The Ten Best Female Metal Musicians in Denver — 2016 Edition

While metal has often been a male-dominated world and, at its worst, infected with misogyny, things have been changing for some time now. The average music lover won’t stand for that shit anymore and it’s no secret that women rock hard. The Joan Jetts of this world are no longer…

Freakwater on War Stories and the Power of Memory

Throughout its long career, irreverent humor and compassion for the human condition is at the core of Freakwater’s alternative country music. On its latest record, Scheherazade, its first album of new material since 2005’s Thinking Of You, founding members Janet Beveridge Bean and Catherine Irwin explore modern myths and archetypes…

Westword Music Showcase 2016: Get to Know Our Headliners

The 22nd Westword Music Showcase, taking place Saturday, June 25, 2016, is designed to feature more than one hundred fantastic and innovative Denver bands — but it also showcases some kick-ass national headliners. This year the festival will expand to include two main stages in addition to more than a dozen…

Guitarist Bill Frisell Explores Film and TV Music on a New Album

On Bill Frisell’s last album, 2014’s Guitar in the Space Age, the guitarist delved into songs from the ’50s and ’60s that initially got him interested in playing guitar as a kid growing up in Denver. On brand-new disc When You Wish Upon a Star, Frisell, who’s been living in Seattle…

The Best Concerts in Denver This Week

Megadeth, fronted by Dave Mustaine whom our writer claims “isn’t a dick,” returns to the Fillmore Auditorium on Tuesday, while Fetty Wap is at the same venue on Wednesday. Meanwhile Bill Frisell brings his When You Wish Upon a Star project to the Oriental Theater. See the full list of our…

The Best Concerts in Denver This Weekend

Tonight, CHIC featuring Nile Rodgers headlines the Paramount Theatre while Vance Joy is at the 1STBANK Center and G. Love & Special Sauce is at the Ogden Theatre. Tomorrow, Galactic will be at the Fillmore Auditorium and the Budos Band is at the Gothic Theatre. See the full list of our…

How SnowBall Went Downhill

Last week, tickets went on sale for the Minus Zero Festival, which will take place April 2-3 in Winter Park, Colorado, a mountain music festival featuring the “world’s biggest electronic music acts” like Diplo and Kaskade. Upon hearing this announcement, we couldn’t help but think of Snowball, the EDM festival…

The Grammys: Who Are They For?

The Grammys are for teenagers — at least, I hoped they were. To me, teens are the demographic the music industry should still be gunning for: They are generally adventurous listeners, often the most passionate — and most forgiving — music fans and they have yet to let their taste…

Guess Who’s Playing 4/20 in Denver?

Snoop Dogg and Future headline the third annual Merry Jane Wellness Retreat on 4/20 at Fiddler’s Green with Kevin Gates, Tory Lanez and Raven Felix opening the show.  Tickets ($55-$85) go on sale on Friday, February 19 at 10 a.m.  Ryan Adams headlines Red Rocks Wednesday, August 17 with Kurt…

This Is the Year I Stop Caring About Metric

I hope, in years to come, to be proved wrong about Emily Haines and her band, but last night Metric’s disjointed live show at the Fillmore Auditorium left me disappointed. Looking at Metric’s discography, perhaps the live show’s lack of coherence is understandable. The band’s early music landed right between the…

The DJs and Musicians of Artopia 2016

This year’s Artopia will feature an array of local DJs and electronic artists that will add sonic splendor to the event’s multimedia experience. Sound Off’s Silent Disco will take place in the City Hall Cue Room for a lively, headphones-only performance. The City Hall Amphitheater will feature the headlining act:…

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine Isn’t a Dick

Rock and roll has never experienced a shortage of polarizing characters, those individuals whose music we might adore but, when you hear them talk, they just sound like assholes. Maybe they deliberately pull an Axl Rose and delay going on stage for two hours, leaving the fans waiting around like cattle. Or maybe…

Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath Went Hard Into That Good Night

Across the gulf of 46 years since its first eponymous album was released on February 13, 1970, it might be difficult to imagine how Black Sabbath’s music could have seemed evil and dark. But last night, when it was actually happening — those familiar bells, sounds of rain and Tony…

Accusations of Sexism Spark Public Discussion in Denver Music Scene

This past year has seen an upsurge in the fight against sexism in the music industry, with several high-profile stories gaining national attention. In a Pitchfork piece early in the year, journalist Jessica Hopper asked, “Why are misogynist lyrics still entertainment in 2015?” Then, in August, Hopper used Twitter to…

R.I.P., Sugarloaf Bassist Bob Raymond

During bassist Bob Raymond’s stint with Sugarloaf, he played on each of the Denver-based band four albums, including the 1970 self-titled debut that included the hit single “Green-Eyed Lady.” Raymond, who was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame with Sugarloaf in 2012, died on February 11 at the…