The Best Concerts in Denver This Week

New Year's weekend approaches!

December 27, 2021

Image: Slim Cessna's Auto Club kicks off a three-night New Year's run at hi-dive on Thursday.

Slim Cessna's Auto Club kicks off a three-night New Year's run at hi-dive on Thursday. Jon Solomon

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As New Year's weekend approaches, some acts are getting a jump on the holiday with multi-night stands; that list includes Decadence at the Convention Center, Itchy-O at HQ, Slim Cessna's Auto Club at the hi-dive and The Floozies at Summit. Also on tap this week are Otis Taylor at Dazzle and Spherio at Nocturne.

Here's what's happening in and around town this week:
Decadence
Thursday, December 30, and Friday, December 31, 6:30 p.m.
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street
One-day pass $135-$175/two-day pass $270-$350
These long-running New Year's Eve parties include some of the biggest names in EDM. This year, the two-night event features Adventure Club, B2B Bear Grillz, Alan Walker, ALESSO, Chris Lake, DJ Snake, EPTIC, Herobust, Louis the Child, SoDown, Zedd, Zeds Dead and more on Thursday, and ZHU, Subtronics, Steve Aoki, REZZ, the Chainsmokers and more on Friday.

The Floozies
Thursday, December 30, and Friday, December 31, 7:30 p.m.
Summit, 1902 Blake Street
$35
Lawrence, Kansas, duo the Floozies, made up of brothers Mark and Matt Hill, know their way around electronic funk.

Itchy-O
Thursday, December 30, and Friday, December 31, 9 p.m.
HQ, 60 South Broadway
$40
The bombastic 57-piece percussion ensemble Itchy-O takes over HQ for two nights, and the band promises the shows will be a spiritual rebirth focused on place, both familiar and fresh.
Otis Taylor
Thursday, December 30, 5:30 & 8:30p.m.
Dazzle, 1512 Curtis Street
$15-$35
While bluesman Otis Taylor was born in Chicago, he's been based in Colorado for nearly six decades. Taylor heard blues artists like Son House, Muddy Waters and Mississippi Fred McDowell while spending time at the original Denver Folklore Center, whose founder, Harry Tuft, will join Taylor for two sets along with guitarist JP Johnson, bassist/mandolinist Nick Amodeo and keyboardist Brian Juan.

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
Thursday, December 30, through Saturday, January 1, 9 p.m.
hi-dive, 7 South Broadway
$25/three-day pass $60
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, which formed nearly three decades ago and helped pioneer the Denver Sound, kicks off a three-night run at the hi-dive, with George Cessna (Slim's son) opening on Thursday, Munly & the Lupercalians opening on Friday, and DBUK opening on Saturday.

Spherio Plays Thelonious Monk
Thursday, December 30, 6:30 p.m.,
Nocturne, 1330 27th Street
$19
Denver modern jazz trio Spherio, which comprises pianist Tenia Nelson, bassist Bob Songster and drummer Andreas Schmid, explores the music of the jazz icon Thelonious Sphere Monk.

Find more music events in the Westword concert calendar. Organizing a concert you'd like considered for this list? Send information to [email protected].

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