Tom Petty

Denver's ten best jukeboxes

More and more, you've probably noticed an influx of Internet jukeboxes, the kind that offer a seemingly endless assortment of songs, cropping up in bars. But there are still a handful of spots rocking old school CD jukeboxes that require a bit of taste-making. Here's the ten best, including this yea ... More >>

Alabama Shakes at the Ogden Theatre, with Michael Kiwanuka, 3/9/13 (reviews, photos)

ALABAMA SHAKES @ OGDEN THEATER | 3/9/13 There were too many musical threads to count during Alabama Shakes' dynamic and dizzying performance at the Ogden Theatre. During the most heart-rending moments of "Be Mine," for example, vocalist and guitarist Brittany Howard summoned the spirits of James Br ... More >>

Best of Denver 2013 Readers' Poll: The first round of Entertainment finalists

For the first time in the thirty-year history of Westword's Best of Denver, we've split the Best of Denver Readers' Poll into two rounds, giving you the chance to look at the leading vote-getters and then vote again for your favorite entertainment and entertainers in metro Denver. And the results of ... 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 >>

Why do musicians endorse candidates?

There's probably a certain amount of sincerity involved when a famous musician endorses a political candidate. But even the most un-cynical, democracy-loving patriot will have to admit that there's a hell of a lot more to the rock star/candidate public union than just fiscal policy. Endorsing a poli ... More >>

Oscar Ross of Lords of Fuzz on the importance of his lyrics saying something significant

Lords of Fuzz thundered into being from a tough time in Oscar Ross' life. He'd recently gotten divorced and moved to Denver from Texas and decided to pursue music as an outlet. After numerous line-up changes, and three albums, Lords of Fuzz are releasing their most fully-realized record to date, Bro ... More >>

How fighting in bars and two subdural hematomas led to the Angry Hand of God

See Also: Angry Hand of God at Bender's Tavern, 8/2/12 Angry Hand of God started in 2008 as a band inspired by the kind of slow, crushing, psychedelic metal that ran through most of the stoner rock bands at the time. Only this band has really strong riffs that have propelled it from the dark sludge ... More >>

Michael Stein of School Knights on dressing up in drag and having a hotel slumber party

School Knights (due tonight at the hi-dive with Force Publique and Mombi) started two years ago in the wake of the dissolution of experimental guitar pop band Weed Diamond. Michael Stein started the project in the waning days of that group as a two piece with Zack Roif. Though the duo's initial soun ... More >>

American Idol Top 8: '80s songs prove difficult for all but Skylar Laine and Phillip Phillips

Last night's performances by the American Idol top eight were all over the place. The theme, '80s songs, proved difficult for some, while other contestants chose just the right song for their voices and their personalities. The group performances were the most off-putting. "I'm So Excited" by Holli ... More >>

With No More Wasted Days, Places is enjoying a new phase

Download the live recordings from Suburban Home Records 16th Anniversary party

If you didn't happen to make it or if you just want to relive the experience, Suburban Home Records has let loose a free compilation of music recorded live at the label's 16th Anniversary Party last month. That's 28 tracks from several bands, recorded by James Freeman from That's the Thing About Tha ... More >>

Letters: Readers question Charles Farrar's sentence, but a judge won't reconsider it

Larry Crowne is middle-of-the-road

Super Bowl XLV halftime show prop bets

​There will never be more people watching a musical performance at one time than during the Super Bowl, so it's a good thing they always pick legends. In order, starting the year after Nipplegate: Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, the Who and the Black E ... More >>

Brothers O'Hair at Larimer Lounge, 11/13/10

Brothers O'Hair. Photos by Kiernan Maletsky​ BROTHERS O'HAIR With Weather Maps • The Fling 11.13.10 | Larimer Lounge One year and two months since their first show together, Brothers O'Hair returned to the Larimer Lounge with their first recording in tow. And people noticed. You could not ... More >>

Wynkoop Brewing Company gives vegetarians and carnivores alike a place to kick back

Artichoke & Parmesan Dip at Wynkoop Brewing Co.​One of the challenges of being a vegetarian is finding a place where you can kick back and relax with old friends, maybe make some new friends. Carnivorous folks take their hospitable hangouts for granted; we don't have that option. While Water ... More >>

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 >>

3OH!3, the Roots, Eminem top sellers at local record stores

​Streets of Gold, 3OH!3's new disc, which dropped last week on Photo Finish/Atlantic, grabbed the top spot at Twist & Shout, and claimed the top two slots (both deluxe and regular versions) at Albums on the Hill and snagged the third position at Independent Records for the week ending July ... More >>

Tom Petty, Melvins, Gaslight Athem strong sellers at local record stores

​While there weren't any clear winners across the board for the week ending June 20, Tom Petty's Mojo , released last week on Reprise, Gaslight Anthem's American Slang, released last week on Side One Dummy, and Melvins' latest effort, The Bride Screamed Murder were all strong sellers at local ... More >>

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 >>

Q&A w/ Isaiah Owens of Free Moral Agents

​Isaiah "Ikey" Owens is better know these days as the keyboardist of the Mars Volta. His versatile and creative musicianship, though, was honed in the '90s when he played with Sublime and later Long Beach Dub Allstars. Ikey first played with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala in the ... More >>

Frank E constructs another hit: Chamillionaire's "Good Morning"

​Just last week, the one and only Madonna announced that she was working with Colorado hip-hop producer Frank E on her upcoming greatest hits package. Before the ink is even dry on that post we've received word that Frank E has dropped another bomb hit for the masses. This time, he connected with ... More >>

Polytoxic gets back together again. And again. And again...

Tobin Voggesser​With eight shows coming up over the next four months, it's safe to say Polytoxic, which from all appearances supposedly parted ways some time ago, is still very much an on going concern, despite the fact that Chadzilla is now keeping time with Slim Cessna's Auto Club and CR Gruver ... More >>

Mini Reviews

The music at Sarah Palin's Jefferson County Fairgrounds speech

As Mile High Music Fest proved, all the scene needs is a little exposure

Over the Weekend...A Shoreline Dream, Astrophagus, Overcasters, Widowers, Astra Moveo, Red Orange Yellow, Cat-A-Tac, Hot IQs and Hearts of Palm @ Westword Music Showcase

Delegating Denver #12 of 56: Florida

Last Night: Rilo Kiley, Jonathan Rice and Grand Ole Party @ The Ogden Theater

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Crowe's Feat

Elizabethtown is only the latest movie to reveal Cameron Crowe's love affair with soundtracks.

Crowe Flies Home

Elizabethtown is a mess -- not that its director should care.

Smells Like Indie Spirit

Music that made the world safe for the word "alternative" again.

Live, Baby, Live

Danny Deckchair sends an upbeat message from Down Under.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Backwash

Denver’s clubs go changing. Again.

Playing It Cool

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

Muzak to My Ears

Elevator music is looking up.

Jon Dee Graham

Hooray for the Moon (New West)

Various Artists

Timeless (Lost Highway)

Feel His Pain

Billy Bob has a simple plan: to sing about life and lovin' his wife.

Upon Closer Review

A look at a springtime bouquet of local releases.

Chuck Prophet

The Hurting Business
(Hightone)

Size Matters

The rockers in Gaunt don't feel guilty about their new major-label contract.

Thrills for the week

Thrills for the week

Feedback

Playlist

SOUL SURVIVOR

BURDENED BY IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS, DAVE PIRNER ACHES TO TAKE SHELTER IN SOUL ASYLUM.