Metallica

Zac Brown Band at Red Rocks, 5/8/13

ZAC BROWN BAND @ RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE | 5/8/13 "We're gonna warm it up!" Zac Brown said just before he launched into "Toes," one of the handful of Jimmy Buffettized country-rock tunes his band played at Red Rocks last night. That song ("Toes in the water/Ass in the sand"... don't act like you have ... More >>

Do drugs make musicians more creative?

Do drugs fuel creativity? Is an addled mind essential to making great music? Does sobriety cause creative impotence? What if Jimi Hendrix had suddenly decided to enter a twelve-step program? Would Are You Experienced? have sucked? To answer this nagging question, you have to take a look at rock's re ... More >>

The ten best concerts in Denver this weekend

CHUCK RAGAN @ SUMMIT MUSIC HALL | SAT, 4/13/13 Chuck Ragan first made his mark as the frontman of Hot Water Music, one of the more highly influential punk acts to emerge in the '90s. Fueled by youthful exuberance and inspired in part by the music that surrounding the skateboarding culture of the tim ... More >>

The ten biggest assholes in rock

Feuds, tantrums, threatening to kill the president -- if you've been following rock music for the past few decades, you know that dickish behavior comes with the territory when your job involves a stage and adoring fans. Here we've assembled the reprehensible cream that has risen to top, highlightin ... More >>

Learn how to kick ass from the men of Havok

Alright, so admittedly, you're going to have to suspend disbelief a little as we frame this next item, and you'll need to operate under the premise that A), time travel is a reality, and B), the internet existed in the mainstream realm in 1983. Got it? Okay, good. Now imagine you're a pimply faced k ... More >>

10 things to do for $10 in Denver this weekend (5 free!), December 28-31

It's the end of the year -- and that means there are plenty of ways to blow your last bucks on extravagant champagne toasts and hotel rooftop parties. But why do that when you can spend this weekend having fun...without spending too much cash. Skip the fancy parties and spend the last weekend of 201 ... More >>

Kinky Mink Loves the ’80s

Ten authentic Irish drinking songs

Finding an Irish soundtrack for a St. Patrick's Day celebration doesn't take a lot of exhaustive research. Generic "Best of Ireland" compilations abound in outlet stores, on iTunes and even on racks in gas stations, collections that feature anonymous artists playing generic versions of traditional C ... More >>

J.D. Cronise of The Sword shares advice from Lars Ulrich of Metallica: 'You gotta give it to 'em'

J.D. Cronise​The last time I got a contact high was in September, when Sleep played the Gothic Theatre. So it was only appropriate that my next contact high came while talking with J.D. Cronise of the Sword, another great metal band, about fifteen minutes after the Austin-based act finished it ... More >>

Death to the brown bags: school lunches vs. homemade, a fight to the finish

​Is the concept of students bringing lunch from home dying a hideous death -- just like live social interaction and Gilbert Gottfried's career? At Little Village Academy on Chicago's west side, students are not allowed to bring lunches from home unless they have a medical excuse, so they have ... More >>

Reader: "The ranch that has been in our family since 1937 would be used for tanks to tear up."

Lissie

Monday, January 17, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Record Store Day: Black Friday Edition

​The super-official, absolutely real, Record Store Day might have been earlier this year, but there's no reason why we can't celebrate our favorite holiday twice. Instead of cutting each other's throats and arguing with old folks at the mall today, maybe you'd like to consider spending your Bl ... More >>

Beatles on iTunes? Big deal. There's still a number of artists missing

​Last week, the Beatles finally caved into to the digital model, joining other once-holdouts like Pink Floyd and Metallica on iTunes. There are two reasons why artists are still withholding their music from iTunes: They want full-album/no-single purchases, and they want more money.

Introducing Split Decision: Tale of the tape

​Cassettes, in case you haven't noticed, are once again becoming viable. The number of tape-only imprints that seem to keep cropping up have not only made for decent blogger bait (see our recent Deathbomb Arc item or the recent NPR blog post focusing on Ft. Collins Patient Sounds), it's served ... More >>

Mile High Music Festival day two travelogue: BoomBox and Z-Trip

As I crossed the festival grounds toward the Bison tent, where BoomBox was scheduled, I caught strains of Matt Morris and his amazing voice, and Ozomatli getting their reggae-style funk on. I reached my destination just as BoomBox took the stage and immediately knew I was in for a good time. They op ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Five must-see acts at Mile High Music Festival

Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Otis Taylor and Trace Bundy top our weekly playlists

​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 >>

Top Ten Best Chiptune Pop Demakes

As you may or may not be aware there is an entire scene of people demaking popular songs into 8-bit blips and bloops. While chiptunes, in general, have always attracted the most circuit-minded of musicians, the demakes themselves are a genre all their own. As the Tron clip above demonstrates, they ... More >>

Joe Satriani stops by Musician's Superstore next month

​Not only is Joe Satriani a hell of a shredder on the guitar, early in his career he taught a bunch of guitarists like Steve Vai, Metallica's Kirk Hammett and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello. Now Satriani's giving away free half-hour lessons. Well, the only catch is that you have to buy ... More >>

Q&A with Steve "Lips" Kudlow from Anvil

Anvil (due this Sunday, January 31 at the Gothic Theatre) wasn't exactly a household name until this past year, despite having exerted considerable influence on bands like Metallica, Guns 'N' Roses and Slayer. In the early '80s, Anvil developed a sound that was faster and more aggressive than most o ... More >>

Q&A with Reggie Youngblood of Black Kids

Black Kids. In an interview for a Westword profile in advance of an April 15 Oriental Theater gig with Mates of State and Judgement Day, Reggie Youngblood, lead singer and songwriter for Black Kids, talked at length about his buzzy band and plenty more. Get into his head after the jump.

For Tauntaun, inspiration didn't strike until the band indulged its inner metal head

Torche Proves Metal Doesn't Have to Be Generic

Drawing equally from the Melvins as it does from My Bloody Valentine, this Florida metal quartet sets itself apart.

Mini Reviews

The Disorienting Post Modernity of Rutlemania and Other Assorted Goodies

Crossing Over

Music has no borders.

45 Second Reviews

Sanity Claus

Separating holiday-music gifts from seasonal disorders.

Fuzz Busters

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Tuesday, May 1, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-2525.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Emerald Isle Restaurant

Mex and Match

Exodus

Sunday, May 14, Bluebird Theater, 1-866-468-7621.

Signed, Sealed and Almost Delivered

Rose Hill Drive completes work on its long-awaited debut.

The Beatdown

After more than two decades, Blackie is still lawless.

The Beatdown

Teaching the Rockies how to rock the Rockies.

Fall Guys

When it comes to the power and passion of punk rock, there's no substitute for Stuntdoubles.

semifreak

8 O'Clock Fix (Self-Released)

Styles of Beyond

Megadef (Spy Tech Records)

Power Play

Still seething, Speedealer stretches out and slows down -- a little.

Rock and a Hard Place

Music can free your soul, but can it spring the West Memphis Three?

Dem Bones, Dem Bones

The barbecue scene in Denver still smokes.

The Wide World of Rap

Exploring the endless variety of today's hip-hop.

Feedback

Plugged In

Just in time for Lollapalooza, a list of the albums you need to understand electronica.

A Blast From the Past

Onetime Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin makes tradition sound new again.

ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT?

THRILLS