A. Tom Collins plays Denver’s Hi-Dive on Friday and Saturday this week.
, and are our picks for the best shows in Denver this week. See you there, and if you don’t make it out, follow our music musings on Twitter and our selfies on Instagram. Oh, we have a Snapchat, too. Our name is HeyReverb. Hit us up.
Kid Cudi — Nov. 30, Fillmore Auditorium
Kid Cudi, aka Scott Mescudi, is still finding himself. After establishing himself as a laid-back “lonely stoner” on his guest-heavy (Common, Ratatat and MGMT among others) debut album “Man on the Moon,” Cudi veered rap-rock with his 2012 side project, “Wizard.” This year, he took up Reggie Watts’ musical duties on sketch comedy show “Comedy Bang! Bang!” and it seemed like he might be done with the role of the traditional touring artist altogether. But in September, Cudi announced he’d return with the double-disc “Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven” on Dec. 4. Tickets: $49.50-$69.50 via .
Slow Magic — Dec. 3, Gothic Theater
Who is Slow Magic? The reclusive artist is the latest in a line of masked DJs like Daft Punk and SBTKT that are . It might seem like a gimmick, but Slow Magic reasons that the less people know about him, the more they’ll focus on what actually matters: the music. Slow Magic’s ethereal EDM is remarkable enough to make a case for getting lost in the his work instead of his life. Taking notes from the blissed-out symmetry of Purity Ring, his hazy dance music sounds like the first chapters of a fantasy/sci-fi novel–euphoric expositions with great promise, and of course, mystery. Hear for yourself when he plays the Gothic Theater on Dec. 3. Tickets: $20 via .
A. Tom Collins — Nov 27-28, Hi-Dive
A little bit Man Man, a little bit Tom Waits, A. Tom Collins puts on one hell of a fun rock show. Frontman Aaron Collins treats the piano at times like a musical whack-a-mole, smashing the keys with vindictive rage to keep stride with a manic rhythm section. If Friday night doesn’t give you enough notice, the band will play the Hi Dive again on Saturday to commemorate the release of their new single, “Make a Mess of Me.” Tickets: $10-$13 via .
