Sigur Rós. Ellie Caulkins. 09.27.16 We were in an Uber on our way back from the Ellie Caulkins Opera House when our driver asked if we’d had a good night. My 14-year-old daughter, who was up way past her usual bedtime on a school night, was lost in the glow of her phone, so it was on me to respond.… Read more →
The National. Red Rocks. 07.31.16 As we get older, it gets harder and harder to get the band back together. Not a literal band, of course. We were never a band. But there was a time when we partied like rock stars. Going out on a Tuesday night was the norm; weekends were for amateurs. Then the years came and… Read more →
Modest Mouse / Brand New. Red Rocks. 06.29.16 I have to admit I went into last night’s dual-headlining show with a healthy amount of skepticism. There was a time when Modest Mouse was my absolute favorite rock band, but that time had long since passed. The group from the Pacific Northwest was one of the first truly ‘indie’ bands to… Read more →
Wolf Parade. Bowery Ballroom. 05.21.16 Spencer Krug was enjoying a cigarette as he leaned against a U-Haul trailer in front of Larimer Lounge in Denver, Colorado. It was a cool October evening in 2011. The man responsible for some of the greatest indie rock of the 21st century was traveling the country in a Dodge Caravan; promoting his first full… Read more →
Father John Misty. Ellie Caulkins Opera House. 04.09.16 In the closing song on Father John Misty’s first album, Fear Fun, Joshua Michael Tillman comes close to explaining why he chose to use a pseudonym. “Joseph Campbell and The Rolling Stones couldn’t give me a myth, so I had to write my own,” he complains, before admitting to never liking the… Read more →
Operators. Lost Lake. 04.01.16 It is hard to believe Apologies to the Queen Mary was released over a decade ago. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, but it also feels like I grew up on the dueling voices of Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug. Wolf Parade cemented itself as one of the most important bands in my life, despite first discovery to… Read more →
Into It. Over It. / TWIABP / Pinegrove. Marquis Theatre. 03.25.16 Waiting for an Uber to pick me up at 6:30pm on a Friday night just seemed odd. Was I really going to a show before the sun started to set? Would Pinegrove be worth showing up hours before the headliner was scheduled to perform? Could I even last through… Read more →
2015 was an interesting year in music. I spent time with many releases, across a spectrum of sounds, and I enjoyed every minute of the adventure. That being said, when I tried to define my favorite albums, I found myself in a difficult position. How does someone rank Jason Isbell in association to Grimes? How does Chris Stapleton’s obliteration of the pop country… Read more →
Algiers. Larimer Lounge. 10.03.15 Many words have been written about Algiers since their self-titled debut dropped a few months ago, so I’m not going to spend a lot of time discussing their politics, background, or influences. Anyone reading this is probably fully aware that the band layers gospel, blues and soul over industrial post-punk to create a (slightly volatile) platform… Read more →
Incubus. Deftones. Red Rocks. 08.24.15 Life is full of choices and opportunities. Sometimes the path forward is clear, while other times you just have to trust your gut. There was a time when I was on the road to a career in journalism. My dream was to write for Rolling Stone Magazine. If I couldn’t achieve that lofty goal, I… Read more →
alt-J / TV on the Radio. Red Rocks. 07.27.15 Every Red Rocks show comes with a ‘Rain or Shine’ disclaimer. The 2015 season has seen its share of rain (and wind, and thunder and lightning, and flooding, and downright frigid temperatures), but it has been lacking in the shine department. All of that changed last night. Rain slickers and beanies… Read more →
