The Monkey Barrel opening pushed back

The Monkey Barrel, a new bar and live music venue being opened by Rock-a-Billies owner Jimmy Nigg, was slated to open last weekend. We’ve just got word that the opening has been pushed back to sometime in October due to construction delays. See also: The Monkey Barrel set to open…

Cody ChesnuTT at the hi-dive, 9/12/13

CODY CHESNUTT at HI-DIVE | 9/12/13 Between the chill of an autumn-like evening in Denver, and the soggy state of south Broadway, you couldn’t have picked a better night for Cody ChesnuTT to arrive in the Mile High City and anoint us with his particular brand of soul. ChesnuTT left…

The best shows in Denver this weekend

SAT & SUN | THE LUMINEERS at RED ROCKS | 9/14-9/15 Last summer the Lumineers played Red Rocks for the first time, opening for Cake. And that was just a few months after playing the Bluebird Theater for the first time. What a difference a year makes. Thanks to the…

The best EDM in Denver this weekend

DRUMCELL/GREAT AMERICAN TECHNO FESTIVAL | FRI & SAT, 9/13-9/14 When it comes to hard, dark, pulsing techno, Droid Behavior is one of the best labels out there, and the Great American Techno Festival will fill your need for some gritty underground sounds this weekend. The main festival takes place Friday,…

See the Lumineers’ sold-out show at Red Rocks

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,…

The ten best rap videos of all time

There’s nothing like a music video to bring out the character in a song. Unfortunately, these days, music videos tend to be mostly the same, especially rap videos. Needless to say, it’s refreshing when a clip comes along that is different and creative enough to grab and hold your attention…

Total Ghost on what snorting astroid dust is like

Every band is, to some degree, essentially a mask of theatrics in which you play a character that is not really yourself. But for Denver’s Euro-trash, synth-dance duo, Total Ghost, the act is one hundred percent comedic lies. Chön and Biktor, a pair of rude, vain, indulgent citizens of Berlin…

Marie Litton puts her girl power behind Lil Thunder

“‘Razor Blades & Sunshine’ is the name of a song I wrote in 2009,” says Marie Litton about the title track of the new Lil Thunder album. “I was having a really rough time. I felt like it was one of those songs that was like, ‘Fuck my life. I…

Aaron Dessner talks about the National’s latest release

After finishing their tour in support of 2010’s High Violet, the members of the National didn’t have any immediate plans to record again. But guitarist Aaron Dessner, whose daughter had just been born, ended up with a lot of time on his hands. He began writing songs in his backyard…

Rob Drabkin

Rob Drabkin has made impressive creative strides in the past few years, and the nine tracks on his new record show just how far he’s come. With earnestness and originality, Drabkin thrives within stylistic excursions that range from driving folk rock to understated experiments with classical musicians. His powerful vocals…

Jeremy Dion

A psychotherapist by day, Boulder-based singer-songwriter Jeremy Dion also knows a few things about penning heartfelt slices of Americana. On Golden Some Day, the followup to his 2008 debut full-length, Finally, he takes a few vocal cues from David Gray, especially on the relaxed title track, the sprawling ballad “Legend…

Potcheen

How do you classify Potcheen’s Take No Prisoners? One minute it’s Irish punk, the next it’s ska, then bluegrass and so on. It’s an experience and an adventure into various musical styles — some executed better than others, but all executed well enough. Certainly the most distinguishing feature of Potcheen’s…

Mane Rok, Ichiban, InkLine

The Gem in I is a short concept project from Mane Rok, InkLine and Ichiban, dedicated to the zodiac sign under which they were all born. Whether or not you buy into astrology, the shared chemistry is clear from the beginning track, “Young Guns,” on which all three put forth…

The ten biggest jam-band scene stereotypes

The term “jam-band scene” is icky and cringe-worthy. It hurts to even type it. But then again, so is the word “indie” when it’s used to describe bands on major labels, but sometimes you have to hang a handle on something simply for the sake of discussion. Stereotypes are made…

What we’re all listening to right now

Music is life — or at least it is for us. When we’re not writing about it, we’re thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be…

Keep from getting soaked at late-summer shows

Kind of soggy over here today. No surprise. Colorado is notorious for dumping buckets of rain on concert-goers this time of year. Rain doesn’t stop the show, though, and it shouldn’t stop you. If you’re a seasoned concert vet who already has head-to-toe rain gear at the ready, consider this…

Aaron Dessner on the National’s new record

After finishing their tour in support of 2010’s High Violet, the members of the National didn’t have any immediate plans to record again. But guitarist Aaron Dessner, whose daughter had just been born, ended up with a lot of time on his hands. He began writing songs in his backyard…