It’s easy to be a man in rock and roll. The music world has always been more effortlessly navigated by men (straight-presenting, white men, mostly), but Prince never took that easy route. Throughout his storied career, the singer, songwriter, musician and producer took every opportunity to collaborate, mentor and work…
Despite the proliferation of digital music through downloads and streaming services, vinyl sales have continued to grow. For Louisville-based Vinyl Me, Please, a record club that offers exclusive monthly installments of “must have” albums, the trend back toward analog has been a way to get music that the club thinks…
It’s appropriate that Beach Slang is from Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, because that’s how it conducts itself with the people that come to the band’s shows. Whether it’s before, during or after the show or down the line. Frontman James Alex is known for answering letters and messages…
Nestled in the Golden Triangle among the bail bondsmen, cozy upscale restaurants and cuspidated art museum is a new addition to Denver’s central cultural district: a high-end record store. Recollect Records, which opens this Saturday at 1255 Delaware Street, in what used to be the Von Tornow art gallery, may…
After a three-year absence, Frightened Rabbit made a triumphant return to Denver last night, playing for the first time at the Ogden Theatre to a room full of very enthusiastic and devoted fans. Frightened Rabbit has been writing heartfelt indie rock for thirteen years for lonely souls who want the…
In its seemingly never ending pursuit of keeping things fresh for itself and fans, veteran rock band the Melvins are releasing their latest record, Basses Loaded, on June 3 through Ipecac Recordings. The record will feature six separate bass players across twelve songs. This will include Steve McDonald of Redd…
Every year, we travel out to the desert to capture the stories that make the Coachella experience so unique and infamous. Sometimes these tales are touching; other times, frustrating; but without a doubt, the crowd at Coachella is always hilarious. Here are 25 of the strangest, funniest, most memorable things…
When Magic Sword debuted at Treefort Music Fest in 2013, no one but the band’s members could have known what the audience was in for: two space knights playing the kind of high-fidelity synth rock that embodies everything glorious about 1980s epic science-fiction movies. The unabashed bombast of intricate guitar…
Back at the beginning of March, we interviewed notoriously politically active punk band Anti-Flag prior to its show at the Gothic Theatre, and frontman Justin Sane was more than happy to discuss the merits of his favorite presidential candidate. “Sanders is a person who has a track record of fighting…
The Arcs, featuring Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach, headlines the Ogden Theatre tonight with Mariachi Flor de Toloache opening while Deerhunter is at the Gothic Theatre and Bleached is at Larimer Lounge tonight. Foals, Napalm Death, the Melvins and Graham Nash are also on tap this week. See the…
The Mile High City has been mourning Prince in a big way this week. After hearing news of his passing on April 21, and getting over the initial denial, artists and city officials hit the streets to celebrate his legacy. Film on the Rocks even added a special Purple Rain…
Bleached recently released its latest record, Welcome the Worms, and with it, the band took an artistic leap forward. The band worked with veteran producer Joe Chiccarelli, who has produced or recorded with Frank Zappa, Oingo Boingo, the White Stripes and Tori Amos, to name a few. But an album…
In sunny San Francisco, Greta Kline is telling her bandmates to shut up. Of course, the artist known as Frankie Cosmos phrases the demand as a question and with a laugh – a firm laugh. The 22-year-old singer-songwriter, known for clever, conversational songs and intimate delivery, is also a bandleader…
The eight annual FoCoMX, which features more than 200 bands performing in downtown Fort Collins, kicks off tonight and runs through tomorrow. The UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival continues this weekend at the Union Colony Civic Center with Ellis Marsalis, Houston Person, Joey DeFrancesco and more while reggae legend Bunny Wailer is…
At this writing, news about the death of Prince Rogers Nelson is still being digested by stunned, shattered fans across the globe — including this one. But while I cherish the memory of the one time I caught His Purpleness live (in 1997, at Fiddler’s Green), the memory that sticks with me most…
After reports of health concerns earlier this week and a morning of speculation, sources have confirmed that Prince, genius of American popular music, has died at his home in Paisley Park, Minnesota. He was 57. The outpouring of grief among fans is sure to be swift and overwhelming. His contributions,…
When I was in junior high, one of my friends convinced me that Snoop Dogg had an entire room in his house dedicated solely to smoking pot. I still have no idea or not if this was true (the Internet hasn’t been able to clear it up, so far). At…
The 2016 Westword Music Showcase will feature more than 100 local bands, representing an eclectic mix of the best artists from Colorado’s Front Range. Below you can find a list of the first sixty bands who have signed on for this year’s Denver-music blow-out, happening Saturday, June 25. This slew…
Grammy-winning singer Meghan Trainor brings her Untouchable tour the Bellco Theatre on Tuesday, July 26, with special guests Hailee Steinfeld and Common Kings. Tickets ($29.95-$59.95) go on sale to the public on Friday, April 29 at 10 a.m. but fans who pre-order Trainor’s new album, Thank You, or stream her single “No”…
There may be an ongoing debate about the commercialization of the 4/20 holiday and the big corporate-sponsored concerts that have become part of the celebrations. What remains true is that music is inextricably linked to the day and culture, and Spotify users in Denver and Colorado are taking time to…
Last night, Tuesday, April 19, Method Man, Redman and Raekwon kicked off the Red Rocks season and 4/20 celebrations with 4/20 Eve on the Rocks. The event featured a relatively diverse lineup, starting in the afternoon with Boulder-based stringed hip-hop trio Whiskey Blanket and continuing with reggae band Stick Figure,…
Since 1981, Birmingham, England-based extreme metal band Napalm Death has consistently redefined and reinvented what it means to create heavy music. Pioneers of the grindcore scene, the men of Napalm (of which there have been many over the years) have made it their business to melt faces and create as…
