Ultra5280's Best Shows of 2016

We had the amazing opportunity to cover some amazing shows this year. The nice thing about our staff is that we all have different taste in music, for example our managing editor Mcclain Morris absolutely loves Pitbull (who would have known). A few things need to fit our criteria to make it a good show, showmanship, production, sound and the signature staple each band brings to the crowd. As with our top albums of 2016 we asked some of our good friends to chime in with theirs, so once again a huge thanks to our friends at Live Nation, AEG, Two Parts, and Soda Jerk Presents.

Robert Castro - Editor in Chief - Ultra5280

1. Radiohead - Austin City Limits Music Festival (Weekend Two)

2. Tame Impala - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

3. LCD Soundsystem - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

4. Bud Bronson and The Good Timers - The UMS

5. Sigur Ros - Ellie Caulkins Opera House

Mcclain Morris - Managing Editor - Ultra5280

1. The Lumineers - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

2. Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats - Pabst Music Festival (Denver)

3. Brent Cowles - Syntax Opera House

4. Portugal. The Man / Glass Animals - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

5. Langhorne Slim - The Bluebird Theater

Matt Smith - Photographer - Ultra5280

1. LCD Soundsystem - red Rocks Amphitheatre

2. Brand New/Modest Mouse - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

3. Explosions In The Sky - The Ogden Theatre

4. Ryan Adams - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

5. Dolly Parton - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Tobias Krause - Event Manager - Two Parts Co

1. Tame Impala - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

2. Father John Misty - Ellie Caulkins Opera House

3. My Morning Jacket - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

4. The Raven & The Writing Desk - Fort Greene Bar

5. Dragondeer _ The UMS

Rikki Aston - Talent Buyer - Live Nation

1. Iggy Pop/Josh Homme - Ellie Caulkins Opera House

2. Dolly Parton - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

3. Chris Stapleton - The Fillmore Auditorium

4. Ja Rule/Ashanti - The Ogden Theatre

5. Sigur Ros - Ellie Caulkins Opera House

Zoe Lanterman - Marketing Director - Soda Jerk Presents

1. LCD Soundsystem - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

2. Tame Impala - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

3. Against Me - Riot Fest

4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra/Whitney - The Aggie Theatre

5. STRFKR/Com Truise - The Aggie Theatre

Geoff Brent - Talent Buyer - Soda Jerk Presents

1. LCD Soundsysytem - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

2. Nothing, Nowhere - Moon Room

3. Native Daughters - Larimer Lounge

4. Against Me - Marquis Theater

5. Modern Baseball/Joyce Manor - Summit Music Hall

Danny Sax - Talent Buyer - AEG

1. Gojira - The Gothic Theatre

2. Choking Victim - The Gothic Theatre

3. Mac Demarco - The Ogden and Red Rocks

4. The Specials - The Ogden Theatre

5. The Head and The Heart - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Ultra5280's Best Albums of 2016

Each year we have the honor of narrowing down some of the best albums of the year. This year we got a chance to listen to some amazing albums from some amazing artist. We also reached out to some of the most influential music listeners in our fair city for their picks. While lists like these have become cliche it does give us a chance to recognize amazing music. Without further adieu we present The Best Albums of 2016. Big thanks to our friends from AEG, Live Nation, Two Parts, Soda Jerk Presents and musicians who participated.

Robert Castro - Editor In Chief - Ultra5280

1. Malibu-vAnderson .Paak

2. A Moon Shaped Pool- Radiohead

3. Coloring Book- Chance The Rapper

4. Teens Of Denial- Carseat Headrest

5. We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service- A Tribe Called Quest

Mcclain Morris - Managing Editor - Ultra5280

1. Emotions and Math- Margaret Glaspy

2. Are You Serious?- Andrew Bird

3. My Woman- Angel Olsen

4. Freetown Sound- Blood Orange

5. Next Thing- Frankie Cosmos

Matt Smith - Photographer - Ultra5280

1. A Sailor's Guide To The Earth- Sturgill Simpson

2. A Moon Shaped Pool- Radiohead

3. American Band- Drive By Truckers

4. Schmilco- Wilco

5. The Wilderness- Explosions In The Sky

Theresa Dixon - Event Coordinator - Ultra5280

1. A Seat at The Table- Solange

2. We Got It From Here, Thank You For Your Service- A Tribe Called Quest

3. Coloring Book- Chance The Rapper

4. 99.9%- Kaytranada

5. 22, A Million- Bon Iver

Rikki Aston - Talent Buyer - Live Nation

1. Post Pop Depression- Iggy Pop & Josh Homme

2. Malibu- Anderson .Paak

3. A Sailor's Guide To The Earth- Sturgill Simpson

4. American Nightmare- Bad Rabbits

5. The Peace & Truce of The Future of The Left- Futures of The Left

Honorable Mention: Starboy- The Weeknd

Danny Sax - Talent Buyer - AEG

1. Magma- Gojira

2. Simplicity- The Bouncing Souls

3. The Boy Who Died Wolf- Highly Suspect

4. Signs Of The Light- The Head & The Heart

5. Emotional Mugger- Ty Segall

Zoe Lanterman - Marketing Director - Soda Jerk Presents

1. Malibu- Anderson .Paak

2. Woman- Justice

3. Human Performance- Parquet Courts

4. Schmilco- Wilco

5. Atrocity Exhibition- Danny Brown

Geoff Brent - Talent Buyer - Soda Jerk Presents

1. Malibu- Anderson .Paak

2. Cody- Joyce Manor

3. Worry,- Jeff Rosenstock

4. There's A Lot Going On- Vic Mensa

5. Culture Abuse- Peach

Rob Drabkin - Denver Musician

1. Remember Us To Life- Regina Spektor

2. Stranger To Stranger- Paul Simon

3. 22, A Million- Bon Iver

4. Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony- Gregory Alan Isakov

5. This Is Acting- SIA

Tobias Krause - Events Manager - Two Parts

1. A Moon Shaped Pool- Radiohead

2. Untitled- Kendrick Lamar

3. Eternally Even- Jim James

4. Wildflower- The Avalanches

5. Purposely left out to stand out from the rest of the participants. Bruh.