Ladysmith Black Mambazo, perform during a tribute to Paul Simon, awarded the first annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Wednesday, May 23, 2007, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Car Seat Headrest, Ladysmith Black Mombazo and Cas Haley 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 and our selfies on . Oh, we have a Snapchat, too. Our name is HeyReverb. Hit us up.
Car Seat Headrest — Hi-Dive, Jan. 15
Like a selfie on the Space Needle, Seattle’s Will Toledo has artfully millenialized one of the hallmarks of the Emerald City. As Car Seat Headrest, Toledo updates grunge’s distortion-heavy, anxiety-ridden worldview for this generation’s chronically blue and lonesome. “Goodbye, secret files / when I’m gone all this information will die,” he sings on “Oh! Starving,” a major key lament of a too-easy life. Cobain would hate it, but Toledo has carved out a niche for himself among fledgling post-teen existentialists, not to mention a few music writers: Rolling Stone ranked the band’s Matador debut as the . Hear the hype at the Hi-Dive on Jan. 15. Tickets: $10 via hi-dive.com.
Related: Will Toledo wary of whiplash from buzz-band status
Ladysmith Black Mambazo — L2 Church, Jan. 17
South African a capella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo are best known as the singers that inspired (and performed on) Paul Simon’s seminal album, “Graceland.” Since that album brought the group’s name to the forefront of world music, Ladysmith have zig-zagged the globe with their style of Zulu-inspired isicathamiya music, pulling down four Grammy Awards in the process. Catch the lauded vocalists and Ghanaian reggae/afro-pop group Selasee when they stop by Denver’s L2 Church on Jan. 17. Tickets are $43-$45 and available via .
Cas Haley — Cervantes’ Other Side, Jan. 15
A little bit reggae, a little bit R&B, Cas Haley is all soul. His masterful covers of classic rock songs are as chipper as a Saturday morning cartoon. Even if you hate reggae — is that even possible? — it’s hard to imagine Haley’s simpatico acoustic guitar and voice combo could offend anyone’s sensibilities. His rendition of “Stand By Me” is the audio equivalent of being licked asleep by puppies. What? You hate puppies, too? Too bad — the comparison stands. Hear for yourself when he plays Cervantes’ Other Side on Jan. 15. Tickets are $15 via .
