Tom Petty

10 things to do for $10 this weekend (7 free!), March 1-3

Ever since the Harlem Shake snagged the Internet's attention, it seems that video after video of frat boys, Army officers and various mammals at Sea World wiggling uncontrollably to Baauer's dance track by the same name have been constantly appearing in our Facebook newsfeeds. If you've secretly des ... More >>

Ten great albums recorded at Sound City Studios, the focus of Sound City

Dave Grohl is a busy guy. The Foo Fighters frontman is a member of multiple supergroups, played alongside Paul McCartney at the 12/12/12 Sandy Relief Concert, will be the keynote speaker at South by Southwest this March, and just made his directing debut with Sound City, a documentary tracing the hi ... More >>

The Rainbow Music Hall first opened 34 years ago this week with shows from Jerry Jeff Walker

If you were living in Denver thirty-four years ago this week, the Rainbow Music Hall would've been the talk of the town. After a grand opening gala featuring Jerry Jeff Walker, who performed three sets on two back-to-back nights at the venue, suddenly, the humble movie theater multiplex at the corne ... More >>

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 >>

The thirty best concerts of 2012

While 2012 will be remembered as they year that Red Rocks hosted the most shows in its history, it's also going to go down as one of the best years for concerts in Colorado in general. As we reflected on all the incredible shows we took in this past year, there were an astounding number of what we'd ... More >>

Divine Fits at Bluebird Theater, 12/14/12

DIVINE FITS @ BLUEBIRD THEATER |12/14/12 Picking a high point of a show as thoroughly enjoyable as this one would be tough, but when Alex Fischel started playing the synth intro to "You Got Lucky" by Tom Petty -- which could have gone either way, kitschy or funny -- and Dan Boeckner started singing ... 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 >>

Hot Robots heat up the Larimer Lounge this weekend

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at 1STBANK Center, 4/19/12

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS @ 1STBANK CENTER | 4/19/12"Tonight, we thought it would be fun...," Tom Petty said a few songs into two-hour set, "we're going to go pretty deep into some deep tracks for you tonight." Sure enough, Petty & the Heartbreakers ran through a number of hits during the second ... More >>

Sweet Tom Petty shirt, man: The shirts we spotted last night in the parking lot

See Also: (Review) Tom Petty at 1STBANK Center, 4/19/12 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers put on a hell of a show last night at the 1STBANK Center. While you can see all the photos from last night's Tom Petty show in our slideshow, below are a few shots of the Petty diehards spotted by photographer Eri ... More >>

Tom Petty

Wednesday, April 18, and Thursday, April 19 (sold out), 1STBANK Center, 866-461-6556.

Review: Foo Fighters at the Pepsi Center, 10/9/11

FOO FIGHTERS AT PEPSI CENTER | 10/9/11"You guys ready for a long fucking rock show tonight?" Foo Fighters frontman Dave asked the Pepsi Center crowd early in Sunday night's set. "You ready for that shit? Foo Fighters don't fuck around. We don't fuck around. We don't play those eensy-weensy one-hour- ... More >>

Sarah Palin II: Bachmann Boogaloo

Petty crime: Michelle Bachmann plays "American Girl" after Tom Petty asks her not to

Does this look like a face that's amused?​Behold the latest entry in the annals of political theft of music. Earlier this week, presidential hopeful Michelle Bachman got slapped with a cease and desist notice from Tom Petty, pleading with the congresswoman to, you know, please stop playing his ... More >>

Help us design the perfect road trip playlist

Pork NoseFree Fallin'!Okay, pretend we're taking a road trip together. (Yes, we know this is unlikely what with gas prices being the way the are now all all, not to mention, we'd need a troop transport or something to chauffeur us -- but work with us here, will ya?) What tunes would make for an ulti ... More >>

Switchfoot at Big Air Denver, 01/25/11

Photo Britt Chester​ Switchfoot Civic Center Park | 1.25.11 Last night, under the orange sky that blanketed the city, Switchfoot squeezed a quick set in at the Big Air event in Civic Center Park. No opener. No warm-up. Just four guys coming out from San Diego to entertain a frozen mass of s ... More >>

MillionYoung

Wednesday, December 15, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Medical marijuana dispensary review: The Cherry Co. in Cherry Creek

​I hadn't heard of Cherry Co. until recently when someone sent me a picture of their OG Kush x Super Silver Haze (called Kizzle) via Facebook. Apparently the shop, which opened in June, hasn't done much advertising. They don't even have a website up yet.

