Built To Spill

The ten best concerts in Denver this weekend

PRINCE @ OGDEN THEATRE | SUN & MON, 5/12-5/13 Prince became a household name after the release of his third album, 1982's 1999. Over the years, his perfectly realized blend of rock, pop, funk and jazz has proved equally popular with audiences and critics. Throughout the '80s, Prince released hit rec ... More >>

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... More >>

New shows: Fall Out Boy, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Johnny Marr and more

A bunch of great shows announced this week: Fresh off a string of well received comeback shows, Fall Out Boy is back with a new record and a tour that will hit Denver in June. Vampire Weekend is due at Red Rocks with Of Monsters and Men, while fun. has announced a date of its own at Red Rocks with T ... More >>

The five most listened-to songs and albums of the week, August 20 through August 27

Well, lookie here. What you do know? It's the return of Heavy Rotation. Longtime readers of Backbeat will remember this feature as one in which we shared our weekly listening habits in hopes of giving you some insight into our individual sensibilities. It's been dormant for a while, but starting tod ... More >>

Nicki Minaj, My Morning Jacket and Michael Kiwanuka among this week's new shows

And the shows just keep coming. Red Rocks, which is on pace for a record season this year, added a pair of dates from My Morning Jacket, while tickets for the Beach Boys show are finally going on sale. The biggest concert news this week is Nicki Minaj, who is bringing her Pink Friday Tour to the Mil ... 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 >>

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.

Last Night review: Kings of Leon at Comfort Dental Amphitheater

Kings of Leon • Built to Spill • the Features 07.20.10 | Comfort Dental Amphitheater, Greenwood Village In the pantheon of all time miserable shows, I'd rank last night's Kings of Leon show at Comfort Dental right up there with MGMT at Red Rocks last month, DeVotchKa's set at Monolith in 2008 ... More >>

Part two: Chef and Tell with Olav Peterson from Bistro One

​ This is part two of my interview with Olav Peterson, exec chef of Bistro One. To read part one, click here. Culinary inspirations: Whenever I go to Paris, I always come away with so many influences, whether it's from the art in the city or eating an iconic banana Nutella crepe off the stre ... More >>

We All Have Hooks for Hands

Tuesday, December 15, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Finn Riggins

Friday, December 4, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Q&A with Eric Gilbert of Finn Riggins

​Eric Gilbert, Lisa Simpson and Cam Bouiss formed Finn Riggins in the small town of Hailey, Idaho, in August of 2006. Since that time, the band has put out five releases. Three of those albums were released on the Portland, Oregon-based Tender Loving Empire label including the act's latest, Vs. Wi ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 26, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Flaming Lips grab top spot at Bart's CD Cellar

​The Flaming Lips latest effort, Embryonic, debuted at the number one spot at Bart's CD Cellar for the week ending October 18. Bob Dylan's Christmas in the Heart, released last week on Columbia, came in second and Built to Spill's There Is No Enemy came in third, while the Avett Brothers' I and Lo ... More >>

Built to Spill top seller at Twist and Shout

​Built to Spill's latest effort, There is No Enemy, released last week on Reprise, grabbed the top spot at Twist and Shout for the week ending October 11. Rosanne Cash's The List, which features some cameos from Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Jeff Tweedy, claimed the second slot, while Mons ... More >>

Air top seller at Wax Trax

​French electronic duo Air grabbed the top spot at Wax Trax with its latest effort, Love 2, which was released last week on Astralwerks. A Place to Bury Strangers' There is No Enemy and Built to Spill's There is No Enemy, both issued last week, nabbed the second on third slots, while New Model Arm ... More >>

Built to Spill, Brother Ali, Colbie Caillat shows announced

​Built to Spill, who headlined this year's Westword Music Showcase, will come through town again, this time with Disco Doom at the Bluebird Sunday, September 20. Minneapolis-based rapper Brother Ali makes stops at the Ogden Theatre Tuesday September 29 and the Fox Theatre on Wednesday, September 3 ... More >>

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

Aaron Thackeray It's 2:27. Do you know where your favorite band is? Chances are they're here, in the Golden Triangle, blowing the doors back of the boozed up and sun-drenched crowds that are bouncing from venue to venue, bar to bar, soaking up a shit-ton of local music. Chain Gang of 1974 (picture ... More >>

