But I will go on until THE END.

My dearest concert go-ers,

The time has come for me to say goodbye. The semester is almost over and so is the 2010 concert season. It has been such a joy to provide you will upcoming concert information as well as stories about various bands. I hope you liked reading as much as I liked writing! Remember to continuously check for upcoming concerts because Denver is expecting some fabulous shows. Maybe I'll even see you at one!

Until next time... Rock On!!

The Biggest Sweet 16 Bash Of The Year

Denver's most popular radio station, Alice 105.9, is having a very sweet 16 birthday bash on December 16 at the Fillmore Auditorium. To help Alice celebrate hit artists Train and Smash Mouth will be performing with special guests Lee DeWyze and Ryan Star. Tickets for this concert are $50.00 and can be purchased through Live Nation. Leading up to the concert Alice will be having many opportunities to win tickets. Starting December 6 - 10 and 13 - 16 at 7:00 AM, 11: AM, 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM Alice will have call in opportunities to not only win VIP tickets but also to meet one of the selected artists. Promotion Coordinator, Aaron Davis said, " It is extremely exciting for us to have Train be apart of our birthday celebration. They are a legendary band and the fact that they would do a concert like this says a lot about how generous of a band they are. Train always puts on a phenomenal show and we can't wait to see what they do for our birthday."

Train has been on the music scene since 1994. Since the release of their debut album, Train, in 2008; the band has released Drops of Jupiter (2001), My Private Nation (2003), For Me, It's You (2006) , Save Me, San Francisco (2009) and Save Me, San Francisco - Golden Gate Edition (2010).

Their first hit single "Meet Virginia" brought on massive popularly and their second single "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" was an international hit that won two Grammy Awards in 2002. The single "Drop of Jupiter" helped to make their second album, Drops of Jupiter, the band's best selling album yet with it reaching certified double platinum status. The release of their third album, My Private Nation, continued success for the band, but soon after two original members left the band leaving Train struggling to find replacements. Their fourth album, For me, It's You, was not received well by fans or critics, thus Train went on a three year break.

Returning to the music scene in 2009 with Save Me, San Francisco, was exactly what Train fans and critics wanted to hear. The album went multi-platinum and has international hits with "Hey, Soul Sister" and "It It's Love", which also reached high positions on the Billboard Hot 100 list. On December 1, Train found out extremely exciting news that they would be nominated for a Grammy for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals" for "Hey, Soul Sister". Train is currently on tour, for more information visit their official website, Facebook and Twitter.



Radio personalities, Slacker and Steve, said they are most excited about Smash Mouth. "They are such an energetic band to watch and have been around for a long time so they know how to perform. To them it is second nature and the audience can see that through their songs and stage presence, " said Steve. Slacker added, "I don't care how old the song All-Star is, it just puts you in a good mood. Who wouldn't want to hear a song about how great they are?! I really do think this will be an awesome birthday bash because Train and Smash Mouth are two totally different bands, but together will put on a great show."

Smash Mouth also entered the music scene in 1994 from San Jose, California. They can best be described as third wave ska music as well as a band that covers popular songs. Smash Mouth is known for their hits "Walkin' on the Sun" and "All Star" as well as The Monkees, "I'm a Believer".

Since they start on the music scene, Smash Mouth has released five albums: Fush Yo Mang (1997) , Astro Lounge (1999), Smash Mouth (2001), Get the Picture? (2003), and Summer Girl (2006).  Fush Yo Mang  went double platinum, Astro Lounge went triple platinum, which is the bands most successful album to date, and Smash Mouth went to gold status. Smash Mouth has also has many song in multiple movies and shows, but their most successful appearance was "I'm a Believer" in the Shrek movie.

History of Red Rocks Amphitheatre

For those of us who have seen a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre we know no other venue can compare. The biggest and best names in the business have all performed here and continue to come back year after year. Red Rocks is a phenomenal spot because of the scenery, set up and natural acoustics. Not only are viewers blessed with the natural scenery, but the beautiful Denver skyline can also be seen in the distance.

Red Rocks, originally known as the Garden of Angels, is a naturally formed, open air amphitheatre consisting of two, three hundred- foot rock creations. Red Rocks creation dates back to more than 250 millions years ago, the history is can be vividly seen through the animal and plant life in the area.

According to the history section of the amphitheatre's website, Red Rock Amphitheatre was first noticed by John Brisben Walker in the early 1900's. His vision of outdoor concerts came to life in 1906 when he placed a temporary platform for musicians to perform on. In 1927, Manager of Denver Parks, George Cranmer, convinced the City of Denver to purchase Red Rocks from John Brisben Walker. After the purchase, the Mayor of Denver Ben Stapleton, with the help of architect Burnham Hoyt designed the amphitheatre while continuing to preserve the natural area. Red Rock was in the making for twelve years and was finally dedicated on June 15, 1941. 

Since its opening Red Rocks has been a dream of almost all musician to play at. The earliest rock and roll performance was by The Beatles on August 26, 1964. Jethro Tull played on June 10, 1971, which led to a five year band of rock concerts at Red Rocks due to multiple incidents during the performance. However, during this time incredible artistis like John Denver, Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters, Pat Boone, Seals & Crofts and Carole King all performed.

One of the most memorable concerts in Red Rocks history is U2 in June 1983. This performance was video tapped and released as a full length concert video called Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky. This video was shown frequently on MTV and was later named one of the "50 Moments that Changed Rock and Roll" by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Red Rocks is currently owned by the City and County of Denver and is operated by the Division of Theatres and Arenas. The Division of Theatres and Arenas also owns and operates the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Denver Coliseum, Colorado Convention Center and Crossroads Theater.

Red Rocks special events coordinator TeNeil Hartley explained that not only is Red Rocks a fabulous concert venue, but also offers a 30,000 square foot visitors center that can hold parties, meetings, conferences, weddings or reunions. This 30,000 square foot space can be broken down into a different rooms like The Rock Room (3,600 sq ft), Southwest Heart of the Rock Theatre (2,250 sq ft), Ship Rock Grille (1,818 sq ft), Upper Terrace (24,000 sq ft - outside) and Trading Post (2,200 sq ft - outdoors). Hartley also explained that Aramark Corporation has an exclusive service contract with the City and Country of Denver for Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Aramark holds the food and beverage rights at Red Rocks, therefore no outside vendors can be brought on property. 

Red Rocks has not yet released their 2011 concert schedule, but you can be the first to know by signing up for concert alerts on their calendar page.

Get $leazy?!

Ke$ha has just announced her first North American Headlining tour, kicking off in Portland, Oregon on February 15 and ending in Los Angeles, California on May 6.  She will be playing in Denver on February 19 at the Fillmore Auditorium.

Ke$ha has been performing for many years and knew she was always destined to be a performer, but it wasn't until 2009 when producer Dr. Luke brought her to RCA Records, which landed her a record deal. Ke$ha worked with many collaborators like Max Martin (Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears) and Benny Blanco (Katy Perry, 3OH!3). With the release of her debut album, Animal, on January 1, 2010, Ke$ha instantly started making a name for herself. The dance-pop, electro sounds of her music caught the attention of listeners all over the world. Animal began climbing up the charts and making it to number one in Canada, the United States and Greece. So far the album has sold over two million copies. Stemming from her album were many number one singles. "Tik Tok" made it to number one in eleven counties and reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 list and started there for nine consecutive weeks. Her second and third singles "Blah Blah Blah" and "Your Love is My Drug" also went into the top ten in multiple countries. Finally, the song "Take It Off" reached the top ten in three countries and top twenty in five other countries.

Ke$ha has been working hard  to completely her second album, Cannibal, which was released on November 22, 2010. The album hasn't even been out a month and is already making waves on the music scene. This nine track set can be considered the follow-up album to Animal. The first single "We R Who We R" has already becoming a booming success in the charts and is continuing to make its way to the top. Currently "We R Who We R" is sitting at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

For more information check out Ke$sh'a official website, Twitter and Facebook.
Visit Ticket Master to purchase your tickets for the February 19 show!

Waiting over here, for life to begin, Still looking for the new thing...

Pete Yorn is an all -American self taught singer, songwriter and guitarist who first started on the music scene when he was asked to make demos for the movie Me, Myself and Irene. He also ended up scoring all of the music, which contained his hit song "Strange Condition" and "Just Another". Soon after in 2001, Yorn released his debut album Musicforthemorningafter. This album automatically went gold with the help of his hit single "Life on a Chain." This caught the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine who then named Yorn one of the ten artists to watch in 2001.

In 2003, Yorn released his second album Day I Forgot and gained another radio hit with "Come Back Home." 2006 was another perfect year for Yorn with the release of his third album, Nightcrawler, which was named one of the top 20 records of 2006 by Paste Magazine.

Since 2006, Yorn has released Back and Fourth in 2009, Break Up - a collaboration with Scarlett Johansson in 2009 and his self titled album Pete Yorn in 2010.

Not only do Yorn's talents help make his albums such a success, but it also the various artists that are featured in his songs. Yorn has been fortune enough to work with Peter Buck of R.E.M; R. Walt Vincent, Brad Wood and Ken Andrews of Failure and Year of the Rabbit. He has also worked with music legends Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M, Crowded House, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Coldplay, The Dixie Chicks, Semisonic and many more.

Pete Yorn is currently on tour. For more information visit his official website, Facebook and Twitter page.

Sneak Preview of 2011 : January 1 - May 31

Can you believe 2010 is almost over?! What a year it has been, but I think 2011 will have many great things in store. One of those things is several incredibly good concerts are coming to the Denver area. Just to give you something to look forward too here is a first look at what is to come...

• NBC's Last Comic Standing at Newman Center-Gates Concert Hall in Denver on Saturday, January 8 at 8:00 PM
• Dashboard Confessional (Swiss Army Romance 10th Anniversary Tour) at The Summit Music Hall in Denver on Monday, January 10 at 6:30 PM
• Daniel Tosh at Wells Fargo Theatre in Denver on Saturday, January 15 at 7:30 PM and 10:30 PM
• Thirty Seconds to Mars at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on Friday, January 21 at 6:00 PM
• Moe. at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, February 4 at 9:00 PM and Saturday, February 5 at 9:00 PM
• Ozzy Osbourne at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Tuesday, February 8 at 7:30 PM
• Sarah McLachlan at the Paramount Theatre in Denver on Tuesday, February 15 at 8:00 PM
• Less Than Jake at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on Thursday, February 17 at 7:00 PM and The Summit Music Hall in Denver on Friday, February 18 at 7:00 PM
• Pete Yorn, and Ben Kweller at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Thursday, February 17 at 8:00 PM
• Ke$sha (The Get $leazy Tour) at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on Saturday, February 19 at 6:30 PM
• Rooney at the Marquis Theater in Denver on Friday, February 25 at 7:30 PM
• Dropkick Murphys at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on Tuesday, March 1 at 6:00 PM
• Cold War Kids at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Tuesday, March 8 at 8:00 PM
• State Radio at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Thursday, March 10 at 8:00 PM
• Girl Talk at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, March 11 at 9:00 PM and Saturday, March 12 at 9:00 PM
• John Mellencamp at The Buell Theatre in Denver on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:00 PM
• My Chemical Romance at the Fillmore Auditorium on Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 PM
• U2 (360 Tour) at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver on Saturday, May 21 at 7:00 PM

Of course, these are only a small portion of what is to come so make sure to check out Ticket Master for a full list of 2011 concerts. Check often because more concerts are being added each day! 

The Most Rockin' Christmas Show of The Season

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Tour 2010 will be at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Wednesday, December 22 at 4:00PM and 8:00PM and the World Arena in Colorado Springs on Thursday, December 23 at 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra started with Paul O'Neill's vision to, "Create a progressive rock band that would push the boundaries further than any group before, following in the footsteps of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, the Who... but take it way, way further" (TSO Biography). The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is made up of Paul O'Neill: Composer/ Lyricist/ Producer, Robert Kinkel: Composer/Co-producer/Keyboardist, John Oliva: Composer and Al Pitrelli: Music Director/ Lead Guitarist. So far this rock opera band has sold over 7 million records world-wide, and according to Billboard Magazine are considered to be one of the top touring artists of the decade. TSO has a $20 million-plus production that tours to over 80 cities, playing for over 7 million people adding up to ticket sales over $280 million... now that's what I call success! TSO main plan was to make six rock operas, a trilogy about Christmas and a few rock albums.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra's first rock opera, Romanov, was temporarily put on hold so TSO released Christmas Ever and Other Stories as their debut album. This album went double platinum, which allowed the band to create their Christmas trilogy by releasing their second and third albums: The Christmas Attic and The Lost Christmas Eve. During the time TSO was finally able to release their first real rock opera, Beethoven's Last Night.

Speaking from experience TSO puts on one of the most incredible performances. Nothing can compare to their electrifying music combined with two stages, pyrotechnics, lights and lasers. This is definitely the must see show of the season!

For more information visit their official website and Facebook. 

My reach is global. My tower is secure. My cause is noble. My power is pure.

Once again another local band from Denver, The Flobots, consist of six different members: Jonny 5, Brer Rabbit, Mackenzie Roberts, Andy Guerrero, Jesse Walker and Kenny Ortiz; and all are, "dedicated to social action, change and thought."  Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit first started the Flotbots and soon took in viola player Mackenzie Roberts and guitarist Any Guerrero in 2005. Bassist Jesse Walker and drummer Kenny Ortiz later joined the band to make it what it is today. The Flobots are a genre of their own with funky guitar riffs, heavy bass and drums and a viola to supplement their provoking lyrics. The six musicians started playing around Denver and started to gain a popular following of people who not only love their music, but also believe in social awareness. Their music and push for social change took the Flobots first cd, Fight with Tools, to the charts and produced Top 2 singles for "Handlebars" and "Rise." With this success the Flobots became the most-talked about up and coming band in 2008. Their talent and powerful lyrics landed the Flobots on Late Night Television shoes like The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien and Carson Daly. Not only did they perform on national televisions but also led anti-war marches in Denver during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, performed in Washington DC on election night and have had extremely successful tours in the United State and Europe.

To make social change more aware in Denver the Flotbots opened flobots.org Community Center in September 2009 in Denver. This center is their headquarters for community work, which helps with everything from school art programs to voter registration. The Flotbots make sure to keep engaged with their fans through message boards, emails, comments on social networking sites and actual conversations. Andy Guerrero explains, "Talking with the audience before and after shows gives us constant inspiration, and motivation, to keep doing what we do."

Jonny 5 best explains what the band hopes their fans feel while listening to their newest album, Survival Story,  "When people listen to Survival Story we want them to see themselves and their own stories, with all of their complications, questions, and frustrations. Rather than seek to hide them, we chose to embrace and even celebrate them as a part of a global transformation, one in which forces of violence, hopelessness and waste will be composted into fertile soil from which new possibility can grow. We want to leave people with a sense of excitement that a new world is emerging, one which we have the power to shape, that a new story is being written and we must write it together. When the album is over, we want our listeners to walk away with a profound awareness of the cracks in the surface, a deep sense of what’s at stake and a strong resolve to make sure that the new world is one in which loved ones near and far, known and unknown, survive."

For more information visit the Flobots official website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter

Concerts, Concerts and More Concerts for December 6 - December 15

With the holidays coming up many artists are taking the time off to spend with their family and friends, but Denver still has a many concerts coming up with in the next few weeks. During December 6-15 you can expect to have a variety of artists coming through but here are a few of the most popular...

• Tech N9ne with special guests at the Boulder Theater in Boulder on Monday, December 6 at 8:00 PM
• Eddie Money at the Grizzly Rose in Denver on Wednesday, December 8 at 6:00 PM
• Clay Walker at the Grizzly Rose in Denver on Friday, December 10 at 6:00 PM
• Flobots at the Mesa Theater and Club in Grand Junction on Saturday, December 11 at 8:00 PM

Along with regular concerts there are a few Christmas Shows to get you in the holiday spirit...

• A Night in Bethlehem, Holiday Jazz Trio from Norway at the University of Denver- Newman Center- Gates Concert Hall in Denver on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30 PM
• Sound of the Rockies presents Christmas in Colorado at the University of Denver- Newman Center- Gates Concert Hall on Saturday, December 11 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM

Hometown Lovin'

Tickle Me Pink is an all - American Emo-Rock band hailing from the local scene of Fort Collins, Colorado and are currently signed to Wind-Up Records. Sean Kennedy, Stefan Runstrom, Joey Barba and Steven Beck have been playing the music scene since 2005 with their release of two EPs, If Only We Were Twenty One and Up and  Half Seas Over. Before coming together as a band all member had been playing music for many years. Sean Kennedy played music for over 11 years as well as studying opera, piano, training with classical guitarists and released an acoustic solo album in 2006. Johnny Schou worked in a recording studio and began working with a producer. Stefan Runstrom began playing percussion when he was 12 years old. Finally, Steven Beck began playing guitar at age six and also taught at the Academy of Guitar in Fort Collins. Tickle Me Pink draws their musical inspiration from Third Eye Blind, Brand New and At The Drive-In. In 2008 the band was able to release their debt album, Madeline. Sadly, this album release was marked the passing of Tickle Me Pink's then bassist Johnny Schou. Since 2008 the band has gained national recognition due to their single "Typical" playing on MTV2 Unleashed and airtime thanks to Denver radio station 93.3 KTCL. Since their radio success Tickle Me Pink has been on many national tours, but their most popular tour was opening up for Emo-Punk Rock band, Hawthorne Heights.
Currently, Tickle Me Pink is touring throughout Colorado so make sure you catch them at a venue near you. For more information visit Tickle Me Pink's official website, twitter and facebook.

"...No, I can't figure out just how much air I will NEED TO BREATHE when your wave crashes over me..."

