Summit Jazz 2011 this weekend

For over the three decades, Summit Jazz Foundation, a Denver-based non-profit organization, has been putting on shows with an emphasis on traditional, classic, New Orleans, swing and mainstream styles of jazz. From Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, Summit Jazz is bringing acts like the Jim Cullum Jazz Band,…

Review: VibeSquad at the Ogden Theatre, 9/24/11

The bridge between hip-hop and dubstep is gradually getting shorter, and Vibesquad, a.k.a. Aaron Holstein, brought out some of the most impressive b-boys and b-girls to show off on stage during his set last night at the Ogden. It’s as if the bass crowd is coming full circle by realizing…

Review: Low at the Bluebird Theater, 9/24/11

LOW at the BLUEBIRD THEATER | 9/24/11 In the forever-growing pantheon of husband-wife indie rockers, the most common concept is twee. Mates of State, for example, have made a living of self-reflective lyrics and dualing-personality vocals cut in between charming anecdotes about the kids. If that’s the usual, then, Low…

Photos: The costumed ravers of Skylab 2011 at the Denver Coliseum

The annual Skylab electronic music festival was held last night, September 24, and as usual, presented by Triad Dragons and Beta nightclub. It again brought out more than 20 DJ’s spinning dance music for more than 6,000 people at the Denver Coliseum. Photographer Aaron Thackeray brings back these photos from…

Photos: Two nights of Re:Creation at Cervantes’

Euphonic Conceptions’ “Re:Creation” at Cervantes’s Masterpiece Ballroom ended its two-night run last night with a banging closing set from Opuio. Unfortunately, fellow headliner Jakwob couldn’t make it, purportedly because he broke his arm and therefore couldn’t play, but nonetheless Cervantes got down…

Review: Dwarves and Nashville Pussy at the Bluebird, 9/23/11

There were no costumes on stage until near the end when some silly fan got up with a shirt over his head like some low-rent imitation of HeWhoCannotBeNamed and sang into the mic. And yet somehow The Dwarves created a spectacle even without the cheap theatrics last night at the…

Jux County reuniting for Urban Farm benefit

After a long run throughout the mid-’80s and ’90s, Jux County called it quits in 2001, but over the last decade the band has gone on to do a few reunion shows, including last year’s Farmfest, which benefits Urban Farm, an urban garden that promotes sustainable communities. Jux County is…

Colorado music scene documentary underway

In 2006, Diego Ramos started shooting a web-based documentary on the Colorado music scene, but he says it was a little ahead of its time. So last summer, Ramos, who’s worked as director of photography on the Discovery Channel’s Disappeared, started filming other local acts for another project titled Music…

’90s relapse weekend! Here’s your Good Friday roundup

This weekend is heavy on the flashbacks, as multiple punk and grunge shows usher in our new stage of societal nostalgia. Friday night features freak-punk outfit The Dwarves at the Bluebird, while downtown at The Walnut Room things will be kept a little more light and carefree with The David…

DeVotchKa’s “Enemy Guns” used in new VW Passat commercial

DeVotchKa’s music has been used in films like Little Miss Sunshine, and frontman Nick Urata has also been involved in scoring a number of films, including 2009’s I Love You Phillip Morris. The band’s cinematic and sprawling music lends itself quite well to visuals so it’s not surprising Volkswagen used…

Wavves playing October 6 at Moe’s

The folks at Moe’s Original BBQ just announced that San Diego-based surf rock act Wavves, who’s on the road in support of its latest effort, Life Sux, will be at the venue on Thursday, October 6…

Smash Mouth to replace Soul Asylum at Rock and Roll Marathon

Although Soul Asylum was originally slated perform at the finish line of the Sports Authority Rock ‘n Roll Denver Marathon on Sunday, October 9, the band won’t be able to make it due to scheduling conflicts. Smash Mouth is stepping in to fill the headlining slot for the marathon, which…

Guns N’ Roses announces Denver show

Next month, Guns N’ Roses will kick off its first U.S. tour in five years, but there are still more than a dozen cities on the band’s tour itinerary, which the band released yesterday, that have yet to have dates or venues set, including Denver. While the tour, which starts…

Rise Against, Flogging Molly coming to 1STBANK Center

Chicago-based hardcore act Rise Against, who is touring in support of its latest effort, Endgame, Celtic punkers Flogging Molly and and local pop-punk band Calibrate Me will be at the 1STBANK Center on Tuesday, December 6 as part of Channel 93.3’s Not So Silent Night. General admission tickets ($36.25) go…

Caribou Ranch documentary in the works

Caribou Ranch, near Nederland, was a major recording studio throughout the ’70s and early ’80s. The 178 artists who recorded there over the years include such legends as Elton John, Billy Joel, the Beach Boys, Frank Zappa and Joe Walsh. But when a fire destroyed the control room in 1985,…

Jonathan Kreisberg hosting improvisation clinic

New York-based jazz guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg, who will be performing at Dazzle on Thursday and Friday, September 22 and 23, will also hosting an improvisation clinic at the Broadway Music School from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 24. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door…

Gauntlet Hair releases new song, playing CMJ

Lafayette-based duo Gauntlet Hair, who was picked up by Dead Oceans over the summer, is set to release its self debut on the imprint on October 18. Already receiving high praise from a number of music blogs around the country for “Top Bunk,” the first single from the album, Gauntlet…

After 25 years, the Dwarves are still standing tall

Sub Pop had kind of jumped the shark on us and was making boring grunge records,” says Dwarves frontman Blag Dahlia. “They didn’t really see the whole pop-punk thing coming up in their rear-view mirror.” Formed in the mid-’80s and inspired by the punk antics of GG Allin, the Dwarves…