westword

"John's clever lyrics and perfectly crafted songs are outdone only by his huge and prolific body of work. This guy puts out a solid album twice a year. No wonder his songs are good." – Denver Music Scene, Top Ten Singer-Songwriters

"'Beautiful Empty' showcases a songwriter of remarkable depth and maturity." – Denver Post

“By the third song, I was a fan. By the fifth song, I wanted to join the band. The music was very nearly flawless. It was one of those 'good for the soul' music moments for me.” – The Examiner

"Raw, yet sophisticated pop." – The Onion

AWARDS

2010 Denver Post Top 20

Underground Bands 2010

Westword Best Indie Folk/Acoustic Artist 2009

Westword Nominated Best Pop Artist 2009

Denver Music Scene Top 10 Songwriters 2008

Telluride Troubadour Finalist 2008

Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter 2007

Lyons Folks Festival Finalist 2007

Mover and Shaker / Best Local Release—Westword 2007

Best Local Release—The Denver Post 2006

Most Intriguing Discs—The Onion 2006

Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter