Yo La Tengo

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

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 >>

New shows: Alabama Shakes/Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Paramore, Jim James

There are a ton of new shows to tell you about this week, including a co-headlining date at Red Rocks featuring Alabama Shakes and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, plus new shows from Paramore, a solo date from Jim James of My Morning Jacket, the Gaslight Anthem, Marina & the Diamonds and Charli ... More >>

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

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 >>

New Denver shows: Zac Brown adds third show at Red Rocks, plus Sting, the XX and more

Okay, hands up if you knew the Zac Brown Band was so popular. He's wildly popular, in case you're wondering. Dude just added another show at Red Rocks, thanks to the fact that the first two have already sold out. Oh, and speaking of the Rocks, Sting has announced a June date up there, and we've got ... More >>

Review: Yo La Tengo at 2011 Westword Music Showcase, 6/18/11

​YO LA TENGO at #WMS11 | 06.18.11"After two or three songs, Ira Kaplan said there were notes all over the stage saying not to use profanity and that if that were the case, they had nothing left to play."

Top ten tweets from Westword Music Showcase, a.k.a. #wms11

The Sword ​You can't be everywhere at once, especially during events like Saturday's Westword Music Showcase, with more than a dozen venues across a few blocks in the Golden Triangle. Thankfully, we've got Twitter to read about people complaining and dancing and high-fiving across the festival ... More >>

Chromeo, Yo La Tengo, the Sword and Del the Funky Homosapien are among the headliners of the 2011 Westword Music Showcase

Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan: "It's much easier to play for strangers"

Top ten "oldster" bands still putting out great records

​At risk of alienating and outraging vast swaths of music fans, there's really no polite way of referring to bands with a career spanning fifteen years plus as a whole. So here are ten "oldster" bands -- written by a self-proclaimed oldster -- to keep making great records long after their hips ... More >>

The Sword added as a headliner to this year's Westword Music Showcase on June 18!

​The Sword! In case you weren't already completely stoked for this year's Westword Music Showcase on Saturday, June 18, brace yourself: The bill just became even stronger and more kick ass with the addition of these doom merchants from Austin. If you haven't experienced the Sword's corrosive b ... More >>

Sic Alps

Sunday, March 20, Rhinoceropolis, 303-641-9809.

Westword Music Showcase Tickets on sale now

​If you didn't pick up your tickets for this year's Westword Music Showcase during our special Voice Deal of the Day presale over the weekend, don't sweat it. Tickets are now officially on sale, and they're still ridiculously cheap. Okay, so they're not ten bucks cheap anymore, but still less ... More >>

$10 Westword Music Showcase tix on sale now!

​ Earlier this week when we announced the headliners for this year's Westword Music Showcase, we mentioned that you'd be able to pick up tickets for just ten bucks. Ten bucks for Chromeo, Yo La Tengo, Del the Funky Homosapien with a full band, Murder By Death, Young the Giant, Epilogues and U ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase 2011 headliners announced. Drum roll, please...

​ Good morning! And what a good morning it is! We've got some major news to share with you regarding the Westword Music Showcase. We've just solidified the lineup for our Showcase, which takes place this year on Saturday, June 18, and it's pretty stellar if we do say so ourselves. Click throu ... More >>

A freezing-weather playlist, from Denver and beyond

​Fun fact you probably didn't know already: It's really fucking cold outside. How cold? Well, eleven degrees below zero at last check. This is hunker down with hot chocolate and delivery Chinese food weather. Work can wait until you don't need an ice pick and a Sherpa to navigate your neighbor ... More >>

Veronica

Emerging From Troubled Days
Self-released

Behold the beauty of Liquid Crystals with music by Vitamins and Danny Shyman

Have you seen this yet? It recently started making its way around the internet. If not, it's totally worth six minutes of your time. This is one of three videos that Vitamins and Danny Shyman of Josephine and the Mousepeople scored. Presumably taking a cue from Yo La Tengo, who created and perform ... More >>

Matador at 21: Anyone got a spare, oh, $700 or so?

