Summer Jam, the rap and R&B bash engineered for radio fans by one of the state’s top pop stations, tends to bring of-the-moment acts to town for a minimal ticket price.
But between the headliner canceling at the last minute and persistent rain, organizers could have called Saturday’s Coors Amphitheatre show Soggy Jam instead of Summer Jam.
The Game pulled out because of family illness leaving a lineup dominated by lesser-known performers (Pretty Ricky, Natalie, Akon) and those pushing dated hits (Busta Rhymes). But this capacity crowd still shivered through a day better suited for nuzzling and Netflix, apparently appeased by the fact that 107.5 plans to honor Summer Jam tickets at The Game’s rescheduled show in August.
The stage was purposely sparse, which meant artists had to rely on sheer talent and a few sexy backup dancers to enthrall this waterlogged crowd. By and large, they succeeded.
Mario characterized charisma by delivering “Let Me Love You” and “How Could You” with bling-enhanced bravado. Ciara showed more presence and fan connection than she did during All-Star Weekend gigs earlier this year. And Busta Rhymes, the night’s ad-hoc headliner, needed little more than a few attentive hip-hop heads near the front of the stage to light up his set with anticipated tracks like “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and new joints from an album due later this year.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson
Spoon
Britt Daniel assumed the position – on his knees, shot-gunning a beer in between messy guitar licks – multiple times as he led his band, Spoon, through an impressive set of danceable indie rock at the Gothic on Tuesday.
From the Austin, Texas, band’s first song – “The Beast and Dragon, Adored,” which is also the first track of its new record “Gimme Fiction” – it was clear that Daniel and his band were sounding more coherent and together than they did in their last visit to Denver almost two years ago. The interplay between the keyboards and guitar, essential to Spoon’s distinctive sound, were spot-on and was giddy at times.
The band seemed rejuvenated as it played “Kill the Moonlight” favorites with a new sense of purpose. “Paper Tiger” was slowed down and elongated into a dirty, psychedelic stew that simmered and crackled with multicolored intensity. “Someone Something,” “The Way We Get By” and especially “Small Stakes” were given emotionally driven interpretations, and the 3-year-old songs clearly outshined new tracks – even the excellent “I Summon You,” the sing-a-long “Sister Jack” and the seductive “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine,” the latter of which stole the second encore.
But therein lies the problem. No band – not even KISS – should have a second encore. It’s ego-bottom-feeding at its worst.
– Ricardo Baca
Rilo Kiley
Calling your third full-length “More Adventurous” when it’s simply not is an inexcusable misnomer, especially in rock ‘n’ roll. And while Rilo Kiley’s Monday night gig at the Gothic was quite beautiful, the show proved the Southern California band’s new material is, in fact, less adventurous and more plodding than its more innovative, countrypolitan-influenced early stuff.
But fans of the indie band are willing to give it a little slack for having mainstream radio ambitions (they left Omaha-based Saddle Creek Records last year in favor of a major label) because so many of them, both boys and girls, crush so hard on lead singer Jenny Lewis.
“Portions for Foxes” hit with the crowd, but it was played without variables. At least the new title track “More Adventurous” nailed the mood Rilo Kiley does best: wistful melancholy. The Blake Sennet-sung “Ripchord” was sweet, but older material, including the wonderfully written “The Good That Won’t Come Out” and the inspiring “With Arms Outstretched,” were truly epic efforts in a solid night of music.
– Ricardo Baca
