Indie Rock and Indie Pop

New shows on sale this week: Rihanna, Queens of the Stone Age, the Cult, Pinback and more

In addition to Rihanna and Queens of the Stone Age shows that we told you about yesterday, we've also got new dates from the Cult, the Moody Blues and Pinback, all of which go on sale this weekend. Keep reading to get the full rundown on those shows, and to find out what local music is being played ... More >>

Tegan and Sara

Thursday, November 29, 1STBANK Center, 303-830-8497.

Ted Stevens of Cursive: "There's a lot of risks you take in making a record like this."

See also: Interview with Lauren Larson of Ume, sharing the bill this Sunday. Cursive (due this Sunday at Larimer Lounge with Ume) was one of the most popular and influential bands to have come out of the underground scene in Omaha, Nebraska, the same one that spawned Bright Eyes, the Faint, Azure R ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In concert news, TV on the Radio is slated to perform two nights at the Ogden in September, Furthur is making its way back to Colorado for three nights at Red Rocks and blink-182 and My Chemical Romance headline KTCL's Big Gig in September. On lo ... More >>

Letters: "How you can sleep at night is beyond me"

Air Dubai, the Heyday, Bad Religion, Superchunk, Waka Flocka Flame top sellers

​On the heels of their dual CD release party a few weeks ago at the Gothic, Air Dubai and the Heyday claimed the top spots at Twist & Shout for the week ending October 10. Up at Album's On the Hill, meanwhile, Bad Religion topped the charts with its latest Dissent of Man, Superchunk's latest e ... More >>

Arcade Fire, the Books top sellers at local stores

​The Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, released last week on Merge, claimed the top spots at Albums on the Hill and Twist & Shout while checking in at number five at Independent Records. The Books' latest effort, The Way Out, meanwhile, and the Black Crowes' Croweology, a double album of the band's ... More >>

Arcade Fire takes its time to get where its going as it makes its way through The Suburbs

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (Merge)​Montreal's Arcade Fire, whose Grammy-nominated 2004 debut LP Funeral was the indie hit of the last decade, throws somewhat of a curveball on its new, sixteen-cut album, The Suburbs. Thirty-year-old Win Butler earnestly -- and patiently -- comments on modern ... More >>

Ghostland Observatory tops a stacked bill at this weekend's Westword Music Showcase

The Weekend Show Down: hi-dive Hullabaloo brings the rock mayhem

​There's nothing like experiencing the sweat, thump and catharsis of a great show. Trouble is, you live in Denver, the land of embarrassing riches when it comes to music, the land of too many shows and too little time. So which ones are worth checking out? Glad you asked. After the jump, we've ... More >>

MGMT

Friday, June 11, Red Rocks, 303-830-8497.

MGMT's Matt Asti on Spacemen 3, '60s psychedelia and playing with Paul McCartney

​ Not so long ago, MGMT was like many underground bands in America playing small clubs and relatively low key shows. But even by the time of the release of its second album, 2007's Dave Fridmann-produced Oracular Spectacular, the band was already in the midst of its meteoric rise to popularit ... More >>

New Arcade Fire 12-inch finds its way to the internet

Gabriel Jones​ That was quick. For those of you not eagerly lapping up every vague clue coming from the Arcade Fire camp, allow us to bring you up to speed. May 15: The band posts a virtual postcard (the front of which you see above) saying they're just finishing pressing their new 12-inch. ... More >>

Nathaniel Rateliff and Deftones top sellers at local record stores

​In Memory of Loss, Nathaniel Rateliff's outstanding Rounder Records debut, topped the charts at Twist & Shout (where he also did an in-store performance last week) and Wax Trax, while rounding out the top ten at Albums on the Hill for the week ending May 8. Forgiveness Rock Record, meanwhile, ... 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 >>

Lollapalooza lineup revealed. Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga among the headliners

This year's Lollapalooza lineup has been revealed. Bold face names this time around: Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire and Erykah Badu, alongside nearly ninety of the brightest emerging acts, including MGMT, Grizzly Bear, the National, Yeasayer, Phoenix, Frightened Rabbit and Edward S ... More >>

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

​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 >>

A Sunny Day in Glasgow

Friday, March 5, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Alec Ounsworth

Saturday, February 20, Larimer Lounge, 303-291-1007.

Holy Ghost at Beta

The Antlers

Saturday, February 13, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-8497.

Bonnaroo 2010 lineup revealed: Chromeo with Daryl Hall, Stevie Wonder, the Avett Brothers, Against Me!, Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band and more...

