Certain species lie dormant during the winter months. Musicians aren’t among them. The next few months are rife with action – buzz bands, Strokes and Wilco players gone solo, blues legends, hip-hop newbies, country heroes, pop stars, indie-rock champs, guitar gods and geezer rockers included. Here are 20 winter shows that should be on your calendar:
The Be Good Tanyas Jan. 29, Cervantes Vancouver alt-country never sounded so sweet. Jolie Holland was a founding member before going solo, but the Tanyas’ music still sings.
Slayer Jan. 31, Fillmore Bang your head and trip out over these guitar-slinging masters of metal. Their shows are heavy. Their percussion is heavier.
Albert Hammond Jr. Feb. 8, Fillmore A full-time gig with The Strokes wasn’t enough. So now this guitarist of royal musical lineage is touring his new solo record.
Born in the Flood Feb. 9, Gothic “If This Thing Should Spill” is one of the year’s most anticipated releases, so it makes sense that this CD-release show will be a hot ticket – and possibly the launching pad for this excellent local band.
Grizzly Bear Feb. 13, Larimer Lounge The sound of industry buzz, in this case, is subtle, pretty and not always melodic. Feb. 13, Larimer Lounge
The Shins Feb. 15, Fillmore They release “Wincing the Night Away” next week, and the band’s chamber pop is familiar if a bit glossier than it was with “New Slang,” the band’s first single, which has since become synonymous with the “Garden State” soundtrack.
Lupe Fiasco Feb. 17, Fillmore To many, Fiasco’s name was unfamiliar – no matter how many top-10 lists he appeared on at the end of 2006. So catch up: He’s an MC from Chicago, and he’s touring with The Roots. Check one of his websites for an example of his flow. It’s hot.
Christina Aguilera Feb. 26, Pepsi Center Will Xtina tour with a big band to support her Motown-channeling “Ain’t No Other Man?” You should certainly hope so.
Flogging Molly Feb. 26, Boulder Theater These Irish punks rarely play such an intimate venue, which is why this show sold out long ago.
Bo Diddley March 2, Soiled Dove Underground This blues-rock pioneer is still getting around. Even as he approaches 80 years old, his music is every bit as exciting as it was in the ’50s and ’60s.
Cold War Kids March 2, Hi-Dive This is indie rock with an injection of California soul. So buzzy it’s obnoxious, but it’s bloggerific for a reason.
George Strait March 3, Pepsi Center This is one of the year’s biggest country shows. Strait delivers, and he does so consistently – as suggested by the title of his most recent CD, 2006’s “It Just Comes Natural.”
Glenn Kotche March 3, Larimer Lounge You know him as Wilco’s drummer. (Fun fact: Kotche is also in Loose Fur with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and ex-Sonic Youth producer-member Jim O’Rourke.) But he’s also released another solo record – “Mobile,” his third solo outing – and it’s solid.
My Chemical Romance March 4, Magness Arena These guys finally bought a Queen album – obvious given the many homages within their latest record, “The Black Parade.” But hey, better they cop Queen than Foreigner.
Silversun Pickups March 5, Fillmore These Los Angeles indie darlings are popular for a reason. “Carnavas,” the full-length album, is rock bliss. And their live shows are the thing of legend.
Eric Clapton March 7, Pepsi Center Clapton has proven on his last few trips through Denver that he can do no wrong, even in such a cavernous venue. He’s a pro. He’s a genius. And his shows are sterling examples of a rock legend aging more gracefully than any of his peers.
Sebadoh March 17, Fox When Lou Barlow got kicked out of Dinosaur Jr., he put all of his heart into Sebadoh. And it showed. The trio’s songs hold up with an integrity and honesty often absent from popular music today.
TV on the Radio March 20, Ogden Theatre “Return to Cookie Mountain” didn’t hit us as hard as the “Young Liars” EP did more than three years ago. Regardless, it’s still a soulful blast of rock ‘n’ roll served up in a way that is absolutely unique to these New Yorkers.
Rod Stewart April 2, Pepsi Center Is he ruining the Great American Songbook? Or are his recent platinum recordings preserving it – with Stewart’s trademark voice and over- glamorous arrangements? No matter. Stewart, who just turned 61, is here to stay.
Gwen Stefani May 2, Pepsi Center Her new record isn’t nearly as hot as her debut, but it still has enough hits (ditch the yodeling song in favor of the fancier “Yummy” and “The Sweet Escape”) to make this show a big dance party for teenagers and 20-somethings alike.
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.