NEEDTOBREATHE can best be described as a new-age Christian-Rock band. Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart, Seth Bolt and Joe Stillwell bring in elements of worship, blues, and rock; all combined with an edgy southern soul. Lead singer, Bear Rinehart explains their southern sound by saying, "The 'Southern thing' is very scary to some people, but for us, it's not so much a sound than a feeling. It's just about having some soul in the words you write, the music that you play. And it's something that just comes naturally to us." (bio)
The band has been on the music scene since 1999 and have release three albums, their most recent titled The Outsiders'. Although, NEEDTOBREATHE started playing over a decade ago, it took them about seven years to finally get their big break with Daylight label and begin a national tour. During this time is when the band released their second album, The Heat and more importantly their hit single "More Time", which went to top 10 at Triple-A radio. This was a huge accomplishment because their music was being played along side with Coldplay and Jack Johnson. The song "More Time" was also picked up by major movies and shows like P.S. I Love You and MTV's "The Hills".
With their latest album, NEEDTOBREATHE, wanted to defy any restrictions and push the limits of their style so they chose to co-produce the album with three different producers in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Charleston. First, they worked with Jim Scott who worked on Tom Petty's Wildflowers. Then, former jazz guitar teacher, Rick Beato who has worked with Shinedown and Jump, Little Children. Finally, their third co-producer was John Alagia, who has worked with Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. Combining the specialties and talents of each co-producer helped to mold the band to what they are today.
NEEDTOBREATHE is currently on tour and will be coming to the Ogden Theatre on December 3. For more information and to check out videos visit their official website.You can also follow NEEDTOBREATHE on Twitter, Facebook and their blog.

Colorado Concerts November 30 - December 5

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving that was filled with lots of good food! Now it's time for your weekly Colorado Concerts update. This week there are 22 shows coming to Denver and the surrounding area. Since Thanksgiving is over, the nation is in Christmas mode so many of the upcoming shows are holiday theme, of course with the exception of a select few. 

• Tech N9ne with special guests at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3 at 8:00
• Tickle Me Pink with special guests at The Summit Music Hall in Denver on Friday, December 3 at 7:00 and at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on Saturday December 4 at 7:00
• Jingle Bell Rock at the Arnold Hall Theater at the United States Air Force Academy on Friday, December 3 at 7:30
• Uncle Kracker at the Grizzly Rose in Denver on Friday, December 3 at 8:00
• NEEDTOBREATHE with The Daylights at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, December 3 at 9:00
• Christmas with the Children's Chorale at the Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver on Saturday, December 4 at 2:00 and Sunday, December 5 at 7:00

well that's a... REEL BIG FISH

Reel Big Fish is a ska punk band who got their start in the music scene in the mid 1990s. Ska music combines elements of Caribbean, Calypso, American Jazz, Rhythm and Blues. Ska music is based around the saxophone, trumpet, trombone, keyboard and base. Reel Big Fish, along with Sublime, No Doubt and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are considered to be the founding fathers of Third Wave Ska music aka Ska Punk. Reel Big Fish released their song "Sell Out" to mainstream radio which reached #10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts in 1997.  Since the bands start they have been doing through multiple ups and downs. For example, only three of the original members are still playing and many different people have come in and out of the band. It is hard for bands for succeed when they keep loosing members and have to continuously find replacements. Also, Ska music has had a very hard time breaking into the main stream. Often, Ska Punk has a following of its own but unless you know it, you've probably never heard of it. Reel Big Fish is best known for their energetic tunes and distinct lyrics. Fans of Reel Big Fish are very supportive of the band and this is clear to see in the comment section on ticketmaster.com. One fan said, " The supporting bands were awesome! The energy was incredible! Reel Big Fish sounded amazing. The crowd was dancing along. I really don't think anyone didn't have a good time. If you've never seen Reel Big Fish before, go see them ASAP! You won't regret it!!" While another fan raved, "A must see for anyone who likes ska and live performances."

For more information on Reel Bid Fish visit their official website, Myspace, Facebook or Twitter.

Denver Concerts.... Sports... Arts & Theatre: November 6 - November 12

This week Denver has a very limited amount of concerts, only 27 on ticketmaster.com and many bands are underground or not very widely heard of. Some of the more popular bands are:

• Ghostface Killah at The Summit Music Hall on Saturday,November 6 and at The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on Sunday, November 7
• Reel Big Fish at the Ogden Theatre on Wednesday,November 10
• Bad Religion at the Fillmore Auditorium on Friday, November 12

The follows bands have a great following, but are not very well known:

• Kate Nash and Peggy Sue at the Ogden Theatre on Saturday, November 6
• Eisley, Ives the Band, Cristie Dupree, Politic at the Bluebird Theater on Tuesday, November  9

Even sports are slow this week, the Broncos and Nuggets are off this week so it is all about college athletics:

• University of Denver Pioneer Hockey vs. Minnesota State at Magness Arena on Friday, November 12
• University of Colorado Buffaloes Football vs. Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field on Saturday, November 13
• Colorado State University Football vs. San Diego State at San Diego State on Saturday, November 6 -  TV coverage will start at 8:00 PM.

