What we’re all listening to right now

Music is life — or at least it is for us. When we’re not writing about it, we’re thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be…

Murder by Death at the Stanley Hotel, 1/18/14

MURDER BY DEATH at THE STANLEY HOTEL | 1/18/14 Most shows in Colorado are easy to get to, even if you head up to the Belly Up in Aspen. But with the flood-damaged highways leading up to Estes Park, with one particular stretch narrowed to just one lane with each…

The best concerts in Denver this week

WEDS | JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE at PEPSI CENTER | 1/22/14 Last year was a busy one for Justin Timberlake. For starters, the pop god released The 20/20 Experience, his first album in seven years, and despite its profusion of six-minute-plus songs and baroque flourishes, the album was a huge hit –…

The complete 2014 Backbeat bucket list

Since the start of the new year, we’ve been filling our four blogs — Show and Tell, Backbeat, Cafe Society and the Latest Word — with a Colorado bucket list of the 100 things to do before you kick it. Here is the complete 2014 Backbeat bucket list. See also:…

The best EDM in Denver this weekend

SAT| JUSTIN JAY at VINYL | 1/18/14 There’s a certain freshness that newcomers bring to any scene they infiltrate, especially if they grew up in a completely different era. That’s exactly what Jay is doing for house music. The teenager, who isn’t even old enough to drink in some of…

Six people to avoid when forming a band

All illustrations by Dave Watt Being in a band is hard. Assembling a band is almost impossible. As anyone who’s been through a few bands can tell you, meeting a self-proclaimed “musician” should instill about as much enthusiasm in you as meeting someone who is going to college for a…

The best concerts in Denver this weekend

FRI-SUN | MURDER BY DEATH at STANLEY HOTEL | 1/17-1/19 When Murder by Death first formed in Bloomington, Indiana, nearly fifteen years ago under the name Little Joe Gould, the outfit was somewhat of an anomaly, as the whole chamber-pop phenomenon hadn’t happened yet — and wouldn’t for another five…

Backbeat’s 2014 Colorado bucket list: #15-6

What are the hundred things everyone should do in Colorado before they die? We posed this question to our writers and editors, and over the next week, we’ll be rolling out the answers across our blogs. Check back on tomorrow for the full list — and in the meantime, feel…

Ten reasons I love Lil B, and why you should, too!

I’m a huge Lil B fan. Now I wouldn’t call myself a Stan — although that would probably be entirely accurate — but that’s only because I don’t reference my love for Lil B in the context of other rappers’ songs. That would be an affront to The BasedGod. Lil…

What we’re all listening to right now

Music is life — or at least it is for us. When we’re not writing about it, we’re thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be…