Rearview: The Week in Review (8/23/08-8/29/08)

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Axl Rose is displeased that people are actually hearing the long-fabled Chinese Democracy

Here's a handy list of all the great content you might have missed this week while you were avidly following the story of the blogger who was arrested for leaking tracks from the Guns 'N Roses Chinese Democracy album and scouring your own blog for tracks that might send you to the big house...

Mile High Makeout: Riding that "Train" again

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The Roches.

Earlier this week, my ex-wife and I were chatting about music, and she asked me who sang a particular song. All she could remember were the first few words: “We are Maggie and Terre and Suzzy.”

“Oh, that’s the Roches,” I said. “From the self-titled album.” She had heard something that reminded her of that song, which I used to play a lot when we were married, on a scratchy, old, vinyl copy.

“I’d love to hear that,” she said, so I went out and acquired a digital copy to share with her. I’ve been wanting to replace my vinyl with digital anyway (I know, I know. Don’t start with me), so it was a good excuse.

Tags: Eryc Eyl, Roches

Friday Rap-Up: Nyke Nitti, Dr. Dre, The Game, DMX

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Nyke Nitti gets in where he fits in.

LOCALS ONLY

Nyke Nitti (formerly Nyke Loc) has been putting in work in the local scene for over a decade. His biggest project came around 2000, with the release of Mob Life on his Str8 Check’n imprint. The album scored a solid distribution deal to more than 25 states and garnered attention from The Source and Murder Dog magazines. Based off the attention, Nyke was steadily selling CDs and was able tour and stay on the road. But then everything fell through.

“Our distribution company filed bankruptcy,” Nyke says. “We never received a check from the distribution company, there was little stock left of the album, and with really no budget to regroup, the album kind of fizzled out. It was a great album, but with any album with no promotion, that ass is gone. Then a few of my business partners got caught up in some illegal activities which landed them in jail for an extended stay. This left just me and my little brother Moheat, who was growing and getting better at producing. My producer Zaboo was locked up, along with a couple of my guys, which then put all the weight on me. I had to put together my own studio from scratch!”

Because of Nyke’s hustle, he was able to release a compilation, Mobb Muzik, featuring Julox, Innerstate Ike, Dai Dai, Dragon E, and other local artists, and an album called The Laundrymat. While Nyke was trying to secure another distribution deal, he and his brother began recording even more tracks and the result is his latest album, The Formula.

The Music of the Democratic National Convention

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Music ruled Denver this week, from Saturday's Rock the Bells show to Thursday night at Invesco. Here are some of our favorite performances -- also known as the ones we managed to get into.

Barack Obama Post Speech Analysis

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Alright, alright, admitedly, the headline of this post is a little misleading. By no means am I a political analyst, nor am I even going to pretend to be. I have my own thoughts on Barack Obama's speech, but I'm gonna go ahead and leave the analytical dissection to far more qualified talking heads like my man Keith Olbermann. I do know music, though, and I must say, the selection of tunes tonight at Invesco was rather curious. Obama made his historic entrance to "City of Blinding Lights" by U2 and exited to Brooks & Dunn's "Only In America," a track favored by George Bush during his re-election campaign. Coincidence? Uh-huh. Right. Did you see how well the rest of that thing was scripted? Not sure what prompted the Obama camp to choose the former number (it's not one of U2's most shining moments), but with the latter, I can only surmise that it was a subtle attempt to endear Obama to swing voters in the red states. Or no? -- Dave Herrera

Live Review: Nada Surf, Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silversun Pickups, at the Manifest Hope Art Gallery

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Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah. No, seriously, do it!

Nada Surf, Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silversun Pickups
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008 Manifest Hope Art Gallery
Better than: Hanging out in the industrial stretches of north Denver when the DNC is not in town.

By 6 p.m., the evening was quickly becoming frustrating, aggravating and enervating.
As the sound check rang from the improvised stage off of Walnut and 30th streets Wednesday, Aug. 27, the growing crowd assembled for the Manifest Hope Art Gallery concert started grumbling.

