“American Doll Posse” represented something of a departure for Tori Amos when it dropped in May, a 23-song concept album overloaded with characters, themes and genres.
Of course, it was typical Tori in its ambition, tackling everything from feminism to politics with its five distinct lyrical personas. The characters allowed the piano-rock goddess to stretch beyond the first-person confessional that pens in many singer-songwriters – not that Tori ever suffered from writer’s block in the first place.
We’ll get a chance to hear the new tunes when she plays the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center, her first appearance since Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2005.
Tickets for the Nov. 28 concert are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($37.50-$65, Ticketmaster)
Deerhoof quickly makes friends with fans of experimental music, stretching ingratiating melodies over gangly math-rock skeletons. Tickets for the San Francisco band’s Oct. 4 date at the Bluebird Theater are on sale. ($10, Ticketmaster)
Tech N9NE hits Denver with the regularity of an afternoon thunderstorm, but it makes sense: The hardcore rapper is based in Kansas City, a quick jaunt from these parts. He’s touring behind his latest release, “Misery Loves Company,” so don’t be surprised when he pulls out some new tracks at his Oct. 5 Fillmore Auditorium show. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($25-$28, Ticketmaster)
The Donnas are the kind of band that will slap and kiss you in the same breath, subverting their angry, pseudo-greaser attitude with doe-eyed lyrics. One part Ramones, one part Runaways, the band will play the Marquis Theater on Sept. 25. Tickets are on sale now. ($15, TicketWeb)
A Taste of Colorado always features an amusingly diverse lineup, and this year’s slate is no different. From also-ran nationals like Night Ranger, BoDeans and Survivor, to locals Dotsero and the Indulgers, the annual Labor Day food fete offers your ears something meaty. The music is free, but you need tickets to sample the culinary wares at the Aug. 31-Sept. 3 fest. (eight tickets for $5, )
Underoath is one of several Christian bands taking on hardcore metal, turning a death-obsessed genre on its head with positive religious messages. Granted, Christian bands permeate every conceivable genre these days, and we’ve come a long way since Stryper, but this one still leaves me scratching my head. Tickets for the Oct. 13 show at the Fillmore Auditorium are on sale at 10 a.m. today. ($18-$22, Ticketmaster)
