Concerts

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…

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…

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…

JELLO BIAFRA & GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE at SUMMIT | 12/31 As Jello Biafra strolled around the stage at the Summit, singing with real power and conviction while jumping around and gesturing dramatically, he displayed an almost superhuman level of energy and enthusiasm. A legend in his own right, Biafra…

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…

If you were at Decadence last night, then you already have the drop on the first headliner for this year’s edition of the Westword Music Showcase. In keeping with our longstanding tradition of capping the night off with a blockbuster dance party, Diplo will have the honors this year. Tickets…

Welcome back to another edition of In the Mix, a feature in which we spotlight new dance tracks and mixes from some of the hottest Colorado producers and DJs. We’ve got an eclectic mix on deck this week, with new cuts and mixes from PowTron, Paul Basic, Mux Mool and…

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT at 1STBANK CENTER | 12/29/13 A true switch-up in the pace of the music and dynamics of the String Cheese Incident set came four songs into the set when the band called Steven Drozd and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips to the stage for a cover…

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…

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…

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…

Welcome back to another edition of In the Mix, our semi-new feature in which we spotlight new dance tracks and mixes from some of the hottest Colorado producers and DJs. This week, we’ve got some great mixes from Kill Paris, option4 and Caveman Sound, Paper Diamond and Ben Samples. Continue…

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…

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 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…

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…

A year after opening the 1UP in LoDo, owner Jourdan Adler took over the former home of Pete’s Monkey Bar in the summer of 2012 and put his second arcade-themed bar, the 2UP, in that space. Last April, Adler secured the space next door, which once housed Kitty’s East for…

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…

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,…

Great news for Swallow Hill. After its efforts to open up a satellite campus in Lowry this past spring stalled due to a deed restriction that had been attached to the land, the organization has announced plans to open up a new facility at 7653 E. 1st Place, in the…

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…