The show was already 20 minutes late, and though the stage was within sight, the gatekeepers held the burgeoning audience at bay. “This is just disorganized,” one young girl noted as the steady chorus of “Check, check, check” came from the restricted area for what seemed like the fiftieth time.

This just in: Moby is slightly amusing when writing about Denver

mobyblend.jpg Moby's been in town all week, in case you haven't noticed (we haven't really paid any attention, to tell you the truth). Evidently, he's been drinking coffee at the Brown Palace, which he thinks sounds like some sort of Berlin club for shit fetishists, and when he's not doing that, he's been playing other people's records and making outrageous claims, like comparing Denver in August to Cancun in March, for instance. We learned this all from the week-long DNC blog he's been scribbling for Blender. Turns out, dude is actually slightly amusing. Corny at times, but amusing. -- Dave Herrera

Yonder Mountain String Band scores the coolest gig at the DNC

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Yonder Mountain String band has scored, hands down, the coolest gig of the entire DNC and perhaps its career. Tonight the Nederland-based act will be performing at Invesco prior to Barack Obama's acceptance speech, alongside Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow and will.i.am. Don't know how the band managed to make it on that bill, but holy crap, man! Nice work. -- Dave Herrera

Bun B at the DNC

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This photo just popped into my e-mail box from my dude Chris Gray at our sister paper in Houston. Matt Sonzala, the man behind the Houston So Real blog, snapped this pic of Bun B from UGK straight flossin' at Pepsi Center and sent it to Chris this afternoon. Now if you read my column this week, you know that I have about as much use for seeing celebs as tits on a bull, but I thought this one might be worth sharing. Dig. -- Dave Herrera

Rock the Vote Denver 2008 show moved to Denver skate park

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The Rock the Vote Denver 2008 show slated to take place this Friday afternoon at Sculpture Park has reportedly been moved to the Denver skate park. No word on why the show has been relocated, but were tipped off to the switch from one of the bands on the local-centric, post-DNC bill, which is free and open to the public. We'll keep you posted if we hear anything different. In the meantime, check out the full schedule after the jump. -- Dave Herrera

Diary of a DNC Party Crasher: Nelly, at Mile High Station

I didn't Google-map the location of the MySpace-sponsored Nelly show on Monday night. I had a general idea of where I was going, but no actual concrete directions, which made it difficult, since finding this venue -- the sprawling Mile High Station -- is pretty much impossible. I drove around for about 20 minutes, snaking below the Colfax viaduct, and finally arrived the somehow classy/sketchy club. Once I arrived, there was a line out the door and through the parking lot. But there was something different about this crowd, something that wreaked of old money. Or was it old fashion?

Live Blog: Tent State University Music Festival to End the War

State Radio's Chad Urmston

Tent State University Music Festival to End the War
Rage Against the Machine, Flobots, the Coup, State Radio
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Denver Coliseum
Better than:
Sitting in a cube and not raging against the machine.

11:10 a.m., State Radio: It's just after 11 a.m., and things are just getting underway at the Denver Coliseum. State Radio just took the stage and is in the midst of playing an energetic set in front of a half-filled arena. Folks are steadily filing in, while members of the Iraq Veterans Against the War -- some in all black T-shirts emblazoned with their name and some in full military regalia -- are milling about backstage and gathering in clusters to organize themselves for the planned post-show march. The general vibe thus far is mellow. The overall feeling at this point among folks is mostly one of shared excitement to see Rage, with an slight, underlying sense of anxiety, wondering what, exactly, is going to happen later on in the day when the post-show march takes place. Between songs, State Radio's frontman, Chad Urmston, briefly engaged the crowd. "I think we all realize that this is the real deal," he said. "Not what's going on down at the Pepsi Center. If we hold Obama to a high standard, we can hopefully turn this country around... It's a dream for us to share the stage with Rage."

