TUES | WU YEAR’S EVE at CERVANTES | 12/31/13 More than just creating a free-associative style that would be emulated ceaselessly throughout the ’90s and to this very day, the Wu-Tang Clan engineered an aesthetic and model for profitability with only a spiritual guide, the GZA, a mastermind producer, the…
Man, oh, man, does time fly. It seems like JAS Aspen Snowmass just happened, and now here we have the lineup for the 2014 edition. This year’s roster of acts includes Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (due at the Ogden Theatre tonight), Diana Krall, Steve Winwood, who are slated to…
Second only to “Mile High City,” the title of John Denver’s folksy classic “Rocky Mountain High” is the pun we’re seeing the most lately in reporting about our state’s legal weed. For the most part, Colorado has always been particularly proud of the anthem that celebrates our most treasured feature,…
Update, 12/27/13: Contest is over. Congrats to Darkcabal and mtnmc1. You and a guest will be our guests at the show this Monday. Check your email for details on how to claim your tickets. Thanks for all the entries and for reading Backbeat! What better way to finish what was…
FRI | BAUUER at BETA | 12/27/13 Sure, it’s ancient history now, but remember earlier this year when you couldn’t escape the “Harlem Shake” phenomenon. In case you need a refresher, “Harlem Shake” is what happened when a thunderous trap record on Diplo’s Mad Decent imprint put the nation in…
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT at 1STBANK CENTER | 12/28-12/29, 12/31 String Cheese Incident will be presenting its twentieth-anniversary celebration with various openers during its New Year’s run at 1STBANK Center. The group has Bootsy Collins joining forces on Saturday, December 28, confetti rockers Flaming Lips on Sunday, December 29, and the…
Brother Ali is slated to close at the year in Boulder with a two-night stand at the Fox Theatre that kicks off on Monday, December 30, and culminates with a New Year’s Eve performance on Tuesday, December 31. We’ve got tickets to the show on Monday, and would love for…
Welcome back to another edition of In the Mix, our semi-new feature in which we spotlight new dance tracks and mixes from some of the hottest Colorado producers and DJs. This week, we’ve got some great mixes from Kill Paris, option4 and Caveman Sound, Paper Diamond and Ben Samples. Continue…
This year’s installment of the Vans Warped Tour, which features Saves the Day, Mayday Parade, For Today, I the Mighty, the Ghost Inside, Teenage Bottlerocket, is slated to drop by Denver on Sunday, June 15. Tickets range from $28.50-$48.95 and are on sale now. Keep reading to see what other…
Music is life — or at least it is for us. When we’re not writing about it, we’re thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be…
Although there’s definitely a place for speed on electronica-driven dance floors, some DJs and producers tend toward slower tempos — an increasingly unusual choice in a scene where garage- and glitch-oriented subgenres seem to rule the day. Artists like Ewan Pearson prove that you don’t have to rely on speed…
In addition to hometown hero Pretty Lights, who just played a rare, highly anticipated warm-up date at the Ogden a few weeks ago, Decadence NYE (December 30 and 31 at the Colorado Convention Center) boasts an absolutely unreal lineup of top-shelf acts including Bassnectar, Beats Antique, Keys N Krates, Tiësto,…
After playing in a few bands in Michigan, bassist Jeremy “Squirmz” Robins and singer Nick Kjolhede moved to Denver in 2006. Five years later, the pair formed the Cutthroat Drifters with guitarist Dave Myers through Craigslist. After going through a number of drummers since then, the band recruited scene veteran…
This past year saw quite a few interesting things happen in the jam-band world, with some bands announcing hiatuses while others had their songs sung at NFL games. While people enjoy heckling jam-band fans, there is no doubt that they are great at making things happen and making people laugh…
PUBLIC ENEMY at SUMMIT MUSIC HALL | 12/21/13 One of the most powerful moments of Public Enemy’s set came when Chuck D told us they were reaching back to It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back for the next song. It was hard to say what was…
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND at BOULDER THEATER | 12/27/13 Yonder Mountain String Band is a fast-paced act that manages to blow your mind with its excellent technicality while toying with your emotions with heartfelt lyrics. Together the four members work in musical harmony, with animated lead singer and mandolin player…
Jello Biafra has made an unmistakable and enduring impact both punk and counterculture internationally. The iconoclast grew up in Boulder and moved to San Francisco in the late ’70s, where he formed the Dead Kennedys and established the Alternative Tentacles imprint. As an outspoken critic of the more unsavory aspects…
So much metal. So little time. Three decades into extreme metal’s history, bands are still finding ways to squeeze something fresh out of its carcass. Unfortunately, most people, even metal fans, don’t have the bandwidth to accommodate it all and a few big albums can clog up the works pretty…
A year after opening the 1UP in LoDo, owner Jourdan Adler took over the former home of Pete’s Monkey Bar in the summer of 2012 and put his second arcade-themed bar, the 2UP, in that space. Last April, Adler secured the space next door, which once housed Kitty’s East for…
SAT | PURITY RING (DJ SET) at CASSELMAN’S | 12/21/13 A Canadian duo made up of Corin Roddick and Megan James, Purity Ring has made a name for itself with syncopated rhythms and dreamy, pop-oriented soundscapes. James, who designs and stitches the clothes that the pair wear on stage, lays…
FRI | ONEREPUBLIC’S DENVER ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS at OGDEN | 12/20 Over the last few years OneRepublic has made its acoustic Christmas shows an annual event that helps local charities. This year’s show, which also features Gungor, is a benefit for Colorado flood relief. VIP ticket includes ticket to the show,…
Great news for Swallow Hill. After its efforts to open up a satellite campus in Lowry this past spring stalled due to a deed restriction that had been attached to the land, the organization has announced plans to open up a new facility at 7653 E. 1st Place, in the…
