As many of you know, I got an early Christmas present on Wednesday night when I had the honor of being a guest on Dave Herrera’s amazing new radio show, Mile High Fidelity, on 101.5 FM. Though it had been many years since my passionate college-radio days, I fell immediately…
The Mile High Music fest drew a lot of interest from local music fans in ’08. This blog churned out more than 1,400 posts in 2008, about life, death, plastic surgery, and even some music. Here, in case you just joined us or are really taking stock of your year,…
It’s no secret that Radio 1190’s Basementalism on Saturday afternoons showcases the state’s freshest DJ’s and hottest hip-hop, but it’s always a treat when DJ Vajra makes a guest appearance. Arguably one of the best turntablists in the nation, a small five or ten-minute live set from Vajra is a…
I saw some great shows in 2008, along with quite a few not-so-great shows. It can be hard to quantify the best shows — what really makes one show better than another, after all? Is it a killer set list, a virtuoso performance, the accompanying light show? Becasue of that,…
Man, what an unbelievably fun show we had last night on 101.5 FM. Eryc Eyl, Tom Murphy and A.H. Goldstein joined me in the studio for the first of a two part Moovers & Shakers special edition of the show. Over the course of two hours, as we discussed and…
This year, we’ve wrapped our roundup of holiday albums a bit differently. Instead of delivering it to you in one big lump (like coal), we’re parceling out the reviews online, with a blog each weekday through December 24 devoted to recordings in a different category. Part two features “Reissues and…
This year 800 the Jewell’s record label, Jewell Tyme Music, was named the Best Hip-Hop Label in Denver and in 2009, he’s hoping to retain the title. To get fans amped for the upcoming year, 800, who hasn’t released a new album in two years, sent us a sneak peek…
Over the next few weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Today, our own Michael Roberts runs down his favorite indie albums of 2008. In 2008, independent rock returned to the underground, where it belongs. Given the grand catastrophe that is today’s…
Joe Richards has spent a lot of time in clubs since he opened the upscale tattoo studio Indelible Ink eighteen months ago, staging body-art shows in clubs like Shotgun Willie’s, Sutra, Funky Buddha and Purple Martini. He finally decided to join the club, becoming co-owner of Pure Nightlife (2549 Welton…
This year, we’ve wrapped our roundup of holiday albums a bit differently. Instead of delivering it to you in one big lump (like coal), we’re parceling out the reviews online, with each weekday until Christmas devoted to recordings in a different category. Look for them on the Backbeat blog. In…
Last week on Mile High Fidelity, my new show on 101.5 FM, I marveled at how we’d seamlessly segued from the station’s regular programming to our all-local music mix. In the not-too-distant past, listeners might have made unconscious concessions for the homegrown work, assuming that the production and songwriting would…
With today’s entry, we’ll conclude our exploration of tips, tricks and techniques for dealing with year-end lists. It’s only appropriate that we wrap it up today, as Moovers & Shakers 2008, Westword’s picks of favorite local albums, hits Denver’s frozen streets.
Alright, this may just be the coolest flier we’ve seen all year. This one’s all about the old school. All day, every day, Playboy. Know what I’m saying? We’re talking Sharpies, an Xacto knife, some old magazines and a glue stick. Fuck Photoshop. This is how is used to be…
In this week’s Westword, Backbeat’s trusty music scribes break down their favorite local albums of 2008, from Abracastabya to Yerkish. Check out their picks at westword.com/music, and check back all week for more of our favorite albums and songs of 2008. And don’t forget to tune into to 101.5 FM…
Photo: Jason Klauber All right so how freaking rad is this? The mailman just laid the new copy of Spin on me, the Best of 2008 issue with TV on the Radio on the cover. And as I’m thumbing through it, I notice very few surprises: Black Kids, Vampire Weekend,…
Just heard that Swallow Hill Music Association is sponsoring a contest for middle and high school age songwriters. They’re soliciting recordings of original works on tape, CD or DVD of acoustic and electric acts from one to four members. Winners will play their songs at a special concert at Swallow…
This year, we’ve wrapped our roundup of holiday albums a bit differently. Instead of delivering it to you in one big lump (like coal), we’re parceling out the reviews online, with a blog each weekday through December 24 devoted to recordings in a different category. We start with “Noel Notables”…
Yesterday, we discussed two strategies for handling the myriad year-end lists with which you’ll be inundated in the coming weeks. Those tips were: (1) consider the source, and (2) consider the author. Today, we’ll consider two more techniques that will ensYesterday, we discussed two strategies for handling the myriad year-end lists with which you’ll be inundated in the coming weeks. Those tips were: (1) consider the source, and (2) consider the author. Today, we’ll consider two more techniques that will ensure you get the most out of these often overwhelming, occasionally frustrating and frequently valuable lists.ure you get the most out of these often overwhelming, occasionally frustrating and frequently valuable lists.
Yes visits the Paramount on February 12. Yes, who kicked off its “In the Present” tour last month, will stop at the Paramount February 12 with long-time members Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White, as well as Rick Wakeman’s son, Oliver, on keyboards. Vocalist Benoit David, who Squire discovered…
Man, oh, man! Merry freaking Christmas, folks. It’s two-for-Tuesday. First we pointed you in the direction of the Cephalic boot we found, and now we’ve just learned that Kam from the Chain Gang of 1974 — who’s just returned from a stint on the 3OH!3 tour and is due this…
Bells will be ringing, this sad sad sad news/Oh what a Christmas to have the blues/My baby’s gone/I have no friends, to wish me greetings once again… Every year at this time, for as long as I can remember — hell, probably since I first heard the tune when I…
This was a pretty good year for hip-hop dance crew BreakEFX. They not only won the Colorado’s Best Dance Crew competition earlier this year, but they’ve been booked solid for quite a few events. Some of the standout events include Mighty 4 Colorado, Rockers Rumble 2008, and the recent Boyz…
