Here’s What a Massive Thunderstorm at Red Rocks Looks Like

On Friday, the summer’s funkiest Red Rocks concert featured an unexpected intermission. After opening sets from DJ Jazzy Jeff and Exmag, the skies opened, the stairwells became waterfalls and the venue advised fans to take cover. Fifteen minutes later, the worst of it had passed and people emerged from their…

The Colorado Music Hall of Fame Now Open at Red Rocks

The trading post at Red Rocks Amphitheatre just made room for a lot of history, as the new home of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. In the five years since it’s creation, 7 classes have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, all of which represent a varying yet…

The End of Rufus Baxter’s Journey

Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an ’80s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book SAINT COLE from Fantagraphics books. Last Week’s Episode Of Rufus…

Three-Word Governor’s Ball Reviews From Fans

Sometimes, a band elicits such a strong emotional response following their performance at a music festival that it’s difficult to put into words. We totally get it: After your brain’s been massaged until it’s a radioactive pile of goo thanks to Deadmau5’s thunder-bass or your heart breaks from listening to…

The Almost-Disastrous Debut of Deadmau5’s Thunder Dome

Deadmau5’s Saturday night headlining set at Governors Ball was almost over before it even started — or at least ten minutes after it started, which would have been an even greater tragedy. The EDM giant used the festival to unveil his highly anticipated new thunder dome stage setup, but just…

A Lesson in Inspired Individuality From Quintron and Miss Pussycat

Quintron and Miss Pussycat were probably kids in the 70s and witnessed/were subjected to/were fascinated with/were disturbed by some of the creepier Sid & Marty Croft shows. Like Lidsville, H.R. Pufnstuf and Far Out Space Nuts. Somehow those phantasmagoric and psychedelic TV shows were deemed worthy faire for Saturday morning…

Innocence, Experience and $45 T-Shirts: U2 at the Pepsi Center

$10 beers, $45 t-shirts and an egregious number of people having their pictures taken in front of an oversized concert poster for the show they were about to see: this was the scene inside the Pepsi Center leading up to U2’s 8 p.m. set in Denver on Saturday night. Nine…

Open Music Sessions: Get to Know Felix Fast4Ward

In a recent Westword feature, Alex Warzel describes the music (and career) of Felix Fast4Ward, saying, “He’s been making his way through the Denver music scene, developing his style and skill. He teaches music production to kids through the Youth on Record organization and consistently performs around town. As Fast4Ward,…

The Ten Best Concerts in Denver This Weekend

This weekend’s best shows include the Motet at Red Rocks, Garage Fest at the hi-dive and plenty of solid country shows. The full list of our picks follows.  FRIDAY, JUNE 5 The Motet$37.50/$45 6:45PM Red Rocks Amphitheatre Hi-Dive Garage Fest$10 7:30PM hi-dive Whitey Morgan & the 78’s$20-$25/VIP $75 8:00PM Summit…

Homebody on Why Touring Is Important and Booze Isn’t

Denver’s Homebody only has one EP and a live demo to its name, yet starting next week, the band will be heading on a tour that will include stops at three well-established festivals (and one DIY one), traversing the entirety of Canada and hitting every major U.S city on the…

Announcing the Westword Music Showcase Pre-Party

The Westword Music Showcase is just a few weeks away. Join us on Saturday, June 20, 2015, for Colorado’s largest one-day music festival. The Showcase is a celebration of our state’s vibrant music scene. Colorado is home to internationally renowned experimental bands, pioneering folk artists, Grammy winners and much, much more…

Famous Musicians Talking About Bears

The Let A Bear Sh!t In The Woods campaign features a laundry list of celebrities, including musicians like Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis, Duff McKagan of Guns n’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, and Moby—but what exactly does the group advocate? Answer:…

Every New Colorado Concert Announcement

Faith No More, who haven’t toured North America in close to two decades, are back with a new album and a new tour, which includes a stop at Red Rocks on Tuesday, September 8. Gogol Bordello opens. Tickets ($46.75-$52.50) go on sale on Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m.  Soundgarden…

DIY Collective Mouth Bomb Lives On

The fourth annual Mile High Festibowl took place in April across three venues in central Denver. The festival featured more than sixty bands and over twenty visual artists, and its success was remarkable for several reasons, starting with the fact that the Mouth Bomb collective behind it lost its home…

Why CDs Actually Sound Better Than Vinyl

James Russell’s mother told him that his first invention was the “automated battleship” that he built when he was six. By the time he was thirteen, he was fixing toasters, irons and fans at a local appliance store in his home town outside Seattle. The summer before he left for…

Cage the Elephant’s Antics Wear Thin at Red Rocks

With the lights of Denver in the background and Red Rocks’ iconic natural beauty surrounding him, 31-year-old Kentuckian Matthew Shultz shook and spun and generally ran around the stage last night as his Southern alt-rock band, Cage the Elephant, entertained a sold-out young crowd. The former construction worker and plumber,…

Photos: Dubstep Fans in the Rain at Red Rocks

Bassnecter took up residence at Red Rocks over the weekend, and fans of the California DJ turned out in droves, even on a rainy Friday. As photographer Brandon Marshall proved, you can’t keep a bass fan down. Below, you’ll find a few fans making the most of it. …

Rufus Baxter Learns the Truth

Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an ’80s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book SAINT COLE from Fantagraphics books. Last Week’s Episode Of Rufus…