For Built to Spill's Doug Martsch, music is a different kind of hoop dream

Q&A with Built to Spill's Doug Martsch

Photo by Autumn DeWildeDoug Martsch, foreground, and the rest of Built to Spill. Doug Martsch, whose band, Built to Spill, headlines this year's Westword Music Showcase on June 12 (click here for more details), is a rarity -- a indie-rock musician who signed to a major label in the mid-'90s who's s ... More >>

Built to Spill flashback: Our 1997 Doug Martsch interview

Built to Spill back in the day. Our new profile and Q&A with Built to Spill's Doug Martsch, whose band headlines this Saturday's Westword Music Showcase (click here for more information), are built on a sturdy foundation -- an interview conducted with Martsch back in 1997, shortly after his band, t ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, June 10 edition

Photo by Autumn DeWildeBuilt to Spill. You think you're so smart.... Today in Backbeat Online: • Q&A with Built to Spill's Doug Martsch. • Mini Q&A with the Fluid's John Robinson. • A first look at FOE and Karma's "Tic-Toc" video. • Atmosphere, Bat for Lashes, Brad Paisley shows announced. ... More >>

Update: Westword Music Showcase line-up

Update: As with year's past, before the ink's even dry on the schedule, we've had to make made some minor more changes. Among the recent ones: We've moved the metal showcase from Andrew's to Broadways (two doors down from Bar Standard, next to the pawnshop), and moved the punk line-up to Bannock Str ... More >>

From Mile High to Monolith, breaking down Denver's summer music fests

The Mile High Music Fest returns to Dick's with Tool, Widespread Panic and the Fray. With so many music festivals to fill up your summer and drain your pocketbook, we put together a handy rundown of Denver's fests, in order of their appearance on your calendar. Which are you looking most forward to ... More >>

This Just In: Cursive added to Westword Music Showcase lineup

Wendy Lynch RedfernAll right, just when you thought it couldn't get any better (or at least that's what we thought), it has. Talking about the 15th annual Westword Music Showcase here, an event that already includes more than fifty of Denver's best and brightest and a main stage offering that featur ... More >>

2009 Westword Music Showcase headliners

Recognize the dudes pictured above? If you do, then you're probably pretty stoked right now. That's right -- Built to Spill will be headlining this year's Showcase. Hold on. There's more... you know we always have more than one act on the mainstage, right? Well, how about some Mudhoney? (No, we're n ... More >>

Q&A with David Frederickson of the Prids

Some bands wear a style like a trendy fashion statement, and others embody what that music is about by creating their own artistic identity while expanding and building upon what has come before them. The Prids, from Portland, Oregon, are among the latter. Incorporating elements of synth-inflected ... More >>

Modest Mouse

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Epic

The Long Winters

Monday, October 9, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Pushing the Rock

With his hoop dreams quashed, Doug Martsch is back in the game.

Built to Spill

You in Reverse (Warner Bros.)

Band of Horses

Sunday, March 12, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Freestyle Fellowship

Awesome live bands sometimes make magic in the studio, too.

Cowboy Curse

Bender's Tavern

Rogue Wave

Descended Like Vultures (Sub Pop)

dios (malos)

Friday, October 21, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Critic's Choice

DeNunzio

Calvin Johnson

Friday, May 14, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007

Tin Men

Tintin packs an epic, spacious sound into a modest frame.

Critic's Choice

Caustic Resin

Mighty Rime

The Mighty Rime (Caulfied)

Critic's Choice

Pedro the Lion

Straight Outta Echo Park

Rilo Kiley tiptoed toward success while you weren't looking.

A Better Build

Having traded indie-hero status for fatherhood, Built to Spill's Doug Martsch makes music when -- and where -- he wants to.

Best Radio Lefty

David Barsamian

Critic's Choice

Caustic Resin

System's Abnormal

K Records founder Calvin Johnson leads Dub Narcotic Sound System down the road less traveled.

Building for the Future

Built to Spill's Doug Martsch searches for the happy medium between fatherhood and rock and roll.

Playlist

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