Damien Rice, due tonight at Red Rocks, is a singer songwriter capable of many things. His latest record My Favourite Faded Fantasy is a vast and expansive record that starts with a traditional acoustic structure and then turns into full orchestral symphony with strings and piano bouncing around his fragile and…
Good Old War took a high-energy and lively crowd at the Bluebird Theater and, by the end, transformed it into a quiet and transfixed audience that hung on the band’s every word. The Philadelphia trio managed this by playing a show full of carefully written pop songs that are poignant…
DeVotchKa’s Tom Hagerman has been working with the Colorado Symphony, helping the group with writing the orchestrations for the music of various bands, since his own group’s first show with them in February, 2012. DeVotchKa’s lush orchestration and arrangements make them an ideal band for a symphony to collaborate with, and…
On Friday, May 15, Youth on Record will open its brand-new, state of art, Youth Media Studio in the La Alma neighborhood. The studio will give Youth on Record students a chance to record the songs they have been working on in the classroom as well as a chance to…
William Elliott Whitmore, due May 15 at the Bluebird Theatre, is always finding ways to impart lessons that have been passed down to him. Many years ago, at a show at the Larimer Lounge, before he played “Lift My Jug,” he told the audience that a homeless man named Hub…
John Moreland has a hard time telling lies. When you’re at one of the songwriter’s shows, what you see is what you get, and what he says is what he means. In his unabashed approach to writing, Moreland is steadfast in his commitment to the truth, regardless of whether or…
In 2002, a group of then bandmates and I drove all the way from Grand Junction to Boulder to witness Pinhead Circus’ “last” show. It was an emotional moment for us, as the band, fronted by the larger than life personality Scooter James, was a huge inspiration to us musically,…
Unlike many acoustic-guitar-playing solo acts today, Joe Pug was not previously part of an established band; in fact, he’s never played in a band, period. So when his debut EP, 2009’s Nation of Heat, sold 20,000 copies, it was not because of an already established fan base, but because of…
Melbourne Australia’s Smith Street Band, due tonight at the Summit Music Hall, is a passionate and earnest group, whose world travels and experiences have offered its members unique perspective on politics, passion and self-evaluation. Their latest, Throw Me In The River, is an account of these experiences and emotions. The…
The last time Jake Gould, a.k.a. Northcote, came through town, he played a solo acoustic show at the hi-dive and, even without musical accompaniment, his songs were powerful and resonant. This time through, at the Ogden Theatre, opening for The Gaslight Anthem, he brought with him a full backup band,…
Tweedy, due March 28th at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, is a collaboration between, longtime Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy, and his son Spencer. Together, the group released the album, Sukierae, in September 2014. The album carries with it a somber tone as most of the songs address Jeff’s wife, and…
Suggestive advertising is all around us and, according to a recent study by University of Colorado Denver, increasingly forcing its way into popular music. The study, conducted by music business professor Storm Gloor, examined Top 30 Billboard songs from 1960 to 2013 and found that, while always present in some…
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, who have built a reputation on being supportive and collaborative with Denver’s contemporary musicians, have further solidified this reputation with the announcement of their newest program, “Turn Over the Keys.” The program, which will take place on May 28th at Boettcher Concert Hall, will feature Denver…
When you’re a musician, the place you grow up in has a huge impact on the type of music you write and the message you convey to the rest of the world. The Ramones talked about the chaotic struggle of living in New York and doing anything to get by in…
Dear Denver Nuggets, I’m sorry, but I think I’m done. For more than twenty years, I’ve stuck by your side and defended you through the thick and, mainly, thin, but I just can’t do it anymore. But before you call me a fair-weather fan, let me remind you about all…
Macon Terry, a long time supporter, player and overall stalwart of the Denver music community, is constantly thinking of ways to use his interests and experiences to help the Denver music scene. His newest endeavor, Collectible Records, aims, not only to give added exposure to some of Macon’s talented musical…
Now Playing, a multi-media collaboration between Denver Film Company, Black Shirt Brewing and several Denver musicians, premiers Saturday, Feb. 21 at 10 PM on CPTV 12. The debut show will be thirty minutes long and feature Denver band Covenhoven. Future episodes will feature Sawmill Joe, R.L. Cole, Haunted Wind Chimes, Glowing House, The Centennial, Strange Americans,…
Helping to further solidify River North’s reputation as a burgeoning creative district and hub for new and inventive breweries, Ratio Beerworks will open it’s doors on February 14 on upper Larimer Street. The brewery, founded by Jason zumBrunnen, Zach Lowery and Scott Kaplan, will have six flagship beers on tap…
The members of Portland’s thunderous, riff-happy Red Fang don’t necessarily regret documenting their unquenchable thirst for really cheap beer in a series of music videos. They certainly weren’t subtle about it. In the video for “Prehistoric Dog,” for example, the band builds armor out of discarded Miller High Life and…
Cursive’s 2003 Album, The Ugly Organ, has been described as a masterpiece, a benchmark and a career jumping off point for an already highly touted band. The album contains elements of song-writing and musical mastery and sold over 170,00 copies. But it can also be viewed as merely one of…
Editor’s Note: A few days ago, we published an article by a Minneapolis-based musician named Drew Ailes entitled Why Musicians Don’t Deserve to Get Paid. We hoped it would start some conversations, and it certainly has. You can read plenty of dissenting opinions in the comments section of that article…
When it comes to music, Land Lines’ Martina Grbac has wanted something bigger for as long as she can remember. When she was in the fifth grade, her elementary school set out dozens of instruments in the auditorium to help students decide which ones they might want to play. Grbac…