Arts and Theater:

• Tutankhamun the Golden King and the Great Pharaohs at the Denver Art Museum starting Tuesday, November 9

Count Down to the Season Opener... 21 hours

Tomorrow night at 7:00 PM the Nuggets will take on the Utah Jazz and all of their fans will be waiting in anticipation to see if the Nuggets can pull off a win for their season open. For more than 30 years the Nuggets have been representing Denver and are the oldest NBA team in the mountain states region.  The Nuggets are currently owned by E.Stanley Kroenke who is also the Owner & Governor or Kroenke Sports Enterprises, LLC. Kroenke was officially named owner of the Nuggets on July 6, 2000 and not only does he own the Nuggets, but also the Avalanche, Rapids and Mammoth as well as the Pepsi Center. Since then the Nuggets are one of only four NBA teams to make the playoffs in each of the past six seasons. Of course the team owes some of their success to head coach, George Karl. He became the 19th head coach on January 27, 2005. In the past five years the Nuggets have brought 225 wins which is the second most by a coach in Denver's NBA history. Assistant coaching for the team are Adrian Dantley, Tim Grgurich, Jamahl Mosley, John Welch, Chad Iske, Stacey Augmon, Jim Gillen and Steve Hess. Not only are the Nuggets a great basketball team, but they also have fabulous community outreach. The Nuggets are committed to improving the lives of families and children in Colorado through education, health and fitness and community event programs. In order to do this the Nuggets visit school, hospitals and host basketball clinics. Some of their programs are: Read Team/ Read to Achieve, Nugget for a Day, Team Fit, Junior Nuggets, Prep League, Denver Nuggets Skills Challenge, Special Olympics Basketball Clinic, and Open Practices. Not only do they offer community service the Nuggets have fundraising events like Nuggets Bowling Ball and Mile High Dream Gala. Fans love attending Nuggets game because of the game and entertainment that comes along with it. At the game fans will be able to see their mascot, Rocky the Mountain Lion and of course the Nuggets dancers and cheerleaders.

Join the Nuggets tomorrow night either at the Pepsi Center or on your local sports station!

Boooo!

Hey Monsters!

For my JTC 326 class I had an audio project and I decided to do mine on Halloween. Listen up and maybe you'll learn something about this ghostly day. Happy Haunting!

Stay Spooky with Denver Concerts October 25 - October 31

It seems as if the music scene this week is a little more hardcore for the spirit of Halloween. This week we do not see many country or pop artists. Almost all are either metal core or punk rock. On Monday our local venue, The Aggie Theatre, will host the metal/screamo band Stick To Your Guns. Also, on Monday Interpol will be playing at the Ogden Theatre. Papa Roach will scream down the house at the Fillmore Auditorium on Tuesday night, and on Friday night Bayside and Senses Fail will by playing at The Summit Music Hall. On Friday the Grizzly Rose is hosting their special Halloween bash with Eli Young Band and We The Kings will play at the Marquis Theater.Finally, The Grizzly Rose will be having a throw back to the 80's night on Saturday with Kiss, Journey and Van Halen tribute bands.

Maybe next week there will be some music for all you alternative, pop, country lovin' people.

Nickelback, Keeping Rock Rocking

Nickelback hit the stage of the Pepsi Center on Monday, October 18 and completely stole the show.

Nickelback is a solid rock band who started on the music scene over 13 years ago in Alberta, Canada. The band is made up of singer Chad Kroeger, bassist Mike Kroeger, guitarist Ryan Peake and drummer Daniel Adair. Since 1995 the band has made hit after hit until reaching multi-platinum status. For example, the group has sold over 30 millions albums worldwide and in 2001 their breakthrough album Silver Side Up sent 13 singles to various Billboard charts. Nickelback ranks as the 11th best selling music act of the 2000s, and is the 2nd best selling foreign act in the US behind The Beatles for the 2000s. Not only is Nickelback considered one of the "Artist of the Decade" they are also successful in the pop and country genres. In 2009, Billboard Magazine also named Nickelback as the Adult Pop Artists of the decade. Some of Nickelback's most famous songs are "How You Remind Me", "Hero", "Someday", "Photograph", "Far Away", "Rockstar", "Gotta Be Somebody", and "If Today Was Your Last Day." Nickelback has also won various awards at the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, World Music Awards, and People's Choice Awards.

