Blog Archives

Cold War Kids

5/8/11
Denver, CO
Ogden Theater
Map of Colorado, USA
2.5 Stars
Serviceable but forgetable. I bought my ticket to this one on the love of “Hang Me Up To Dry” alone. I love that song. Every other song they played: not so much. I know these guys can rock but I just wasn’t feeling it. Setlist


Tags: , , , ,

Doves

5/26/09
Englewood, CO
Gothic Theatre
Map of Denver, Colorado
2 Stars
Earth-bound disappointment. The thing I admire about Doves’ music, like the best psychedelic indie rock being made today, is its ability to envelope you and take you to extraordinary worlds outside your imagination. It surprises you. There was nothing surprising or otherworldly about this show: not the stage set, not the weak projected visuals, and certainly not the performances. The bassist, the primary vocalist on the best songs of their catalog, could barely be bothered to acknowledge the crowd or the fact he had a stage to work with beyond his mike stand. And the live vocals by the other two in the band, brothers, were god-awful. I’ve pored over every note these guys have committed to tape … but their live show just didn’t measure up. Setlist


Tags: , , , ,

Oasis

12/8/08
Broomfield, CO
Broomfield Event Center
Map of Colorado, USA
2.5 Stars
Thrill is gone? I saw Oasis once prior to this show so I knew to expect an aloof band of “brothers” performing as though they had somewhere better to be. That show had an energy to it that this one was lacking. Some variables weighed on me this night — I’m not a fan of the venue, there was a blizzard outside — but I think it just comes down to the fact that Oasis, live anyway, fail to live up to their own hype. They’ve got the songs; I just wanna see them lay it all out there for their fans. Setlist


Tags: , , , , ,

Smashing Pumpkins

12/5/08
Denver, CO
Ogden Theater
Map of Colorado, USA
2 Stars
Skronky and indulgent. Look, Billy Corgan can do whatever the fuck he wants—it’s his band—but I do expect some level of audience catering if I buy a ticket. Not a hits show, just the stuff he knows we like. No one in this audience was asking for the aimless, 20-minute Pink Floyd cover we got toward the end of this show, or any of the other sub-par, post-Machina originals. It was saved by the terrific guitar crunch and the thrill of finally seeing one of my most beloved rock drummers, Jimmy Chamberlain, live for the first time, but I’ll never again buy a ticket to see these Pumpkins. Setlist


Tags: , , , , ,

Monolith Festival

Vampire Weekend

Silversun Pickups

Blitzen Trapper

The Photo Atlas

9/13/08
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Map of Colorado, USA
2.5 Stars
Lots to see. The love the folks that curate this festival have for indie rock is obvious; just look at the lineups they get for this thing. During the day I attended I elected to wander the Visitor Center’s conference rooms occupied by smaller indie bands like Blitzen Trapper and Denver’s The Photo Atlas, a hyperactive, sweaty punk band that are just fucking great. Nighttime brought out larger dance acts like Cut Copy and Justice but I was there to see Vampire Weekend who, at the time, were just starting to blow up and really get my attention.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,