Jay-Z ought to help fill the big-name hip-hop void left by Kanye West’s brief tour tease last month, a tour canceled only two days after it was trumpeted. Of course, fans of Jay-Z might argue that Hov is a far better emcee than West, and they would not be wrong. But Jay-Z has also jerked us around in recent years with ersatz retirements and mediocre albums. The second leg of his BP3 Tour, promoting his third “Blueprint” album (among other projects), stops at the Pepsi Center on March 22. Tickets for the set, with opener Young Jeezy, are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($39.50-$99.50, TicketHorse)
John Mayer, he of the breathy pop-rock persuasion, will play the Pepsi Center the night after Jay-Z, with opener Michael Franti & Spearhead. Tickets for the March 23 show are on sale via TicketHorse at 10 a.m. Nov. 21. Check back here for prices.
B.B. King, never one to rest on his laurels, returns to Colorado for an April 19 set at the Buell Theatre. Tickets for the blues legend’s concert, with a special guest to be announced, are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($45-$85, Ticketmaster)
Flobots, the Denver hip-hop act that broke nationally last year with the infectious single “Handlebars,” has announced an early 2010 release for its tentatively titled “Survival Story” on Universal Republic. To close out 2009, the band will play two dozen shows to preview some of the new material, including shows at the Sandbar in Vail (Nov. 24), three20south in Breckenridge (Nov. 25), the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins (Dec. 11), and the Fox Theatre in Boulder (Dec. 17-18). Visit for details.
Bon Jovi is still coming to the Pepsi Center on March 8. Tickets are available at 10 a.m. Monday. ($29.50-$235, TicketHorse)
3OH!3’s show at the Fillmore on Dec. 19, with fellow Front Rangers the Photo Atlas, the Pirate Signal and Meese, is getting a novel promotion this weekend: from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, 3OH!3 member Nathaniel Motte will be on hand at the Fillmore’s box office for a ticket-buyer meet-and-greet, and promoter Live Nation will waive service fees. ($21, 1510 Clarkson St.)
The Avett Brothers are back, this time for an April 20-21 run at the Boulder Theater. Tickets for the achingly gorgeous country act are on sale at 10 a.m. today. ($34, )
Kevin Smith joined the long list of canceled and postponed Denver shows (Queen Latifah, Train, etc.) last week when his Nov. 21 “Silent Bob Speaks” show at the Fillmore was killed “due to scheduling conflicts with his movie production schedule.” Refunds are available at the point of purchase, likely or the Fillmore box office.