Currently the band has released six studio albums, one compilation album, one EP, twenty seven singles and five video albums. Their CD's in order are: Curb (1996),  The State (1998/2000), Silver Side Up (2001), The Long Road (2003), All the Right Reasons (2005), and Dark Horse (2008).

And We're Back! Upcoming Denver Concerts. October 17 - October 23

Concert season is starting back up again! After a few weeks of not many concerts, Denver is starting to bring in more acts. According to Ticketmaster, this week there will be 30 total concerts but only a few big names. On Monday, October 18 Nickelback will be playing with Three Days Grace and Buckcherry at the Pepsi Center. On Tuesday, October 16 alternative band, The Script will by playing at the Ogden Theatre. Pop-Punk Band, Say Anything will be playing with Motion City Soundtrack and other special guests on Saturday, October 23 at The Summit Music Hall. Finally, Matt Costa will also be playing on Saturday, October 23, but at the Bluebird Theater. This week provides many concerts that all music lovers will enjoy. Check out this weeks concerts, and I'll be back next week to update you again!

Reading, You're Lucky If You Can.

Literacy to Illiteracy

Percentages drastically changing for the worst

Fort Collins, CO -- “Pi Burger Fry is hands down my favorite philanthropy of the year. I love burgers, I love fries and I of course love Pi Beta Phi,” Announced Charlie Fredrick at this year’s end of Pi Beta Phi’s philanthropy event on Wednesday, September 29th. Every year Pi Beta Phi sorority puts on their philanthropy event called Pi Burger Fry, which helps to raise money for their national philanthropy, First Book.

So, Tell me, What Is First Book?
Everyone in the community is invited to this event and admission to all the burgers, flies, soda and fun is only $5.00. In order to attend Pi Burger Fry attendees must make a small donation of $5.00. Pi Beta Phi’s Vice President of Philanthropy, Erin Eastburn, explains, “All the money that Pi Beta Phi raises goes directly to First Book. First Book helps support school and children that need help with their reading and literacy programs. The money also helps First Book sponsor book drives and other philanthropic events to raise awareness of the unseen problem of illiteracy.”Although, First Book is Pi Beta Phi’s national philanthropy anyone can donate to the cause. Donations can be made in the form of books or monetary. Every $2.00 donated provides one new book for a child in need and so far First Book has provided more than 70 million brand new books to children in need. This year, Pi Beta Phi raised $2,085.00 which means about 1,042 books will be donated to children around the nation.

Is It Really That Bad?
Pi Beta Phi member Lili Beck stated, “Compared to other sorority philanthropies First Book may not seem like such a big deal, but illiteracy is a drastically increasing problem in the United States.” Currently, two million adults are functionally illiterate and it is estimated that 42 million American adults are not able to read or write in any way. By not stopping the illiteracy issue it is estimated that illiteracy will grow by about two million each year. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that more than $2 billion is spent each year on students who repeat a grade because they have reading problems, and approximately 50 percent of the nation's unemployed youth age 16-21 are functional illiterate, with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs.

Illiteracy, More Than Just Not Being Able To Read

The reason First Book is so focused on children is because two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare. Furthermore, over 70 percent of inmates in America’s prisons cannot read above a 4th grade level. On greater scale, illiteracy statistics show that as illiteracy increases so do crime rates. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Education, 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85 percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems.

Not only is Pi Beta Phi helping to change illiteracy rates, locally in Weld County a nonprofit organization started in 1976 called Right to Read. Right to Read is an adult education center whose motto is, “Literacy Opens Worlds.” This organization is a classroom set up that teaches over 250 adults and families each year how to read at a proficient level. There are an estimated 30,000 adults in Weld County who are not native English speakers. These are hard-working individuals who have few resources to acquire English skills, skills that are essential to economic and social success. In Weld County roughly 10.3% of the population lives in poverty. The cycle of opportunity is closed to most of these individuals who often lack the skills to improve their economic lives (right to read).

Pi Beta Phi, First Book, Right to Read any many other organizations are doing a small part in helping cure the illiteracy problem, but if we all take time to donate books we can significantly help to decrease this issue as well. Attending philanthropy events, such as Pi Burger Fry is the most fun way to make a difference. Gamma Phi Beta member, Shannon Good said, “I love attending sorority and fraternity philanthropy events because not only do I get to hang out with all my friends but I am doing my part to make a difference and help a specific cause.”

Class Project

Meet Laura! I made this video for my JTC 326 class. Laura is a senior Journalism major, but her heart truly lies in art. She is extremely talented and this video shows many of her favorite pieces. Enjoy!

