It’s hard for bands to make their CD release parties real events in Denver these days. It happens so frequently in our city’s fertile music community that we almost take new music for granted. But what happens when 13 local bands release a CD all at once? We’ll find out on May 7 at the hi-dive, when the University of Denver’s student-run radio station releases “KVDU Live Vol. 1,” its compilation of live local music.

Of course, KVDU isn’t the first local college radio station to release a compilation. CU’s Radio 1190 has released three volumes of fantastic music under the “Local Shakedown” umbrella. And the DU station isn’t the first local station to release recordings made in its own studio. KBCO’s “Studio C” series now numbers 21 volumes.

What’s unique about KVDU’s forthcoming compilation is that it’s 100 percent local, 100 percent unreleased and 100 percent free. Paper Bird, Widowers and the Knew are just some of the high-profile Denver bands sharing recordings they made in the KVDU studios (check out the complete track listing below). In the case of Kissing Party and the dearly departed Hearts of Palm, songs were recorded for KVDU that haven’t been captured anywhere else.

As you might’ve guessed, this compilation has been a long time in the making, a labor of love for Eric Peterson and Whitney Van Cleave. About two year ago, the two DU students noticed that there was very little intersection between the University’s music community and the larger Denver music community.

“Very rarely do DU students go to shows around Denver,” notes Peterson, who is majoring in digital media studies, “and none of the DU bands play around Denver.” To bridge the gap, Van Cleave and Peterson started “KVDU Live,” a show that books local bands, interviews them on air and records their in-studio performances. According to Peterson, the goal was always to compile the recordings into a snapshot of the Denver music scene.

If Eric Peterson’s name sounds familiar, you’ve been paying attention to Denver’s music scene. As founder of Roger, Roll, and member of Old Radio and Houses, Peterson is no stranger to playing music. Add to that the fact that he develops band websites, does audio engineering and creates music videos, and you’ll see that he spends most of his life shoulder-deep in the local music scene. In addition to music-related activities, Peterson also produces a website that transforms news articles into haiku and creates collaborative short films and music with Seattle-based photographer Jennifer Brookes for their project, Tangled; We Weave.

Even with such an exhausting resume, Peterson still found time to compile and engineer “KVDU Live, Vol. 1″ and is excited to release it to the public. The release party starts at 10 p.m. on Friday (May 7) at the Hi-Dive, and is open to those 18 and older. Old Radio and Blue Million Miles will perform.

KVDU has pressed only 1,000 copies of the CD to give away at the show. After they’re gone, the tracks will be available as free downloads on the station’s website.

“KVDU Live, Vol. 1″ track listing:
1. Everything Absent or Distorted – Don?t Be Peaches
2. Blue Million Miles – Explosions
3. Paper Bird – Pennies
4. Widowers – Stalwart Ships
5. The Knew – Neckbreaker
6. Kissing Party – Quiet Town
7. Jen Korte & the Loss – Streetlights and Bar Fights
8. Brothers O?Hair – Tonight
9. Hearts of Palm – Tunnel of Love
10. Dualistics – Unique (Like Everyone Else)
11. Pee-Pee – Song for June Carter from Johnny Cash
12. Old Radio – Asleep at the Wheel
13. Vitamins – Dark Matter

As a special treat, Mike Marchant — who plays with Peterson in Houses — will also be unveiling his second solo record at the show, with a backing band he’s calling the Outer-Space Party Unit. The record — titled “Indulgent Space-Folk Vol. 2″ — was to be released back in February. However, due to health problems, the Widowers’ frontman had to delay the release at the last minute. It was well worth the wait, however. Get there early because he has only pressed 100 copies.

Eryc Eyl is a veteran music journalist, critic and Colorado native who has been neck-deep in local music for many years. Check out Steal This Track every Tuesday for local music you can HEAR, and the Mile High Makeout every Friday.

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