(Artwork care of Karen Ramsay (www.karenramsay.com), profile photo care of brianlackeyphotography.com)

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Front Range recommended shows - 10/14


Wednesday, 16 October (Larimer Lounge, Denver CO)
Surfer Blood
Team Spirit

Surfer Blood plays energetically rocking pop music with an earnest undertone. The hooks slide in while you're distracted by John Paul Pitts' smooth crooning that reminds me of Morrissey on mood elevators. My favorite band from SXSW, Team Spirit, will be opening. Their thrashy pop should complement the headliners nicely.

Thursday, 17 October (Hodi's Half Note, Ft. Collins C)
Saturday, 19 October (Bluebird Theater, Denver CO)
Todd Snider

Folk storyteller/singer/songwriter Todd Snider is passing through Colorado again, making a couple of stops on the Northern Front Range. If you've never had the chance to catch his live show, you owe it to yourself. As his song "Age Like Wine" (East Nashville Skyline, 2004) says, "My new stuff is nothin' like my old stuff was/ And neither one is much when compared to the show/ Which won't be as good as some other one you saw/ So help me, I know." Self-deprecating humor aside, Snider's albums are full of wit, sharp perspective, and well-crafted tunes. But his shows are loosely structured and expansive, with rambling stories full of humor and intimacy.

Friday, 18 October (Boulder Theater, Boulder CO)
Saturday, 19 October (Ogden Theatre, Denver CO)
Portugal. The Man

200 Portugal The Man
Evil Friends, Portugal. The Man's release from earlier this year, partnered the band with famed pop producer Dangermouse (review). The album blended their aesthetics, bringing in electronic elements and a more pop influenced rhythm treatment. But underneath it all, the band still had the same heady lyrics and big musical vision they're been known for. It will be interesting to see the impact on their live performance, but it should work well with the kind of spectacle they bring to their stage show.

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