Here are two quick lists to warm you up on this snow day; the ten best club shows and local shows (the two aren’t mutually exclusive, by any means) of 2011, as picked by Backbeat writers and ranked by music editor Dave Herrera. Find our ten best arena concerts of…
After selling out stadiums and arenas in South America and Europe over the past few months, Lenny Kravitz will kick off his first American tour in five years in January. That tour includes a stop at the Buell Theatre on Friday, February 10. Kravitz, who has been making appearances on…
An extensive user of Auto-Tune, T-Pain helped bring the pitch correction software to the masses with his iPhone app, I Am T-Pain. He doesn’t skimp on the Auto-Tone on his latest effort, Revolver, which was released on RCA earlier this month. In support of the disc, T-Pain stops at the…
As a follow-up to last year’s Joy EP, Oh, Starling, the husband-and-wife duo of singer-songwriters Jessica Sonner and Dan Craig, released another five-song holiday EP, Noel. The duo takes holiday standards like “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “O Come O Come Emmanuel” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and puts…
There were so many hip-hop shows and concerts this year, it was hard to keep count. The shows of note, though, were bangers and crowd pleasers and showcased dynamic artistry. With so many epic moments (?uestLove and Jazzy Jeff at Beta, anyone?), it was hard to narrow it down, but…
Michael Olsen, who also owns Wicked Garden (1403 Larimer Street), opened Cherry (231 Milwaukee Street) to the public last weekend in the former space that was once home to Bar Luxe, the Milwaukee Grill and the Bay Wolf. The new dance club, which offers bottle service and has a private…
Last week, after the Tebuzz reached a fever pitch across the country — with Jesus checking in with Timmy on Saturday Night Live — and then culminated in a devastating loss by the Broncos to Belichick’s boys here at home, we listened to the post-game analysis and the deflated reflections…
Another year is coming to a close, and it’s going to be remembered for some stellar concerts. All week, we’ll be running lists of our favorites from the past year, beginning with this one: Best arena concerts of 2011. Page down to see which shows made the cut. (Click on…
Every holiday season, almost as sure as you can count on Christmas falling on December 25, you can depend on some obsessive, Griswold-wannabe somewhere crafting a lighting display that makes all the previous standouts from past years seem like also-rans. You know the type — the kind that literally stops…
It’s that time again, when we reflect on all of our favorite local releases from the past twelve months — the ones that garnered the most time on our individual playlists. Once again, the Mile High City had absolutely no shortage of compelling releases from across a wide variety of…
Even though the economy continued to bump along this past year, people are still drinking more than ever — maybe because of the lousy economy. And a number of bars opened in 2011, giving them new places where they could drink. Here’s a rundown of some of the more promising…
J.Phlip (aka Jessica Phillippe) was first exposed to house music in Champaign, Illinois, two hours from house-music mecca Chicago. At nineteen, she obtained two belt-drive turntables and a mixer (which didn’t have any EQ knobs), and her career as a DJ was born. Phillippe’s sound encompasses house, tech house, deep…
So far, Jeff Weiss has proven to be BLKHRTS’ most ardent champion. After giving the crew dap in the LA Times earlier this year, Weiss, the L.A.-based music critic and esteemed Passion of the Weiss blogger, has seen fit to include BLKHRTS in a roundup of his favorite underrated rap…
IAN COOKE @ CURIOUS THEATRE | 12.16.11Ian Cooke made a wise choice in choosing the Curious Theatre to debut songs from Fortitude, his new full-length. The release show, which featured supporting performances from Joshua Novak and Danielle Ate the Sandwich, benefited in a big way from the setting. Cooke’s set…
SALT-N-PEPA @ GOTHIC THEATRE | 12/17/11Salt-N-Pepa brought the noise last night at The Gothic Theatre for Jammin’ 101.5’s ‘Twas the Jam Before Christmas. The house was packed, and both Salt and Pepa looked amazing in bedazzled outfits and gold rope chains. The two took us down hip-hop memory lane with…
Update (12/14/12): KTCL Hometown for the Holidays 2012 finalists revealed. Churchill’s probably pretty stoked today. Last night at Casselman’s Bar & Venue, KTCL held its annual Hometown for the Holidays concert, and the band was crowned winner of the station’s annual promotion. As in past years, the place was packed…
MATISYAHU @ OGDEN THEATRE | 12/17/11Less than half a minute into a first song appropriately titled “Open the Gates,” Matisyahu’s dancing had already grown so intense his yarmulke could no longer support it. Instead, it popped off. This action would later repeat itself, like proof of his prowess, five times…
YONNAS ABRAHAM @ THEORY + PRACTICE | 12/16/11Yonnas Abraham unleashed the sex beast at Theory + Practice art gallery for the release of Sextape, and the display was spectacular. Yo unveiled the artwork for the project — steamy photography by Peter Bishop featuring the MC’s muse Cassie Nova — and…
SPEEDWOLF @ MARQUIS THEATER | 12/16/11Speedwolf vocalist Reed Bruemmer feigned surprise at the end of the band’s set last night and asked the audience if they actually wanted to hear the band cover KISS. Of course everyone did, so the guys closed the record-release show with their raucous rendition of…
Ah, yes, the week is finally over. This Weekend Party Tipsy Sheet is brimming with all the sex, booze and music you need to heat things up on a cold, December weekend. Before the holiday rush officially kicks into gear next week and burns your out on fun and happiness…
You’ll find plenty to entertain you in the electronic-music world this weekend, including a bass fix from Seven tonight and deep house from L.A.-based Marques Wyatt, dance-heavy tunes from Chris Lake tomorrow night, and much more. Page down to see what’s filling up this weekend’s Dance Card…
Update (12/18/11): Churchill named winner of KTCL 2011 Hometown for the Holidays promo. See pics from the show at Casselman’s. In case you missed it, just a bit ago, Nerf (aka Jeb Freedman), KTCL’s Program Director, announced the three finalists in this year’s Hometown for the Holidays promotion. Props go…
