Happy New Year, everyone…

Local Denver band Vices I Admire, an alternative indie band recently voted into the Top 12 Bands for Channel 93.3’s Hometown for the Holidays, is headlining a concert tonight at the Bluebird Theater to celebrate the release of their sophomore CD release, The Politics of Apathy.
Concert starts at 8:00 pm, ages 16+. Tickets are $10 at the door, but if you present a ticket pre-printed from their website http://www.vicesiadmire.com/, admission is $5.

Drummer Mark Towne was kind enough to have coffee with me to talk about the band and their CD release and overall direction. The thing that impressed me most was their work ethic and dedication to make the band a success. They treat it like a business, to say the least–practicing five nights a week, doing their own promotion and publicity. Very professional, if you ask me.

And their music isn’t half bad, either.

These guys are worth a listen. Go check them out tonight, if you get a chance, and see what you think.

Vices I Admire: “Kiss Kiss”
Vices I Admire: “Sweetest Girl”

Excerpted from my article on Examiner.com:

Bigwheel Electrosoul, an active Denver band combining soul and electronica, has been invited to participate in the first ever Japan Music Week, an international music festival taking place in Tokyo November 9 through 15. To represent Denver and Colorado for the event, they need to raise their own funds, and they are asking you, the public, for your help….

Read the rest here…

Here are some possibilities for catching a good show this weekend in Denver…

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

Relient K (with Copeland and Barcelona)
Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Tickets $16.25/$20.00, available from Ticketmaster.com.
Ages 16+. Show starts at 8:00 PM.

Joe Pug (with Meg Hutchinson)
Swallow Hill (Daniels Hall), 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver
Swallow Hill was profiled here earlier this week.
Tickets are $18 ($16 for members), available from Swallow Hill.
Show starts at 8:00 PM.

(NOTE: Joe Pug is offering a free 5-song EP download on his website for those who join his email list.)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
Elin Palmer (with Sissy Wish and Andrea Ball)
Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver
Tickets $8.00, available from the Hi-Dive website.
Ages 21+. Doors open at 8:00 PM; show starts at 10:00 PM.

For more information on these events, see my post on Examiner.com. If you go to any of these shows, leave me a comment on how it went!

I’ve had a house full of the flu this week, and I am not feeling too hot myself…but this is something I’ve wanted to get going, and somehow I found the time to start.

On Fridays, whenever it’s feasible, I plan to post “weekend picks” for live music in the Denver area. Among the many, many bands and artists who have shows around town (even during the week), I’m going to try and select a few weekend shows that look promising. This won’t be a comprehensive list, but if you’re in Denver looking for some live music on the weekend, this feature of the blog should (hopefully) increase the likelihood that you’ll be catching a good show.

So here’s the first go-round. Obviously I won’t be at all these, but if you go see one of these acts, be sure to leave me a comment afterward and tell me how you thought the show went. (By the way…you’ll also be able to see this list posted on my page at Examiner.com. And the list will likely get longer as the weeks go by, giving you more to choose from.)

Ready?

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9

Danielle Ate the Sandwich
Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut Street, Denver
Quirky, funny, and entertaining, Ft. Collins folk singer Danielle Anderson has gained a considerable following with a ukelele and a good dose of attitude. Appearing with Dan Craig, Benyaro and Dovekins. Tickets are $12, available from The Walnut Room. Show starts at 8:30 PM. Ages 21+.

Hot Buttered Rum
Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder
They’re acoustic-bluegrass; no, more like rock; well, make that jazz…you just have to hear them play. They’re actually in town for two nights; Friday’s show is for all ages, and Saturday’s is 21+. Tickets are $16.50 advance purchase, or $20 day of show, available from Fox Theatre. Shows start at 9:00 PM nightly.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

Tempa and the Tantrums
Blue Moo’d Lounge, 5950 S. Platte Canyon Rd., Littleton
Blending blues and soul, the passionate lead singer of this local band is reminiscent of greats like Aretha Franklin or Janis Joplin, and is getting plenty of attention lately. $5 cover charge, show starts at 8:00 PM. All ages until 9:00.

Regret Night
D-Note, 7519 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Local alt/rock/pop band Regret Night has a reputation for putting on a lively stage show. Also appearing are TShirts 4 Tomorrow and All Bets Off. According to the band, this is a free show, but donations are accepted. Show begins at 9:00 PM. All ages.