Live Review: Willie Nelson with Jerry Jeff Walker and Jakob Dylan at Red Rocks

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Photo by Eric Syl Gruneisen

Willie Nelson & Family with Jerry Jeff Walker and Jakob Dylan
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Better Than: Sitting inside watching the Hillary Clinton speech.

It was a gorgeous night at Red Rocks when Jakob Dylan and his three band members took the stage. I wasn’t sure what to expect; I never was much of a Wallflowers fan. But I was pleasantly surprised to see how Dylan’s sound has matured into a dynamic alt-country with killer harmonies.

Jerry Jeff Walker went next, and while it was clear that there were a number of die hard Walker fans at Red Rocks, I couldn’t say that I was very familiar with his music before last night. He greeted the crowd with a “Hey Buckaroos,” and went on to sing about a pickup truck, and I realized I had never listened to Walker because I’ve never been a fan of this sort of straight country sound with noodly, twangy guitars and talking-style vocals. But most of the crowd seemed to enjoy his set.

Willie was next.

Q&A with Al Green

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It’s hard to not to be a bit star-struck when Al Green starts singing the first verse of “Let’s Stay Together” on the phone from his home in Memphis, or even just talking to him. But Green has a way to make a guy feel at ease and about thirty seconds into our interview any anxiety this writer had speaking with the soul legend was tossed out the window, as he was quite funny at times. And those magical moments like when he starts singing on the phone, well, it’s a good thing the tape was rolling. Westword’s August 28 profile on Green focused mainly on his new album, Lay it Down, in this Q&A he speaks about his singing history, elaborates on his hit “Let’s Stay Together,” and talks about what the “it” is on his song “Lay It Down.”

Q&A with Evan Mast of Ratatat

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The members of Ratatat are deer friends.

Westword’s August 28 Ratatat profile dips into a lengthy interview with Evan Mast, who makes up half the lineup of this electro/eclectic instrumental partnership. So take a long drink of the complete Q&A, accessible below.

Live Review: Etown's DNC show with James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Ani DiFranco, Tom Morello and Irma Thomas

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Etown DNC Show with James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Ani DiFranco, Tom Morello and Irma Thomas
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Temple Buell Theater

Etown founders Nick and Helen Forster have hosted some stellar shows throughout the radio program’s seventeen-year history, but the king of them all may have been last night’s DNC edition with James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Ani DiFranco, Tom Morello and Irma Thomas.

Diary of a DNC Party Crasher: Rock the Vote Ballot Bash at Ellie Caulkins Opera House

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Today started out like any other day: 6 a.m. coffee, a couple of smokes, some news and left overs from the night before. I turned on the TV and flipped to MSNBC, because that was the one big news network that I happened to see setting up Sunday afternoon by the train station. As soon as I turned it on, I noticed the network was not broadcasting from that stage, but instead they were set up in a diner. I quickly recognized the place, Sam's # 3. Suddenly had an insatiable craving for some bacon and eggs.

This Just In 8/28-9/3

Talib Kweli and the Rhythm Roots All Stars hit the Fox Theatre on October 10.

There weren't quite as many concert announcements as in the past few weeks, but a few changes. British soul singer Adele's show, which was originally scheduled for June 21 at the Fox Theatre, has been changed to September 30. Tickets for postponed show will be honored at the door. Mickey Hart's Global Drum Project was pushed back one day to October 11 at the Boulder Theater. Lastly, Zebrahead's September show at the Bluebird Theater was canceled. Here's a rundown of the other shows going on sale this weekend or were recently announced. For ticket information, click on the venue links.

Live Review: Cinemocracy Rocks! at Red Rocks

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Cinemocracy Rocks!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Red Rocks Amphiteatre

Better than: Rocking in the free world.