Brad Paisley - The Hottest Show of the Summer

Brad Paisley will be playing at the Comfort Dental Amphitheatre on Saturday, September 25. Paisley's opening acts are Justin Moore and Darius Rucker. Concert goers will also have the opportunity to hear Steel Magnolia, Easton Corbin and Josh Thompson on the Water World Stage.

Brad Paisley started his music career at age 8 when his grandfather gave him a guitar and taught him how to play. After this, Paisley began playing at many local events with his band the C-Notes. Brad continued playing throughout college and finally moved to Nashville. This move brought about many fabulous changes and opportunities. Paisley finally landed a contract with Arista Nashville who also represents Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn. Brad Paisley has become of one of the most respected country artists due to his triple threat talents of writing, singing and guitar playing. Recently, Paisley launched his eighth album, American Saturday Night. Many of his album singles have reached the number one spot, making him the second country artists to have the most consecutive number one songs. Not only does Brad Paisley produce multiple number one songs, he is also a Grammy, Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association winner.

To read more about what Brad Paisley is doing each day check out his blog or twitter account.

"That's Why I Roll Wit Him He My Favorite Rapper Real Talk - Tech N9ne"

Tech N9ne entered the music scene over 20 years ago and is widely considered to be the most successful independent/underground hip-hop artists to date. Tech N9ne is also known for his record label, Strange Music, which he started in 1999 with co-owner Travis O'Guin. Under his record label he has recorded and released ten albums. After the success of his first albums, the label started to sign rappers who are often featured with Tech N9ne. Tech N9ne's music can be heard in many movies, video games and television shows. Although Tech N9ne has a large following across the United States, his die-hard fans are located in Kansas City, Missouri or as Tech N9ne calls it, KC MO. This is where he will kick off his 2010, Independent Grind tour. Tech N9ne will visit 44 venues in 49 days -- now that's hard work!

Anyone who has seen Tech N9ne in concert knows he does not disappoint.  I was fortunate to see him when he performed in Denver last year. Tech N9ne raps many of his old-school songs but also performs his new hits as well. This is great for his long time fans because they are able to see a variety of Tech N9ne's music. Not only does he put on a phenomenal show, but also has a crew of rappers with him. Essentially attendees are able to see Tech N9ne and many of his Strange Music Label clients. When I saw Tech N9ne he opened with his hit "Caribou Lou", which I have attached for you all to view. Please be aware that Tech N9ne does cuss a lot and also is very vulgar - I guess you could say this music is rated R and parental discretion is advised.

Follow Tech N9ne on Twitter or check out his Facebook page

Slow Week for Denver Concerts: September 21-September 26

Hello fellow concert lovers,

For those of you who have already checked Ticket Master this week it is obviously that this is not a booming time for concerts. The two most popular acts coming to Denver are Tech N9ne and Brad Paisley. Tech N9ne will be playing on September 24 at the Fillmore Auditorium and Brad Paisley will be playing on September 25 at the Comfort Dental Amphitheatre. If you have heard of either one of these performers you know they are on the opposite end of the musical spectrum. Tech N9ne is hard-core gangster rap where as Brad Paisley is a country superstar. Both performers have extremely dedicated fans, especially here in Colorado. Both acts are playing two shows in Colorado in order to fulfill the wants and needs of their fans. Tech N9ne is also playing in Grand Junction on September 25 and Brad Paisley is having two shows on the 24th one at 4:30 and another at 7:30.

Comfort Dental Amphitheatre in Englewood, Colorado

Denver Concerts August 26 - September 1, 2010

Denver, Colorado is the central spot for Colorado concerts. Although, other cities bring in different acts almost always the best performers stop in Denver. Typically, there will be 20 - 30 different concerts a week with at least  four - six big name performers. Concert tickets can be found at the individual venue websites like ticketmaster.com, livenation.com, and denverticket.com.

In the next week Denver will host big name musicians like: Reggae on the Rocks featuring Steel Pulse, Rebelution, Ky-Mani Marley, Judge Roughneck and Postman Roger at Red Rocks Amphitheatre; David Gray & Ray Lamontagne at Red Rocks Amphitheatre; Sheryl Crow at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and John Mayer at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Red Rocks is a world renowned spot for concerts that the best of the best bands play and record concerts at. During the summer months, Red Rocks is a gorgeous spot to catch concerts, shows and even night time movies.

For more information on more upcoming concerts visit: ticket master, live nation, and denver ticket. 

Check out John Mayer with special guest Owl City Wednesday, September 1 at 7:30PM (doors open at 6:30PM)