Red Hot Chili Peppers

How a Frank Zappa fixation fostered an appreciation for classical compositions

Gateway Acts is an ongoing series on Backbeat in which we examine the music that served as an entry point for our burgeoning musical obsessions, a gateway drug that tuned us in and turned us on. Today, A.H. Goldstein reflects on his Frank Zappa fixation. Some of my earliest musical memories revol ... More >>

Fugazi is a benchmark, a signpost and an example of how it could and should be done

Gateway Acts is a new ongoing series on Backbeat in which we examine the music that served as an entry point for our burgeoning musical obsessions, a gateway drug that tuned us in and turned us on. Today, guest columnist and Flattery Festival founder Ian O'Dougherty (Uphollow, Ian Cooke, TaunTaun, E ... More >>

Peaches on taking action on behalf of Pussy Riot: "If I lived in Russia, that could've been me."

No one knows how to push buttons quite like Peaches. Whether she's writing and directing her own autobiographical musical or organizing a Free Pussy Riot campaign, this electro-punk (aka Merrill Nisker) is always a few steps ahead of even the most radical of sex-positive visionaries. In advance of h ... More >>

The ten best concerts this weekend: October 5-7

Welcome to the weekend, amigos! Cold enough for you this morning? Yeah, we're feeling all sorts of brrrrrr over here. Only in Colorado can you go from eighty degrees to the thirties in the expanse of a couple of days. Alas, though, there's relief on the horizion, plenty of hot music this weekend to ... More >>

The music fan's guide to voting

The defining narrative of American politics since the turn of the millennium seems to be that 'We the people' are screwed no matter who gets elected. Elect a Republican: We engage in pre-emptive war, the national deficit skyrockets, and we sacrifice education and infrastructure investment. Elect a D ... More >>

The Killers at 1STBANK, the Wallflowers at the Ogden, Nas and NOFX at the Fillmore

If you thought last week's new show announcements were killer, brace yourself. This week's show is just as killer, er make that Killers. After being missing in action for the past couple of years, the Las Vegas quartet is making its triumphant return this November at the 1STBANK Center in support of ... More >>

Four reasons Lollapalooza needs EDM

See Also: - Lollapalooza Sunday: The Hottest Day of All - Ten things your Lollapalooza outfit says about you By IAN TRAAS With every year that passes, it feels like electronic dance music gains a bigger foothold in the summer festival circuit, and the climb in popularity was especially apparent at ... More >>

Lollapalooza suspended, resumed after dangerous weather conditions

BY ERIK THOMPSON The 2012 installment of Lollapalooza has thus far brought the requisite extremes, in terms of performances and potent weather. A two-hour delay cut through the middle of Saturday's entertainment at Chicago's Grant Park, and a good many people were wishing they had just the record h ... More >>

Saturday Night Live: The best, worst and most controversial performances

Update: 10:39 a.m. Sunday The Shins were on Saturday Night Live last night night weekend's musical guests. Being invited to be the musical guest on an episode of SNL has been a benchmark of commercial success for any band of the last forty years. And for good reason: From Andy Kaufman annihilating ... More >>

The 54th Grammys: who will win (Adele) and who won't (Lady Gaga)

From power pop to power ballads, rock anthems to rap staples, the nominees of the 54th Grammy Awards, which airs this Sunday night, sees no dearth of great music. There's little doubt that it will be Adele's night, but others, like Kanye West and Mumford & Sons, could win big too. Continue reading f ... More >>

Sounds of Blackness: Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is widely considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in history. Before being gifted with a guitar at the age of fifteen, Hendrix used a broom stick in place of the instrument that would later become his most beloved method of communication. Born Johnny Allen Hendrix in November 1 ... More >>

Sounds of Blackness: Fishbone releases documentary in honor of Black History Month

Fishbone, the self-described "disparate, all-black oddball crew," has released a documentary in honor of Black History Month. Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone is a brutally honest portrayal of one of the wildest and most influential black alternative bands in our culture. Fishbone began as ... More >>

Naeem Juwan of Spank Rock on "#1 Hit," Bowie, Prince, James Brown, and the perils of nostalgia

Jorge MorenoSpank Rock​Spank Rock (due tonight at Summit Music Hall for the Check Yo Ponytail 2 tour) emerged in Philadelphia around the middle of the last decade making music that brought together threads of hip-hop, rock, R&B and electronic pop. With the release of 2006's YoYoYoYoYo, the gro ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

​Here's what's happening in music on the Front Range this week: On the concert front, shows from Dierks Bentley, Mickey Hart Band and Dirty Nasty were announced. On local radio specialty shows, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, The Congress and The Epiloguesall got some spins. Meanwhile, at our local ... More >>

Review: Electric Daisy Carnival, 6/11/11

​ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL | 06.13.11 "When the smoke machines ran out, someone -- and by 'someone,' I mean a complete fucking idiot -- blasted the room with a fire extinguisher, sending a sweet poison into the eyes and mouths of everyone."

