Anthony Kiedis, Point Break (1991).Not all cameos are equally coveted: A good cameo creates an undeniable rush (I know that person!) that widens the eyes and forces the viewer to blurt out the musician’s name when he or she appears on the big screen, like Anthony Kiedis in Point Break…
I had to go alone. I mean, it was partially by choice — I had an extra ticket, but I was too embarrassed to ask anyone if they wanted to go with me. Ultimately, I went to Summit Music Hall last night to see Metro Station by myself because I…
It’s been a busy month for the Department of Music at Metropolitan State University. Its accreditation was renewed by the National Association of Schools of Music, and it added a new Jazz and American Improvised Music Performance concentration (also accredited). We interviewed Peter Schimpf, associate professor and chair of the…
In the mid-2000s, guitarist Enrique Jimenez was playing outside the usual circuit of rock clubs and DIY spaces in town, on stages in northwest Aurora and southwest Denver. And that exploratory spirit has benefited his current band, Altas. Formerly known as Panal S.A. de C.V., Jimenez formed the band with…
“Everyone else in my family was an addict, and I was an addict of creativity, and that saved my life,” says rapper Jericho Son of None. He’s been active in the Denver hip-hop community for years, spending time in a group called Educated Figures. He now teaches history and geography…
Photo by Danny Clinch/Sony LegacyNas in 1994.By Ian S. Port One rhyme in particular crystallizes the genius of Nas’ 1994 classic, Illmatic. It comes in the song “One Love,” which takes the form of a letter to a friend in prison: “Congratulations, you know you got a son,” Nas raps…
Courtesy of ATO RecordsBy Roy Kasten Onstage — his hair whipping like a battlefield banner, his piano splintering, his gnarled voice bellowing and his band crushing out something like rock, something like the blues — J. Roddy Walston is surely a force, but not really a force of nature, as…
Iceage (due this Sunday, October 26, at the Hi-Dive) from Copenhagen, Denmark made a splash when it first started playing in the U.S.A. over three years ago. Synthesizing the raw energy of hardcore with the moodiness of post-punk, Iceage was and still is an electrifying live act. Even then, though,…
Oko Tygra is one of the Denver bands representing the Mile High City at this year’s CMJ in New York City. The group is slated to play at Niagra on Wednesday, October 22. For a group that started in March 2014, getting selected for CMJ is certainly an achievement. For…
Every week, we get thousands of notifications on Facebook, and because our lives are privileged and lonely, we pay attention to them. Everyone has commented on everything. It is everybody’s birthday today. Everyone but you has had a baby and is also celebrating their four year anniversary with a decent…
As part of his first ever American arena tour, British singer-songwriter Sam Smith stops at the 1STBANK Center on Monday, January 26. Tickets ($35-$75) go on sale on Friday, October 24 at 10 a.m. A reunited Sleater-Kinney, who just announced its first new album in ten years is due in…
[jump] Editor’s note: Each week, illustrator Noah Van Sciver shares his ongoing story of an 80’s rocker on a road trip through his past with the readers of Backbeat. You can see more of Van Sciver’s work in his new book YOUTH IS WASTED. Last Week’s Episode of Rufus Baxter…
The undisputed heavyweight champion of grunge, Pearl Jam, makes a stop in Denver this week. There will be some pop punk in Colorado Springs and some jazz in Golden. And more! The rest of our picks follow…
This edition of Concrete Mixer found a rare showing and audience at Newman Center for the Performing Arts for the Convocation for the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. Past editions of this event featuring live musique concrète have been held at The Walnut Room because of…
When Isaiah “Ikey” Owens passed away last week, the musician and producer left behind a massive legacy. Most recently the Long Beach, California native was on tour playing keyboards and piano with Jack White — but he was also a member and founder of Free Moral Agents and was known…
Saturday was a night of firsts at Hamsterdam. It was the first live show from Hippies Wearing Muzzles, the mostly modular synth project from Lee Evans, better known as the bass player in Kissing Party. It was probably the first cross-country performance art, found sound and lattice poem collaboration show…
The Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon returns to Denver this weekend with a new route. You can see it in the map above or in much more detail on the marathon’s web site. As usual, there will be a slew of local bands along the course — this year, there are…
The Rock and Roll Marathon will prevent you from driving anywhere in downtown Denver tomorrow, with a roster of athletes stuffed with several hundred extras who couldn’t run the canceled Boulder marathon a few weeks ago. Embrace it and cheer them on near one of the several stages, where bands…
John Stevens Jr started writing songs at age 15 to try and process the death of a friend. He’s been playing music in Indiana for 30 years, but it wasn’t until he sat down at his kitchen table early this year with the intent to make his friends laugh that…
Photo by Helge Øverås via Wikimedia CommonsIf we’re being completely honest, power ballads are responsible for some of the most resonant music-listening experiences in the entire world. They’re a beautiful blend of sentiment and obviousness, a band willfully becoming emotionally available. Everybody makes fun of the power ballad, because sometimes…
Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon has a story made for viral success: The former rugby player runs an anomaly of a town surrounded on all sides by Denver with his strip-club-owner wife, Debbie Matthews, not so subtly at his side. Now he’s running for governor as an independent candidate on a…
Red Rocks hosted the last concerts of its regular concert series a little over a week ago, signaling the official end of the summer concert season in Colorado. This week on the Backbeat blog, we’re looking back at some of our favorite shows of 2014’s warmest months. Note that we…
