In his new column, award-winning goofball Shea Serrano, whose recent exploits include Bun B’s Rapper Coloring and Activity Book, writes about his life and times. Song: Eminem’s “The Monster,” featuring Rihanna History: Eminem did a freestyle battle. He went up against Papa Doc and choked. It was pretty sad. Then…
A. Tom Collins recently submitted its music to be considered for a support slot for Reverend Horton Heat’s show at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on Saturday, December 28. Not only did the act land the gig, but it ended up getting picked up by the Atomic Music Group,…
The Denver Public Library is seeking local music for a flagship program it’s preparing to launch this spring called Volume Denver. “We were talking about how we really wanted to do something to get some content that you can’t find at Walmart or the other big-box stores,” says Joan Hansen…
Nearly a decade into his career, Armenian-born Tigran Mkhitaryan, aka Mimosa, is settling into his own style, one that pulls elements from multiple genres, from grimy bass lines to smoothed-out hip-hop beats. With his latest album, Future Trill, Mimosa is building a brand that defies categorization. In advance of his…
The on-sale date and time on the show announcement that we just received from our friends at AEG is followed by three exclamation points, and that seems perfectly reasonable. After all, it’s a pretty big deal. In fact, if you’re like a certain former co-worker of ours, who we just…
When Phish reunited in 2009, the 3.0 era of the band was born. While classics like “Tweezer” and “Carini” still reap fantastic rewards, newer songs have been given a chance to shine and grow, be it through psychedelic looping or rapid-fire staccato rhythms. Despite what some may say, Phish still…
Germany might have a lock on the techno scene these days, but when it comes to cutting-edge house music, the U.K. has the clear advantage. Just named one of the top fifty DJs in the world by Resident Advisor, George FitzGerald (due at NORAD this Saturday, December 14, with Need…
That time again. The Grammy Awards have revealed this year’s nominees. The picks couldn’t be any less interesting, particularly the hip-hop nods. It’s as if the committee picked artists that, together, would satisfy the broadest audience — take the commercial hit of the year, the critical hit of the year,…
Scottish synth pop act Chvrches, who released its debut, The Bones of What You Believe, in September, is set to headline the Ogden Theatre on Thursday, April 24. Tickets for the show are $25.75, and go on sale this Friday, December 13. Keep reading to see what other shows are…
Nearly four years after Matt LaBarge took over the former Bulldog Bar at 3602 East Colfax and transformed it into the Lost Lake Lounge, he has sold it to Larimer Lounge owner and AEG talent buyer Scott Campbell. Campbell, who officially took over the space yesterday, says one of the…
Fresh on the heels of supporting Rhianna on her recent Diamonds Tour, 2 Chainz will be making his way back to the Mile High City for a show at the Ogden Theatre on Monday, February 10, with Pusha T and August Alsina. Tickets for this stop of the 2 GOOD…
Welcome back to In the Mix, our brand-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 new tunes from Falcon Punch and Black Amex, Krooked Drivers, Paris Burns and Despise. Continue on to get…
MOE. at OGDEN THEATRE | 12/7/13 moe. opened its tour in Denver this weekend, and the time the guys spent in the studio really had them ready. Vocal harmonies were on point all night and the outfit played seamless transitions all night, along with offering a few moments of psychedelic…
EOTO at FILLMORE AUDITORIUM | 12/7/13 When Jason Hann sang the opening line of “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins towards the end of EOTO’s set, it seemed more appropriate than cheesy. Also a singing drummer, Hann offered a heavier dub take of the song, rather than the pounding…
ZZ WARD, ALICE IN WINTERLAND at SUMMIT MUSIC HALL | 12/12/13 Zsuzsanna Ward got her start singing classic blues and R&B in her father’s band at age twelve. The experience instilled in her a keen sense of melody and vocal expressiveness that served her well when she moved to Los…
We’ve got a good news/bad news scenario for you regarding this year’s edition of Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks: Duck Sauce is no longer slated to appear at Red Rocks on Friday, January 31, with Jurassic 5. The good news: The act has been replaced by another Westword Music Showcase…
Nelson Mandela was a pivotal agent for change who inspired a rich musical legacy of resistance. Biographer Richard Stengel describes Mandela, who passed away yesterday at the age of 95, as “the last pure hero.” And while he was all that and more, the music the iconic historical figure inspired…
We’re back with another fresh batch of Colorado hip-hop, all with stimulating videos to bring the tracks to life. First, the often controversial Kevin Pistol returns with a track about his superior mike control, while Jahni Denver drops an inspiration track with help from Krizz Kaliko. Catch Lungs, meanwhile, attempts…
The Fray’s new video for “Love Don’t Die,” the first single from the band’s forthcoming fourth album, Helios (due out on February 25), just dropped. It’s mildly entertaining as far as videos go, which is to say it has something of a narrative, which a great many these days don’t…
Master luthier Scott Baxendale (once long-time owner of the Colfax Guitar Shop and now has his own shop and lutherie academy in Athens, Georgia) has repaired or restored guitars for a ton of legendary players over the last four decades, including Billy Gibbons, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Jr., Steve Howe…
FRI & SAT | MOE. at OGDEN THEATRE | 12/6-12/7 The latest studio album from moe., 2012’s What Happened to the LA LA’s, features the kind of lengthy improvisations and folk-rock structures that made the Buffalo natives such hits in the jam-band scene starting in 1989. The group’s live shows…
EOTO started as a String Cheese Incident side project between Michael Travis and Jason Hann, a studio musician who also played with Dr. Dre and was a member of Isaac Hayes’s band. Out of the practicality of the living situations of both musicians, EOTO began as more of an electronic…
