Ten Up-and-Coming Outdoor Colorado Music Venues

If there are two major growth industries in Colorado right now, they are marijuana and music festivals. The scene has exploded, and many small towns are following the long-ago lead of places such as Telluride, Vail and Aspen by creating a calendar of events to draw visitors and boost their…

The 2016 Westword Music Showcase in 22 Words or Fewer

The 22nd Westword Music Showcase, on Saturday, June 25, was one for the ages, featuring for the first time two main stages, as well as nearly 100 local bands who played hard through power outages and a short rain in the Golden Triangle. With so much to hear, see and…

Lita Ford, the Babys and the Sweet Resurrected at Hudson Gardens

Lita Ford, the Babys and the Sweet — the three sets of musicians that made up Sunday night’s killer bill at the Hudson Gardens, the fourth show in this year’s summer concert series, have stories coming out of their collective wazoos. From splits and reunions to abusive relationships to the…

Modest Mouse, Ringo Starr and the Best Concerts in Denver This Week

On Tuesday, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals return to Red Rocks, while Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band (featuring Todd Rundgren, Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Gregg Rolie, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonnette) play at the Paramount. Brand New and Modest Mouse co-headline Red Rocks on Wednesday, and Zeds Dead…

Here’s Your Westword Music Showcase 2016 Survival Guide

Heads up! The 2016 Westword Music Showcase is tomorrow, Saturday, June 25! If you want to buy a ticket the day of the show, prices increase to $55 for General Admission and $125 for VIP. Now here’s how to survive the day of fun and exhausted eardrums: We’ve all been…

Westword Music Showcase by Venue: Bar Standard

Bar Standard, located at 1037 Broadway, will host a range of local Denver musicians at the 2016 Westword Music Showcase. This modern-day speakeasy is known as a popular spot to hear some of Denver’s best DJs on the weekends while enjoying the view of Denver’s skyline from its two patios…

Westword Music Showcase Lineup by Venue: Vinyl

Club Vinyl, one of Denver’s hottest nightclubs, will be featuring music on both its main stage as well as its rooftop patio for this year’s Westword Music Showcase. The club is known for its four levels, each of which present its own vibe and style of music. The rooftop area…

The End: The Epilogues Call it Quits

Twelve years, in the life cycle of band, is practically an eternity. This summer, the Epilogues’ celebration of their twelfth year as a band will be a bittersweet one, as singer/guitarist Chris Heckman, recently announced on his facebook page, that he will be leaving the group to attend Berklee College of…

Ivory Circle Is on the Cusp of a New EP — and Stealing Your Heart

Denver natives and indie-alternative darlings Ivory Circle are scheduled to perform at the 2016 Westword Music Showcase on the City Hall Main Stage. They’re currently working on a new EP, the third and final in a series that started with the release of Equilateral in 2014. With the second, Isosceles,…

Die Antwoord Returns, plus Every New Denver Concert Announcement

South African rap act Die Antwoord, who played the Ogden Theatre in 2012, returns to the venue on Monday, September 26.  Tickets ($36.50) go on sale on Friday, June 24 at 10 a.m. Phantogram is set to release its third album, Three, in September and headlines the Fillmore Auditorium on Wednesday,…

The Ten Types of People You’ll See at Westword Music Showcase 2016

Though thousands of music lovers will gather in Denver’s Golden Triangle this Saturday, June 25, for the Westword Music Showcase, some of them may start to look familiar. After all, we’ve been throwing this ever-growing shin-dig for 22 years, and certain types of Colorado music fans and general revelers are…

Aspen Hourglass Wants To Be Your Friend

This Saturday at the Westword Music Showcase, Fort Collins-based trio Aspen Hourglass will take the stage at Dazzle Restaurant & Lounge as the opening act for that venue’s daylong lineup of music. The fusion-rock band has been busy in the past few months, with performances at the Aggie Theater and…

Willie Nelson’s Weed Company Is Now Hiring in Colorado

Willie Nelson has been an advocate for pot enthusiasts everywhere and championed the legalization of marijuana for decades. This summer his new company, Willie’s Reserve, is making his love of weed official. Willie, famous for the pot enthusiasts who flock to his shows, “happily shared the bounty from their home…

Dillon Francis Makes Mock DJ Reality Show, Does Awesome Shit

Dillon Francis is one of the most recognized names in the EDM world these days. But Francis got his real leg up in that world when well-known producer Diplo championed his work, and the two collaborated on a track. Since then, Francis has become associated with moombahton and electro house,…