FaceMan is currently preparing for the two-day Journey to the Sun Festival, which is centered around a spaceship with a metaphorical message. The Denver band isn’t new to odd concepts; after all, this is the same trio that once played inside a giant shark installation at Lost Lake Lounge and,…
Bands performing classic albums in their entirety is hardly a new thing at this point. But it isn’t every band whose material has struck a chord across multiple decades. When the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Psychocandy was first released in 1985, it was a piece of music out of step…
William Elliott Whitmore, due May 15 at the Bluebird Theatre, is always finding ways to impart lessons that have been passed down to him. Many years ago, at a show at the Larimer Lounge, before he played “Lift My Jug,” he told the audience that a homeless man named Hub…
Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an 80s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book SAINT COLE from Fantagraphics books. Last Week’s Episode Of Rufus…
Lipgloss is one of the longest-running, most successful dance nights in Denver. After several years in both La Rumba and Beauty Bar, the event recently moved to Syntax Physic Opera on South Broadway, where you’ll find it every Friday. Photographer Brandon Marshall was there last week to capture the lively…
Around fifteen years ago Jim Lanpheer approached Robert Rich about playing a house show, and that began a bit of a tradition for Rich, who has now played five of these types of living room/house shows in Colorado. The intimate environment and a truly appreciative audience kept Rich coming back…
The Downtown Artery, a large space in Old Town Fort Collins that host art shows and occasional GNU music shows is in the process of expanding — by creating a much-needed music venue. “The Downtown Artery is a space that caters to the revival of the working artist,” the space…
Primus brought its Willy Wonka-inspired tour to Red Rocks last night, with the oddballs of Beats Antique in tow. It was a strange night, to say the least, with the rain and the carnival gear and Les Claypool. Photographer Brandon Marshall was there to capture the scene — here are…
The Toad Tavern is located, as Formant’s Charles Ballas put it last night, at the corner of Federal and Federal: Boulevard and Circle. That fact alone made it seem perfect for a show that featured some of the most prominent acts/artists in local experimental music. Unfortunately, on a rainy night…
Back in October, John Denver’s bust was stolen from its perch in the 1STBANK Center in the aftermath of KBPI (106.7 FM)’s Saints and Sinners Halloween Ball, featuring Five Finger Death Punch. The Colorado Music Hall of Fame, which had the bust on load from the singer’s estate, issued a…
When Psychocandy came out in November 1985, it established the Jesus and Mary Chain as an important band of the era, with a sound that harked back to the raw quality of early rock and roll as well as the tunefulness of ’60s pop. The album also put the band…
John Moreland has a hard time telling lies. When you’re at one of the songwriter’s shows, what you see is what you get, and what he says is what he means. In his unabashed approach to writing, Moreland is steadfast in his commitment to the truth, regardless of whether or…
Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom has developed one of Denver’s best gathering places — on any given weekend night (and many weekdays) the place is a reliable mainstay for fans of jam bands, electronica and general goodwill. There was plenty of evidence at Friday’s Signal Path and Zoomga show; photographer Scott Lentz…
Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an 80s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book SAINT COLE from Fantagraphics books. Last Week’s Episode Of Rufus…
Mastodon played Red Rocks on an overcast weekend, but the modern metal titan brought out plenty of fans anyway. Our Brandon Marshall was there to capture these affable folks in their natural pose: Holding up a rawk fist (or in some cases, the University of Texas hand symbol, for some…
Cavalera Conspiracy, the Brazilian brother act featuring Max Cavalera of Sepultura fame, played earlier this week at Summit Music Hall with Corrosion of Conformity and Death Angel. A particularly excellent mosh pit ensued, which photographer Brandon Marshall captured in all its aggressive glory. You can see highlights below — check…
The Sixth Annual Denver Noise Fest kicks off Friday night May 1st at Rhinoceropolis at 8 p.m. Over the course of two nights and Saturday mid-day, DNF will host some of the most interesting and innovative artists in the broad spectrum of the noise genre. Each night, guest DJs will…
There are few groups in Denver as engaging as hip-hop collective High Five. Borrowing both the energy and insight of golden-era groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, the group has been honing its own sound in town since 2012. High Five, which comprises MCs B-Rex, Guidence,…
The Fort Collins Music Showcase (aka FoCoMX) brings out thousands of Fort Collins residents who are undeniably smitten over their town’s local talent, year after year. This year the festival runs like clockwork, and locals know who to see, and what to expect. The price for a ticket, when divided…
For over two years, in a galaxy not that far away (the Baker district), Moon Magnet Studios has been recording and shaping a collective of musicians in a communal habitat, and it’s far out, man. When it comes to recording studios, there are nearly as many places to record as…
Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an 80s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book SAINT COLE from Fantagraphics books. Last Week’s episode of Rufus…
The 7th annual FoCoMX festival took place this weekend in Fort Collins. Bars, venues, breweries and coffee shops were packed with sweaty, often drunk fans swaying to their favorite local stars. There were plenty of memorable moments from the weekend, but there is no experience quite like the one you…