Near the end of Alan Dominguez’s film, Cinema+(Dem)ocracy, a guy said, “Voting is like peeing the ocean. It doesn’t make much difference, but you really feel good having done it.” Of all the people interviewed in the top ten Cinemocracy films shown Monday night, that guy’s quote was the most memorable. And while one vote may not seem like it makes a difference, as someone else said in another film, if we couldn’t vote we wouldn’t have a democracy.

DNC Cheat Sheet

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Update (8/25): Just got the drop on a late night party hosted by MySpace at Mile High Station featuring Nelly. Hold on. Before you start Googling Mile High Station, you should know that this event, a salute to the screen actor's guild, is another invite-only shindig.

Update (8/22): Welp, looks like the rumors were true. Flobots and the Railbenders are indeed performing at the DNC Media Party at Elitch's. The "as-yet-to-be-determined act" mentioned below: Debajo Del Agua. Kanye West is reportedly slated to perform on Tuesday night at a function sponsored by the One campaign and the RIAA at the Exdo Events Center. Oh, and, finally, this isn't necessarily event related, but it's still pretty cool: Just found out Bun B will be in Denver, live blogging for MTV and assisting BET with voter registration.

Update (8/21): Okkerville River, MURS and Jill Sobule have been added to Monday night's Cinemocracy bill at Red Rocks. We've also received word from the Boulder Theater that Public Enemy's show has been moved to Wednesday night. That's according to promoter, Mad Society Project, whose reportedly hashing out details with the band. Both daily fishwraps, however, are reporting that PE will be a no show next week altogether (straight from the lips of Chuck D. himself, evidently), including Tuesday's performance at Civic Center. Stay tuned. We'll post more details as they become available.

In this week's issue, we put together a partial list of DNC-related events. After the jump, we've compiled a more comprehensive rundown of what's going down next week. Keep checking back as we'll be updating this space continually with any new information or events. -- Dave Herrera

Q&A with Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident

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Kyle Holingsworth in an image courtesy of flickr.

Among the most unexpected participants in the New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya, staged on August 24 at the Fillmore Auditorium (click here to read a full review) was organist Kyle Hollingsworth, a Colorado boy best known in these parts for his membership in the String Cheese Incident. Then again, playing alongside Allen Toussaint, bassist George Porter Jr. and two other members of the Meters is enough to bring out the Louisiana in anyone. To learn more about Hollingsworth, read a full-length Q&A he conducted with Westword in August 2007, around the time the Incident went on extended hiatus. Check it out by clicking "More."

Q&A With George Porter, Jr. of The Meters

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George Porter, Jr.

The heartbeat of the New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya event on August 24 -- reviewed in detail here -- was George Porter, Jr., one of the great bassists in modern musical history. Westword recently conducted an extended chat with Porter in the context of his current band, Porter Batiste Stoltz -- but the conversation also reveals plenty about his association with the Meters, all of whom participated in the Jam-Balaya. The complete Q&A as it appeared in February appears below.

Public Enemy's Boulder Show Back On

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Just received word from the Mad Society Productions folks that the Public Enemy show originally slated for tonight at Boulder's Theater has been rescheduled for Wednesday. Admission to the show is free and open to folks sixteen and older (with a valid photo ID). You may remember last week the whole debacle last week -- you know, the whole PE is playing... no they're not! Yes they are. Chuck D doesn't know anything about the show. Well, it looks like the Mad Society folks pulled things together as promised last week. It's not Civic Center, but at least it's happening. -- Dave Herrera

Last Night: The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at the Fillmore Auditorium

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Allen Toussaint.

The New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya
Fillmore Auditorium
August 24

It was clear that the New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya, a fundraiser co-sponsored by the Friends of New Orleans featuring some of the biggest and best names in Louisiana music, differed from the typical live-performance event in Denver even before attendees entered the building. The entranceway to the Fillmore was surrounded by oversized chain-link "privacy" fence, presumably to prevent any commuters heading down Colfax from seeing delegates, political heavyweights and others associated with the Democratic National Convention slated to start the next day receive the most thorough wanding I've experienced in all my years of concert-going. When the polite but firm security officer at the front of my particular line asked my wife to spread her legs and then slowly, methodically ran a long, black electro-rod in an inverse "V" shape from ankle to crotch to ankle, I didn't know whether to be offended or aroused.

