Steely Dan Thursday, July 17, 2008 Red Rocks Better than: Singing alone in the rain. After the Joey DeFrancesco trio warmed things up, the Steely boys (and girls) kicked off their set with “The Royal Scam,” and then went into “Show Biz Kids,” where the lead saxophonist shredded his alto…
Curtis Fuller Thursday, July 17, 2008 (second set) Dazzle Better Than: Fishing with some really good bait. John Coltrane’s Blue Train was one of the most celebrated albums Curtis Fuller played on, so it seemed fitting for the trombonist to open up the set with “Maze,” a song he wrote…
Bella Morte, Torso, the Siren Project Thursday, July 17, 2008 Oriental Theater Better Than: The stuff that most of the Goths seem to be into these days. I’m not sure if they’ve upgraded the sound system or just have better sound guys or what, but last night, the Oriental sounded…
Update: Click here and here for live blog coverage of the entire event. Well, it’s finally here, the inaugural edition of the much ballyhooed Mile High Music Festival. On Saturday and Sunday, we’ll be holed up at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in the lovely environs of South Commerce City covering…
As the old saying goes, you should always be careful what you ask for – because you just might get it. Last weekend, on the heels of my column about finding ways to include kids in the world of live music – and just after catching the life-changing, rule-shattering live…
Previously located in a basement near 2nd Avenue and Fillmore Street in Cherry Creek, RooBar could be hard to find your first time there. But once inside the subterranean spot, it felt like a secret speakeasy of sorts. Knute Hanson, who owned the bar for the last decade, had to…
Low Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Bluebird Theater Better than: The nap I needed to take earlier in the day. Halfway through Low’s set Wednesday night, she turned to me said that they sound “angelic.” I laugh at this because what does that even mean? The word I kept thinking of…
Gravy Train!!!!, the Pseudo Dates, Triangle Forest and Agent Alejandro Wednesday, July 16, 2008 hi-dive Better Than: A straight-laced dance music show. Triangle Forest had driven a thousand miles and made it to the hi-dive around 8:30 p.m., the time they were supposed to play. Normally when this happens, your…
According reports filed by NME and the Washington Post, Kanye West is reportedly in talks with AT&T to perform at a party being thrown on behalf of Bono’s One Campaign, a non-partisan organization whose primary mission is to raise public awareness in the areas of global poverty, hunger and disease…
Matmos Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Boulder Theater, Boulder Better Than: Just about any other electronic show I’ve seen. Balloons. Last night, the Boulder Theater was all about the balloons. I arrived just as Lexington, Kentucky-based openers Offthesky started its set. Accompanying the outfit’s de rigueur abstract video projection was a…
Ween Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Hodi’s Half Note, Fort Collins Better than: Any rock show in Fort Collins in recent memory. There really is no precedent for last night’s show in Fort Collins that feels worth mentioning – none that I’m aware of, anyhow. As far as momentous occasions go…
Des Tours, the Don’ts and Be Carefuls, Pleistocene Tuesday, July 14, 2008 Larimer Lounge Better Than: The generic Mariachi music I hear in my mom’s neighborhood. Due to a prior commitment, I missed all but the tail end of the final Pleistocene song. Too bad, because the group sounded especially…
The members of Tickle Me Pink have announced plans to soldier on in the wake of bassist Johnny Schou’s death. The band has enlisted longtime friend and former Brotherhood of Dae Han guitarist, Joey Barba, to fill Schou’s slot, and will resume its tour this Friday in San Diego…
Depending upon who you ask, Lazyface is no more. Lead singer Sam DeWitt, who recently parted ways with the act, contends that he opted to dissolve the band that he and Jonathan Kosares co founded, prompted by the fact that the two are longer with the outfit. The remaining members,…
Sounds like Nick Forster has cause to celebrate. The founder and president of etown has reached an agreement with Stephen Tebo for his organization to purchase the historic church Tebo’s family owns on the corner of 16th and Spruce in Boulder. According to Forster, Tebo dropped the price of property…
It’s often been said that being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship, that sometimes your bandmates know you better than your significant other. We’re putting this notion to the test by asking a select band member a half-dozen personal questions (easy, tiger, nothing salacious), and…
HEALTH, Spellcaster’s Rock and Roll Time Travel Committee, Pictureplane, BDRMPPL, the Late Severa Wires, the Don’ts and Be Carefuls Monday, July 14, 2008 Rhinoceropolis Better Than: Music that pretends to be wild but really isn’t. Greeley’s the Don’ts and Be Carefuls seem to embody a similar artistic outlook as its…
Charlie Hunter Trio & the Nels Cline Singers Saturday, July 12, 2008 Bluebird Theater Better Than: Any other bill with two guitarists that’s come through town in the past year years. I used to see the Charlie Hunter Trio a lot in the mid-‘90s when I lived in the Bay…
Film School, Moonspeed and Ascaris Sunday, July 13, 2008 Larimer Lounge Better Than: Having to catch the next Moonspeed show at Red Rocks, where most of the crowd won’t appreciate the music. The sound at the Larimer Lounge didn’t do the band as much justice as its previous gig. The…
Nashville Pussy w/Black Lamb Saturday, July 12, 2008 Larimer Lounge Better Than: The latest generation of neo-Southern rock bands. Click here for a slide show. I missed Holly 750 thanks to the naked bike ride demonstration going on downtown. That’s the kind of stuff you can’t make up. Not that…
Fucking Orane, Madraso Friday, July 11, 2008 3 Kings Tavern Better Than: Another doomy, sludgy, wannabe experimental heavy rock show. Because there was some issue with a couple of touring bands getting to the venue late (I think one of them ultimately did turn up), the show started a little…
Girl Talk, teamAWESOME Friday, July 11 2008 Fox Theatre Better Than: Keeping some of the best moments of pop music to yourself Whether up on the highly prized stage next to Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, or down in the filled-to-bursting pit, last night’s show epitomized the sweaty catharsis that…
