The Mars Volta

Weekend's best EDM: VS, Chris Malinchak, Roger Sanchez, Michal Menert and more

Hallelujah! It's finally Friday. Feel like cutting loose this weekend, having a few cocktails and then cutting a rug like nobody's watching? You've come to exactly the right place. As with every week around this time, we've put together a full rundown of the best EDM options available to you, and th ... More >>

Ghosts of Glaciers on keeping humor in metal: "Metal is not meant to be completely serious"

See Also: Ghost of Glaciers at the Mouth House, 7/20/12 Ghosts of Glaciers has played a lot more shows than most bands in the two years since forming. Because the metal group's sound isn't just rooted in that style exclusively, the trio has been able to appeal to a wider audience. The outfit's heav ... More >>

The members of Holophrase on working with Ikey Owens on Horizons of Expectation

See Also: The Mars Volta's Ikey Owens stretches his wings in Free Moral Agents Rubedo on recording its new album, Massa Confusa, with Ikey Owens Holophrase (due tonight at the hi-dive) got its name for the technical term for the sounds infants use to communicate verbally before learning the native ... More >>

#WMS 2012 recap: The Church

Every year, for the Westword Music Showcase, we enlist our army of Backbeat wordsmiths to write up the acts that appear on the individual stages across the Golden Triangle. Stacy Ward and Cory Lamz split their time at The Church stage, which was graciously hosted by David Barber. Page down to read t ... More >>

Our complete guide to the June 23 Westword Music Showcase

See also: Twelve types of Denver musicians

Skrillex and Neil Young at Red Rocks, moe., Dethklok and Lamb of God among new shows

Every week, just when we think we've seen the best of the upcoming concert season and that things couldn't possibly get any more compelling, there's a whole new batch of new shows to make us flip our lids. This week: Skrillex at Red Rocks in August, preceded a few days earlier by two Neil Young show ... More >>

As fate would have it, Rubedo has a new album

Die Antwoord, Jack White and Five Finger Death Punch lead this week's new shows

Oh, man, just when you think the upcoming concert season couldn't get any more stacked there's even more new shows to look forward to. We've received word that Die Antwoord is finally making its way to Denver on Monday, August 6, along with dates with Jack White, Andrew Bird, Sublime with Rome, Five ... More >>

Weekend's best live music bets, 4/20 edition: Levitate, Cypress Hill, Das Racist and more

See Also: A 4/20 playlist from Westword's marijuana critic William Breathes Happy 4/20! Welcome to the end of another work week. As always, there are plenty of music options to consider this weekend -- and that's whether you're living the Mile High life or not. The second edition of the annual Levi ... More >>

Dispatch, Theivery Corporation, Chatuaqua and Arvada Center summer lineups announced

Tons of new shows this week: Dispatchis playing a two-night stand at 1STBANK in September, Joe Cocker and Huey Lewis and the News are headlining this year's KOOL Concert, Thievery Corporation and Beats Antique are due at Red Rocks and Esperanza Spalding is slated for shows at the Boulder Theater and ... More >>

Dandy Warhols, Cake, Fiona Apple among new shows, Alabama Shakes, Nicki Minaj top sellers

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows from the Dandy Warhols, Cake, Fiona Apple and more were announced; Musketeer Gripweed, Hot Robots, and Broken Tongues got spins on local radio; and recent albums from the Alabama Shakes, Nicki Minaj, the Shins a ... More >>

Top Concert Photos of July, 2011

Aaron ThackeraySoundgarden at Red Rocks​As this time of year generally tends to be, July was a heck of a month for concerts with Tech N9NE, The Avett Brothers, Soundgarden, Umphrey's McGee, Katy Perry and plenty more gracing the stages. We've got so many photos, it might be hard to sift throug ... More >>

Moovers and Shakers: Our favorite Denver music releases of 2010

Public Enemy, Drive-By Truckers, Sepultura shows announced

​After hitting South Africa and Australia in December and January, legendary hip-hop act Public Enemy makes its way to the Ogden Theatre for a co-headlining bill with Karl Denson's Tiny Universe on Saturday, February 19. Jurrasic 5's Chali 2na opens the show. Tickets ($25) for the 16 and over ... More >>

2MEX

Tuesday, November 2, Casselman's Bar and Venue, 720-242-8923.

Grinderman, RJD2 and Dismemberment Plan fill our playlists this week

​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 >>

Westword Music Showcase 2010: Backbeat scribes' travelogue

​ Here's our massive, multi-page report/travelogue of the Westword Music Showcase from (in order) Tom Murphy, Cory Casciato, A.H. Goldstein, Jef Otte, Jon Solomon and Brain Frederick. Let us know in the comments what you saw and loved, saw and hated, or missed and hated yourself for missing. ... More >>

Meet Wire Faces, one of the bands birthed from the Jimi Austin

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 >>

Shrinebuilder top seller at Wax Trax

​Doom metal group Shrinebuilder, which features Scott "Wino" Weinrich (St. Vitus, the Obsessed), Al Cisnersos (Om, Sleep), Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and Dale Crover (Melvins), grabbed the top spot at Wax Trax with its self-titled debut for the week ending November 22. Slayer's World Painted Blood and ... More >>

Last Night: Juliette Lewis at the Fox Theatre

Jon Solomon​Juliette Lewis, the Ettes, American BangFox TheatreTuesday, October 6, 2009Better than: Lewis' show with the Pretenders and Cat Power this past August. I wasn't expecting much before seeing Juliette Lewis open for the Pretenders and Cat Power during a ninety-degree afternoon last Augus ... More >>

Our top 5 Monolith can't-miss acts

Photo by Rob Lee​There's roughly a gazillion bands playing at Monolith over the next two days and there's no way you can see them all (see, there aren't a half-gazillion hours in a day), so we've come up with this handy list of five can't-miss acts at Monolith. These are the bands that are wor ... More >>

Ascaris considers itself a punk band that plays metal

Meet the Pirate Signal, one of Denver's most compelling hip-hop acts

Inner band tension ends up fueling Solar Bear's creativity

Delegating Denver #43 of 56: Puerto Rico

Over the Weekend...Detroit Cobras, Super 400 and Yerkish @ the Falcon

Rocket to Nowhere, Dry Rot, Turbo Knife Fight and Green Fuse @ Larimer Lounge 7/18/07

Lullabies For the Deranged

Wallow in the mire of the year's best scuzz rock.

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

Letters to the Editor

From the week of May 18, 2006

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Letters to the Editor

From the week of January 17, 2006

Cavemen

Once frozen in doubt and expectation, Cave In digs out and moves forward.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Well Red

Red Sparowes' impressive pedigree has roots in Colorado.

Westword Music Showcase 2005

Sparta

Friday, November 26, Gothic Theatre, 303-788-0984.

Sci-Fidelity

Coheed and Cambria delivers nerd metal you can play with.

Evolution Rock

With the world on the brink, it's high time for Year Future.

The Beatdown

Welcome to the school of hard rocks.

Kill Me Tomorrow

The Garbageman and the Prostitute (GSL)

Lost at Scene

After spearheading the post-punk revival, GoGoGo Airheart is still on its own island.

Drive Away

The members of Sparta leave At the Drive-In, expectations and a so-called hiatus behind.