Riot Fest Denver was very well put together. The good things far outweighed the bad. In fact, any complaints we might have are incidental and barely worth mentioning, or they’re inherent to the location or simply beyond organizers control. The lineup was obviously the best thing about Riot Fest Denver,…
“The most poignant use of ‘Mad World’ I’ve seen.” That’s how Curt Smith reacted to seeing Boulder attorney Mark Changaris playing the Tears for Fears song on a piano last week in his flood-ravaged home. The song is already imbued with a distinctive sense of melancholy on its own, but…
In harrowing times like these with the recent flooding, I think it’s safe to say we all share an unbridled compassion for our community, the friends and family members of ours whose lives have just been upended by the unrelenting torrential rains of the past week. Myself, I have a…
The Motherfucking Ruckus (or MF Ruckus, for those with more delicate sensibilities) couldn’t be more aptly named: Not only does the handle describe the musical mayhem these dudes create, both in the studio and on stage, but it’s also a perfect description of what hell the band’s sleazy hard rock…
Ready? Riot Fest is just three days away, and if you haven’t planned your itinerary yet, now’s your chance. We’ve got the full schedule. While the entire lineup is stupid good, Saturday is the day we’re most looking forward to — The Replacements, Iggy and the Stooges, Superchunk, Rocket From…
Just received word from that Foxygen’s upcoming show at the Bluebird on Tuesday, September 24, has been canceled, and no new date has been secured. The act’s frontman, Sam France, is still recovering from a broken leg he suffered earlier this summer in Minneapolis. Refunds for the show are available…
By now, you’ve probably heard about the Colorado Symphony’s latest collaboration. After several lauded pairings with beloved local acts like DeVotchKa and Nathaniel Rateliff, with whom the players successfully teamed up at this year’s Westword Music Showcase, the Symphony backed the Lumineers on a few songs up at Red Rocks…
At his X-Factor audition at the Denver Coliseum earlier this year, which was finally shown this past Thursday on the show’s premiere, Jeff Brinkman took Kelly Rowland’s breath away before he even sang a note. Rowland gasped noticeably as the shaggy-haired, 36-year-old singer (and T.J. Miller lookalike) from Longmont revealed…
Update, 11:00, 9/14/13: Just got confirmation that tonight’s show featuring Euforquestra, Mountain Standard Time and Papagoya has also been canceled. Poudre Canyon Highway is still closed, and there’s no word on when it will reopen. The folks at the Mish are working to schedule a make-up date for this show…
Tonight’s Lotus show at Red Rocks has been postponed. Although the heavy rains have subsided, and the sun is currently burning brightly, the recent downpour has taken its toll, particularly on the roadways. As such, the folks at Live Nation, in response to a general request from CDOT that drivers…
Alright, here’s something that’s been bugging the utter shit out of me for a while now. Have you seen the Progressive commercials featuring Flobot? They’re hilarious. Actually, no, they’re not. They’re completely inane. But whatever. You can say the same about 99.5 percent of the commercials on TV. Anyhow, while…
Miss your chance to snag some tickets for this weekend’s sold-out Lumineers shows at Red Rocks (the first night for Channel 93.3’s Big Gig, or the band’s tour sendoff the second night)? There, there. It’ll be alright. We’ve got some news to make you feel better. What’s that? Oh, no,…
After news that Kanye is coming back to town for a gig at the Pepsi Center in November, now comes word that hip-hop’s other monolithic maestro is also making his way back to the Mile High City for a return engagement at the Pepsi Center, where he rocked in ’10…
Brace yourself for the return of Yeezus. The iconoclast mastermind known otherwise as Kanye West is making his way back to the Mile High City for a date at the Pepsi Center on Sunday, November 3, with Kendrick Lamar, the MC who recently single-handedly riled up the entire hip-hop nation…
Hey, there. Got a bad case of the blues, do you? Ah, there, there, my friend. Rest easy. Good news: It’s almost Friday, and there’s absolutely no need to experience those blues all by your lonesome, especially in this city, a place where the scene has always been popping, and…
Thanks to those Mumford and Avett chaps, donning vests, suspenders, fedoras and derby caps is as fashionable lately as making music with acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjos and fiddles seems to be. But while the members of the Monocle Band seem (based on their press photos) to have a kindred fashion…
Earlier this summer, we noted that MC Hammer was one of the headliners slated for this year’s annual Taste of Colorado festival, which kicks off tomorrow, Friday, August 30, and runs through Monday, September 2, along with Aaron Neville and some American Idol alumni. We’ve now got the full lineup,…
This Friday, August 30, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, kicks off at Snowmass Town Park, with Jason Mraz and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. The annual festival runs through the weekend with additional performances from Keith Urban, Train, Little Big Town on Saturday, and Journey, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and…
Update: Congrats to @MondayAdams. You and a guest will be our guests at the show. Check your email for details on how to claim your tickets. Thanks to everybody else for the entries. MGMT is making its way back to the Mile High City for a show at the Fillmore…
Hip-hop and it don’t stop. Surely you’ve heard this expression. For those immersed in the culture, this is more than just mere words or even a category on the Backbeat blog — it’s a way of life. And this Friday, August at the Savoy Ballroom on 27th and Arapahoe, there’s…
Music and beer… seriously, can you think of better bedfellows? Yeah, neither can we, especially since we hail from a place that’s a veritable hotbed for both. In the latest example of what’s quickly becoming a welcome trend of musicians collaborating with brewers (most recently, Leftover Salmon teaming up with…
Mark your calendar — naw, scratch that — don’t mark it, clear it: On Saturday, September 7, Colorado Crush is going down once again. And from the sounds of it, the fourth edition of this annual hip-hop block party is going to be a block buster. Seriously. If you’re an…
