The best jazz shows in Denver in January

THURS | CHICK COREA & BELA FLECK at NEWMAN CENTER | 1/16/14 Over the last five decades, the virtuosic pianist Chick Corea has delved into quite a few variations of jazz, as well as classical, and on his latest effort, The Vigil, he’s reinvented himself again. His new band, also…

Review: Itchy-O at 3 Kings Tavern, 12/31/13

ITCHY-O at 3 KINGS TAVERN | 12/31/13 It only took moments to lose a sense of context. Less than five minutes into Itchy-O’s New Year’s Eve set at 3 Kings Tavern, any normal sense of time and place had already started to melt away. No, it wasn’t because of too…

Review: Wu-Year’s Eve at Cervantes, 12/31/13

WU-YEAR’S EVE at CERVANTES’ | 12/31/13 The last night of 2013 was spent with the three most recognizable faces of the Wu-tang Clan: Ghostface, Method Man and Raekwon. The three demonstrated virtuosity and vibrance, delivering a memorable performance in front of a capacity crowd. Much of the evening was dedicated…

The A-OKs: “We’re a ska punk band, and we’re here to throw down”

The A-OKs met on the Internet. As frontman Mark Swan notes, “We’re pretty much the billboard band for the success of finding people on Craigslist.” But while the players linked up essentially sight unseen, you’d hardly know it, watching the natural chemistry and sense of camaraderie among them. The initial…

The best concerts in Denver this week

TUES | WU YEAR’S EVE at CERVANTES | 12/31/13 More than just creating a free-associative style that would be emulated ceaselessly throughout the ’90s and to this very day, the Wu-Tang Clan engineered an aesthetic and model for profitability with only a spiritual guide, the GZA, a mastermind producer, the…

JAS Aspen Snowmass 2014 lineup

Man, oh, man, does time fly. It seems like JAS Aspen Snowmass just happened, and now here we have the lineup for the 2014 edition. This year’s roster of acts includes Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (due at the Ogden Theatre tonight), Diana Krall, Steve Winwood, who are slated to…

The best EDM in Denver this weekend

FRI | BAUUER at BETA | 12/27/13 Sure, it’s ancient history now, but remember earlier this year when you couldn’t escape the “Harlem Shake” phenomenon. In case you need a refresher, “Harlem Shake” is what happened when a thunderous trap record on Diplo’s Mad Decent imprint put the nation in…

The best concerts to see in Denver this weekend

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT at 1STBANK CENTER | 12/28-12/29, 12/31 String Cheese Incident will be presenting its twentieth-anniversary celebration with various openers during its New Year’s run at 1STBANK Center. The group has Bootsy Collins joining forces on Saturday, December 28, confetti rockers Flaming Lips on Sunday, December 29, and the…

Ring in 2014 to Ewan Pearson’s dreamy soundtrack

Although there’s definitely a place for speed on electronica-driven dance floors, some DJs and producers tend toward slower tempos — an increasingly unusual choice in a scene where garage- and glitch-oriented subgenres seem to rule the day. Artists like Ewan Pearson prove that you don’t have to rely on speed…

Decadence NYE celebrates with an amazing lineup

In addition to hometown hero Pretty Lights, who just played a rare, highly anticipated warm-up date at the Ogden a few weeks ago, Decadence NYE (December 30 and 31 at the Colorado Convention Center) boasts an absolutely unreal lineup of top-shelf acts including Bassnectar, Beats Antique, Keys N Krates, Tiësto,…

Public Enemy at Summit Music Hall, 12/21/13

PUBLIC ENEMY at SUMMIT MUSIC HALL | 12/21/13 One of the most powerful moments of Public Enemy’s set came when Chuck D told us they were reaching back to It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back for the next song. It was hard to say what was…

The best concerts in Denver this week

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND at BOULDER THEATER | 12/27/13 Yonder Mountain String Band is a fast-paced act that manages to blow your mind with its excellent technicality while toying with your emotions with heartfelt lyrics. Together the four members work in musical harmony, with animated lead singer and mandolin player…

The best EDM in Denver this weekend

SAT | PURITY RING (DJ SET) at CASSELMAN’S | 12/21/13 A Canadian duo made up of Corin Roddick and Megan James, Purity Ring has made a name for itself with syncopated rhythms and dreamy, pop-oriented soundscapes. James, who designs and stitches the clothes that the pair wear on stage, lays…

The best concerts in Denver this weekend

FRI | ONEREPUBLIC’S DENVER ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS at OGDEN | 12/20 Over the last few years OneRepublic has made its acoustic Christmas shows an annual event that helps local charities. This year’s show, which also features Gungor, is a benefit for Colorado flood relief. VIP ticket includes ticket to the show,…

The ten best EDM songs of 2013

Although there were a ton of great EDM albums this past year, and we’ve already given you a rundown of our ten favorites, there were even more songs. These are the tunes that grabbed us the most this year. You’ll notice that a few also appear on our best albums…