Hey! Snow! Winter still exists, which is kind of a relief. The shows continue, obviously, because this is Colorado. So put on the fleece and go see Pitbull at the Pepsi Center, Machine Head at Summit Music Hall or any number of other good ones. Our other picks follow.
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
When: 7:00 p.m. February 16
Where: Boulder Theater
What it'll cost you: $30
Why you should go: The formidably versatile drummer Joe Russo, who has been playing with various incarnations of bassist Phil Lesh's Grateful Dead tribute bands for the past few years, drags the rest of Bustle in Your Hedgerow—Marco Benevento (keyboards), Dave Dreiwitz (bass), and Scott Metzger (guitar)—along with singer-guitarist Tom Hamilton into the Dead zone.
Matt Nathanson
When: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. February 15
Where: ViewHouse Eatery Bar and Rooftop
What it'll cost you: Free
Why you should go:
Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull
When: 7:30 p.m. February 17
Where: Pepsi Center
What it'll cost you: $29.50-$129.50
Why you should go: If Pitbull isn't the biggest rapper in the world, he’s probably the most well traveled, as likely to pop up on an Ibiza club banger as a Latin dance track with Colombian Shakira. Tonight, he joins the Spanish-born Enrique Iglesias (with whom he collaborated on a few years ago on "I Like It," one of the better songs on the (gulp) Jersey Shore Soundtrack) at the Pepsi Center, for a dance party of global proportions.
Machine Head
When: 8:00 p.m. February 17
Where: Summit Music Hall
What it'll cost you: $23 / $25
Why you should go: When Machine Head released Unto the Locust in 2011 it was one of the most consistently enjoyable mainstream-metal releases of the year. From the choral opening of "I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)" to the final refrain of "Who We Are," which fades into a peaceful violin passage played over a martial drumbeat, Locust was a very well-considered album, with plentiful moments of meticulous mayhem, fierce fretwork and awe-inspiring timekeeping.
Rufus Wainwright & the Colorado Symphony
When: 7:30 p.m. February 18
Where: Boettcher Concert Hall
What it'll cost you: $22-$84
Why you should go: Rufus Wainwright is a great songwriter; there's no doubt about it. It's been almost painfully obvious since the first few chords of his self-titled debut, released back in 1997.
Hozier
When: 8:30 p.m. February 18
Where: Ogden Theatre
What it'll cost you: $25-$30
Why you should go: He's friends with Annie Lennox! Also, there's that song. That song is pretty good.
Dr. Dog
When: 8:00 p.m. February 19
Where: Ogden Theater
What it'll cost you: $25/$27
Why you should go: There are few bands as consistently good at writing great pop music as this one.
Eric Prydz
When: February 19
Where: Beta
What it'll cost you: $30
Why you should go: LA-via-Sweden producer/DJ comes to Denver. His most recent tour involved lasers and holograms, as well.
Stelth Ulvang
When: 8:00 p.m. February 19
Where: Bluebird Theater
What it'll cost you: $10
Why you should go: Former Dovekin and current Lumineer Stelth Ulvang is releasing his first solo album: A gorgeous, string-enhanced effort.
Dirty Few (album release)
When: 8:30 p.m. February 19
Where: hi-dive
What it'll cost you: $8
Why you should go: Denver's best party band puts out a full-length worthy of their reputation. Party or don't.
Veronica
When: 9:00 p.m. February 19
Where: $10
What it'll cost you: Syntax Physic Opera
Why you should go: You can't beat Syntax for ambiance, and Veronica is a band worth paying attention to.