CRYSTAL CASTLES @ GOTHIC THEATRE | 5/2/13
Last night's Crystal Castles show at the Gothic was not one for epileptics, with all the rapid flashing, seizure-inducing colored lights. The vivid visualizations kept pace with the accelerating tempos and deftly matched the dynamism and mood of the music itself. The blossoming columns of light made arcs and worked in unison with streaming starbursts of light, luminous cross beams and lines of illuminated dots, flares and flickers.

See also:
- Crystal Castles: I hate myself for loving you
- Review: Crystal Castles at the Ogden Theatre, 10/17/12
- Review: Crystal Castles at the Ogden Theatre, 8/9/10

RODRIGUEZ @ 1STBANK CENTER | 4/30/13
When Rodriguez played "Sugar Man," the song that inspired the title of the movie that brought him very much back into the public consciousness, there was something mythical about the song. The performance matched the mystique. On stage, Rodriguez is gracious, gentle and humble in a way that is entirely commanding. He brings a sense of vulnerability, and not just in his spare confessional words, but also in the open spirit of his music.

See also:
- The ten best concerts in Denver this week
- The 25 best concerts this winter/spring
- The thoughtful Searching for Sugar Man will surprise you

Slide show: Gaslight Anthem and fans at the Ogden

Aaron Thackeray

GASLIGHT ANTHEM @ OGDEN THEATRE |4/29/12
Gaslight Anthem performed last night with a fluidity and emotional power worthy of peers like Hot Rod Circuit or Hot Water Music or perhaps even the E Street Band. Gaslight is clearly informed by punk, as edges of the band's guitar sound recalled Hüsker Dü, even when the players dipped into country progressions.

See also:
- Slide show: Gaslight Anthem and fans at the Ogden Theatre
- Review: Gaslight Anthem at Fillmore Auditorium, 9/24/12
- Gaslight Anthem strives to carve its own identity apart from its influences

Eric Gruneisen. Slide show: Viceroy and fans at Bar Standard

VICEROY @ BAR STANDARD | 4/26/13
I arrived fashionably late for Viceroy's guest DJ gig at Denver Disco. The San Francisco based DJs appearance at Bar Standard was definitely one of the more anticipated events of the spring. The Viceroy vibe is "summer all the time," and that definitely comes across in his breezy light remixes of artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mark Morrison. The venerable Denver Disco night is known for the bubbly sounds of nu-disco and electro house made popular by artists Gigamesh, DiscoTech and Calvin Harris (aka the sound that's taken over pop music in the last year or so).

See also:
- Slideshow: Viceroy at Bar Standard, 4/26/13
- Did Daft Punk "Get Lucky" with Pharrell, or vice versa? Pharrell's ten greatest misses
- The five best EDM highlights from Coachella

JAMES BLAKE @ OGDEN THEATRE | 4/28/13
The last thing James Blake wants to be is the center of attention. He took a seat stage left last night at a crowded Ogden and barely moved or acknowledged the crowd of adoring fans gathered together to see him. Not a surprise. Blake is known for his smooth, dubbed out blue-eyed soul, not his engaging stage presence. He was accompanied by keys/guitar and drums placed center stage. The band's appearance elicited restrained cheers, which will be blamed on the Tangerine Dream-esque interstitial music.

See also:
- The best concerts to see in Denver this week
- The fifty best concerts in Denver this spring
- Here's what we're listening to right now: What's on your playlist?

Eric Gruneisen

See also: Photos of Bonobo and fans at the Ogden

BONOBO @ OGDEN THEATRE | 4/26/13
A capacity crowd filled the Ogden to see Bonobo this past weekend. However, words like "sold out" and "capacity" don't accurately describe the electric scene inside and outside the theater. Every nook and cranny of the theater from the rafters to the rear of house was filled with a pretty face, a ball cap, or a dread loc waiting for the show to start. The vibe was all love and patience as everyone looked like they might have skied up to the front door for the show. The pungent wafts of herb reinforce the heavy snowboarder vibe, but the crowd came alive as the lights dimmed and they never lost an ounce of energy.

See also:
- Slide show: Bonobo and fans at the Ogden
- The best concerts to see in Denver this week
- Review: Bonobo at the Ogden Theatre, 11/24/10

Tom Murphy

Johnny Marr on stage last night at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood.

JOHNNY MARR @ GOTHIC THEATRE |4/21/12
The moment everybody seemed to be waiting for during Johnny Marr's set last night came at the end, when the iconic echoing guitar part rippled through the air, signaling the beginning of "How Soon Is Now?" There was just something about the vividness, the clarity and the sheer presence of the song live that made the moment special beyond just nostalgia, and Iwan Gronow's bass playing underscored what a cool bass line drives it. And rather than merely being a re-creation of the original, Marr added some improvised details that fit perfectly within the original mood and feel of the tune.

See also:
- Johnny Marr on how he created the sound for "How Soon Is Now?" without effects
- The Smiths '80s radio-station takeover: What really happened according police reports
- The Smiths '80s radio takeover is a story of redemption

Antonio Valenzuela

Redman and Method Man on stage at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver.

METHOD MAN & REDMAN @ CERVANTES' | 4/20/13
Appearing in front of a sold-out crowd, hip-hop and weed icons Method Man and Redman turned Cervantes' into a backyard house party as the MCs delighted the crowd with classic hits and an energetic stage show that showcased their timeless music. The ballroom served as a community bong for the crowd as they saluted Colorado for being the first state to legalize their second love to the music, Mary Jane.

See also:
- The ten best movies featuring rappers
- The best and worst of sitcoms starring musicians
- Review: Method Man and Redman at City Hall, 4/9/11

Eric Gruneisen

How to Destroy Angles on stage at the Paramount Theatre in Denver last night. Slide show: How To Destroy Angels at the Paramount

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS @ PARAMOUNT THEATRE | 4/21/13
If you came into the Paramount Theatre last night halfway through How to Destroy Angels' first show in Denver, don't worry: It was the same as the first half. Trent Reznor's new post-industrial-electro-goth-whatever project, expertly executed and so chill as to induce comas, could hardly have sounded more even-keeled and consistent -- but it was also kind of boring.

See also:
- Slide show: How To Destroy Angels at the Paramount
- Review: Nine Inch Nails at Fiddler's Green, 5/27/09
- Review: Nine Inch Nails at Red Rocks, 9/3/08

Dane Cronin/file

DANZIG @ OGDEN THEATER | 4/19/12
Before Danzig came on stage, a voice that sounded like Glenn Danzig got the crowd going by informing us that Snoop Dogg was playing down the street and so was Tesla, you know, just in case seeing Danzig wasn't the most alluring option of the evening. A few minutes later, the lights dimmed, menacing synth music came over the speakers and the band took stage one by one and went right into "Pain Is Like An Animal."

See also:
- Review: Danzig at the Boulder Theater, 5/3/11
- Review: Danzig at the Ogden Theatre, 11/12/10
- Danny Marianino's fifteen minutes are definitely up