Last Night: DNC Media Party at Elitch Gardens

Flobots rockin' Elitch Gardens

Flobots, Railbenders
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Elitch Gardens, DNC Media Party
Better than: A vacation at Pleasure Island.

It’s a scene that’s disturbing in its darkness, and eerie in its implications.

In Walt Disney’s 1940 feature film Pinocchio, the wooden protagonist is lured to a promised utopia for little boys, an insular island amusement park where food and drinks are abundant and where death-defying rides are plentiful.

Live Review: Rock the Bells Tour

The Cool Kids

Rock the Bells Tour
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Fiddler's Green

The Rock the Bells show was supposed to be a sort of door closing on my adult years, one of those watershed moments replete with voiceover from Richard Dreyfuss that would have gone something like: “As my homies and I spazzed out to “Check the Rhime,” for what would be the last time as a crew, I couldn’t help but feel the pull of my adult life calling beyond the ones and twos to something more....” I’m sure you can fill in the rest. Well, like most thirtysomethings, my homies would much rather complain about the state of music than actually enjoy music -- or their lives, for that matter. So I gritted my teeth, determined to blend with the younger crowd, and took in some late summer hip-hop, the way it was meant to be, high off skunk and drunk off liquor.

Live Review: 3OH!3, Chain Gang of 1974 and the Pirate Signal @ The Fox Theatre

Photo: Dave Herrera

3OH!3, Chain Gang of 1974 and the Pirate Signal
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Fox Theatre, Boulder

Having seen 3OH!3 at each of the past two Warped Tours (click here and here for details), I expected more of the same on August 23 at the first of two sold-out Fox shows -- and that would have been fine with me, since Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte have evolved into two of the most entertaining performers in this or any other area code. But something else was on the agenda. The 3OH!3 boys appeared with a full band -- a drummer, guitarist and bassist, plus a DJ referred to by Motte as BFF -- as well as a helmeted, Lycra-suited dancer dubbed Perpetual Thrust. The plan, clearly, was to work out the kinks related to the group's expansion in preparation for its first national headlining tour, slated to get underway in October, and that's a good thing -- because kinks there were.

Rearview: The Week in Review (8/16/08-8/22/08)

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Hello little girl. Do you like candy?

Here's a handy guide to all the great content you may have missed this week on Backbeat Online while you were transfixed by the efforts of one-time glam rocker and convicted child molester Gary Glitter to find a country that will take him in after being released from a Vietnamese prison...

Friday Rap-Up: DMX, VH1 Hip-Hop Honors, Forbes Hip-Hop Cash List

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"Where my reality show at, dogs?"

DMX gets a reality show
Even though DMX is sitting in a Miami jail waiting to answer to a variety of charges including drug possession, weapons possessions and animal cruelty, some television producers think his life would make for some great entertainment. The show DMX: This Life of Mine is being produced by Phoenix, Arizon-based After Platinum Entertainment, and is currently looking for a home on a TV network.

"In many ways, my life has been an open book," DMX told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "[But] I haven't always been the one writing the story. With this show; however, people will get to see and hear with their own eyes and ears what really goes on in my life and I think they'll come to understand me a little bit better with each episode."

Mile High Makeout: Getting Exposed

Say, miss, is that Daft Punk you're grinding your junk to?

Normally, I don’t have to try too hard to get exposed to new music. Thanks to hard-working publicists, record labels and musicians, my mailbox and email are usually filled with the latest and greatest. And I make a concerted effort to listen to absolutely everything I receive, at least once. As for local stuff, I can pretty much stumble into any venue in town on almost any night of the week and catch something I haven’t heard before. For a musical omnivore, it’s a pretty good life.