Venus Cruz

New Denver shows: Keith Urban, Lamb of God, John Mayer, Ke$ha and Pitbull and more

The biggest show announcement this week actually came last week -- talking about Prince at the Ogden, of course -- but there's a whole bunch of other new shows to let you know about this week, including Keith Urban at Red Rocks, Lamb of God at the Boulder Theater, John Mayer at Red Rocks and Ke$ha a ... More >>

New Denver shows: Rush, Rodrigo y Gabriela, the Postal Service, Death, Danzig and more

Bunch of new shows to let you know about this week, including Rush, who's coming to the Pepsi Center in August, plus new dates featuring the Postal Service, Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Colorado Symphony, Death, Danzig and Deer Tick. Keep reading for the full rundown of all those shows, including tic ... More >>

100 Colorado Creatives: Onus Spears

#94: Onus Spears Onus Spears (that's a stage name and Facebook alias) isn't your typical creative. He's been homeless at times, and he goes to AA meetings every day. He estimates that he's had dozens of jobs -- the number is in the hundreds, in fact -- over his 49 years. But he is also a man of stor ... More >>

New shows: Animal Collective at the Ogden, the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks, the Revival Tour

After the comforting lull of the holidays, things are starting to ramping back up nicely on the concert front. Some big announcements this week, including Animal Collective, who is slated to return to Denver for a show at the Ogden Theatre with Dan Deacon, and the Avett Brothers who are set for a tw ... More >>

Dazzle celebrates fifteen years: Donald Rossa and company talk about their favorite shows

Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary tomorrow. To commemorate the occasion, the club is throwing a party with the Bob Montgomery Pete Olstad Big Band and the Funky Fresh Trio, benefiting the Gift of Jazz, an organization supporting the past, present and future of jaz ... More >>

New shows: Taylor Swift, Public Enemy, Hot Water Music; Morrissey, Green Day postponed

Tons of concert news for you this morning: You've already heard about the Morrissey show this weekend being postponed and about Taylor Swift coming back to Denver next summer, but we've also got word of Green Day's 1STBANK show in February being postponed, K'nann show at the Gothic being cancelled, ... More >>

The Alpha Schoolmarm Orchestra's variation on symphonic music is exhilaratingly modern

When Chad Aman was a little kid, his parents, both professional musicians, ran a music school out of the family's basement. At three years old, he started learning piano, eager to emulate some of the sounds he heard wafting up through the house at all hours of the day and night. "One of my earliest ... More >>

The five best jazz shows in Colorado this month

While September was a stellar month for nationally known jazz talent coming through town, October has some equally compelling acts, including legendary bassists Ron Carter, forward-thinking trio the Bad Plus, acclaimed pianist Vijay Iyer and guitarist Lionel Loueke. Keep reading for a full rundown o ... More >>

Your 2012 Westword Music Showcase winners, party with us Thursday at the Bluebird

See Also: - Photos: Locals only! 2012 Westword Music Showcase - Set recaps by Westword music writers - Photos: The people of Westword Music Showcase The votes have been been tallied for the 2012 Westword Music Showcase ballot, and we're doing things a little bit differently this year. Rather than ... More >>

#WMS 2012 recap: Dazzle Jazz

Every year, for the Westword Music Showcase, we enlist our army of Backbeat wordsmiths to host various stages, and, in addition to their emcee obligations, we ask them to pull double duty (or triple-duty in some cases) and also write up the acts that appear on their individual stages. A.H. Goldstein ... More >>

Our complete guide to the June 23 Westword Music Showcase

See also: Twelve types of Denver musicians

Weekend's best nightlife: Riddle of the Sphinx, Solution Showcase#6, PillowTalk and more

The long weekend is here, and there are more dance related activities and parties over the next few days than you can probably handle. From the Hive's grand opening tonight to the Solution Showcase#6 tomorrow night, along with the Riddle of the Sphinx party, some funk/soul sessions and dance music g ... More >>

