Let’s get this out of the way from the start: The “A” in music entertainment giant AEG stands for Anschutz. That’s Phil Anschutz, the Colorado Republican billionaire who has stakes in large concert venues worldwide. Tracksuit Wedding, meanwhile, is a talented, vibrant, enjoyable, bluesy rock-and-roll band also based in Colorado. So what do these two things have to do with each other?
Matt Rouch has found his sound. After years of performing in rock bands on the East Coast, he moved to Denver two years ago to take a job in environmental science with the Bureau of Land Management. He had planned to focus only on his work, but when he saw the city’s booming music scene, he couldn’t resist the pull to continue writing and playing music.
Trumpeter Joe Smith, who fronts the vintage jazz band Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles, originally wanted the act’s third album to comprise all Count Basie songs. But last November veteran jazz vocalist Jessy Carolina, who was moving from New York to Los Angeles, contacted Smith and asked if they could work together.
I can’t say for sure, but I imagine it’s hard to dance when you’re about to be kicked out of the country you’re living in, where your family is, where your friends are.
Today, Bob Dylan and his band announced new tour dates, including a long-awaited Colorado concert.
Tuesday is bro-rock heavy, with Nickelback at Red Rocks and Sammy Hagar headlining Fiddler’s Green, while HAIM takes over the Ogden Theatre on Wednesday and Thundercat is at the venue the following night. This week’s lineup also includes Bonnie Raitt at Macky Auditorium, Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Gothic Theatre, and Geographer at Globe Hall.
This year, the Ogden Theatre celebrates its hundredth anniversary. To mark the occasion, Westword wrote about ten of our favorite concerts at the storied venue. Our list includes legendary artists like Prince, the Pogues and Tom Petty, as well as more recently luminaries like Sylvan Esso and Diplo. The post generated ire and nostalgia among readers who weighed in with their own favorite concerts.
Last month we brought you to the front lines of a struggle between local musicians who said they had been screwed out of gigs they had been promised at a summer music festival put on by Stella’s on 16th, a restaurant which closed down just a week after our report. One of those outspoken acts that blasted the venue for screwing over local artists was the Raven and the Writing Desk. Amid the fury, news was buried that the band had dropped its latest music video for the group’s most recent song, “Stay the Same.”
STS9 takes over Red Rocks for three nights this weekend, while OneRepublic is at Fiddler’s Green for a two-night stand. Legendary Los Angeles punk band X is at the Summit Music Hall on Saturday as part of its fortieth anniversary tour, former Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre is at Swallow Hill, and Seu Jorge’s The Life Aquatic David Bowie Tribute is in Boulder tonight and in Denver tomorrow.
Denver-based hard-rock band MF Ruckus is about to release the first part of The Front Lines of Good Times, a twelve-part graphic novel and album. Working with comic artist and illustrator Josh Finley, MF Ruckus vocalist Aaron Howell tells the story of a plucky band of musicians and adventurers, who come to be known as, well, MF Ruckus, struggling to survive in a futuristic setting, dogged by the repressive forces of the New Order of Fundamentalist Utilitarian Nationalists (NOFUN for short).
Violinist Lindsey Stirling brings the Warmer in the Winter Tour to the 1STBANK Center on Saturday, December 9. Tickets ($35-$70) go on sale on Friday, September 8, at 10 a.m.
If you’re even a casual music fan in Denver, chances are you’ve gone to the Ogden Theatre. You’ve shuffled down the ramps to get closer to the stage. You’ve spilled craft beer on a friend in the pit. You’ve mingled on the sidewalk with the post-show crowds from the Fillmore and late-night Colfax foot traffic. But maybe you didn’t know that the Ogden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that this year the building is celebrating its hundredth anniversary.
The Lonesome Days is Colorado’s next up-and-coming bluegrass band to keep an eye on.
“I drove off a cliff with five young rich girls in my car,” says Nate Cook, frontman of the Denver-based Americana-punk band the Yawpers.
Italy is a beautiful country. Like, stunningly gorgeous. The cities are magnificent and culturally rich. The countryside is perhaps even more impressive. It’s an amazing nation that has given the world amazing literature, poetry and, of course, opera over the years. It hasn’t, however, been known for its metal bands. There are a few bands that had a cult following for a short time, such as Ephel Duath, Linea 77, Death SS, Rhapsody of Fire and Dope Stars Inc. But goth metal stars Lacuna Coil sit at the very head of that table.
Denver-based Latin ska band Roka Hueka has organized a benefit concert in support of the Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition. Dubbed “Territorio Liberado,” it will take over the stage at Lost Lake Lounge on Sunday, September 10.
Over the years, England’s Frank Turner has had a hard time keeping everyone happy. He’s come under fire for his politics and throughout the years has been called a “sellout” as his popularity has grown and his musical style has shifted. For his part though, Turner has shaken off the criticism by touring aggressively, being open about his political beliefs, and remaining active and vocal in philanthropic and charitable efforts.
“At the time, I was living by Silverthorne, so the band all had to drive down for our first gig in the city. On Sixth Avenue, a truck sped up behind us and popped off a couple of gunshots at our van before speeding off. Wow. Welcome to Denver.
Foreigner, which is on its fortieth anniversary tour, and Cheap Trick co-headline Red Rocks tonight, with Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience opening, while Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit perform at the venue on Thursday night.
The Colorado Springs-based feminist punk band Cheap Perfume released its video, “It’s Okay (to Punch Nazis),” on Friday, September 1. We told the story of how the band decided to write a song about the fight against fascism and why the musicians shifted from espousing nonviolence to deciding sometimes force is okay – particularly when it comes to stopping Nazis.
Today, on September 1, the Open Media Foundation hosts its next monthly free Open Music Session event, showcasing the rabble-rousing Latin blues-rock ensemble Los Mocochetes. It’s also community radio station KGNU’s anniversary party and comics will be on site to celebrate.
September’s here, and while there are plenty of outdoor concerts to check out, it’s time to start planning trips to some of the indoor venues Denver has to offer. If you prefer a mellow, low-key environment over a three-day Red Rocks run, check out our picks for some of the coziest spots in Denver, where you’re sure to find great music and perhaps meet some new friends.
