Tom Waits

The Postal Service at Red Rocks, 5/30/13

THE POSTAL SERVICE @ RED ROCKS | 5/30 "We had to cancel last night because I lost my voice, but I've got it back, kinda sorta," Ben Gibbard told a packed house last night at Red Rocks, referring to scrapping the previous night's gig in Salt Lake City. "And by kinda sorta I mean this will be kind of ... More >>

Here's what we're all listening to right now: What's on your playlist this week?

Music is life. Or at least it is for us. When we're not writing about it, we're thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be listening to? C'mon now. Sharing is caring. Don't ho ... More >>

Here's what we're all listening to right now: What's on your playlist this week?

Music is life. Or at least it is for us. When we're not writing about it, we're thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be listening to? C'mon now. Sharing is caring. Don't ho ... More >>

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 >>

Ten Grammy awards that you don't see on TV but that are totally worth being televised

The Grammys are supposed to be "music's biggest night." Unfortunately, the only person who truly believes this is the copywriter who came up with that tagline. There are easily five festivals every year with stakes to the same claim. One of the highlights of this year's Grammys was a Bruno Mars/Stin ... 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 >>

Chimney Choir on junk percussion, field recordings and its use of homespun samples

On the surface, Chimney Choir is an Americana band with the usual roots in folk, some country and the like. But anyone who has seen the band live can tell you, there's a lot more going on in the band's songwriting and ideas for music than merely evoking an old-timey sound. Rather than limiting itsel ... 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 shouldn't be surprising to find that the most common (and mutually 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 ... More >>

Firewater's frontman on actually leaving the country like others threatened when Dubya won

Disgusted with the re-election of George W. Bush in 2005, Firewater ringleader Tod A left New York -- where he'd lived for the previous two decades and where he'd fronted Cop Shoot Cop -- and headed out of the country on a three-year journey that took him to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent ... More >>

Backbeat's five most listened-to songs and albums, week of September 5, 2012

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it shouldn't be too surprising to find that the most common (and our mutually favorite) topic of conversation among all of us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and boy, wouldn't you ... More >>

Denver's ten best jukeboxes

Just as music collections say a lot about people, a jukebox can do the same for a bar; it often reflect the place's personality. A lot of times, variety is key to a well-stocked jukebox, and 3 Kings Tavern, this year's winner in the Best of Denver, had that with balls, to boot. Here's a look at the ... More >>

The best national music releases of 2011

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 Red Hot Chili Peppers and Icelantic's Winter on the Rocks featuring Atmosphere, Common, Greives Budo and Get Cryphy were announced; the Swayback, Fierce Bad Rabbit, Monroe Monroe and Juno What ... 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 Phil Lesh, Trey Anastasio, Rusko (Snowball Fest), NEEDTOBREATHE and Dr. Dog were announced; Ian Cooke, Bare Bones and Slim Cessna got spins on local radio; and new releases from Drake, the Rolling Stones ... More >>

Mark's Midnight Carnival Show

Mark's Midnight Carnival Show
Self-released

Bone Orchard Revival

Bone Orchard Revival
Sinister Soul Recordings

Artists like Springsteen and Dylan can start applying to regain copyrights of 1978 recordings

​When copyright law was revised in 1976, there was a provision that gave artists control of their work after 35 years, provided they applied two years in advance. The law didn't go into effect until 1978, but now artists like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Loretta Lynn can start a ... More >>

Ten best Beavis and Butt-head music-video riffs

​In honor of MTV's 30th Anniversary this week, we're reflecting on the network's best moments from the past three decades. Today: Our favorite music videos riffed on by Beavis and Butt-head. The duo tackled something around 250 different videos throughout the show's eight seasons, and although ... More >>

Fan clubs to essay contests: five most effective ways ticket scalpers have been thwarted

​For years, ticket scalpers have been the bane of existence for artists and venues. Directly and indirectly, they've been blamed for everything from rising ticket costs to fewer tours. Over the last few years, though, artists have started to fight back, and they've employed some interesting wa ... More >>

Top 10 Booze-Fueled Holiday Songs

​It's a holiday tradition no less practiced than trimming trees and visting family. We're speaking, of course, of drinking. And while "Frosty The Snowman" works just fine for opening presents with junior, kids songs start to sound a little creepy once you go in for thirds on the 'nog. We, of c ... More >>

Meantoad

Whiskey Walk
Swamp Rocket Records

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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of December 7, 2009

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For t ... 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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of November 9, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of all the things we'r ... More >>

Plastic Fantastic Lover

The Pink Album
Self-released

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 5, 2009

​​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list ... More >>

The Widow's Bane

The Widow's Bane
Self-released

Veteran jazz drummer Bill Goodwin keeps time with son Max, aka DJ Klaw

Over the Weekend...Jason Vigil, Rob Drabkin, Reed Foehl, Joshua Novak, Gregory Alan Isakov, John Common, Tito del Barrio Malaga and Greg Harris Vibe Quintet @ Westword Music Showcase

45 Second Reviews: Nik Freitas, Man Man, P.O.D., Ray J

Beyond Playlist: The All-Soundtrack Edition

DeVotchKa Signs with Anti-

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q: Rite of Spring

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q: Rite of Spring

Eels

Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (Vagrant)

Rootsy Return

Rickie Lee rises

Bad Luck City

Bad Luck City (Self-released)

Tom Waits

Real Gone (Anti-)

Preacher Boy

Sunday, October 3, Macky Auditorium, 303-786-7030.

Nekromantix

Dead Girls Don't Cry (Hellcat)

A Good Buzz

Jim Jarmusch serves the perfect blend: Coffee and Cigarettes.

Best Jukebox

Don's Club Tavern

That's a Wrap-Up

Backbeat writers sound off on a few of their favorite musical things from 2002.

Consumed

Chuck E.'s in Love

Jon Dee Graham

Hooray for the Moon (New West)

He's Got a Witness

Preacher Boy made a believer out of Eagle-Eye Cherry. Now he's hoping to convert local audiences as well.

Critic's Choice

John Hammond

On the Mark

Guitarist Mark Ribot stumbles upon the hottest trend in popular music.

Shine On

Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse is running the race his way.