Concerts

In the May 2009 issue of Alternative Press, the Photo Atlas is the subject of two write-ups, one detailing the band’s trajectory since parting ways with Stolen Transmission, its previous label, and the other is in the form of a a four (out of five) star review of the act’s…

Single File, Epilogues, Set Forth, Frequent SeaFriday, April 3Gothic TheatreBetter than: Celebrating Denver’s native music scene at home alone.An almost palpable sense of native pride seemed to float through the Gothic Theatre during Single File’s CD release show Friday night. The feeling of homegrown accomplishment came through in the dense…

Jenny Lewis and Elvis Costello are into sharing. “Carpetbaggers,” the A-side of a vinyl single up for sale on Record Store Day, is a Lewis cut from her Acid Tongue album that features Costello on backing vocals. In contrast, the B-side, “Go Away,” is a Costello cut from the Momofuku…

Ah, man, feels like weeks since our last Fray-related post, doesn’t it? Just when we were all  starting to experience the pangs of withdrawals, along comes news that our hometown heroes will be doing a flyby tonight on the idiot box. Set your TiVo to stun. Should be on sometime…

Although the Break Mechanics never really officially announced that they had broken up, the notion became clear as the members each split off from the collective to work on their own projects and pursue other interests. It was a shame, because the crew never got a proper sendoff. So it’s…

Just spoke with U.S. Pipe founder Chris “Citrus” Sauthoff and  he confirms that the band has indeed called it a day. The catalyst, he says, is tension between the members that had been simmering since Christmas before reaching a boiling point this week. Although the outfit managed to hold it…

Al Hood has a very crowded agenda. The trumpeter teaches fulltime at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music in addition to contributing to a slew of ensembles, including the Denver Brass and the Ken Walker Jazz Sextet. Somehow, though, he also found time to record a new CD…

Looks like Strange Condition is cashing in on its sweat equity. The outfit, which has endured numerous line-up changes since forming, has worked tirelessly over the years amassing a loyal and ravenous fan base (the act has consistently packed Herman’s for years and has little difficulty these days filling the…

Update: A quick heads-up for those heading out for First Friday festivities this evening in the Sante Fe art district or for friends/fans of Lee Ball that may not have received the word: Tonight at 7 p.m. at the Rebellion, the tattoo shop on 9th and Sante Fe owned by…

The latest Decemberists album, The Hazards of Love, is a challenging yet rewarding song cycle. Yet “The Rake’s Song,” which serves as the recording’s centerpiece, is as musically compelling as it is lyrically unusual: Lead singer/tunesmith Colin Meloy portrays a widower who bumps off the “three little pests” left in…

Interested in a preview of the new Akron/Family album, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free, which is set for a May 5 release? “Everyone Is Guilty,” the A-side of the group’s Record Store Day seven-inch, is the lead single from the album, and the VintageVinyl.com describes it kicks off “kicks…

It’s tough staying punk-rock. Although the ideal itself has never officially been defined, die-hard supporters of the genre have long claimed that to be a true punk-rocker, you must shun mainstream music and always remain a dark, oily stain on its bright shiny surface. What if, in spite of a…

If you were to walk by Sketch, Jesse Morreale’s new wine bar with an old name (the address is technically 101 Broadway, but the entrance is on First Avenue), and see all the candles and wine bottles inside, you might think it was the kind of place where you’d hear…

Initially, the Nod probably seems like yet another stoner-rock band. The name alone suggests someone in the band has read William Burroughs deeply, and the clever wordplay present in each song reveals a thoughtful sense of humor rare among bands with a clear grounding in metal and hard rock. Rather…

It’s hard to say if Darren Keen, this band’s sole member for most of its existence, is more of a standup comedian/performance artist or a musician. His well-documented barbs directed at (and pseudo-rivalry with) Conor Oberst aside, Keen is one of the hardest-touring performers in the country, and his act,…

The last time the Bronx played at the Larimer Lounge, singer Matt Caughthran rode up to the stage on a motorcycle, nearly running over the capacity crowd. Although the same can’t be promised for this return trip, the band’s high-energy, cutthroat punk should make the show dangerous nonetheless. The Bronx…

On its latest album, Boston progophiles Irepress (say “ear press”) frequently wander beyond the seven-minute mark, exploring atmospheric, intricate and even jazzy approaches to heavy metal. These folks clearly aren’t interested in mindless headbanging and devil horns, so traditional metalheads might find the group’s adventures (tech-house beats?! a piano solo?!)…

The latest fave rave among the suburban high school set is Punk Goes Pop, Volume 2, a compilation in which Warped Tour combos take on some of the slickest chart hits of recent years — like, for instance, the Fray’s “Over My Head,” which is recharged (or perhaps charged for…

Kentucky-born musician, actor and photographer Bonnie Prince Billy’s landmark 2006 cover album The Brave and the Bold, with instrumental wizards Tortoise as the backing band, was seen by many as an epochal event in American rock music. It’s fairly astonishing that Billy has put out four quality records since then,…

During the early ’90s, the Samples helped put Colorado on the map. Led by gifted pop songwriter Sean Kelly, the band signed with a locally based label, What Are Records? (W.A.R.), toured incessantly from coast to coast, released a slew of albums, endured a series of personnel and business changes,…

The music scene is clogged with performers desperately seeking stardom. So does Los Campesinos! guitarist/songwriter Tom Campesinos! see any irony in the quick rise of his group, which quickly earned buzz-band status even though none of its members actively sought it? “Completely — and I think it’s something we still…