Weekend Preview: December 8th – December 11th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. The shows I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

• Baywood “Eat and Greet” @ Illegal Pete’s Lodo – Wanna split a “Big Fish” with the boys in Baywood and hear them play a few songs for free? Here’s your chance! 6PM – 9PM, All Ages, FREE!!!
• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ In The Whale, Wire Faces @ Lazy Dog (Boulder) – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon. No info cuz the Lazy Dog website blows. Probably 9 PM, 21+, and Free if i had to guess.
• Allen Stone w/ The Oak Creek Band, Sam Lee @ Larimer Lounge – 9PM, 21+, $12.
• Hearts in Space w/ Go Star, Bonnie and the Beard, Christ Airs @ Meadowlark Bar – 9PM, 21+, $7.
• Trevor Hall w/ Paper Bird @ Boulder Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $31.50.

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Vices I Admire

• Vices I Admire CD Release Party w/ Take to the Oars, Genre Theory @ Bluebird Theater- Celebrate the release of Vices’ new EP Venom and Fire! 8PM, 16+, $12.
• Baywood w/ The Yawpers, Woodrose @ Larimer Lounge – 10PM, 21+, SOLD OUT.
• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ In The Whale, Wire Faces @ Road 34 (FoCo) – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon. 9 PM, All Ages, $5.
• Reviving Cecilia w/ Popcult, Tommy and the Tangerines @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – Ouch, it hurts to miss this one. 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Seismic Event w/ Common Anomaly, Sleeptalk @ Walnut Room – 7PM, 21+, $10.
• Novus Folium w/ Random Hero, Your Own Medicine, Red Tide Rising, Dimmer Switch @ Marquis Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $10.

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

Monroe Monroe

• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ The Photo Atlas, Caleb Slade featuring Input, In The Whale @ Hi-Dive – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon with this amazing lineup – three bands that made it into the Hometown for the Holidays Top 12! 9PM, 21+, $6.
• Fair to Midland w/ Dead Letter Circus, Aficionado, Glass Delerium @ Marquis Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $14.
• Schism w/ Zeppephilia @ Cervantes’ Other Side – A TOOL cover band and a Led Zeppelin cover band. I’ve never heard Schism, but they have a solid reputation! 9PM, 16+, $14.50.

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

• The Chain Gang of 1974 w/ Hearts in Space, The Royal @ Hi-Dive – If you like the direction Beck is heading lately, plus a healthy dose of 80’s electronica, The Chain Gang of 1974 is for you! 9PM, 18+, $10.
• Baywood BBQ w/ Glowing House, The Maykit, DJ Savior Breath @ Larimer Lounge – In case you missed out on tickets for Friday night’s Baywood Show! 3PM, 21+, $12.
• The B-52’s w/ Sauna @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $40.

Weekend Preview: December 1st – December 4th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. I am totally undecided as to which of these shows to attend… That’s a great position to be in!

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

• Stache Bash Benefit Show featuring Fierce Bad Rabbit w/ The Don’ts and Be Carefuls, Young Cities, and The Outfit @ Hi Dive – A great lineup benefiting the Blue Star Connection organization, which donates their time through the power of music to children and young adults who have cancer and other life threatening situations – 8PM, 21+, $10.
• Churchill w/ You, Me, and Apollo and Danielle Ate The Sandwich @ Hodi’s Half Note (FoCo) – 8PM, 18+, $10.
• Fairchildren @ Lost Lake – The band featuring Meese brothers Nate and Patrick kick of a December residency tonight. 9PM, 21+, $?.
• Set in Motion w/ Gary Bragg Band, Ali Grayson, & Sugar Magnoli @ Toad Tavern (Littleton) – 7 PM, 21+, $?.
• Kid Rock w/ Ty Stone @ Fillmore Auditorium – Upjump the boogie! 7PM, 16+, $47.
• eTown: Big Head Todd and the Monsters w/ Nicole Atkins @ Boulder Theater – 7PM, All Ages, SOLD OUT .

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

• Be The Ant w/ Eldren and Colfax Speed Queen @ Summit Music Hall – I’ve always wanted to see Colfax Speed Queen. Could this be the night? Everybody knows I love Eldren and Be The Ant. 8 PM, 21+, $5.
• Rocket Summer w/ The Heyday @ Marquis Theater – The Heyday?!? Geez, this is a really hard decision! The twenty dollar ticket price is a little steep. 7PM, All Ages, $20.
• Churchill w/ You, Me, and Apollo @ Walnut Room – Then again, I’ve never seen Churchill either… 7PM, 21+, $12.
• The Queers w/ Lola Black, Reno Divorce, Knock-Out, Potato Pirates @ Gothic Theater – 7PM, 16+, $12.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – This is the first of three straight nights at the Ogden Theater, and the only night with available tickets. 8PM, 16+, $30.
• Fire In The Asylum w/Devoutcast, Fire Aweigh, Extreme Turbo Smash @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Hell’s Belles w/ MF Ruckus @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – The premier all-female AC/DC tribute band – 9PM, $18, All Ages.

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

• I Fight Dragons w/ The Photo Atlas and Monroe Monroe @ AF Rays (Greeley) –  Remind me never to accept an invitation to a dinner party on a Saturday ever again! 9PM, 18+, $13.
• Sun Red w/Popcult and Attic Attack @ Meadowlark Lounge – Well, at least I don’t have to try and choose between this show and the I Fight Dragons show! 9PM, 21+, $?.
• El Toro de la Muerte w/ In The Whale, Mercuria and the Gemstars @ Summit Music Hall – 8PM, 21+, $5.
• Achille Lauro w/ Red Fox @ Hi-Dive – Lizzie Huffman had been scheduled to appear, but has canceled due to personal circumstances. 9PM, 21+, $6.
• Mickey Avalon w/ ManCub and Boyhollow @ Bluebird Theater – 9PM, 16+, $25.
• Scott Kelly (Neurosis) w/ Munly (Slim Cessna’s Auto Club) and Bob Wayne @ Hi Dive – 10PM, 18+, $12.
• The Epilogues w/ Common Anomaly and Flashbulb Fires @ Road 34 (FoCo) – 9PM, 21+, $8.
• Colorado Composer Collective featuring Greg Garrison – Five Denver area composers have composed works to feature Leftover Salmon bassist Greg Garrison along with strings and brass. What a cool idea! 8PM, 21+, $13.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, SOLD OUT.
• Me Talk Pretty w/ Madina Lake, Hell or Highwater, and more @ Gothic Theater – 6PM, 16+, $13.

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

• I Fight Dragons w/ SkyFox and Mr. Right – 8PM, 16+, $15.
• Deas Vail w/Sick of Sarah and Now, Now @ Hi Dive – 9PM, 18+, $10.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, SOLD OUT.

Weekend Preview: October 27th – October 31st, 2011

OK, Kids! It’s Halloween weekend! And, since Halloween is on a Monday, here’s a special EXTENDED weekend preview!

Events I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

• Radiation City w/ Popcult and Medic @ Larimer Lounge – That’s a lot of dreamy pop rock for one night! 8:00 PM, 21+, $10.
• Portishead w/ Thought Forms @ 1st Bank Center – Can’t say I’m super familiar with Portishead – but I like everything I’ve heard and I’m sure I will regret not going to this. 8:00PM, All Ages, $40-50.
• Trevor Hall w/ Cas Haley and Rob Drabkin @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $25.
• Tin Horn Prayer w/Jesse Manley Band, …and the black feathers, and Pinetree Refugees @ Walnut Room – 7PM, 21+, $10.

Friday, October 28th, 2011

• Nightmare on Blake Street featuring My Body Sings Electric w/ The Pirate Signal, Eldren and MORE! @ Summit Music Hall – Definitely the “go-to” gig of this Halloween season!!! 7PM, All Ages, $8.
• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and In The Whale @ Belly Up (Aspen) – Killer lineup (if you’re in Aspen or you’re not going to Nightmare on Blake Street). 10PM, All Ages, $15.
• Joe Mondragon and A-OK’s Halloween Zombie Apocalypse Party @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Devotchka w/Churchill @ Ogden Theater – 9PM, 16+, $34.75.
• Skyfox w/ Crimson Red and MORE @ Gothic Theatre – 8PM, 16+, $10.
• Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Boulder Theater – Denson and Tiny Universe featuring Anders Osborne will be performing the Rolling Stones’ classic Sticky Fingers in its entirety! 8PM, All Ages, $36.
• Cold War Kids w/ Young Man @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – The same lineup at the same time on Saturday night too! 9PM, All Ages, $25.

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and The Photo Atlas @ Black Sheep (Colorado Springs) – 8PM, All Ages, $10.
• Denver Does CBGB’s @ Hi-Dive – Several of Denver’s elite bands pay tribute to the bands who got their start at the legendary NYC rock club CBGB’s – 9PM, 21+, $10.
• Reno Divorce w/ The Repercussions and MORE @ Marquis Theater – 4 out of 5 punk rockers agree: If you like Social Distortion – you’ll like Reno Divorce. 7:30 PM, All Ages, $12.
• Devotchka w/ Zombies vs Vampires @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 21+, $42.
• MiMOSa @ Fillmore Auditorium – 7PM, 16+, $35.
• De La Soul w/ The Black Sheep @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – 9PM, All Ages, $34.50

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and My Body Sings Electric @ Aggie Theater (Fort Collins) – 8PM, All Ages, $10
• The Motet @ Bluebird Theater – Boulder’s best funk tribute band performs the music of The Grateful Dead. 9PM, 16+, $25
• Method Man @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $30.

Monday, October 31st, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues, Monroe Monroe, and ManCub @ Bluebird Theatre – Are you fucking kidding me with this lineup?!?!?! 8PM, 16+, $15.
• Inca House Halloween Party – The official Air Dubai after party featuring performances by The Photo Atlas (as Def Leppard) and Cobraconda (as Dr Dre and Snoop Dog).
• Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Fillmore Auditorium – Denson and Tiny Universe featuring Anders Osborne will be performing the Rolling Stones’ classic Sticky Fingers in its entirety! 7PM, 16+, $25.

Weekend Preview: October 20th – October 23rd, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. Events I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

• Authority Zero w/ No Bueno, Trenchtown, Allout Helter @ Marquis Theater – 7 PM, All Ages, $15.
• Matt Nathanson w/ Scars on 45 @ Ogden Theater – 7PM, 16+, $28.

Friday, October 21st, 2011

• The Heyday w/ The Yawpers @ Larimer Lounge – 9PM, 21+, $8.
• All Capitals CD Release w/ Vices I Admire, Izcalli, and Ciela del Alma @ Hi-Dive – 8 PM, 21+, $6.
• Places @ Baker Street Pub (Boulder) – 8 PM, All Ages, FREEEEE!!!
• Gregory Alan Isakov w/ Fairchildren @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – SOLD OUT
• Rocky Votolato & Matt Pond PA w/ Caleb Slade @ Marquis Theater – 8 PM, All Ages, $15.
• Down & Derby Roller Disco featuring Cobraconda DJ Set @ EXDO Event Center – 9 PM, 18+, $5 w/ RSVP
• Trentmoller w/ Xylos @ Ogden Theater – 9PM, 16+, $25.
• Robert Randolph and The Family Band w/ The Sheepdogs @ Bluebird Theater – 8 PM, All Ages, $31.

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

Popcult (Photo by Luca Venter)

• Popcult w/ Sun Red @ Illegal Pete’s Downtown – 10 PM, All Ages, FREEEEEE!!!
• Wednesday 13 w/ Glass Delirium, Vampires Everywhere!, and Polkadot Cadaver @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – 8PM, 16+, $15.
• March Fourth Marching Band w/ A Tom Collins @ Gothic Theater – 8PM, 16+, $17.
• Robert Randolph and The Family Band w/ The Sheepdogs @ Bluebird Theater – 9 PM, 16+, $35.
• Five Finger Death Punch w/ All That Remains, Hatebreed, and Rains @ 1st Bank Center – 7PM, All Ages, $35.

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

• “The Shining” Movie @ Gothic Theater – 7PM, 16+, FREEEEE!!
• Eve 6 w/ Nine Days, and Places @ Glenn Miller Ballroom (Boulder) – 7:30 PM, All Ages, Free with advance ticket.
• Yngwie Malmsteen w/ Drug Under @ Bluebird Theater – 8PM, 16+, $35.

