A. Tom Collins

Party with Great Divide, Avery, River North and Copper Kettle

The craft beer business is booming, but so is the homebrewing sector as the interest in making and drinking good beer grows. The American Homebrewers Association, which is based in Boulder, released the results of a survey of homebrewing shops this week showing that 80 percent of them saw increased ... More >>

Ten perfect patios -- and events -- for pounding beers this summer

There's something perfect about the contrast between a cold Colorado beer in your hand and the warm sun on your face -- something that makes the tensions of the day melt away. And although there are plenty of places around Colorado to drink good beer, a few of them stand out when it comes to summert ... More >>

Small-batch releases from Lone Tree, Avery, Copper Kettle and River North

Lone Tree Brewing has brewed a pair of special beers that are being served only at the four Parry's Pizza locations -- in Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock and Parker. The first beer, which will be available year-round as a house beer, is Landon's Wanna Walk Wheat, an unfiltered wheat ... More >>

New shows: the Eagles, OneRepublic, Shinedown, Bonnie Raitt on sale this week

THE EAGLES @ PEPSI CENTER | SAT, 10/5/13 The Eagles, who just released the three-disc documentary History of the Eagles, hits the Pepsi Center on Saturday, October 5. The band will be performing classics spanning their entire career, as well as tunes from the bandmembers' solo catalogues. Tickets, w ... More >>

New shows: Charles Bradley, Naked & Famous, Two Door Cinema Club and more

Clear your calendar on Saturday, August 17. Whatever you've got going that day, cancel it. You don't want to miss this show; I'm telling you. The one-man soul revival known as Charles Bradley is coming to Denver, and he's going to play an intimate set at the Larimer Lounge. Be there, or you'll regre ... More >>

A. Tom Collins

Stick and Poke
Greater Than Collective

Alex Hebert of A Tom Collins on working with Bob Ferbrache and touring in Europe

A. Tom Collins, the five-piece band fronted by Aaron Collins, has a sound that's equal parts ragtime, honky tonk blues and tin pan alley. The outfit, which has smartly left its rough edges intact, is driven by Collins' piano and impassioned vocals, and while the act may teeter on the edge of chaos a ... More >>

The 4/20 party list: Where to get your, ahem, green on in Denver this holiday weekend

This Saturday is poised to be the most celebrated day in our state's history, what with this being the first 4/20 since Amendment 64 was passed and all. Some of music's most heralded imbibers are being shipped in just to help the local stoners celebrate in style, from Slightly Stoopid and Cypress Hi ... More >>

The 2013 Westword Music Showcase ballot

Update 3/21/13: The poll is now open. Let the voting begin! The road to the nineteenth annual edition of the Westword Music Showcase is officially being paved. While we've already announced some of the acts appearing on the Main Stage this year, below are the acts appearing on this year's Showcase ... More >>

New Denver shows: Bruno Mars, Foals, Purity Ring, Band of Horses, Drive-By Truckers

There are a number of excellent shows to let you know about this week, including Bruno Mars, Foals, Purity Ring, Band of Horses, Drive-By Truckers, all of which go on sale this week, plus dates from Leftover Salmon, Spiritualized, Bob Mould, Boris, the Rocket Summer and Peelander Z, which are on sal ... More >>

The ten best concerts this weekend: Sept. 28-30

Hell yeah! It's finally Friday! Welcome to the weekend! Feel like tossing back a few cold ones and seeing some live music? You've come to the right place. There's an overwhelming number of outstanding shows for you to check out this weekend. We've got all of them listed in our concert calendar if yo ... More >>

Easy Being Green

Why? at Gothic Theatre, 9/5/12

WHY? @ GOTHIC THEATRE | 9/05/12 After a great set from Why? no one seemed to be in a hurry to leave the Gothic last night, so the band came back on stage for an encore. The rapid xylophone figure meant the band was going to play "A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under." Immediately the audience reacted lik ... More >>

Hottest one yet! 2012 Westword Music Showcase attracts even more fans this year

Holy Moses! It's no stretch to say that yesterday was the hottest day of the summer. Literally. Not only did the late news reports back this up, but we're pretty sure if you ask anyone in the sea of people who attended the eighteenth annual Westword Music Showcase, they'll co-sign this claim -- well ... More >>

2012 Westword Music Showcase schedule

Alright, it's here! Finally! The waiting is over! The eighteenth annual Westword Music Showcase. You've probably already printed it out, cut it out, copied and highlighted the schedule, but just in case you haven't, here's the most up-to-date version of today's lineup for the Showcase. All of the TB ... More >>

Our complete guide to the June 23 Westword Music Showcase

See also: Twelve types of Denver musicians

2012 Westword Music Showcase schedule

Okay, time to officially start getting excited now. The annual Westword Music Showcase is a little more than a week away. Did you pick up your tickets yet? If not, you can still get them at the discounted rate. Prices go up day of the show. By now, you've already seen the lineup of who's playing the ... More >>

