Dave Herrera

The best national music releases of 2011

Reader: John Denver was a Colorado treasure, and anyone who disagrees is an idiot

Hick.​As an intro to a photo gallery featuring shots of John Hickenlooper and other attendees at the John Denver Colorado Hall of Fame induction concert, reviewed by Backbeat's Dave Herrera, I shared my strongly held feeling that JD's music is vomit-inducing. Unsurprisingly, there was some dis ... More >>

Moovers & Shakers 2010: More of our picks

​ This year once again as we compiled our annual Moovers and Shakers issue -- a rundown of our favorite local releases from the past year -- we found that there were simply more albums that we dug than we had space to devote to in the paper. Thankfully, no such limitations exist on the web. C ... More >>

Moovers and Shakers: Our favorite Denver music releases of 2010

​ This year once again as we compiled our annual Moovers and Shakers issue -- a rundown of our favorite local releases from the past year -- we found that there were simply more albums that we dug than we had space to devote to in the paper. Thankfully, no such limitations exist on the web. C ... More >>

Busting beers at home and in Austin: Over the Weekend

​Another Monday. Ugh. Not sure if reliving the weekend will make it better or worse, but we don't have much of a choice, do we? So, without further ado, some shit that happened between last Friday and now: • Kate Levy threw down at the Wrangler's Sunday Beer Bust. • Kiernan Maletsky shoo ... More >>

More picks from Moovers and Shakers 2009

​In this week's issue, as we do every year around this time, we published our annual Moovers and Shakers list and talked about how much the scene is thriving. In a testament to just how much the scene is thriving these days, we didn't have room to print all the write-ups of our favorite local ... More >>

Moovers and Shakers rounds up our favorite local releases of the year

​In this week's issue, as we do every year around this time, we published our annual Moovers and Shakers list and talked about how much the scene is thriving. In a testament to just how much the scene is thriving these days, we didn't have room to print all the write-ups of our favorite local ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 17, 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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 3, 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 al ... More >>

From the week of July 30, 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 al ... More >>

Behind the scenes at the Colorado Voice Clinic

In this week's Westword, Dave Herrera introduces us to the men behind the Colorado Voice Clinic, where your favorite musicians go when their vocal chords fail them. Join Herrera on a video tour of the clinic above.

Nostalgia and nausea: Putting together the perfect '80s mix

You've had the experience. You're driving in the car or Pandora-ing or even - gasp! - listening to the radio when that song comes on - the one you can't believe you forgot all about. Instantly, you're transported in time and space - back to that kegger during your freshman year when you got so ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Let's go to the videotape...

Tauntaun. A band. See them rock on the Backbeat blog. With more than one events getting postponed due to weather, you might think it was a slow weekend in Denver. And maybe it was. But not if you ask Dave Herrera, who captured video from about 47 different concerts over the weekend and packaged the ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top five spins for the week of April 13, 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 al ... More >>

Hello Kavita checks in from the studio

Photo: Sarah Cass The exceptional gentlemen pictured above, otherwise known collectively as Hello Kavita, are currently holed up in the studio recording a brand-new album with Ian Hlatky, who's previously overseen recordings by the Last Seen, Born in the Flood and the Swayback, among others. The ban ... More >>

The best Christmas gift. Ever!

All right, so you know how this time of year everybody asks you if you've received anything cool for Christmas? Generally, I'm all, like, you know, socks, shirts, gift certificates, yada, yada -- and that's usually the extent of the conversation. Not that I'm ungrateful -- it's just, how much can re ... More >>

Moovers & Shakers 2008: Backbeat scribes weigh in on their favorite local releases of the year

All right, so you know how this time of year everybody asks you if you've received anything cool for Christmas? Generally, I'm all, like, you know, socks, shirts, gift certificates, yada, yada -- and that's usually the extent of the conversation. Not that I'm ungrateful -- it's just, how much can re ... More >>

Cephalic Carnage playing benefit this weekend and Summer Slaughter bootleg

Later this week, we'll be unveiling a new feature on the blog called The Denver Boot, which will feature exclusive live recordings taped by our pal and frequent commenter, SxPxDxCx. The first installment will be the Cephalic Carnage and Brujeria show taped earlier this month at 3 Kings Tavern, and w ... More >>

Enter the Fray

A group of Colorado favorites plays Vail Snow Daze.

Tickle Me Pink releases explicit version of "Typical Whore" video

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Flier of the week: Palin barebacks a T-Rex

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, November 12 edition

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Paper Bird signs new management deal

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

DeVotchKa's "How It Ends" gets licensed... again

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Ichiban charts on CMJ

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Magic Cyclops makes a cameo (sort of) in the Centro-Matic video

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

3OH!3 in Entertainment Weekly

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Fight Like Hell back for more

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, September 22 edition

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

The meaty men of Animo wear a condom every time

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Hot IQs and Eyes and Ears both releasing new vinyl

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, September 3 edition

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Public Enemy's Boulder Show Back On

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

The Westword.com Blog Shortcut, July 1 Edition

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Vonnegut Down a Bassist

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Clown on the Rocks

Tickle Me Pink, who's in the midst of a cross country tour right now with Hawthorne Heights (full dates after the jump), has posted an explicit, NSFW version of their "Typical Whore" video. Like the the original version, the video features porn star Gabriella Fox crawling through comforters on her ... More >>

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of 3/1/2007

Hot Burnin'

From the week of 3/1/2007

Letters to the Editor

From the week of 2/1/2007

Moovers and Shakers 2006

Backbeat writers sound off on the best local releases of 2006.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of December 22, 2005

Letters to the Editor

From the week of December 8, 2005

Letters to the Editor

From the week of August 4, 2005

Moovers and Shakers

In 2004, Mootown's best and brightest gave us something to write home about.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of December 2, 2004

Letters to the Editor

From the week of September 9, 2004

Letters to the Editor

From the week of March 4, 2004

Letters to the Editor

From the week of November 20, 2003