Weekend Preview: October 6th – October 9th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. Events I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

• Vices I Admire w/ Take To The Oars and In The Whale @ Brick House Boulder – I love ALL of these guys musically and personally, so this was a no-brainer! Plus it’s free and that just makes the music taste better. 10 PM, 21+, FREE
• WAVES w/ The Photo Atlas, Popcult, and Shaky Molars @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – It hurts to miss this show, but there’s only one of me and I can use the 15 bucks for booze at Brick House. Way it goes… 8:30 PM, 16+, $15
• Chromeo w/ Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ Boulder Theater – Personally, I wasn’t all that impressed with Chromeo at the Westword Music Showcase. But, Mayer Hawthorne would be worth the price of admission (if the price of admission wasn’t $43.25! GEEZ!). 9PM, All Ages, $43.25
• Minus the Bear w / The Velvet Teen @ Summit Music Hall – 7:30 PM, All Ages, $22.

Friday, October 7th, 2011

• Inca House 1st Friday Party Featuring Petals Of Spain and Izcalli @ Inca House – The 2nd installment of a new monthly tradition! If you have to ask where it is, you’re not resourceful enough. Parking is EXTREMELY limited, so ride a bike and add it to the bike tree! 10 PM, All Ages, Entry and Beer are free, but cups cost money (no outside cups!).
• The Marrow w/ Jen Korte, Sarah Slaton, and Glowing House @ The Walnut Room – Sarah is my new bestest buddy, and I was knocked out by Glowing House when I saw them open for John Common. 7 PM, 21+, $8.
• Della w/ The Say So, Forget Me Not, and We Were Cosmonauts @ Gothic Theater – Celebrate Della’s release of their new video! 8 PM, 16+, $12.
• Yeah Great Fine w/ Mr. Right and Polcult @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – I’m not sure if this is Ultra 5280’s first concert production, but best wishes to Robert Castro and crew! 9 PM, 16+, $5
• Filthy T w/Calling Out West, YOM, Fairgrounds @ Bluebird Theater – 8:30 PM, 16+, $12
• Switchfoot w/ Anberlin @ Boulder Theater (SOLD OUT)
• Chromeo w/ Sammy Bananas, Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ Ogden Theater – 9 PM, 16+, $35.
• Lupe Fiasco @ Fillmore Auditorium – 8 PM. 16+, $46.50

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

• The Epilogues w/ The Photo Atlas @ Wahoo’s Fish Tacos (Fort Collins) – I’ve discovered that most Denver bands work for food. 4 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• Yeah Great Fine w/ The Photo Atlas and The Cold North @ Brick House Boulder – Apparently, The Photo Atlas prepares for their tours by scheduling 2-a-days! 10 PM, 21+, FREE!
• Bowling Ball 3 @ Luck Strikes Lane – Help raise money for Flobots.org to help empowering the youth of Denver by hanging out with Devotchka, The Flobots, and members of the Colorado Rapids. Performances by local artists including Churchill. 6 PM, All Ages, $100.
• Chris Heckman (of The Epilogues) w/ Andy Thomas (of Tin Horn Prayer) @ Illegal Pete’s Downtown – Burritos, tacos, and nachos, oh my! 10 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• X @ Summit Music Hall – The legendary L.A. punk band will be performing their debut album Los Angeles in its entirety and other classic punk/surf tunes! 8 PM, All Ages, $29.50.
• Places w/ Canopy @ Herman’s Hideaway – 8 PM, 21+, $8
• Supersuckers w/ Reno Divorce @ Bluebird Theater – 9 PM, 16+, $20

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

• FOO FIGHTERS w/ Cage The Elephant @ Pepsi Center – ‘Nuff said. 7 PM, All Ages, $44.50
• Airborne Toxic Event w/ The Epilogues @ Fillmore Auditorium – Go support Denver’s Epilogues as they play their first show ever at the Fillmore! 7 PM, 16+, $32.50
• The Misfits w/ Juicehead @ Summit Music Hall – 7 PM, All Ages, $17.50

Weekend Preview: September 22 – 25, 2011

Here’s what’s coming up this weekend!  The shows I plan on attending are in RED.

