At the Drive-In

Hot Water Music at Summit Music Hall, 2/3/13

HOT WATER MUSIC @ SUMMIT MUSIC HALL |2/3/13 Last night's Hot Water Music show at the Summit was the kind where the crowd pretty much knew all of the songs. But the song that got the strongest reaction, bar none, was "Rooftops," which came in toward the end of the set. The crowd reacted with upraise ... More >>

Fugazi is a benchmark, a signpost and an example of how it could and should be done

Gateway Acts is a new ongoing series on Backbeat in which we examine the music that served as an entry point for our burgeoning musical obsessions, a gateway drug that tuned us in and turned us on. Today, guest columnist and Flattery Festival founder Ian O'Dougherty (Uphollow, Ian Cooke, TaunTaun, E ... More >>

Backbeat's five most listened-to songs and albums, week of September 5, 2012

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it shouldn't be too surprising to find that the most common (and our mutually favorite) topic of conversation among all of us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and boy, wouldn't you ... More >>

How fighting in bars and two subdural hematomas led to the Angry Hand of God

See Also: Angry Hand of God at Bender's Tavern, 8/2/12 Angry Hand of God started in 2008 as a band inspired by the kind of slow, crushing, psychedelic metal that ran through most of the stoner rock bands at the time. Only this band has really strong riffs that have propelled it from the dark sludge ... More >>

The weekend's best live bets: The eighteenth annual Westword Music Showcase 2012

Welcome to the weekend! You made it. And of course, this is not just any weekend. It's the Westword Music Showcase weekend! Whoo freaking hoo! So with that in mind, here's a rundown of what you have in store tomorrow afternoon/evening on the main stage. Be sure to check out this page for a full rund ... More >>

Party down with these headliners at the Westword Music Showcase

See also: Twelve types of Denver musicians

Swells

Illuminated Levels
Self-released

In honor of Record Store Day this Saturday: Ten records we treasure. What's your favorite vinyl?

In honor of Record Store Day this Saturday, we dug deep into our collection to unearth our favorite pieces of vinyl. These are the records we treasure above all else. Don't even think about asking to borrow them. If there were a fire, these are the first platters we'd make sure to grab. You get the ... More >>

Max Bemis of Say Anything: "We're stripping away the loud, distorted guitars and the redundant self-destructive imagery"

On March 13, Say Anything, the indie rock band that came of age in the 2000s, released its sixth album, Anarchy, My Dear. The band soon launched its tour, which will hit the Mile High City this Friday, March 30, at the Summit Music Hall. In advance of the show, we spoke with frontman Max Bemis about ... More >>

Meet Wire Faces, one of the bands birthed from the Jimi Austin