Todd Snider

There’s something about Todd Snider’s rambling, incisive, irreverent lyrics that have struck a chord with a wide audience. A Portland native, Snider eventually made his way to Memphis, where he often played a bar called the Daily Planet — hence the name of his 1994 debut full-length, Songs for the…

Lamb of God

Lamb of God began as an instrumental band called Burn the Priest in 1990, when its founding members were in college in Richmond, Virginia. In the mid-’90s, after releasing a series of demos, Burn the Priest recruited singer Randy Blythe, changing the band’s name in time for its first full-length…

Monroe Monroe

This fourth EP from Monroe Monroe is a more refined effort than previous offerings, both sonically and in terms of the songwriting. On “Everything You Give,” the descending-guitar-riff intro and the way it then winds through the song is reminiscent of Comsat Angels’ melancholic compositions, only infused with more upbeat…

Homebrew

On their previous two releases, the guys in Homebrew showed that they know their way around blues, rock and jazz. On Fourth and Long, they once again bring in special guest singers, but they also mix things up a bit and explore more genres. It’s obvious early on that this…

Myrical

For the past two years, Myrical has been working with some of the most talented hip-hop musicians in Colorado and abroad, and #WorkFlow Vol. 1 is a presentation of that work. Myrical is not a trendsetter, for now, but he does follow them well: By tape’s end, he and his…

Beth Gadbaw and Margot Krimmel

Beth Gadbaw and Margot Krimmel’s holiday album, Icy December, melds familiar Christmas songs with Celtic instrumentation and features some well-worn holiday staples. But the musical treatment — via Krimmel’s Celtic harp and pedal harp, driving forces of the album along with Gadbaw’s Irish bodhran drum — doesn’t feel at all…

For Man Mantis, the name is both a mask and a muse

Although he left Denver as a mere mortal eight years ago, Mitch Pond returned with a human-insect-hybrid alter ego that produces futuristic, hip-hop-influenced instrumental music and beats: Man Mantis. Since returning last fall, he’s stayed busy with projects like “Hear the Noise,” a crowd-sourced tune composed from sounds submitted online…

Experimental DJ Alex Celler will groove at Beatport Lounge

Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, is not one you automatically associate with electronic music. However, that’s where Alex Celler (aka Alexandros Berdos) saw such stars as Juan Atkins and Jeff Mills in the late 1990s, and after Celler moved to London six years later, his love affair with tech-house was…

R.I.P. jazz pianist Dave Brubeck

According to his producer, conductor and manager Russell Gloyd, pianist Dave Brubeck, whose Time Out recording was one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, died of heart failure this morning, a day before his 92nd birthday, en route to a regular treatment with his cardiologist…

Dom Kennedy at Larimer Lounge, 12/03/12

DOM KENNEDY @ LARIMER LOUNGE |12/03/12 Dom Kennedy hit the stage to a packed house at the Larimer Lounge last night, and, riding a wave of nostalgia, he urged, “If you’re a ’90’s baby, put ya hands up.” Rocking a fitted Dodgers hat and Stanford hoodie and backed by his…

The five best jazz shows in Denver this month

There’s another great month of jazz on tap for December. Legendary trumpeter Tom Harrell kicks off a three-night stint Dazzle this evening, while John Scofield teams up with Medeski, Martin & Wood for two shows in the area later this week. Then, later in the month, Denver native Brad Leali…

Photos: Nightlife in Upper Highland

Suspicions confirmed: It seems like whatever neighborhood you venture out to in Denver on the weekend, the nightlife is on and poppin’. This past weekend, we sent our intrepid roving photographer Chris Morgan out to capture the scene in Upper Highland, and he brought us back a grip of shots…

The five best concerts this week: December 3-7

Good morning, y’all! And oh what a joyously good morning it is, eh? Is it just us, or is the sun shining a little brighter today? With the Broncos clinching the AFC West division yesterday here at home on an unseasonably agreeable day at Invesco, well, it just feels like…

Head for the Hills at Cervantes’, 12/1/12

HEAD FOR THE HILLS @ CERVANTES’ | 12/1/12 Closing out the first of its two sets with “Goin Down,” Head for the Hills exited the stage after an hour of pickin’ and pluckin’ to give the Ballroom at Cervantes’ a slight break from the bluegrass workout. After a brief intermission,…

Mac Lethal at Marquis Theater, 11/30/12

MAC LETHAL @ MARQUIS THEATER | 11/30/12 Pulling up to the venue is his own car packed full of his own merchandise, Mac Lethal arrived at the Marquis Theater around 10 p.m. with his fresh out of prison homie Alvie. A short time later, Lethal served up a heaping helping…

The ten best concerts this weekend: 11/30-12/2

Ah, yes, welcome to the weekend! Long week, everybody, or is it just us? Well the good news is that we made it to end of another. The even better news is that there’s no snow in the forcast, and there’s another batch of good shows worth checking out. While…

The Killers at 1STBANK Center, 11/29/12

THE KILLERS @ 1STBANK CENTER | 11/29/12 Somebody told me a few years ago that the Killers were over, that their talent was gone, and their stride ended after Hot Fuss. Apparently, nobody told Brandon Flowers. After one of the most surprisingly strong rock shows we’ve seen this year, it…