As if we didn't already have enough reason to find our way to Tennesee to catch the Flaming Lips playing Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety, we now have even more incentive -- namely, Chromeo with Daryl Hall and Stevie Wonder!

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of February 1, 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 >>

Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody

Tuesday, January 26, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Faith restored: Coachella 2010 lineup announced

Fucking A. Ask and ye shall receive, eh? (Well, it's not Denver, but close enough.) Just glimpsed the lineup for this year's Coachella. As far as headliners go, you've got your Jay-Z and your LCD Soundsystem and, uh, let's see here, Thom Yorke and ... yada, yada, yada. Whatever, dude. Five words: Fa ... More >>

This Just In: Vampire Weekend, Owl City, Alkaline Trio shows announced

​Although New York-based indie act Vampire Weekend isn't releasing its highly anticipated sophomore effort, Contra, for another week, NPR is streaming the entire album until it hits the stores on Tuesday, January 12. Touring in support of the album, the band will trek across the UK and Europe in F ... More >>

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

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 21, 2009

​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. For ... More >>

Top Ten Songs of the Decade

This band had a leg up on everyone else for top song of the decade.​Radiohead? Arcade Fire? Interpol? The Strokes? The White Stripes? Animal Collective? Yeah, we've heard of 'em. For us, though, there was a much more intriguing, compelling batch of bands that weren't -- for the most part, anyw ... More >>

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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of November 23, 2009

​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. For t ... More >>

Wondering what to get that special little someone for Christmas? Wonder no more. The Indie Rock Coloring Book is here!

​Ever notice just how much more advanced kids are these days? They just seem so much cooler than we were growing up. We were at a barbecue not too long ago, for instance, and heard the wee son of a friend -- seriously, the kid hadn't even hit puberty yet -- raving about the new Bon Iver record. Ye ... 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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 19, 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 >>

Box Elders

Tuesday, October 13, Bender's Tavern, 303-861-7070.

Kissing Party

The Hate Album
Self-released

Monolith Q&A: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

​With early support from one of the country's most important independent radio stations, KEXP in Seattle, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart -- appearing at Monlith this weekend -- struck a chord with fans of earnest, dreamy, lush pop music. Though often compared to C86-era and Sarah Records ban ... More >>

Pissed Jeans grabs top spot at Wax Trax again

​Pissed Jeans' King of Jeans grabbed the number one spot on Wax Trax's top seller list the second week in a row while Arctic Monkeys' Humbug, released last week on Domino, came in second for the week ending August 30. Dead Weather, Modest Mouse and Jay Reatard rounded out the top five while the Ro ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 24, 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 >>

Over the weekend: The Flaming Lips at Red Rocks (bonus review)

It was a series of firsts last night for Adam Perry: In was his first show at Red Rocks and his first time seeing the Flaming Lips. Given the profound, momentous nature of that combination, we thought we'd share his experience, and as a result you get a bonus review of the show today.Adam Perry​Th ... More >>

NPR's All Songs Considered weighs in on the best music of 2009

​Last time we checked, there's still a good four months left until the end of the year. Regardless, that hasn't stopped Bob Boilen and company from NPR's All Songs Considered from weighing in on the best music of 2009 (so far). Actually, check that -- the results, which were posted on the show's b ... 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 >>

The Mars Volta and Yeah Yeah Yeahs to headline Monolith

Update: Just in case you haven't been keeping tabs, this year's Monolith line-up has been shaping up rather nicely. On May 18, the masterminds of Monolith began revealing the line-up for the third annual two-day indie-centric music festival every two hours on Twitter and Facebook. Some folks found t ... More >>

Other Girls

Tuesday, July 7, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Julie Doiron

Monday, June 22, Oriental Theater, 303-455-2124.

Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse, Frank Black shows annouced

The Flaming Lips know all about putting on a hell of a show, and the Monolith Festival gig at Red Rocks in 2007 was one most phenomenal things to happen to that venue in the last few years. Lets hope for a repeat performance when the Lips return to Red Rocks Sunday, August 23 with Explosions in the ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase reviewed: Curious Theatre

Aaron ThackeraySee more photos from Curious Theatre at westword.com/slideshow.Elin Palmer, 12 p.m.Overcoming technical difficulties and an initially cumbersome stage setup (the stage manager had to find room for a drum riser amid the creative and complicated set -- including a desk, a bed and a road ... More >>

A band-by-band guide to the 2009 Westword Music Showcase

Early Start

Get a jump on Monolith six months in advance.

Teletunes

Indie rock meets prime time in a post-O.C. world.