Saturday’s release party for Bob Rob Medina’s illustrated memoir chronicling the ’80s Denver punk scene packed Mutiny Information Cafe — and that was before most attendees found out The Frantix were going to play. The Frantic, who played their last show in 1983, said they got in a mere two…
Throughout the congested rows of seats in Armstrong Hall on the Colorado College campus in Colorado Springs, students and guests of all ages gathered in the tight quarters to listen intently to the legendary Chuck D of Public Enemy. Chuck had come to speak with Idris Goodwin, (CC’s own hip-hop…
The song “Collaborations Don’t Work” appears near the end of the self-titled new album by FFS, the inspired team of Sparks and Franz Ferdinand — and the timing is perfect. By that point on the recording, the combined efforts of the two bands, which will play October 11 at the…
Last week, A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator headlined a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with Danny Brown and Vince Staples. By the time the main 2015 season ends, with the Mac Miller and Action Bronson show on Halloween, Red Rocks will have been the host to 130 shows —…
Last time, we listened to half a dozen great, if sometimes strange, songs with Colorado connections. Our state seems particularly to inspire mishaps involving musicians – not to mention terrifying crimes such as the 2005 shooting of Marc Cohn during a carjacking attempt in Denver. It’s a long, long list,…
If you’re still laboring under the misconception that digital is the future of music, open your eyes. Physical formats – cassettes and records especially – are everywhere, and record stores, once predicted to be the ill-fated Neanderthal of the music-buying world, are thriving and even spawning in some places. Hell,…
A Ronin, which means wave man, is a samurai that has no master, either due to the fall of his master or through the act of privilege during the feudal period of Japan. For Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox, the Ronin represents the characteristics of him and his bandmate, Vordul…
Despite being from Denver, producer and DJ Alex Warzel (who goes by Neon Brown and is now based in Oakland), says he never thought much of the city’s hip-hop scene. “I’ve never been into rappers from Denver at all,” he says. “I didn’t think hip-hop existed here.” But whenever he…
The seventh edition of the Titwrench festival is happening this Saturday, October 3, at Dryer Plug Studios (3050 E. 43rd Ave.). Starting at 10:30 a.m. with Showga (music and yoga), conducted by the inimitable long-time host of Titwrench, Piper Rose. From noon to 2 p.m. there will be a clothing…
Shannon and the Clams are set to perform at Larimer Lounge tonight, September 29, with Bleak Plaza and Cool Ghouls. The Oakland-based band got together in 2009, when three friends attending California College of the Arts decided to form a band. Though the group sounds like it could be from…
The Colorado Music Hall of Fame is now officially up and fully operational at its new location at the Trading Post of Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The grand opening party for the new Comfort Dental-presented CMHOF was earlier this week. The honorary crowd listened to guitar and vocals by local musician Jim…
Colorado inspires an incredible amount of songs, some of them great. Colorado-themed songs range from gentle acoustic tributes to hip-hop narratives, heavy-metal disses to poignant country ballads. The earliest non-Native American songs crafted here were cowboy tunes such as “The Colorado Trail” and instrumentals like the pioneer fiddle melody “Coming…
Our sister paper in New York, the Village Voice, has a great story about Colorado’s Gregory Alan Isakov. In it, writer Dacey Orr talks to Isakov about his career trajectory, songwriting style and, yes, his sheep, T-Swift (“We love Taylor Swift. Everybody does.”). It’s one of the inhabitants of the…
Kraftwerk is currently on its 3D Concert tour of North America, with a stop planned for the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on Wednesday, September 23. The multi-media show includes a performance of the music with 3D video accompaniment. The combination of a tactile experience and modern technology fits perfectly with…
The Knew will celebrate its new record, Schmew, with a release show at Ratio Brewery on Saturday, September 19. The band will be playing alongside Wheelchair Sports Camp, High Plains Honky and DJ Clark Continental. For the last ten years, The Knew has been developing the kind of rock music…
Goldrush Festival recently announced the full schedule (below) for the 2015 festival. Following suit with the model of the 2013 and 2014 festivals, Goldrush 2015 features a headlining act of some significance to the underground experimental music scene. In 2013 Noveller graced the Sidewinder stage on Friday, September 27th and…
Goldrush Festival recently the line-up for its 2015 festival and tickets for the two day musical extravaganza are now available. The independently funded and organized festival is part of a long tradition in Denver of music fans putting together worthwhile events like Titwrench, Denver Fest, Girl Wreck Fest, Synesthesia, Denver…
Last week, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats begin a lengthy tour that will take the Denver soul sensation from Salt Lake City to Europe, with a stop at Red Rocks over the weekend. “We’ll be gone until about Thanksgiving,” Rateliff said just before leaving for the 40-show run. “All…
It’s surprising how man people showed up early to the Taylor Swift concert Saturday night at the Pepsi Center. For most of these rabid fans, preparations for the event started a long, long time ago. Most bought tickets to the show, which ran Saturday and Sunday, months in advance. Others…
Kenny Knight is a 62-year-old Parker man who put out a country/psych-rock album called Crossroads in 1980. It was not a success, and disappeared into obscurity until it was discovered by a record collector earlier this year. Now, Crossroads is the subject of glowing reviews in national music publications like…
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats released their self-titled debut album this Friday on the legendary Stax Records. This week’s Westword cover story details Rateliff’s long history in the Denver music scene. But every member of the band has been a notable contributor to the city’s creative community. Over the…
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats released their self-titled debut album last Friday on the legendary Stax Records. This week’s Westword cover story details Rateliff’s long history in the Denver music scene. But every member of the band has been a notable contributor to the city’s creative community. Over the…
