Westword's Ten Most-Read Denver Music Stories From 2015

In 2015, Westword Music covered a vast range of Denver music, from blockbuster national tours to homegrown superstars. We celebrated growth and successes, debated development and its effect on local artists, and mourned the too-frequent losses of beloved figures in the music community. Here are the ten stories you loved the most, based on readership — with the most popular story in the number-one slot. Based on these results, we can conclude readers love Red Rocks, festivals, Nathaniel Rateliff, and are very concerned about what happens to a young woman wearing pasties to EDC.

10. Cage The Elephant Antics Wear Thin at Red Rocks
"[Matthew Schultz], who has said he discovered punk music a few years after Cage the Elephant (with its southern-fried 2008 blues-funk single “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”) became famous, showed a smidgen of raw power a la Iggy Pop while racing around the big Red Rocks stage and into the crowd." Continue reading Cage The Elephant Antics Wear Thin at Red Rocks.


9. How The Hell Do People Afford Coachella?
"There's no way getting around it: Coachella ain't cheap. A three-day pass alone will set you back $375. Add in the costs of getting to and from Indio, after-concert Uber pickups, hotel rooms, vittles and other incidentals, and we're already near $1,000." Continue reading How The Hell Do People Afford Coachella?


8. 2015 Westword Music Showcase Tickets Available Now!
The Showcase is a celebration of our state’s vibrant music scene. Colorado is home to internationally renowned experimental bands, pioneering folk artists, Grammy winners and much, much more. Continue reading 2015 Westword Music Showcase Tickets Available Now!


7. RIP Gary Lee Bomar Owner of Gary Lee's Motor Club and Grub
While Bomar was fighting his battle, the Denver music community was rallying around him. Gary Lee’s Motor Club and Grub is a well-known South Broadway bar and venue, a staple during the annual Underground Music Showcase. Continue reading RIP Gary Lee Bomar Owner of Gary Lee's Motor Club and Grub.

6. Ten Reasons Red Rocks Is Headed for Its Best Season Yet
There’s no doubting the amount of historic moments our beautiful Red Rocks have seen. But the iconic Colorado venue has really outdone itself this year. From first-time international superstar performances to the most number of confirmed concerts ever — here are ten reasons why 2015 will be the best Red Rocks season in history. Continue reading Ten Reasons Red Rocks Is Headed for Its Best Season Yet.


The Top 5 stories of 2015 on the next page!

5. Details Emerge About Friday's Death at Red Rocks
Two fans were climbing in a restricted area at Red Rocks Park after last Friday's Yonder Mountain String Band when they fell. Continue reading Details Emerge About Friday's Death at Red Rocks.

4. The 2015 Riot Fest Denver Lineup: The Pixies, Run DMC and More
"The Chicago-born punk rock carnival has quickly established itself as one of the largest music festivals here, drawing thousands for an array of bands best described as "loud." This year's lineup is eclectic (as in years' past), featuring everything from hip-hop legends (De La Soul, GZA, etc.) to pop geniuses (Cold War Kids) to heroes of punk and its affiliated genres (The Get Up Kids, 7 Seconds, etc.)." Continue reading The 2015 Riot Fest Denver Lineup: The Pixies, Run DMC and More.


3. Red Rocks Will Host Its First Ever Halloween Show This Year 
"In a concert season that continues to expand, Red Rocks Amphitheatre has officially announced its first-ever Halloween show on October 31, featuring headliners Mac Miller and Action Bronson." Continue reading Red Rocks Will Host Its First Ever Halloween Show This Year. 

2. Nathaniel Rateliff on the Sobering Story Behind S.O.B.
"The elephant in the room, perhaps, for those who were well aware of Rateliff’s talents before he and the Night Sweats slayed “S.O.B.” on The Tonight Show in August, is what such a sudden breakthrough (the band’s eponymous LP just sold over 20,000 copies in its first week) feels like after years of slow progress." Continue reading Nathaniel Rateliff on the Sobering Story Behind S.O.B.


1. I Wore Pasties at EDC and It Wasn't That Bad
"Then you have to choose your pasties. You realize that your identity as a rave girl hinges on the stickers you choose. Will you be that girl with the daisies on her boobs or the neon green alien faces? Or perhaps you’re more partial to feline nipples or glaring yellow happy faces?" Continue reading I Wore Pasties at EDC and It Wasn't That Bad.