Thursday, September 22nd

• Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk w/Zobomaze @ Cervante’s Other Side: I’m a sucker for New Orleans funk, and Ivan is Aaron Neville’s son and the nephew to the other Neville Brothers. They have 2 bass players, and you know how much I like a big bottom (just seeing if you’re paying attention)! Zobomaze is a local band that plays pscyhedelic, mostly instrumental funk. 8 PM, All Ages, $20 DOS.
• Fruit Bats w/Vetiver & Fairchildren @ Bluebird Theater: The Fruit Bats and Vetiver are folk/rock label-mates on Sub Pop Records. They will both also be performing free sets at Twist & Shout Records starting at 6 PM. Denver’s own Fairchildren (featuring members of Miss America and The Centennial) will kick things off at The Bluebird. 8 PM, 16+, $15
• Gomez w/Kopecky Family & Greylag @ Ogden Theatre: 8 PM, 16+, $28

Friday, September 23rd

• Serious Moonlight w/Popcult @ Illegal Pete’s DU: The next Illegal Pete’s tour kicks off with two seriously awesome up-and-coming acts. Serious Moonlight is an American act who’s usual live lineup features all four members of The Photo Atlas plus Cooper on the steel guitar and AtticAttak’s Donnie Rosentrater on keys. Popcult features former members of Chain Gang of 1974 and Fear Before (The March of Flames) and play polished dreamy pop tunes. 10 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• Steve Earl & The Dukes @ Ogden Theatre: 8 PM, 16+, $30
• The Dwarves w/ Nashville Pussy @ Bluebird Theater: 8 PM, 16+, $20

Saturday, September 24th

• John Common & Blinding Light w/ Eldren and Glowing House @ Soiled Dove Underground: Wow, what a lineup! John Common’s lush, emotional pop songs remind me a lot of  Damien Rice’s work with Lisa Hannigan, especially when Common harmonizes with Jess DeNicola. You all know how I feel about Eldren and their ability to be the “Next Big Thing”. Denver’s Glowing House gets the party started with stomp-along folk-rock. 8 PM, 21+, $10-15
• Serious Moonlight w/Popcult @ Illegal Pete’s Pearl Street Boulder: 10 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• Come As You Are: A Tribute to the 20th Anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind @ Hi-Dive: $8 PM, 21+, $8
• Big Sam Funky Nation w/ Ultraviolet Hippopotamus @ Cervante’s Other Side: 9 PM, All Ages, $10
• Low w/ Mercuria and the Gemstars @ Bluebird Theater: 9 PM, 16+, $20
• Slim Cessna’s Auto Club w/ Old Man Markley @ 3 Kings Tavern: 9 PM, 21+, $12

Sunday, September 25th

• Blue October w/ IAMDYNAMITE and Ashleigh Stone @ Ogden Theatre: 8 PM, 16+, $35
• Candlebox w/ Cowboy Mouth @ Bluebird Theater: 7:30 PM, 16+, $35
• Periphery w/The Textures and The Human Abstract @ Marquis Theater: 7:30 PM, All Ages, $12

Concert Review: Melissa McIntyre’s Big Night; Popcult

Melissa McIntyre

There’s no shortage of people in their 30’s, 40’s, or even 50’s who cling to dreams of rock stardom. Just spend a few hours at one of the dozen open mic nights that take place around town and you’ll find them in spades.  But rarely do you find someone who just decided to pick up a guitar at 30 and write songs that has as much talent as Melissa McIntyre. Her Soundcloud page reveals a knack for writing engaging (no pun intended) guitar/bass/vocal songs. Her voice is particularly pretty when used at a lower range and slow tempo, such as in the Mazzy Star inspired “I Don’t Wanna Ask”.

There were upwards of 30 people – family, friends, and fans – on hand to see her performance in the Summit Music Hall lounge on Thursday night. McIntyre seemed nervous and at times it was evident in her performance. A little guitar mistake here, a little voice break there. She seemed much more comfortable when her guitar teacher (and frontman of The Epilogues) Chris Heckman joined her on stage for a duet of “Lost My Way”. For her final song, she broke out a brand-new one. Usually, this is not a very good idea and unfortunately it was not quite ready for prime time. I know if I was in her shoes, I would have preferred to decompress on one of the Summit’s leather sofa’s following a nerve-wracking set.  But, this was not in the cards for Melissa. Her boyfriend Justin proposed to her on-stage at the end of her set. She said “yes”.

