Andrew Bird

The ten best concerts in Denver this week

ELECTRIC SIX @ LARIMER LOUNGE | TUES, 2/19/13 Electric Six has been bringing the party to the unwary for a decade. The group's songs combine '80s rock, disco and New Wave into a cranked-up, ultra-catchy sound all its own, with lyrics that mix a David Lee Roth-esque bravado with surreal barrages of i ... More >>

New shows: Disco Biscuits, Passion Pit at 1STBANK, the Walkmen at the Ogden Theatre

As reported yesterday, the Disco Biscuits are playing three shows in Colorado after the first of the year at the Boulder Theater, Ogden Theatre and 1STBANK Center. And while that's arguably the biggest concert announcement of the week, it's not the only one. After cancelling its co-headlining date w ... More >>

Denver's ten best side projects

The Swayback is obviously Eric Halborg's main gig. But lately he's been moonlighting in Dragondeer, a side project he helms with Swayback drummer Carl Sorensen and Cole Rudy of Varlet on mandolin and lap steel. With Dragondeer, Halborg and company delve into some swampy blues and reverb-drenched psy ... More >>

Andrew Bird at Ogden Theatre, 8/17/12

ANDREW BIRD @ OGDEN THEATRE | 8/17/12 See also: Q&A with Andrew Bird on his songwriting process and his approach to improvising using loops Last night at the Ogden Theatre, singer/violinist/Olympic-grade whistler Andrew Bird performed in front of the most attentive, respectful, rapt crowd the Chi ... More >>

Five best concerts in Colorado this weekend

See also: - Brennen Bryarly goes Into the Night as option4 - Parting words: A Sauna Q&A before its farewell show - Sharon Van Etten Q&A: "I get nervous sometimes that my songs are too personal" - Q&A with Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance - Q&A with Derek Vincent Smith of Pretty Lights Welcome to the ... More >>

Andrew Bird

Wednesday, August 15, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, 303-413-7200.

Die Antwoord, Jack White and Five Finger Death Punch lead this week's new shows

Oh, man, just when you think the upcoming concert season couldn't get any more stacked there's even more new shows to look forward to. We've received word that Die Antwoord is finally making its way to Denver on Monday, August 6, along with dates with Jack White, Andrew Bird, Sublime with Rome, Five ... More >>

Dispatch, Theivery Corporation, Chatuaqua and Arvada Center summer lineups announced

Tons of new shows this week: Dispatchis playing a two-night stand at 1STBANK in September, Joe Cocker and Huey Lewis and the News are headlining this year's KOOL Concert, Thievery Corporation and Beats Antique are due at Red Rocks and Esperanza Spalding is slated for shows at the Boulder Theater and ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Wilco, 311, Slightly Stoopid, Dukes of September and more were announced; Overcasters, Lumineers, Churchill and the Jekylls got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Shins, E-40, Fun. and th ... More >>

Review: Sharon Van Etten at the Bluebird Theater, with the War On Drugs, 3/28/12

SHARON VAN ETTEN @ BLUEBIRD THEATER | 3.28.12 Read also: Sharon Van Etten Q&A Sharon Van Etten is not a diva. Walking on stage at the Bluebird last night, as unassumingly as if she were in the grocery store produce aisle, Van Etten appeared confident and casual. There was no pretense about her or ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Aerosmith and Cheap Trick, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, Umphrey's Mcgee and more were announced; Overcasters, Lumineers, Churchill and the Jekylls got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Sh ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Cypress Hill, the Fray, Kaskade and Mojo Nixon were announced; Lola Black, Fresh Breath Committee and the Autumn Film got spins on local radio; and recent albums from Bruce Springsteen, Andrew Bird, Fu ... More >>

Review: Paper Bird at Hi-Dive, 10/31/11

Jenny AnThe lovely ladies of Paper Bird last night at the hi-dive​PAPER BIRD at HI-DIVE | 10/31/11Paper Bird stomped and harmonized its way through a raucous set last night at the hi-dive. The opening song started slowly, but Paper Bird quickly announced that this wasn't an average show with a ... More >>

Tonight: Mr. Big at Summit Music Hall

​ It looks like Mr. Big (playing at Summit Music Hall tonight with Romero and Quitter's Anonymous) is brand-new again. The Los Angeles-born band started in the late '80s, found noteworthy success with its pleasantly listenable hard-rock style in the years following, and, despite a break from 2 ... More >>

Andrew Bird on his songwriting process and his approach to improvising using loops

​Chicago-based singer-songwriter Andrew Bird (performing tonight at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities and tomorrow evening at Chautauqua Auditorium) says that since he's been writing music there's always a healthy conflict between brevity and indulgence. On one hand, Bird knows all ab ... More >>

Happy times at Rooster and Moon

​Happy Place: Rooster and Moon Coffee Pub, 955 Bannock Street, 303-993-2622 The Hours: Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. The Deals: $1 sliders; $4.50-$5 small plates; two-for-one wines by the glass and beer Were we happy? Flip the page to find out.