Summer Guide 2012: Film on the Rocks

Some things -- such as the growing trend of fried butter on a stick -- are surreal in a terrible way, while others can be surreal in a fantastic way. Watching movies outdoors definitely qualifies in the latter category, but most drive-in movie theaters have gone the way of the VCR. While the seats a ... More >>

2012 Westword Music Showcase local lineup!

We're just over a month out from this year's Westword Music Showcase, and we've already let you know who we have headlining the mainstage this year -- but keep it locked on Backbeat for another big announcement this coming Monday. Now it's time for us to give up the goods on the local lineup. As you ... More >>

Weekend's best live bets: Cobraconda, Real Estate, Joe Sampson, Carbon Choir and more

Welcome to the weekend! You've worked hard all week and now it's (almost) time to cut loose. As usual, plenty on tap this weekend. The Cobraconda dudes kick things off tonight at Illegal Pete's with a party celebrating the release of their new disc, Spring Break, while Real Estate showcases its ware ... More >>

A Colorado-centric SXSW Tip Sheet

If you're in Austin right now at SXSW, we envy you (if only for the music you're getting to see right now; weather wise, we're stuck in the majestic Mile High City where it's, oh, a brilliant 64 degrees right now). As grizzled SX vets, we also trust that you're either A) completely overwhelmed if ... More >>

2012 Westword Music Showcase Ballot

Update 3/14/12: The polls are officially open. Please feel free to make your way to the 2012 Westword Music Showcase ballot and register your vote! The 2012 Westword Music Showcase ballot is here -- no more waiting. Well, that's not entirely true: You will have to wait another day or so before the ... More >>

Reader: Terminal Kings may be world-class, but where are world-class local artists?

Terminal Kings is taking off at City Hall, where three world-class street artists -- Sam Flores, David Choe and Highraff -- are creating giant murals that will be displayed at Denver International Airport over the next five years, as the South Terminal project gets under way. Over the next ten days ... More >>

DJ Z-Trip, Souls of Mischief and more at Terminal Kings Art Project at City Hall

While earlier rumors of DJ Z-Trip being in town at the end of January proved to be just that, it turns out that he will be in town this month after all -- just not at Red Rocks. Instead, he'll be performing at City Hall for the final night of partying for Terminal Kings, an art project sponsored by ... More >>

Denver's best music releases of 2011

Review: Nathaniel Rateliff at the Gothic, 11/25

NATHANIEL RATELIFF AT THE GOTHIC | 11/25/11There aren't a whole lot of singers with a magnetism capable of completely hushing a room the size of the Gothic, but Nathaniel Rateliff did just that near the end of his set on Friday night during his annual holiday show. Sure, there were some energetic mo ... More >>

Otis Taylor, Nathaniel Rateliff, Leftover Salmon, Hopsin and more on tap this weekend

It's another big weekend for music on the Front Range. Tonight, Otis Taylor kicks off his Trance Blues Festival, which runs from this evening through Sunday and is spread across a variety of venues in Boulder. Elsewhere, Nathaniel Rateliff's hosting his annual holiday soiree at the Gothic with stack ... More >>

Nathaniel Rateliff and friends perform November 25 at the Gothic Theatre

Houses, BLKHRTS, Slighty Stoopid, Phil the Fan benefit show and more on tap this weekend

Houses​Stepping into August, it looks like the summer concert season is far from slowing down. Tonight, Houses kicks off the first in a two-evening stint at the Hi-Dive to celebrate the release of Winter, the forth and final installment in its seasonally themed EP series. Over the course of th ... More >>

An exclusive sneak peek of Houses forthcoming Winter EP, due for August release at the hi-dive

​What a joyous morning this is! Houses has completed work on Winter, the final installment of its seasonal EPs, and we've managed to get on our hands on two tracks from the record, "Alone, Dear" and "Witches." The former opens the album, which we're told gets heavier and darker as it goes on. ... More >>

Houses new EP and pending name change

The band soon to be formerly known as Houses​After a lot of hard work and some trying starts and stops, Houses will be releasing Winter, the fourth EP in its seasonally-themed album series on August 5 and 6 at the Hi-Dive. The two-night stint will bring the band together with the likes of Bad ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase 2011

The Westword Music Showcase celebrates seventeen years, a lifetime for some of 2011's performers

Chris Adolph on Bad Weather California's two new records and how the band has evolved

Cory GustasonOver the past year, Bad Weather California has been hard at work on two albums, Sunkissed, recorded in Detroit with Akron/Family, and Demos and Live Takes for the Fans, recorded at bandleader Chris Adolf's home. The latter is being released this Saturday, April 22, at the Larimer Lounge ... More >>

2011 Westword Music Showcase Ballot

​Seventeen years! It's hard to believe we've been doing the Westword Music Showcase for that long. I can still remember being at the first one in LoDo nearly two decades ago. And when I think back, it seems like that cold, rainy Sunday night was just a few years ago.