​As it happens, we don't have a spare $700 or so laying around. Boy, if we did, though, you wouldn't really have to be the betting type to wager where we'd be on Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3. No contest: Matador at 21 in Las Vegas. Have you seen the lineup for this thing? Holy ... More >>

New Arcade Fire 12-inch finds its way to the internet

Gabriel Jones​ That was quick. For those of you not eagerly lapping up every vague clue coming from the Arcade Fire camp, allow us to bring you up to speed. May 15: The band posts a virtual postcard (the front of which you see above) saying they're just finishing pressing their new 12-inch. ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of March 8, 2010

​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 >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of February 1, 2010

​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. ... More >>

Faith restored: Coachella 2010 lineup announced

Fucking A. Ask and ye shall receive, eh? (Well, it's not Denver, but close enough.) Just glimpsed the lineup for this year's Coachella. As far as headliners go, you've got your Jay-Z and your LCD Soundsystem and, uh, let's see here, Thom Yorke and ... yada, yada, yada. Whatever, dude. Five words: Fa ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 19, 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 of ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Yo La Tengo at The Ogden

Sarah Myers​ Yo La Tengo with Cheap Time Saturday, October 9, 1009 The Ogden Theater Better Than: Dreams of flying In concert footage, there are always people near the front, grinning like idiots and swaying back and forth. These people always look like hippies in the worst way. Meaning cont ... More >>

Songs to shout at Yo La Tengo this Saturday night

Photo by Michael Lavine​Skinny boys in glasses, girls in knit jumpers, record collectors of all stripes, rejoice! This Saturday, October 10, college rock heroes Yo La Tengo are bringing the noise, the melody and the irony to Denver in the best indie-when-it-meant-something show this side of th ... More >>

Phish top seller at Bart's CD Cellar

​Joy, Phish's eleventh studio album and first release in five years, nabbed the top spot at Bart's CD Cellar while six Beatles re-issues (including Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's and the Stereo Box Set) dominated the store's top ten for the week ending September 13. Yo La Tengo's latest, effor, Popular ... More >>

Yo La Tengo, Rob Thomas, Carbon Leaf shows announced

Yo La TengoNew Jersey-based indie rockers Yo La Tengo hit the road this fall, which includes a stop at Ogden Theatre Saturday, October 10, in support of the band's forthcoming album, Popular Songs, due September 8 on Matador. Tickets, which are $20 advance and $25 day of show, go on sale Saturday, J ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, July 21 edition

Brian Landis Folkins There's a whole lot more where that came from. Today in Backbeat Online: -Shake it like a polaroid picture, Suzanne from honeyhoney. -And many, many more photos. -Yo La Tengo and some other bands are coming. -Danielle Ate the Sandwich on TV: Still awkward, still awesome. -Fre ... More >>

Soundbites: Bonnie Prince Billy, Fever Ray, Madeline Peyroux, Point Juncture, WA, These Are Powers

Welcome to another edition of Sound Bites, our economy-sized album reviews. This week, Kiernan Maletsky weighs in on five recent national releases from Bonnie Prince Billy (pictured left), Fever Ray, Madeline Peyroux, Point Juncture, WA and These Are Powers after the jump.

Magic Mice take an Action Packed Thrill Ride

photo by Eryc EylFriday night was one of those almost frustratingly bountiful Denver nights, with an overflowing cornucopia of great musical options from which to choose. Tyler Snow was spinning his Disco Nouveau at the Meadowlark. Devotchka wove their Valentinian magic at the Paramount. Gregory Ala ... More >>

Yuzo Nieto & the Hand That Rocks the Dreidel

Building Up While Falling Down
Self-released

Au Revoir Simone

Thursday, March 20, e-town, Boulder Theater, 303-786-7030.

Pink Hawks

Lion’s Lair

Stung By Bees

Skylark Lounge

Nationalistic

Our music writers pick the year’s national bests.

Yo La Tengo

Tuesday, October 10, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Pretty Girls Make Saves

As video games go indie, here's some ideas for a few likely pairings.

Minmae

Sunday, April 23, hi-dive, 720-570-4500.

Hanukkah Songs

Wherein we find the coining of our new favorite word: Jew-pergroup.

Critic's Choice

Filmstrip Series

The Clean

Anthology (Merge)

Quiet Is the New Loud

Shhh! The folks of Yo La Tengo are trying to rest.

On the Records

Backbeat contributors reflect on the releases that helped them survive the year 2000.

PLAYLIST

UP FROM THE UNDERGROUND

WHY THE VELVET UNDERGROUND MATTERS, WHETHER YOU'RE HIP TO IT OR NOT.

HOLLYWOOD PUNKS OUT

THRILLS

CRITIC'S CHOICE

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW

YO LA TENGO'S IRA KAPLAN TRIES TO SHED HIS DISREPUTABLE PAST--HE WAS A ROCK CRITIC.