The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Matt Bellinger

Writing the bare facts about my friend Matt’s death, I’m struck by how limiting the cold tone of journalism can be: “Denver musician Gary Matthew Bellinger — who went by Matt — died Thursday, September 7, at the age of 40.

The Best Concerts in Denver This Week

Muse, who played an epic show at the Pepsi Center four years ago, headlines Red Rocks tonight while Paramore comes to the Bellco Theatre on Thursday with Best Coast opening. This week’s lineup also includes Tove Lo at the Ogden Theatre, Pokey LaFarge at the Gothic Theatre and Ride at Summit Music Hall. See our full list of picks below.

The Best Concerts in Denver This Weekend

The Yawpers celebrate the release of their superb new album, Boy in a Well, on Saturday at the Oriental Theater, while Tracksuit Wedding also ushers in its new disc, Now or Never, on Friday at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox.

Baracutanga Fights Racism With Music

The seven members of the Albuquerque-based band Baracutanga write politically charged songs, injected with hope and South American, Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern rhythms.

Does the Anschutz Name Help or Hurt Libby Anschutz’s Tracksuit Wedding?

Let’s get this out of the way from the start: The “A” in music entertainment giant AEG stands for Anschutz. That’s Phil Anschutz, the Colorado Republican billionaire who has stakes in large concert venues worldwide. Tracksuit Wedding, meanwhile, is a talented, vibrant, enjoyable, bluesy rock-and-roll band also based in Colorado. So what do these two things have to do with each other?

Alt-Country Singer Matt Rouch Found His Sound in Colorado

Matt Rouch has found his sound. After years of performing in rock bands on the East Coast, he moved to Denver two years ago to take a job in environmental science with the Bureau of Land Management. He had planned to focus only on his work, but when he saw the city’s booming music scene, he couldn’t resist the pull to continue writing and playing music.

Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles Resurrect Big Band-Era Music

Trumpeter Joe Smith, who fronts the vintage jazz band Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles, originally wanted the act’s third album to comprise all Count Basie songs. But last November veteran jazz vocalist Jessy Carolina, who was moving from New York to Los Angeles, contacted Smith and asked if they could work together.

Dancing in the Face of Deportation

I can’t say for sure, but I imagine it’s hard to dance when you’re about to be kicked out of the country you’re living in, where your family is, where your friends are.

The Best Concerts in Denver This Week

Tuesday is bro-rock heavy, with Nickelback at Red Rocks and Sammy Hagar headlining Fiddler’s Green, while HAIM takes over the Ogden Theatre on Wednesday and Thundercat is at the venue the following night. This week’s lineup also includes Bonnie Raitt at Macky Auditorium, Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Gothic Theatre, and Geographer at Globe Hall.