Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter may not spring to mind when one thinks of influential comedians of the past decade.
And considering their hipster cred and relatively low profile, they probably shouldn’t. But a survey of their projects shows an infiltration of nearly every level of entertainment, including NBC dramedies (“Ed”), commercials and VH1 specials.
From MTV’s underrated sketch comedy “The State” (which will finally see DVD release this year) to the “Stella” troupe and cult films like “Wet Hot American Summer,” the boys have stayed consistently busy in a creatively rewarding, commercially mellow realm.
Tickets for their Oct. 7 set at the Gothic Theatre are on sale now. ($20-$22.50, Ticketmaster)
Public Enemy may be more familiar these days through VH1’s “Flavor of Love,” which featured Flavor Flav and his oversized neckwear, but old-schoolers know the hip-hop act for the influential rabble-rousers they are. The group is celebrating 20 years with an album and tour, which brings it by the Boulder Theater Oct. 25.
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($29.50, )
Fall Out Boy returns to Denver on Nov. 23 as part of its Young Wild Things tour, which features Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T’s and Cute Is What We Aim For. Tickets for the Magness Arena show are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($20-$30, Ticketmaster)
Rooney and The Polyphonic Spree are appropriate road mates, the former an ’80s-aping pop act and the latter a massive, tent-revival indie rock maelstrom. Both have bombast to spare. Tickets for the bands’ Oct. 22 Gothic Theatre set with the Redwalls are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($20, Ticketmaster)
Spyro Gyra’s reputation as light-jazz background music obscures its constant in-demand status as a live band, which has it booked through March of 2008. Spyro Gyra plays the Soiled Dove Underground on Sept. 30. Tickets are on sale now. ($40-$60, )
Antibalas stretches beyond straight-up (albeit incendiary) Afrobeat on its new disc, “Security,” produced by John McEntire of Tortoise. Hip-hop, electronica, funk and experimental music have begun to seep into the Brooklyn band’s groove- driven sound. Tickets for its Oct. 24 Boulder Theater show are on sale at 10 a.m. today. ($22.50, )
