Talib Kweli
When Talib Kweli’s DJ queued up “Listen,” with its Cuban-style flutes and its foot-stompin’ bass, the crowd at the Ogden Theatre on Dec. 1 lost itself.
“Bangin’ on the system/Fightin’ my kinda war/Loud as a whisper/Quiet as a lion’s roar/Ladies and gentlemen, get ready, here comes/I’m Talib Kweli, and I’m bangin’ on your eardrum.”
The song represents Kweli’s struggle, not only for a better human understanding but also between the big dance-floor beats of his music and the conscious message in his flow. Kweli is one of today’s hottest semi-underground MCs, and his show proved why. Kweli gets people moving, in motion and thought. When your mind is stirring, as it must while rocking to the sample-fronted “Listen,” then your dancing is all the more passionate.
-Ricardo Baca
The Lemonheads
Expectations were low at Saturday’s Lemonheads set at the Bluebird. Evan Dando, the ’90s heartthrob and only remaining member of the influential alt-pop band, has proven an unpredictable performer due to the ravages of drugs.
It was an overwhelmingly pleasant surprise, then, when Dando delivered a robust and emotional set. Ambling onto stage in a Kim Gordon shirt and Johnny Ramone haircut, he mumbled gratefully before launching a near-breathless barrage of oldies and tuneful indie-punk from the band’s new self-titled disc, recorded in Fort Collins.
Punctuated by acoustic moments and J. Mascis-aping solos (Mascis guests on the new platter), Dando revisited such alt-rock classics as “Drug Buddy,” “Rudderless” and “Into Your Arms,” sounding every bit as vital as he did 13 years ago.
-John Wenzel
Colorado Symphony
The Colorado Symphony seems to have a knack for finding talented young conductors from the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, Edward Gardner made an electrifying debut with the orchestra and has since been named music director of the English National Opera.
Last weekend, the orchestra tapped up-and-coming Scottish maestro Douglas Boyd, music director of the Manchester Camerata. He was nearly as impressive, leading a program of mainstream repertoire with authority and artfulness.
The concert also featured the local debut of emerging cellist Julie Albers. She made a favorable first impression in Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, offering a tasteful, suitably understated take on the appealing early work.
-Kyle MacMillan
Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos
With some bands, watching them fall apart has become as much a part of the live show as the intentional performance itself. Some fans of Brian Jonestown Massacre or the erstwhile Libertines show up expecting a frontman meltdown as much as an encore – it’s all in the price of the ticket price.
With other bands, the meltdown is a rarity, so there’s more sympathy involved when a group such as this Indiana octet loses its grip on stage in front of 100-plus people.
Singer Richard Edwards is a temperamental performer, but he’s also a pop genius, so there’s wiggle room for his awkwardness. But when his band played the Larimer Lounge on Nov. 29, the venue was having difficulties mic-ing the group’s varied instrumentation; Edwards lost it halfway through, telling his fans he was ready to smash something.
It was unfortunate: Margot’s vivid music is lush and gorgeous. But there was a hint of violence and unrest in the music this time around, likely because of the musicians’ frustrations.
-Ricardo Baca
