Tom Oaxley

The men behind the Hamburg duo Digitalism have been blowing out all the stops on their tour, which hits just nine cities. Their DJ-Kicks mix last year was well received, and they've got new remixes out showcasing their take on Bloc Party's "Truth" and the Rapture's "Sail Away." We spoke with Jens "Jence" Moelle about how this tour differs from previous journeys, what forms of media he'd still like to conquer, and what we can expect from Digitalism this summer.

See also:
- Thursday: Digitalism at the Bluebird Theater, 5/16/13
- Kevin Saunderson on how dance music has gone from an analog to a digital world
- Paul Kalkbrenner on keeping his sound pure by not listening to anybody else's music

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Update, 4:20 p.m. 5/13/13: Contest is over. Congratulations to @Avary, @benhorne44 and @blusowns. Each of these winners and a guest will be our guests at tonight's 11:30 p.m. show. Check your email for details on how to claim your tickets. Thanks to everybody else for all the entries and for reading Backbeat!

See also:
- Donna Grantis of 3rd Eye Girl on what it's like to play with Prince
- Sunday: Prince and 3rd Eye Girl at Ogden Theatre, 8 & 11:30 p.m., 5/12/13
- Monday: Prince and 3rd Eye Girl at Ogden Theatre, 8 & 11:30 p.m., 5/13/13

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The unapologetic and perpetually controversial popstar known as Rihanna -- currently working on new music with Wale and reportedly once again on the outs with the equally controversial Chris Brown -- is due to perform at the Pepsi Center on Saturday, November 9. Tickets for the show ($39.50) go on sale this Monday, May 20, at 10 a.m.

See also:
- Rihanna finds love in Calvin Harris
- Love, drugs and Rihanna collide on "We Found Love"
- Rihanna proves she can dance, but that doesn't mean she should

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Yesterday on its Facebook page, Queens of the Stone Age posted a curious message directly specifically to us: "Hey, Colorado. Keep Your Eyes Peeled tomorrow, Let's have a good time." Well, today is tomorrow, and Queens has sent word that it will be coming to Red Rocks on Thursday, August 15, with Golgol Bordello in tow. Tickets ($39.95 - $44.75) for the show go on sale this Friday, May 17, at 10 a.m.

See also:
- Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes on music, meth and who brought sexy back
- Them Crooked Vultures destroys the Fillmore and then feasts on the remains
- Between Mondo Generator and QOTSA, Nick Oliveri has the schedule from hell

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Sometimes flawless technique, inspired lyrics and a devoted fan base aren't enough. Sometimes you've gotta do something outlandish to step up your game and grab the world's attention. Some would say that getting on a stage and saying, "Hey! Watch what I'm doing!" might be considered attention-seeking behavior, but certain musicians take it to a whole new level. Whether for the sake of art, to go down in history or to sell as many records as possible, they devise feats of daring that most of us wouldn't dream.

See also:
- Ten rockers who found religion
- The ten things rock stars do to try to remain relevant when their stars fade
- The 50 worst rock/pop lyrics: The complete list

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There's a long history of musicians who suffered from and overcame (or sometimes didn't overcome) crippling shyness, anxiety and stage fright to fulfill their dreams of standing in the spotlight. That spotlight, it's a cruel, uncaring light. So bright. So uncomfortably warm. Everyone's staring at you expectantly. It can all be so unnerving, as any of the performers on our list of the ten most timid musicians could attest.

See also:
- Ten rockers who found religion
- Ten acts that clearly worship the Smiths
- The ten most enigmatic figures in hip-hop

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PRINCE @ OGDEN THEATRE | MON, 5/13/13
Prince became a household name after the release of his third album, 1982's 1999. Over the years, his perfectly realized blend of rock, pop, funk and jazz has proved equally popular with audiences and critics. Throughout the '80s, Prince released hit records that broke genre barriers, not just in terms of radio programming, but within the music itself. His versatility and breadth of musical vision have influenced a broad spectrum of popular music ever since. Recently, Prince assembled a band called 3rd Eye Girl for his tour, which has him playing intimate shows in venues that are notably smaller than those in which he would typically perform.

See also:
- Donna Grantis of 3rd Eye Girl on what it's like to play with Prince
- R.I.P., Joe Cahill: Memorial, Monday at the Fox
- Review + photos: Imagine Dragons at Fillmore, 3/23/13

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Kevin Mazur. See also: Slide show: Prince fans at the Ogden last night

PRINCE @ THE OGDEN THEATRE | 5.12.13
Prince had one job last night, and that was to make this crowd forget about the price of admission. For about sixty of the ninety minutes he was on stage at the Ogden, he did just that, but his focus on the obscure, the new and the abrupt ending of the show left everyone feeling like they didn't get enough. It felt like eating dinner at a fancy Chinese restaurant: Everything was delicious, fresh and enticing, but ultimately, all you did was pay a bunch of money to feel hungry an hour later.

See also:
- Slide show: Prince fans at the Ogden last night
- Donna Grantis of 3rd Eye Girl on what it's like to play with Prince
- Monday: Prince and 3rd Eye Girl at Ogden Theatre, 8 & 11:30 p.m., 5/13/13

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Forget everything you know about the man known as Nathaniel Rateliff. Whatever image that name conjures for you will be obsolete the next time you see him. The extraordinarily talented musician, whom we first came to know as the frontman of Born in the Flood and later came to love as one of this town's most expressive songwriters, is in the process of reinventing himself again. He's got these new songs he's playing, and, man, I'll tell you what, they're simply splendid. Like vintage soul? Great. You're going to love this.

See also:
- Nathaniel Rateliff is one of Denver's most lauded and admired singer-songwriters
- Best of Denver 2010: Best Singer-Songwriter - Nathaniel Rateliff
- Colorado Symphony performs Beck Song Reader with Nathaniel Rateliff, Otis Taylor

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Catch Patty Griffin and more this August in Lyons.

The folks at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival up in Lyons have announced the lineup for this year's festival, which is slated to take place from Friday, August 16 through Sunday, August 18 at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. The acts this year include John Prine, Patty Griffin, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, the John Butler Trio and more. Tickets for the fest are on sale now and range from $55 for single day tickets to $135 for a three-day pass ($195 with camping option). Continue on for the full lineup thus far.

See also:
- The 2013 Westword Music Showcase lineup
- The ten best concerts in Denver this weekend
- The best EDM in Denver this weekend

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