Weekend's best party bets: Greatest Show on Turf, Queenz of Hip-Hop and more

You wanna party? Oh yes you do. It's Friday and you don't have anything better to do! It's the third day of the Greatest Show on Turf celebrating DJ Ktone's birthday, the Analog Space crew is getting down at Meadowlark, there are tons of reggae parties tomorrow, as well as hip-hop house parties galo ... More >>

10 things to do for $10 this weekend, December 23-25, 2011

​All the cheesy commercials on television might make you think that everyone is at home baking cookies with their perfect families, but that's not the case! No, no, no. There is plenty to do outside of your home, all for less than $10. In fact, here are ten such events. Whether you have an idy ... More >>

Halloween Events: Great American Taxi, MiM0Sa and Designer Drugs (win tickets!)

This weekend is huge. It's one of those, "If you aren't here, then you aren't having as much fun as me" kind of weekends. The deck is stacked with amazing things to do, so pick a card -- any card. We've got some passes to Designer Drugs at Club Vinyl to give away, so leave us a comment on a memorabl ... More >>

Jesse Saunders and former Denver resident Matthew Bandy on this weekend's Dance Card

Aaron ThackerayThis could be you at the upcoming Global Dance Festival.​You can get your chance to be a go-go dancer for Global Dance Festival at the end of June -- or, you know, just watch a lot of sexy go-go dancers wile their wares. The Church has Go-Go Auditions tonight, featuring the soun ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase 2011

The Westword Music Showcase celebrates seventeen years, a lifetime for some of 2011's performers

The Roxy Theatre gets a new lease on life

Thursday is the new Friday: SkisM, Gabriel and Dresden, Unsigned Hype and more

Photo by Britt ChesterIt's safe to say that we've got you covered on live music for the weekend, but in case you are looking to start the party early, we've got you there, too. The Westword Music Showcase is days -- pfft...mere hours -- away, and what better way to kick start the festivities with a ... More >>

Molina

Name & Town
Self-released

Molina on his new album, politics and being labeled a "conscious" hip-hop artist

​ Oh, these critical days of hip-hop. In the era of YouTube fame and other forms of rap exploitation, there are always the folks who stand up for the truth of the evolution in society. Things have changed, and every now and then, an artist puts their account of life's changes into play, all o ... More >>

All-female Wu-Tang Clan cover group sells out Walnut Room, 1/22/11

Stephanie Auld​ The first edition of Hip-Hop Covers, an all-female Wu-Tang tribute, was way beyond sold out. By the time the nine local MCs, poets and singers took the stage, the Walnut Room was at capacity, and there was a crowd of people waiting outside the door. It didn't matter if you wer ... More >>

Hip-Hop Covers: The Wu-Tang Clan tribute at the Walnut Room

You're familiar with the Wu Tang Clan, we presume? Yeah? Meet the Ru Tang clan. Okay, that's not the name these ladies are going by, but it seems like a fitting enough handle seeing as how our own Ru Johnson is helping put together this very special show at the Walnut Room this Saturday, January 2 ... More >>

Download two tracks from Molina's forthcoming album, Name & Town, due out next week

​Molina is an MC, lecturer and artist who is rooted and steeped in hip-hop from a purist and cultural point of view. Having spent most of the year touring and building his brand from his many multi-faceted projects, including a poetry/hip-hop fusion project with female voice and artistic pheno ... More >>

Moovers and Shakers: Our favorite Denver music releases of 2010

Greg Harris Vibe Quintet

Glass Gold
Dazzle Records

The Greg Harris Vibe Quintet strikes gold on its new album

​ Looking for something to smooth out your Friday and ease you into the weekend? Oh, man, look no further. We've seriously got just the thing. Glass Gold, the brand new album from the Greg Harris Vibe Quintet is as easy on the ears as Brooklyn Decker is on the eyes. Ooh wee! The album ambles ... More >>

ManeLine

...& Sew Its Seams
Self-released

Weekend preview: ManeLine and Only Thunder CD release parties

Letters to the Editor

From the week of October 20, 2005

Good Time Gang

Yo, Flaco! was recently named the best unsigned band in America. They couldn't be happier.