Concerts

Hidden down in a convention hall of a nondescript hotel off the highway north of Denver was a record lover’s paradise this weekend: the Denver Record Collectors Spring Expo. At the convention hall all day Sunday were dozens of vendors, each selling thousands of records, CDs and more. This wasn’t…

As a dusty wind whipped behind her in hazy stage light, Solange and her ultra slick backing band brought serious chops and swagger to the polo fields as nighttime fell over Coachella. And then Beyonce showed up on stage dancing to “Losing You.” It was the first celebrity big surprise…

Did you know that, for some people, Coachella represents a big ol’ Alcoholics Anonymous meeting? Since 2009, New Orleans couple Bob Johnson and Jane Smith (not their real names) have led 12 step meetings on the festival grounds for those who, like themselves, are in recovery. They call their group…

Ever since sunshine acid saturated Woodstock back in 1969, music festivals and recreational pharmaceuticals have gone together like wine and cheese. Which is why we’d like to recommend a few pairings for those so chemically inclined, a fine list of musical acts coupled with good stuff sure to provide complementary…

There’s a sign posted near the front door of the hi-dive that lists Esme Patterson as the headliner. The opener is listed simply as “Friends of Esme.” There have been rumors and even informal announcements about which friends those might be, but all the crowd filling the dark room on…

Ivory Circle’s five-song debut EP, Entropy, was a poignant and heartfelt effort that showcased Connie Hong’s strong songwriting skills while also demonstrating the dynamism of her vocals, which can be wispy and delicate at times and quite powerful at others. Equilateral, the first of a three-EP series to be released,…

It’s evident from the start on Euforquestra’s fourteen-track LP, Fire, that the cats in this sextet are serious about the funk. The Fort Collins-by-way-of-Iowa City act kicks into gear on the up-tempo, groove-heavy opening cut, “The Price Is Right,” and follows up with the sticky funk of the title track…

If IDM artists like Plaid and Squarepusher had access to less complicated equipment and were born in the 1990s, they might come up with something like Lockbox’s Prince Soul Grenade. Is it composition? Cut-and-paste? Sound collage? It sounds like all of the above, with each song constantly shifting in texture,…

Deep Dreams can be viewed as a semi-transitional album for Sara Century, as it was written in part after she started incorporating keyboards and samples into her songwriting. Still intact, however, are the imaginative, demented stories that recall early-’80s Residents records. “iveknownyouforsolonggg” has a somber, spacious quality, like that of…

When Kava Lounge opens at 1915 Broadway in Boulder near the end of April, it will be the first of its kind in Denver’s northwest neighbor. It will be open seven days per week and until 5 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday night (Sunday morning, really). Anyone over 18 years…

I love electronic music. I love the sound, the artists, the parties, the people, the scene — in fact, I’m into pretty much everything about this particular genre of music. But there’s one thing about electronica that I’m really, really not into. At all. It’s the term “EDM.” I hate…

So news is spreading quickly about this year’s Mad Decent Block Party, a fledgling festival tour heretofore specializing in the kinds of hip-hop and dance acts whose members were likely to be wearing floral print hats. It was mostly found in large clubs with outdoor spaces, that sort of thing…

Some of SnowBall’s best artists weren’t even on stage. Among the young and the variably sober in the crowd on Saturday was a small group of artists, busily painting murals. They were situated between the two main stages, putting the eight-by-twelve feet wooden canvases at maximum visibility. The goal was…

The shoe is black and has a four-inch heel. It entered Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom on Friday for the SnowBall After Party as a piece of clothing. Late in the night, it became a weapon. And soon, it will return to Cervantes’ covered in paint, thanks to Nerf gun artist and…

This isn’t the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The list of upcoming artists beaming on a nearby screen includes artists like Nothing But Saxes, billed as “a smooth jazz experience.” The menu includes items that feel more a propos to a Chili’s than a rock venue. You can nibble…

At music festivals, weird kind of comes with the territory. But there’s something a little extra wacky about EDM festivals. When I walked through the gates at Snowball 2014, the first thing I saw was a woman wearing Moon Boots with glow sticks stuffed in them. “Pretty rad,” I thought,…

Hoo, boy, it’s SnowBall weekend, here in Denver for the first time in the festival’s young history. The dance-heavy lineup features reliable names like Pretty Lights and Griz as well as some curveballs, like Earl Sweatshirt and Warpaint. There’s more: In the Whale will spend two nights celebrating its new…

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival announced its lineup earlier this week, but there was some controversy about the truncated roster for the July 14 show at Red Rocks. Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Asking Alexandria, Trivium and Body Count (Ice-T’s metal band) were announced for Denver, but those are the only bands…

Colorado’s musical legacy is about to find some permanence. Officials from the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and the Denver-based Blue Goose design firm have unveiled final plans for the permanent exhibition space set to open at Red Rocks Amphitheater later this year. Based at the current Trading Post gift…