Front Range rock clubs, theaters and auditoriums come alive each Halloween with freak shows and dance parties, rock concerts and folksy nights out — and the 2009 installment this weekend is the most impressive lineup to date.
Halloween has become a hot night for going out.
“I am flabbergasted at such an avalanche of support and enthusiasm from the Colorado community,” said Lorin Ashton, a.k.a. Bassnectar, the DJ/producer who headlines the Fillmore Auditorium on Saturday — Halloween night. “We are planning the craziest light show I’ve ever had onstage, and musically this set is the main event of the fall tour. I’ve been saving so many sonic surprise attacks.”
Here are the goods on this weekend’s top 20 shows in Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins:
Bassnectar: Big-beat dance-floor madness. Saturday, Fillmore Auditorium. $22-$27,
White Rabbits/Glass Ghost: Indie rock that makes you move. Tonight, Larimer Lounge. $18,
Paper Bird: Intoxicating vocal neo- folk with guests Ian Cooke/Vitamins tonight and the Tanukis/Candy Claws on Saturday. Tonight-Saturday, Everyday Joe’s (Fort Collins). $10-$12,
Meese/The Northern Way: Pop music you need to sing along with. Saturday, Gothic Theatre. $12-$14,
Ditty Bops: Cutesy vocal folk. Tonight, Swallow Hill. $16-$20,
DeVotchKa/Quixotic: World-influenced rock music that works outside the confines of NPR. Tonight-Saturday, Boulder Theater. $38.50,
Natural Selection/Snake Rattle Rattle Snake: Shake-it styled indie rock. Tonight, Hi-Dive. $8,
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club/Bad Luck City: Gothic country music that is sometimes labeled “the Denver sound.” Saturday, Bender’s Tavern. $12-$15, benders
The Show Is the Rainbow: Freakshow/performance art/rock- meets-hip-hop action. Tonight, Rhinoceropolis. rhinoceropolis
The Hollyfelds/Vibes on Velvet: Alt-country perfection. Saturday, Skylark Lounge. $5, at the door
Dinosaur Jr.: Legendary volume from legacy punk act. Tonight, Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins). $20-$22,
Nashville P.: Trashy punk rock squeals. Saturday, Bluebird Theater. $10,
The Epilogues/the Photo Atlas/ Chain Gang of 1974: Dance-punk goodness. Tonight, Marquis Theater. $8-$10, sodajerkpresents
Ghostface Killah: Hip-hop madness. Tonight, Bluebird ($20.25, ); Saturday, Fox Theatre $22.50-$26, foxtheatre
The Sounds: Swedish party-rock. Saturday, Ogden Theatre. $22.25,
EOTO: Trippy (and live) dub-step jams. Tonight, Gothic Theatre. $25-$28,
d.biddle/Dualistics: Annual indie-rock celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Saturday, Hi-Dive. $6,
Train/Uncle Kracker: Mainstream rock on the comeback trail. Tonight, Ogden Theatre. $32.25,
Tapes ‘N Tapes/the Knew: Indie-rock show dressed as a homecoming party for the University of Colorado at Boulder. Tonight, Glenn Miller Ballroom. Free tickets can be picked up in the CU- Boulder Program Council’s office, Room 401 of the UMC, program
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Casey James Priestwood and the Burning Angels: Former Drive By Trucker makes good on his promise to keep kicking out the jams. Saturday, Larimer Lounge. $16,
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