Melissa has talent. This was the first time I had seen her perform, so I don’t have any basis for comparison. For all I know, nerves have never been a problem for her. Maybe as she looked out at the sea of her family and friends, she got an inkling of what was to follow and she got rattled. I’ll find out next time, because I’d be happy to see her perform again those songs again. You can follow her journey too on Facebook.

Popcult

Speaking of talent, where in the hell did Popcult come from?!? Fresh out of high school, Justin Renaud and Tyler Venter somehow managed to hook up with Chain Gang of 1974 earlier in the year for a short tour including a stop at SXSW. Then, they went up into the mountains near Fairplay and pumped out an EP’s worth of Coldplay-inspired tracks that benefit greatly from the production, mixing, and engineering talents of Matt Wilcox (who also recently co-produced American Tomahawk’s CD). Thursday night’s show at the Larimer Lounge was only their fourth live performance as a band, which also features bassist Alex Halvorson and former Fear Before (The March of Flames) drummer Brandon Proff.

There were supposed to be four bands playing, with Popcult as the headliner. Given that the show was supposed to start at 9 PM, I figured Popcult wouldn’t hit the stage until at least 11:00 PM. Big mistake. They started at 10:00 PM and I was only able to catch two songs. I might have been treated to a third song, as the crowd really wanted an encore. But, Renaud charmingly admitted they didn’t know any more songs. Why the early set? Maybe it had to do with the fact that Renaud and Venter are only 19 and were playing a gig that they would be too young to actually attend. Maybe it had to do with a shakeup of the schedule – Young Cities had been expected to play, but that never materialized. In any event, Popcult appears to be capable of living up to the promise of their EP. It was one of the best “sounding” performances by a 4-piece pop/rock band I’d heard at Larimer Lounge – comparable to their recorded versions. The mix at Larimer can get overwhelmingly loud, but Popcult’s music allowed for a less aggressive mix. Yeah, they are going to continue to get dogged by Coldplay comparisons. But is it really so bad to be compared to your heroes who have been writing hit songs for over 10 years when you’ve only been doing it for a few months?

You can find Popcult on Facebook and download their EP for free at http://www.popcultband.com.

Weekend Preview: September 9 -11, 2011

Thursday, September 8th

• Open Mic Night @ The Summit Music Hall – Melissa McIntyre is performing at around 9:30 and Chris Heckman from The Epilogues will join her for a song!  Plus no cover and $1 PBR’s!  21+
• Serious Moonlight @ Lazy Dog/Brick House – An indie-folk band featuring members of The Photo Atlas. 21+, Free(?)
• Paper Bird @ The Boulder Theater – Paper Bird is one of Colorado’s best Americana bands. All Ages, $17.50 – $19.50 (Under 21)
• PopCult @ Larimer Lounge – Fans of The Fray/Coldplay will love these guys. 21+. $10
• My Darkest Days @ Marquis Theater – Canadian rock for strippers. All Ages, $15
• King Rat @ Bender’s Tavern – Denver’s godfathers of punk. 21+, $10
• STS9 @ Ogden Theater – SOLD OUT

Friday, September 9th

• Back to School Bash w/ Regret Night, Kill Paradise, The Photo Atlas, Caramel Carmela, and Break Through Beautiful – This is the only thing worth going to on Friday night.  Trust me! All Ages, $10
• STS9 @ Red Rocks – The first of a 2-night stand. All Ages, $52

Saturday, September 10th

• DMX @ Gothic Theater – 16+, $35 ($40 D.O.S.)
• MSTRKRFT @ Ogden Theater – 16+, $25 ($30 D.O.S.)
• Justice League of Street Food’s Fall Helmet Bash @ 3507 Ringsby Ct – Denver’s best food trucks gather for a party including entertainment and booze from 5-10 PM. Wear a hat or helmet! All Ages.

Sunday, September 11th

• The Epilogues w/ Aloft in the Sundry, Be Brave, and Petals of Spain @ Hi-Dive – If you don’t come, the terrorists win. 18+, $6 (Are you kidding me! That’s a great deal!)