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,The Go-Go's are coming to the Ogden Theatre, Fleet Foxes are coming to the Fillmore, and Arvada Center has added shows to its summer lineup. Meanwhile, on local radio, Bad Weather California, Science Partner and Veronica got ... More >>

Chautauqua announces summer 2011 lineup

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt share a bill on Sunday, June 19​Triple-A fans, rejoice! Chautauqua just announced the lineup for its upcoming summer season, which kicks off on May 21 and runs through the end of August, and with the exception of the odd comedian and pair of indie acts, you can look ... More >>

Tennis gets lacy, Pictureplane goes bowling, and Chain Gang readies re-release White Guts

​So far, in its notably short life span, Tennis has had a completely whirlwind and storied existence. Not too long after launching, the band generated a nearly deafening buzz in the blogosphere, one that ultimately resulted in a deal with Fat Possum Records. The label, also home to WAVVES, A ... More >>

Grinderman, RJD2 and Dismemberment Plan fill our playlists this week

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Jaguar Love

Friday, March 12, Black Sheep (Colorado Springs), 719-227-7625.

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of February 8, 2010

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. ... More >>

Backbeat writers weigh in on the year's best national releases

Tom Waits top seller at Twist and Shout

​Apparently there was a bit of a fight between Tom Waits' Glitter & Doom Live and Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream last week at Twist & Shout, and fortunately, Waits, who turned sixty yesterday, was the victor. Blakroc, the Black Keys' new hip-hop project, came in third, while Them Crooked ... More >>

Update: Ben Harper & Relentless 7 bows out of FMBQ Triple A conference

Update: We just received word that Ben Harper & Relentless 7's performance at the Fox slated for next Wednesday has been canceled and will not be rescheduled. Refunds are available at the box office and will be automatically administered for those who purchased tickets but haven't picked them up ... More >>

Prints Charming

These artists are poster children for concert promos.

St. Vincent

Tuesday, June 2, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Meese SXSW tour diary

Saturday March 21 - Day 4: So here we are. Our last day in Austin. Going to try and take it easy today, seeing as how we have to drive to L.A. tonight, but I'm sure we'll still get into some trouble. We've got a show at 9 p.m. tonight at Maggie Mae's rooftop, and it's our official SXSW showcase show ... More >>

3OH!3 SXSW tour diary by Kam from Chain Gang of 1974

JensenFriday, March 20: I arrived in Austin on the evening of Wednesday, March 18th. I had played SXSW last year so I knew what to expect. But this time around, I am hired to play bass for 3OH!3 -- you know, that small band from Boulder? The band who still aren't super stars in the eyes of a Colora ... More >>

Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab for Cutie, Rod Stewart shows announced

In addition to the My Bloody Valentine and Phish shows that we already reported, there were a lot of other concert announcements this week, including Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction at Fiddler's Green on Tuesday, May 26, Death Cab for Cutie at Red Rocks on Tuesday, July 14 and Rod Stewart at Fi ... More >>

Last Night's Show: Andrew Bird at the Ogden

Photo: Aaron ThackerayAndrew Bird, Lonely DearThursday, February 26, 2009Ogden TheaterBetter than: Having a good show ruined by an obnoxious audience.Andrew Bird's stage entrance at the Ogden Thursday night boasted all the careful ceremony and staid splendor of a religious rite. His fast establishme ... More >>

Last Night's Show: A Shoreline Dream, Moonspeed, Sonnenblume at the Bluebird

Photo: Aaron ThackerayA Shoreline Dream, Moonspeed, SonnenblumeThursday, February 26, 2009Bluebird TheaterBetter Than: Taking OxyContin and staring at clouds.Maybe it's the pretty sunsets, or maybe it's the lack of oxygen, but Denver has the makings of a surprisingly good bliss-rock scene. Last nigh ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, February 27 edition

Photo by Jon Solomon. This is the world as we know it. Today in Backbeat Online: • Last Night's Show: Broken Spindles, Born in the Flood, Iuengliss at hi-dive. • Last Night's Show: A Shoreline Dream, Moonspeed, Sonnenblume at the Bluebird. • Last Night's Show: Andrew Bird at the Ogden. • D ... More >>

Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird

Thursday, February 26, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-8497.

Beirut grabs top spot at Wax Trax Records

Beirut's new double EP March of the Zapotec grabbed the top at Wax Trax Records last week while the Dark Was the Night compilation, which features Andrew Bird, Arcade Fire, Beach House, Bon Iver and more, came in second. Local bands Git Some and Eyes & Ears also made the top 10. See the full bre ... More >>

Morrissey top seller at Twist & Shout

Morrissey's new album, Years of Refusal, released last week on Decca, grabbed the top spot on Twist & Shout's top seller list for the week ending February 22. Andrew Bird, M. Ward and Beirut also performed strong while the Fray's latest album dropped from its number one position for the last two ... More >>

DeVotchKa at the Paramount

Photo: Gary Isaacs DeVotchKa, Quixotic Friday, Feb. 13 Paramount Theater Better than: Seeing one of Denver's most effusive and entrancing local acts in a stripped-down, sullen setting. Atmosphere can make a big difference.I've seen members of DeVotchKa play in various incarnations and in a wide var ... More >>

Top Ten Americana Albums of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records t ... More >>

Mile High Music Fest Wrap-up

Mile High Music Fest Live Blog, Day One

Dosh

Saturday, June 7, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Jamie Lidell

Monday, June 2, Bluebird Theater, 303-377-1666.

Jamie Lidell

AEG Live's Mile High Music and Arts Festival Lineup Announced

Dosh

How Martin Dosh went from writing fiction to making instrumental music.

Nickel Creek

Thursday, December 1, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Andrew Bird

Friday, August 6, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 303-830-8497; Saturday, August 7, Lion's Lair, 303-320-9200.

Discmania

Backbeat writers revisit their favorite albums of the year.

Kelly's Heroes

Kelly Hogan takes great songs by great artists and makes them her own.