Seventeen years ago in September, the iconic American rock band the Grateful Dead announced a well-thought but difficult decision. Without their fallen band mate Jerry Garcia, who had passed that August, they would not be able to continue touring as the band Grateful Dead. It was a tough choice to make as certain band members were divided about what should become of their future tours or even the possibility of continuing without Jerry.

I spent the better part of the year after college graduation driving around my hometown, fretting, blasting Pedro the Lion’s “Options.” The powerful, simple chords resonated within my bones and the lyrics spoke to me on an entirely different level. Control, the album that hosts “Options,” turned 10 years old recently, so David Bazan and his band hit the road to give the album the recognition it deserves.

The whole Indie phenomenon is what really keeps me generally detached from mainstream popular music. Something never cliqued with me about bands like Radiohead or Arcade Fire. And not that those particular acts would self-apply their music as “indie”, as it usually seems that its listeners that apply the label. Maybe it's the very concept of straying from what was previously donned as hip becoming the new hip.

Honing their chops each Tuesday evening for a full year at the famed Denver jamband venue Quixote's, Denver based quintet Whiskey Tango became known as a "must-see live" type of band.  Much of the group's show is based around live improvisation, and attempting to convey this energy and passion to an album has proved troublesome for many bands tagged with this phrase; however, the band's much anticipated debut release Groggy Mountain Mornings is a pr

The Colorado Jazz scene has always been active, but never really definitive. Denver and Boulder have few actual jazz venues (thank god for Dazzle Jazz) and most of the renowned artists that tour through choose mid-sized theatres, performing arts centers, or even laid back dives as their outlet. Since our music culture is so welcoming and lets face it, who wouldn’t want to tour through our beautiful state, we get some of the hottest names in Jazz touring through and giving their all to Rocky Mountain audiences.

In an ever-changing music industry musicians and producers alike must learn to adapt to new sounds, trends, and styles to stay relevant. Nobody knows this more than longtime beat master and hip-hop veteran DJ Muggs, whose illustrious career has helped solidify himself a position as one of the utmost pioneers in hip-hop music today. Muggs began deejaying back in 1985 and started to build a reputation as one of the premier DJ’s of his time.

In a town that prides itself on a diverse music and arts scene it comes to no surprise to see a band like Good Gravy rise from the mix. With bluegrass roots combined with eclectic jams, this 5 piece groups creates a warm, welcoming sound that invites the crowd to get down on the dance floor. Although the roots of this group are imbedded in bluegrass, Good Gravy dissolves boundaries playing a mix of jam rock, jazz, funk and psychedelic grooves.

Combining the sounds of 90’s dance progressive house with modern age electro has given singer/songwriter/producer Brian Suarez quite a reputation in the electronic music today. Catch Allies for Everyone live and you will see him combine forces with Arvin Ajamian to form a synth-heavy wonderland of beats and bass. Eclectic pop music with a twist, Allies For Everyone blends the roots of house music with today’s modern feel of electro house.

2012 saw the release of critically acclaimed album A Thing Called Divine Fits, by what, ostensibly, could be called a “super-group.”  Divine Fits is the new project comprised of Britt Daniel (Spoon), Dan Boeckner (Handsome Furs/Wolf Parade), Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks) and keyboardist Alex Fische.

The Lee Boys are the finest “sacred steel” ensembles I’ve ever had the pleasure to see. Within just a few notes, I and everyone I was with for the evening knew The Lee Boys had something special happening.  The band members include three brothers, Alvin Lee , Derrick Lee and Keith Lee.  They are joined by their nephews Roosevelt ‘The Doctor” Collier, Alvin Cordy Jr., and Earl Walker.