Music

The Grizzly Rose has hosted all the biggest stars in country music.

Since signing a record deal in December 2004, the Denver-based band the Fray has found a healthy amount of success – so much so that picking a venue like the Fox Theatre, which holds no more than 500 people, for a concert a day before its big show at the…

When Eck’s Saloon closed two years ago, Lakewood lost a legendary music venue with a history that spanned more than three decades and saw steady stream of local and national hard rock and ’80s hair-rock bands like Warrant, Skid Row and Quiet Riot. But since Dumitru Sajin took over the building last February, he’s been busy giving the spot a much-needed update, and now he is opening the space as the Silver Spur Saloon the first weekend in December.

This week kicks off with the Pretty Reckless at the Ogden Theatre and Two Door Cinema at the Fillmore Auditorium tonight while later in the week it’s Mindless Behavior at the Summit Music Hall, Tommy Emmanuel at the Paramount Theatre, Greensky Bluegrass at the Ogden Theatre and Haley Bonar at the Larimer Lounge. See our full list of picks below.

Contrary to all the social media squeals of joy from out-of-touch former punks proclaiming that thanks to this election, “punk will get good again, ” music has never stopped being a radical force. Art and activism have always been intertwined and Denver’s own Tim Holland aka Sole — a musician, tape label head and activist himself — continues to keep the conversation about present-day political issues going with his music. Earlier this week he released “Three Way Fight,” a collaboration with musician and vocalist Decomposure. Westword spoke with Sole about the song and what it means to protest in 2016.

Last month, the November 2016 Open Music Session welcomed Hang Rounders, a Denver band that insists it’s both country and Western, and is undeniably American roots music at its finest. There is some bluegrass and folk amid the heart-wrenching ballads and barnstorming dance anthems, but there’s a dash of reggae, too.

Three of state’s bigger bands have two night stands this weekend, including the Fray, Leftover Salmon and Paper Bird while Elephant Revival, also a local favorite, teams up with the Colorado Symphony on Saturday, November 26. This weekend’s lineup also includes hi-dive’s 4th and 13th two-night anniversary bash, Snow Tha Product as well as a pair of co-headlining shows from Kung Fu and Particle. See the full list below.

Canadian DJ and producer Datsik, who’s set to release his Sensei EP in December, brings his North American tour to the 1STBANK Center on Saturday, February 4, 2017, with Crizzly and Virtual Riot opening; tickets ($20-$75) are on sale now.

Quixote’s True Blue might have changed locations a few times over the last two decades, but the music venue and bar has always been a haven for fans of the Grateful Dead. Although owner Jay Bianchi closed the last Quixote’s incarnation at 314 East 13th Avenue (where it had been for the last four years) at the end of October, he didn’t waste any time opening another spot in a similar vein. Bianchi has taken over the former Denver Wrangler space at 1700 Logan Street and will open Be On Key Psychedelic Ripple there in December.

Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and Bohemian Foundation announced a partnership intended to advance the status of Colorado music.

Music wasn’t supposed to be Kayla Marque’s life. “My dad wanted me to be an athlete, so that’s what I grew up doing,” says the Denver-born-and-raised singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. “I started playing basketball at five. In high school, I quit basketball because I found volleyball. I thought it was the best thing ever.” Marque had always considered herself an athlete, feeling what she describes as a “hunger, drive and competitiveness” for sports that she didn’t have for other things. But underneath the team uniform, a musician was hiding.

Prior to November 8, Sadie Dupuis figured she would release Slugger, her first album as Sad13 (pronounced “Sad Thirteen”), to an America celebrating the election of its first female president. Like most people, she hadn’t planned to go to bed on Tuesday night coming to grips with the startling new reality of President-elect Trump, and she certainly didn’t plan to release her album three days later still reeling from the news.

Classic Kanye. Kanye West gives the middle finger to the Mile High City for the fourth tour in a row. Yeezus? More like Yeesh-uz.

Thanks in part to college students returning to Denver for the holidays, Thanksgiving Eve, this Wednesday, November 23, 2016, aka Drinksgiving aka Black (Out) Wednesday, is the biggest bar night of the year. We’ve rounded up a number of EDM events as well as concerts happening the night before Thanksgiving. See the full list below, and check back on this post, as we will update it as we hear about other events.