Otis Redding

Brent Cowels and Tyler Kellog of You Me And Apollo on the influence of soul and Motown

You Me And Apollo from Fort Collins started out as the solo project of Brent Cowles when he was seventeen. Over the course of the last handful of years, Cowles has turned what was essentially a bedroom recording project into a full-fledged band. In 2011, Cowles released Cards With Cheats with a nasc ... More >>

You Me & Apollo brings its lush, emotional pop to the hi-dive

Backbeat's top five spins: This is what we're listening to this week. What's on your playlist?

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 >>

Twenty fabled moments in Denver music: #8: The Jimi Hendrix Experience's last show

Over the next few weeks, Backbeat will be finishing our count down of the twenty most fabled moments in Denver music history. Today, we take a look back at Barry Fey's Denver Pop Festival, a three-night musical event in June 1969 that culminated with the final appearance of the Jimi Hendrix Experien ... More >>

The ten best concerts this weekend: Sept. 28-30

Hell yeah! It's finally Friday! Welcome to the weekend! Feel like tossing back a few cold ones and seeing some live music? You've come to the right place. There's an overwhelming number of outstanding shows for you to check out this weekend. We've got all of them listed in our concert calendar if yo ... More >>

Michael Kiwanuka

Tuesday, August 7, Bluebird Theater, 888-929-7849.

Weekend's best live bets: String Cheese Incident, Chris Daniels, Mayhem and more

See Also: Chris Daniels is back after a harrowing battle with illness Q&A with Slipknot's Clown Q&A with Julie Libassi of the Raven & the Writing Desk Q&A with JT Nolan of Beats Noir! Q&A with Zoe Jakes and David Satori of Beats Antique Welcome to the weekend! A parade of longtime local favorite ... More >>

Will Hoge

Saturday, July 7, Bluebird Theater, 888-929-7849.

R.I.P. Donald "Duck" Dunn, 11/24/41 - 5/13/12

He was the backbone, part of the nerve center of a great rhythm and blues band that made the music of a bygone era live, breathe and jump again. But Donald "Duck" Dunn's musical accomplishments went far beyond the scripted praise he earned from John Belushi playing the fictional Jake Blues in the 19 ... More >>

Review: Drive-By Truckers at the Ogden Theatre, 3/9/12

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS @ OGDEN THEATRE | 03.09.12 The last time the Drive-By Truckers came through town they wrapped up a leg of a tour with a two-night stand at the Ogden Theatre a year ago. This time around, the guys kicked off a West Coast run at the same venue. Maybe it was having some off the road, ... More >>

Flashbacks

Black coffee! The 10 songs about black coffee on National Coffee Day!

Up until about ten years ago, coffee seemed to have its grip firmly around us. Just take the songs below, for example. You won't find any written in the past decade, which is a little sad, the death of coffee and all. Because no one is going to write a song about the energizing effects of a Starbuck ... More >>

Updated: Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne tour due at Pepsi Center on October 10

​Update (7/28/11): We just received word from LiveNation that due to an overwhelming demand, additional dates are being added to the Watch the Throne tour, featuring Jay-Z and Kanye West. The tour is slated to hit Denver on Monday, October 10. The additional dates are due be announced on Augus ... More >>

Yuki Chikudate of Asobi Seksu on Otis Redding, Okinawa and working with Vaughan Oliver

​Asobi Seksu (due tonight at the hi-dive with Grimes, Le Divorce) made a bit of a name for itself in its early days by blending together solid pop hooks with strong rhythmic dynamics and a guitar sound that recalled early Lush and the more melodic end of My Bloody Valentine. Naturally, this re ... More >>

Chef and Tell, part two: Zi Fusion's Rhett Songer on more of the F-word, a pompous prick and being wine-drunk

Lori Midson​ Rhett Songer Zi Fusion 7340 South Clinton Street, Englewood 720-934-6402 www.ziasian.com This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Rhett Songer, executive chef of Zi Fusion. In part one of that interview, Songer dishes on the F-word, racism and sexism and eating a puppy... ... More >>

Musketeer Gripweed

Dyin' Day
Self-released

Bettye LaVette

Thursday, August 26, Soiled Dove Underground, 303-366-0007.

Cypress Hill and Steve Miller Band: Two reviews from Mile High Music Festival

Cypress Hill, 4:45 p.m. on the Wolf Stage I walked straight in the clouds of smoke and the packs of dancing 20-somethings as the first strains of "Insane in the Brain" sounded from the Wolf Stage. I should probably clarify that -- by "strains," I mean I heard B-Real loudly demanding if the crowd fel ... More >>

Big Boi, the Roots, Rick Ross, FOE & Whygee dominate our playlists this week

Jason StoffBig Boi, shown here at this past weekend's Pitchfork Festival, dominated our 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, ... More >>

Part two: Chef and Tell with Jennifer Jasinski from Rioja and Bistro Vendome

Lori Midson ​This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Jennifer Jasinksi; to read part one of that interview, click here. Best food city in America: San Francisco Bay. I love the growing capabilities of the area and how you're so closely tied to the land. Restaurants there have the opp ... More >>

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band

Saturday, January 30, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-837-0360.

Ben Sollee

Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott-Heron

Friday, May 1, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772; Saturday, May 2, Oriental Theater, 303-455-2124; Sunday, May 3, Fox Theatre, Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Make new friends at Mr. A's

From Akon to Usher, today's R&B is a shadow of its former self

Beyond Playlist: Henry Butler and More

Tower of Power Holds Its Charge

Three decades on, the Oakland ensemble still knows what is hip.

JJ Grey & MOFRO

Nothing scarier, wilder or more attractive to JJ Grey than a strong woman.

I Pity the Yule

Separating heavenly holiday music from Hell's noels.

Shemekia Copeland

Tuesday, December 12, Walnut Room, 303-292-1700.

Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue

Friday, December 8, Quixote's True Blue; Saturday, December 9, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 1-866-455-2263.

Baaba Maal

Tuesday, June 13, Denver Botanic Gardens, 1-866-468-7624.

Jamie Lidell

Multiply (Warp Records)

Detroit Cobras

Friday, May 27, and Saturday, May 28, Lion's Lair, 303-320-9200.

Season's Bleatings

Thanks to these CDs, it's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

The Beat Goes On

Linda McCartney's photos of '60s rockers roll

Various Artists

The Folk Years: A Singers and Songwriters Collection (Time Life Music)

Musiq Maker

On his latest album, the Soulchild grows up.

Buddy & Julie Miller

Buddy & Julie Miller (HighTone)

Good, and Good for You

Shadow Theatre steps its performance up a notch for this adventurous play.

Critic's Choice

Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise

A Star Is Boring

Night & Day

September 3 - 9, 1998

Tooting His Own Horn

Toots Hibbert is a reggae giant--and he's not afraid to tell you why.

Playlist

THRILLS

STAX OF WAX

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL