While it might be hard to believe in the age of metalcore, heavy metal and hardcore punk used to dwell on opposite ends of the spectrum. Back in the early ’80s, fans of one genre wouldn’t be caught dead listening to the other. With its aptly named 1987 album Crossover,…
Ripton Hylton became known as Eek-A-Mouse in 1979, shortly before releasing his first hit single, “Once a Virgin.” Although Eek-A-Mouse’s early work displayed a clear debt to roots reggae, he’s since incorporated the aesthetics of dub into his core sound. An early pioneer of the dancehall sound, Eek has always…
Too many country-music purists of the past couple decades brag about keeping the true sound of country alive. Oklahoma native Jason Boland, though, just does it. Bearing a catalogue of gritty, twangy songs that sound as natural as falling off a horse, Boland and his Stragglers have spent the last…
It’s not just a brand-new year, but a whole new decade, so why not kick it off with something fresh? Chicago’s Punky Fresh is so recently arrived on the scene that not only doesn’t the act have an album out yet, but it still has that new-producer smell. The two…
Looks like the metal world is continuing to turn its eyes on Colorado. Yet another homegrown metal act has been snapped up by a renown metal imprint. Last month, Allegaeon, who deals in extreme metal out of Fort Collins, inked a deal with Metal Blade Records. The iconic metal label…
After eight weeks of battling it out at Herman’s Hideaway for ultimate supremacy, the semi-finalists have been announced in the Best of the West showcase we’re sponsoring. The crowded field of contenders has been narrowed down to nine acts (Kill City Bombers, Forth Yeer, Sound Traffic, Goldie & The Bears,…
View Larger Map Okay, so here’s an idea we’ve been kicking around for a while that we think is time to bring to fruition. Our new Denver Rock Atlas feature is precisely what it sounds like, a compendium of storied Denver venues, past and present, in which we pick a…
They came from the deep … to rock. Our top flier of the week gets extra cool points for appropriating the lobby poster art for the incredibly odd, unbelievably obscure 1980 movie Humanoids from the Deep, which is also as Monster. It just so happens that some of us have…
Just received word that Red Cloud (aka Red Cloud West), which has been on hiatus for quite some time now as its members devoted time to their other creative endeavors (Git Some, Bad Luck City, the Fire Drills, Ross Etherton & the Chariots of Judah), has plans to reconvene at…
January 22 and 23, the Motet will be reopening the newly refurbished Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom with a couple of shows highlighting the best moments from past Halloween shows. In case you aren’t familiar, the group’s Halloween tradition is to “dress up” as some of their favorite bands and deliver entire…
Ever wonder what it takes to manage the day-to-day affairs of 3OH!3? Wonder no more. Evidently, all it takes is a cellphone, a laptop outfitted with the latest Microsoft Office suite and an insatiable desire to work 362 days a year (hanging out with your parents, of course, on the…
Although New York-based indie act Vampire Weekend isn’t releasing its highly anticipated sophomore effort, Contra, for another week, NPR is streaming the entire album until it hits the stores on Tuesday, January 12. Touring in support of the album, the band will trek across the UK and Europe in February…
Not to be outdone by Joe Ginsberg’s little breakfast quest, it seems Jonny 5 of Flobots fame has embarked on a similar year-long adventure, only this one is slightly little less cereal. From the sounds of it, J5 — Jamie Laurie, to his mom — has abundant time to write…
You know how the more cynical among us bemoan the whole Twitter phenomenon? Clearly cheesed off by the whole notion, they’re often found uttering stuff like, “I don’t need to know what such and such had for breakfast this morning, for Chrissakes!” in disgust every time the subject comes up…
Update: Mustangs & Madras will take the stage one last time at 3 Kings Tavern on Saturday, January 23, in the company of the Gunshy, Git Some, Only Thunder and Get Three Coffins Ready.[original post: 10.29.09, 11:25:52] It’s with more than a tinge of sadness that we report this next…
Paper Bird, These United States, Dovekins Thursday, December 31, 2009 hi-dive Better than: Going to a New Year’s concert that didn’t feature kazoos and Jefferson Airplane covers. It was easy to overlook the elements of chaos that marked Paper Bird’s New Year’s set at the hi-dive Thursday night. The headliners…
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Munly & the Lupercalians Thursday, December 31, 2009 Bluebird Theater Better Than: Any number of lame New Year’s parties occurring around Denver. A wooden pier constructed outside of the Bluebird Theatre seemed odd and out of place. It would prove to be a premonition setting the…
Noah Pred Thursday, December 31, 2009 B. Side Lounge, Boulder Better Than: The end of the last decade New Year’s Eve is always a little special, whether you want it to be or not. And 2009 was destined — doomed, one might say — to be a lot special, ending…
Even with the staggering amount of outstanding local music released this past year (our annual Moovers and Shakers compendium is available online at Backbeatblog.com), Backbeat writers somehow managed to make room on our playlists for an impressive number of imports. And although it shouldn’t be a surprise by now, it’s…
Toronto-based DJ/producer Noah Pred produces music in 3D — dirty, dark and danceable. You could also describe it as 3W, as in weird, wobbly and WOW! Specifically, his original material is full of distorted, ever-evolving timbres; shifting, irresistible rhythms; and creepy, off-kilter snatches of melody. His sound is a deep,…
Noah Ray McMahan would go to the Snake Pit twice a week when he was in college back in the ’90s. And this fall, after stints in New York and Las Vegas, he moved back to Denver and, along with former promoter and architect Justin Martinez, who designed Bar Standard…
View Larger Map So even as we bid Kazmos farewell, we’ve just received word of a brand new club opening on 22nd and Champa in the former Loft space. After nearly fifteen years of night club promotion, the 3 Deep Productions crew, Francois Baptiste and Alvin LaCabe, together with fellow…