John Statz

Ghost Towns
Self-released

Top ten most blatant and alleged song heists

Earlier this week, Nick Cave responded to accusations that he nicked the basis of the song "Palaces of Montezuma" from a tune by some guy named Frank Duffy called "Grey Man." It seems absurd someone as versatile as Cave would intentionally borrow a lick or two from another song. Any similarities ... More >>

Mile High Music Festival, Day One: Manufactured Superstars, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, Andrew Wickes, One Eskimo

A go-go dancer for Manufactured Superstars​Arriving at 1 p.m., I headed for Beta Beach after orienting myself. The Manufactured Superstars were throwing down their trademark dirty disco funk, and the misting tunnels and inflatable sculpture and furniture were keeping everyone as cool as possib ... More >>

Danielle Ate the Sandwich, 3OH!3 top sellers at local stores

​While national acts like the Roots, the Black Keys and the Wolf Parade continue to be strong sellers at local record stores, local acts came in on top at two stores for the week ending Sunday, July 11. Danielle At the Sandwich, who gave an in-store performance at Twist & Shout last week, debu ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase headliners: Catching up with Single File

Pamela Littky​ Contention between Single File and its producer, Howard Benson, almost shelved the band's major label debut, Common Struggles, before it even came out. Single File felt Benson and Warner Bros. were trying to shape the band into something they did not want to be.

Top ten political thefts of music

​ There's a certain political group that pays a lot of lip service to individual property rights -- raise your hand if this sounds familiar: Lower taxes, gun ownership, capitalism! As it turns out, there seems to be one aspect of individual property that certain group does not seem to respect ... More >>

Douglas Bruce = Dr. Evil, says ColoradoPols

Douglas Bruce's bark and his bite are both pretty savage.​Blogs about Denver don't suffer from a lack of oxygen, no matter what flatlanders say. Here are three examples. ColoradoPols highlights reporting by Eileen Welsome, a former Westworder turned Colorado Springs Gazette staffer, who detai ... More >>

Vampire Weekend on top at Twist and Shout

​Vampire Weekend's Contra, released last week on XL, follow-up to its 2008 self-titled debut, was one of the most highly anticipated records of the new year, so it's no surprise the album claimed the top slot at Twist & Shout for the week ending January 17. Blakroc's self-titled debut, Phoenix ... More >>

Rodrigo y Gabriela top seller at Twist and Shout

​Rodrigo y Gabriela's 11:11 claimed the top top spot at Twist & Shout, while Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix came in second for the week ending January 3. Them Crooked Vultures' self-titled debut and Tom Waits' Glitter and Doom Live grabbed the third and fourth spots, while Tom Petty's Live ... More >>

Susan Boyle grabs top spot at Bart's CD Cellar

​Susan Boyle, whose I Dreamed a Dream is burning up American and UK charts, grabs the top spot at Bart's CD Cellar for the week ending December 13. Norah Jones claims the second slot with her latest effort, The Fall, and Rodrigo y Gabriela checks in at number three with 11:11. Rosanne Cash's The L ... More >>

Norah Jones top seller at Bart's CD Cellar again

​Norah Jones' latest effort, The Fall, nabbed the top spot at Bart's CD Cellar for the second week in a row. Tom Petty's four-disc Live Anthology, released last week on Reprise, came in second while Them Crooked Vultures' self-titled debut came in third for the week ending November 29. Bob Dylan's ... More >>

Susan Boyle grabs top spot at Twist and Shout

​Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream, which is the fastest selling album in Britain this year, nabbed the top spot at Twist & Shout for the week ending November 29. Tom Waits' Glitter and Doom Live, released last week on Anti, came in second while Them Crooked Vultures m ... More >>

Mile High Music Fest Live Reviews: Day One

Aaron Thackeray See photos of Day One's fans on the slideshow page. It's here: The second edition of the Mile High Music Fest is underway, and our gaggle of writers and photogs are shvitzing their way around the grounds to bring you ongoing, as-close-to-live-as-my-fingers-allow coverage of Denver ... More >>

Mile High Music Fest Wrap-up

Mile High Music Fest Live Blog, Day One

Tom Petty

Highway Companion (American)

The Mating Game: Eric Halborg from the Swayback

The Elm

Guys with guitars.

AEG Live's Mile High Music and Arts Festival Lineup Announced

James Blunt is a Douchebag and Other Assorted Goodies

Over the Weekend ... Stand By Your Band II @ hi-dive

Tom Petty

Highway Companion (American)

Syd Matters

Syd Matters (V2)

Burning Brides

Tuesday, April 12, Rock Island, 303-572-7625.

Bob Dylan

Sunday, October 24, Coors Event Center, 1-866-464-2626.

Critic's Choice

Gann Matthews

Club Scout

Baby Bash

Backwash

If this summer’s concert season has an encore, we’d rather skip it.

Survey Says

Are Denver listeners getting the radio they deserve? A Backbeat investigation.

HONOR THY AUTHORS

CARTER COUNTRY

CARLENE CARTER RETURNS IN AN UNLIKELY GUISE--AS A C&W STAR.