Jazz Pianist Tamir Hendelman on Adapting International Influences

Tamir Hendelman discovered jazz while growing up in Tel Aviv, but after moving to Los Angeles when he was thirteen years old, the pianist, who had already had seven years of keyboard studies under his belt, took his musicianship to another level. Hendelman, who performs with his trio at Nocturne…

Lara Ruggles’s Debut Full-Length Was Worth the Wait

“Fighting Time” is one of the standout tracks on Cynics & Saints, the debut full-length from singer-songwriter Lara Ruggles. It’s brooding, poetic, and angry as hell. Ruggles hurls threats with her impressive vocal range: “It’s fighting time, and I need to see blood on the floor/Whether it’s mine or yours.”…

The Zombies’ Colin Blunstone on the Beatles and Writing New Material

The Zombies were one of the most popular bands of the British Invasion in the mid-1960s. Their vocal harmonies and simple but sophisticated songwriting on hits like “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season” struck a chord with audiences. In 1967, the Zombies recorded the classic album Odessey and…

Simon Katz Was One of Denver Music’s Brightest Young Talents

Pablo Garduno’s favorite memory of his friend Simon Katz was the time Katz showed up at his house, unannounced, with an adventure in mind. “He just showed up at my house and we drove 45 minutes to a skatepark because he wanted to watch people skate,” Garduno says. “Simon doesn’t…

The Oversized Ambition of Titus Andronicus

Earlier this week at the Marquis Theater, opening band Spiderbags introduced Titus Andronicus as the “best rock n’ roll band on the planet,” and that just might be true. No band in the last decade has been as ambitious or creative. Between this year’s rock opera The Most Lamentable Tragedy…

R.I.P., Mike Herrera: Veteran Denver Musician, Friend to Many

The Denver music family is shocked, confused and saddened by the recent passing of Mike “Mikey” Herrera — a veteran Denver musician who fronted numerous bands throughout the years, including One Dying Wish, the Blackout Pact, Sleeper Horse and Tin Horn Prayer (which he and I were in together). Mikey…

Lipgloss to Relocate to Bar Standard on October 30

The long-running weekly dance night Lipgloss will be relocating to Bar Standard starting on Friday, October 30, with guest DJ TR/ST. Following a three-year run at Beauty Bar, Lipgloss had been held at Syntax Physic Opera since May of this year. Lipgloss founder Michael Trundle says that the first month…

Titwrench Is Setting a Higher Standard for Music Festivals

The seventh edition of the Titwrench festival worked well in its new single day, single venue format. In fact, one of Denver’s most thoughtful festivals set a strong logistical example in many ways. The entrance at Dryer Plug Studios made it easier for people coming in and out and for…

Colorado’s Sera Cahoone Found Musical Success (and Love) in Seattle

Sera Cahoone, a Littleton native and Columbine High School graduate who now lives in Seattle, quickly rose to critical acclaim as a singer-songwriter when, already known for her drumming in bands like Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd, she released a self-titled solo album in 2006. Cahoone’s dusty, welcoming songs…

The Fourth Annual Northwest Denver Folk Festival Is This Saturday: Schedule

The Northwest Denver Folk Festival kicks off its fourth year this Saturday, October 3, at The Oriental Theater. The annual festival has previously been held in the spring, and this year’s installment has been streamlined to one day. Breaking with a traditional definition of “folk” for the festival, organizers Dustin…

Pink Hawks Reinvent Their Sound, Again

Blending sounds from around the globe is nothing new for Pink Hawks, the Denver world-music powerhouse led by saxman and singer Yuzo Nieto. The band has pulled funky rhythmic influences from West Africa and South America, but the latest addition to its sound comes from much closer to home. That…

Photos: Big Gigantic’s Light Show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Boulder duo Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken, who make up the band Big Gigantic, played their fourth Rowdytown show at Red Rocks over the weekend. As usual, the group brought a particularly impressive light show. Photographer Brandon Marshall was there to capture the scene. Check out a few highlights below,…

Scenes From the Inaugural Larimer Block Party

Walking into the Larimer Block Party felt a little bit like walking into an unusual combination of an elementary school field day and an urban beach party without the sand and without the ocean. Maybe it was the warm weather of early Fall. Maybe it was because a lot of…

Former Deadbeat Club Building Destroyed by Fire

The building at 4040 East Evans Avenue was destroyed by fire last Friday afternoon. The space was home to various night clubs over the last decade (including Midtown Beat, Posh Ultra Lounge, Skin, Club Next and most recently Step Nightclub), but it was best known as the former home of…