Denver’s Heartbeat barely had a pulse at the beginning of the local band showcase they filmed last night at the Gothic. Good thing it picked up toward the end; it was touch and go there for a bit.

The monthly program is filmed on the second Thursday of each month at the Gothic Theatre, and later airs on DCTV, a community-access cable channel. Each month the producers pick three local bands to perform — after the bands pony up the $150 sponsorship fee — and the bands end up with a DVD copy of the edited program. The idea is that bands can use the DVD as a marketing tool to score gigs at various venues, and the finished product is pretty snazzy.

It’s a good concept, but judging by the crowd last night they need to get more people in the doors. I missed the first band, but the second act, Firesign, only had a handful of fans on the floor in front of the stage. The headliner, Le Boom, fared better. They actually had a decent crowd for their set, but even so the space felt largely empty and the fans felt bad for the bands.

Feel like supporting the local scene next month? Check the website for details on the next show, and head down to help fill up that venue.