Mile Highlights: Shows announced/on sale this week, local radio playlists and top local sellers

​ Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week. On the concert front: Besides the back-to-back Mumford & Sons dates we told you about yesterday, we have word on the Cars and Taylor Swift shows, as well as Hudson Gardens and Mishawaka's summer lineups. Meanwhile on local radio, Veronica, ... More >>

Paper Bird captures our hearts with construction paper and string

​For a flier to get a nod in this space, it's either about technique or execution. This week, it's a little of both. The flier -- touting Paper Bird's show this Saturday with Princess Music and A.Tom Collins at the Gothic Theatre -- is so damn adorable, it captured our hearts immediately.

SXSW Travelogue: Air Dubai engages in water gun fight and plays its first showcase

​ Saturday, March 19 (or Friday, March 18 -- since the night just isn't over) Let me first start today's travelogue by saying how amazing a time it has been here in Texas. It's 4 a.m. currently (technically, still the night of Friday the 18th, but whatev), and I am writing from our hotel roo ... More >>

SXSW Travelogue: Take to the Oars and the Denver crew bring the ruckus to Peckerheads

Hi! How are you? The spirit of Daniel Johnston looms large in Austin​ Friday, March 18 Another one for the books... honestly, the worst part about today was that it had to end... After an ample five hours of sleep, the household hesitantly woke up, made coffee, and loaded the trailer in anti ... More >>

SXSW Travelogues: The Photo Atlas electrifies the crowd at Peckerheads

​ Saturday, March 18 Over the last six years playing SXSW, I've watched the "Denver parties" grow more and more every year. Last night, as the Illegal Pete's Starving Artist Showcase pushed the walls of Peckerheads to the limits with a one in, one out line around the corner, Denver has made ... More >>

SXSW Travelogue: A. Tom Collins makes a snakeskin necktie and wakes up with driveway-inflicted swellbows

​ Saturday, March 19 Update From a Post-Show Hangover: Since our last post no one has died, though some attempts at inter-band murder have been made along with a few bouts of minor larceny. Shortly after our romp in the river, Andy befriended a good-natured water moccasin who shortly therea ... More >>

SXSW Travelogue: Ballin' on a budget with Backbeat's own Brian Frederick

Brian Frederick​ Thursday, March 17 From the outside looking in, South By Southwest -- at least to those who haven't experienced it yet -- might seem like an event that only those who can afford to flip for the nearly $800 badges get to enjoy. Not so much. There's a ton of unofficial shows a ... More >>

SXSW Travelogue: A. Tom Collins discovers that Texans evidently have a thing for the eyes of Coloradans

​ Friday, March 18 Morning: 1000 miles and over eighteen hours in a van with five man children. Our trip from Denver began at 5 a.m. yesterday with packing, grumpiness, excitement. Aaron puked at 7:10, and at 7:20, Aaron and Andy had a tickle fight in the back seat of the van, followed by ot ... More >>

SXSW Travelogue: The Epilogues house all of Denver, hang with the Bravery and do shots with Danny Pudi of Community

The Epilogues with Sam Endicott of the Bravery Friday, March 18 Here we are again in Austin for the least "Texas" thing that the state has to offer... thousands of liberal, godless musicians showcasing themselves to the world. We did a small tour on our way to SXSW this year with our dear friends ... More >>

SXSW Tip Sheet: Colorado bands

Yuzo Nieto and the Hand that Rocks the Dreidel calls it quits

​ One of Denver's weirdest pop auteurs has dissolved at least one of his various projects: Yuzo Nieto and the Hand that Rocks the Dreidel played its final show this week. The band, led by the eponymous saxophonist Nieto, has been for some years now trafficking in sounds that spanned from crac ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase 2010: We're here, are you?

Brian Landis FolkinsTickle Me Pink​ Editor's note: We scrounged up enough Bubble Yum and pesos to convince fearless intern Abbie Grueskin to hunker down in the Curious Theater and upload photos of the Showcase throughout the day. Look for the photos after the jump, and check back for reviews, ... More >>

Presenting the 2010 Westword Music Showcase Schedule and Map

IMPORTANT SCHEDULING UPDATE: Due to circumstances beyond our control (and, more to the point, frontman Chris Fogal's) TAUNTAUN will not be performing in the 6:15 - 7 p.m. slot at Broadway's tomorrow. While Fogal is resting his aching back ("I would tough it out," he assures us, "but the problem is t ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase local lineup revealed

Gabriel Rovick And Ryan James (Focus 4 Design)​ The complete lineup for Showcase has been finalized, and all that's left to do now is countdown the days until the sixteenth annual Westword Music Showcase takes place on Saturday, June 19. Nearly a hundred local acts (well over a hundred if y ... More >>

Presenting the 2010 Westword Music Showcase Ballot

​ This past February, when we started putting together the 2010 Westword Music Showcase, we posted an item asking you how we could improve our annual music festival, this year set for Saturday, June 19, in the Golden Triangle (if you haven't already purchased your tickets, you can still buy d ... More >>

Localized: Mike Marchant prefers SoBro to LoDo and New Belgium to Coors

Doug Beam​Just months after launching his bi-monthly songwriter's workshop at the Meadowlark, Mike Marchant is already pleased as punch with the response the night has gotten. "It's going really well, and it's a lot of fun," he notes of the gathering, which takes place on the first and third ... More >>