Top five Pulitzer-worthy music memoirs

Nothing, to our way of thinking, is more captivating than the true story of very real struggle. We all have these little musical fantasies, strumming our Fenders in the dark of our apartments, listening to a little Miles Davis or Johnny Cash.

10 weirdest music news stories of 2010

​2010 has been an aggressively weird year in music news. It seemed like no matter where we turned musicians were saying and doing the strangest damn things. From decrying the most popular thing in the world to talking people off of buildings, it was a wacky year to report. There was so much we ... More >>

Paul Oakenfold at the Ogden, 11/05/10

​ PAUL OAKENFOLD With Zen Freeman 11.05.10 | Ogden Theatre Paul Oakenfold, who headlined the Ogden Theatre last night, has been spinning steadily to crowds around the world since the late 1980s. He has quite a track record, having founded the Perfecto imprint in 1989, the responsible for bri ... More >>

Young Cities releases its made-in-L.A. EP at the hi-dive

Part two: Oak Tavern's Jeremy Roosa dishes on monkfish liver, chef Morimoto and a chicken sandwich

Lori Midson Oak Tavern exec chef Jeremy Roosa​ This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Oak Tavern exec chef Jeremy Roosa. To read part one of that interview, click here. Proudest moment as a chef: I'm always growing and learning, so I would like to think my proudest moment has yet ... More >>

Marijuana TV Sam's Club = ChronicCareConnect.com

The ChronicCareConnect discount card.​The medical marijuana industry in Colorado has been booming since at least last year, with plenty of ganjapreneurs coming up with concepts intended to help them grab a piece of the pot profits. But despite the competition, Chad Bardon thinks he has a uniqu ... More >>

Over the weekend: Puscifer at the Paramount Theatre

Puscifer (Aaron Thackeray)​Puscifer, Uncle Scratch's Gospel's Revival Saturday, November 21, 2009 Paramount Theatre Better than: Watching old reruns of Hee Haw. It would have been hard to predict the format and content of Saturday night's Puscifer show based solely on the outfit's studio recordin ... More >>

Denver-based ManiaTV! Is Moving Its Headquarters to Los Angeles

Dave TV!

Dave Navarro’s chat show is part of a new ManiaTV! strategy to let the pros, not the people, program the site.

The Grandma Awards

Shut Up and Sing

Natalie Maines is one radical Chick.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of February 9, 2006

Drunk of the Week

Super Bowl Party

People Pleaser

Perry Farrell wants to turn your frown upside down.

Raised on Radio

Rooney's power pop infiltrates a valley of angry young men.

Mars Attacks

The Mars Volta isn't interested in your expectations.

The Beatdown

Damn right, Brendan's has got the blues.

Cyber Slams

A local college student is on a one-man mission to attack lousy radio.

Multi-Taskers

Ming & FS want to do it all -- at exactly the same time.

Playing It Cool

When it comes to hip-hop career longevity, LL Cool J knows that size matters.

Backwash

It's a Home Run

The impressive Andenken Gallery moves to glitzy new digs near Coors Field.

A Family Tree

Though rooted in some legendary punk and rock bands, Banyan's free-form style extends far into the future.

Feedback

Blackwater Runs Deep

The guiding vision behind Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise.

Playlist

Still Hopping

The Toadies have spread the word by doing it on the road.

Thrills for the week

LETTERS

CRITIC'S CHOICE

WANTED: BASSIST AND DRUMMER...

...TO JOIN WHAT COULD BECOME DENVER'S BEST POP BAND.

TONY! TONY! TONY!

TONY BENNETT IS GETTING OLDER--AND BETTER.

IN YOUR PIGFACE

THE 411 ON 311

METERS MAN