Guitarist Tony Pacello was sixteen years old when he met drummer Jeff Jani and bassist Hunter Roberts, both fourteen at the time, at a contest sponsored by 103.5/The Fox. They had each won spots to perform in a seven-piece sixteen-and-under band. After that group dissolved, the three stuck together and…
Formerly the Running Wild Band, the members of Big Motif started out while they were in high school as a trio playing blues and blues rock. During the past five years, they’ve morphed into more of a funk jam band, added saxophonist Sam Crowe and changed their name. While all…
The Ballpark neighborhood is in the middle of its annual spring cleaning in anticipation of the Colorado Rockies’ opening day, just two weeks away. But this year, there’s less to clean up, since the infamous Bash closed late last year. Also gone since last season: Lizard’s, Blues on Blake, Club…
When Star Bar at 2137 Larimer Street received a liquor-code violation late last year, it had to close from January 1 to March 1, and the future looked dim for the last surviving saloon from the days when this area was Denver’s Skid Row. But new owners just took over…
Phish, which kicks off its summer tour in June, is slated to play back-to-back dates at Telluride Town Park on Monday and Tuesday, August 9 and 10. An online ticket request period is currently underway and ends March 26. After that, tickets go on sale to the general public starting…
Flobots’ Survival Story, released last week on Universal Republic, grabbed the top spot at Albums on the Hill, while coming in second behind Ludacris’ Battle of the Sexes at Independent Records. Gorillaz’s Plastic Beach was also a strong seller for the week ending March 21. See the full breakdown after…
While there is no doubt that Neil Young is multifaceted, two distinct personas emerge when he performs live. During his acoustic ballads, there’s a fragility and just a hint of crackle in his voice. And on the rockers, he is a performer of ferociousness and raw power…
In its ten years of existence, the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts has seen some 600 teenagers participate in its programs, camps and workshops. Fourteen Channels, the organization’s latest release, features two different groups — the Dominant 7 and the Jazz Arts Messengers — that comprise members of the…
Robert Glasper’s latest Blue Note effort, Double Booked, shows just how well the pianist straddles the jazz and hip-hop worlds. On the first half of the disc, Glasper flexes his jazz chops within the confines of an acoustic trio setting, cutting through four brilliant originals before diving into the angular…
When the Continental Club opened at 475 Santa Fe Drive in early 2008, it showed a lot of promise, and quickly became our Best New Bar in that year’s Best of Denver issue. The Continental closed within the year, though, and was replaced by One Eyed Jacks last January. And…
Once of Denver’s best dives, Len & Bill’s Lounge at 2301 South Broadway, suddenly went dark two weeks ago — after fifty years in business. Jerry Morris, who owns the Dirty Duck Bar (4780 East Evans Avenue), says he considered buying Len & Bill’s, but when he figured out how…
Robert Glasper’s latest Blue Note effort, Double Booked, shows just how well the pianist straddles the jazz and hip-hop worlds. While he flexes his jazz chops within the confines of an acoustic trio setting during the first half of the disc, he delves into more forward thinking hip-hop territory influenced…
What a difference a year makes. The last time Lady Gaga was in town she played the Gothic. When she comes back to town on Wednesday, July 28, she’ll be headlining the Pepsi Center. No word yet on when tickets when go on sale, but when they do, they’ll run…
On Plastic Beach, the Gorillaz first release since 2005’s Demon Days, frontman Damon Albarn recruited a hell of a guest line-up, from Lou Reed and the Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon to Mos Def, Bobby Womack and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The album, which was released last week on…
After seven years at 2401 Blake Street, the Blake Street Tavern is moving a block south — to 2301 Blake, into a storied space that’s held everything from 23 Parish to Polly Esther’s to Club 303. Chris Fuselier, the tavern’s owner, says he hopes to have everything in place by…
Since the ’80s, the space at 2301 Blake Street has seen quite a few club incarnations. As 23 Parish and The Garage, bands like Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Jane’s Addiction played there. Since then, it’s been Gate 12, Polly Esther’s and, most recently, Club 303, which was open from January…
When the Continental Club opened at 475 Santa Fe Drive in early 2008, it showed a lot of promise, and quickly became our Best New Bar in that year’s Best of Denver. The Continental closed within the year, though, and was replaced by One Eyed Jacks last January. And although…
After Brian Haddad and David Weiss bought The Border, a University of Denver hangout for more than three decades, they didn’t waste any time. They closed the deal on a Friday in late January, brought in a lot of people to clean the joint over the weekend, and had all…
On the back cover of Thompson Blues, Dan Allen’s latest album, there’s a photo of Allen holding a stack of Jim Thompson novels. While this might be intriguing for fans of the crime-fiction writer, who wrote some gritty, tough-ass books like The Killer Inside Me, The Getaway and The Grifters,…
Some guitarists borrow from the Hendrix canon, while others simply absorb his music through osmosis. Either way, there’s probably not a guitarist alive who wasn’t affected by the music of Jimi Hendrix in some way. Joe Satriani has said that although he can play every one of Hendrix’s songs, out…
After Brian Haddad and David Weiss bought The Border, a University of Denver hangout for more than three decades, they didn’t waste any time. They closed the deal on a Friday in late January, brought in a lot of people to clean the joint over the weekend, and had all…
Between touring, backing up Booker T. on his Grammy-nominated album Potato Hole, releasing a live disc and a collection of b-sides and recording a new album, the Drive-By Truckers have been pretty damn busy. Next week, the band releases its tenth album, its first on ATO Records, The Big To-Do,…
