Topping our picks of best Colorado shows this week are , and more. We’ll be seeing you there, and if you don’t make it out, follow the music musings on our Twitter @RVRB and our selfies on Instagram @heyreverb.
5) Gregory Alan Isakov — Sunday, Boulder Theater, $22.50-$25
The wispy, rainy-day acoustic music of Colorado singer-songwriter has gotten some more buzz this year. His new album, “The Weatherman,” was picked to stream on The New York Times’ website, and this release has Isakov’s best sales week ever, starting at No. 102 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 for folk albums. With a knack for melody and engaging composition — especially for folk music — he is one to catch at the where he’ll be celebrating the success of his new album on Sunday.
4) Smith Westerns — Tuesday, Bluebird Theater, $15-$17
The ’ music has always been like walking through a room full of memorabilia. There seems to be a well-loved feel to all the worn pieces of pop-culture strewn about. Each hook and guitar bend is pulled from ’60s rock, the vocals from ’90s Brit-pop (even though the band is from Chicago) and all with the shine of David Bowie. On the band’s third album, “Soft Will,” Smith Westerns still turn this knickknack approach to indie-rock into something thatap lovable and contagious. The band brings this vintage sound to its biggest headlining show in Denver at the on Tuesday.
3) Rush — Friday, Pepsi Center, $36-$106.50
I once spent more than I would care to admit on tickets. The band is the perfect harmony of geekiness and pure rock, which gives a Rush show the awesome and odd feeling of a cult meeting, a World of Warcraft guild and a prog-metal concert all at the same time. If you’re not a diehard, it’s probably a little weird, but even if you can’t perfectly play along on your imaginary instrument to every drum fill, bass riff and guitar solo, you can still bask in the technical virtuosity of Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
2) Grizzly Bear — Tuesday, Ogden Theatre, $32.50-$35
It’s been a long time since Grizzly Bear played in Denver — six years, in fact. In that time, the band has slowly climbed to the top of the indie-rock hierarchy. Among a number of international dates, respectable spots at the biggest music festivals in the U.S., Grizzly Bear is now big enough to headline the Ogden Theatre, rather than be an opening act at the Larimer Lounge. Having had some time to develop the newest release “Shields” live — along with the other three albums released since last in Denver — this show should be as smooth as Grizzly Bear’s vocal harmonies.
1) Phoenix — Wednesday, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, $44.95-$49.95
Not many bands have a sound as distinct a Phoneix. The band had nearly a decade to define its shiny French disco, synth-pop tunes before finally hitting it big with 2009’s “Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix.” Now, with 2013’s “Bankrupt!” the band is making a victory lap of sorts, headlining nearly every big music festival and playing the country’s biggest venues. If you were able to watch the band’s performance at Coachella in April, you’ll know that they can recreate their meticulous sound live and will do so at on Wednesday.
Follow our news and updates on , our relationship status on and our search history on . Or send us a telegram.
Reverb Managing Editor Matt Miller has a really common name so please use these links to find his and . Or just send him an email to mrmiller@denverpost.com.
