Ultra5280 Presents: The Best Albums Of 2017

December 20, 2017

Every year we like to reach out to some of our closest friends in the industry and get their take on their favorite albums of the year. One name was pretty consistent on everybody lists and without any argument looks like Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN." was tops. Other notables were SZA's "Ctrl", and The War On Drugs "A Deeper Understanding". Stay tuned later this week as we name our top shows of 2017.

Robert Castro - Editor In Chief at Ultra5280

1. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

2. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

3. The National - Sleep Well Beast

4. Big Thief - Capacity

5. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock

Kelly O'Keefe - Writer (Music & Fashion) Ultra5280

1. Harry Styles- Harry Styles

2. Kesha- Rainbow

3. Portugal. The Man- Woodstock

4. SZA-Ctrl

5. Kendrick Lamar- DAMN.

Lina Skrzypczak - Writer (Music & Fashion) Ultra5280

1. Polo & Pan - Caravelle

2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

3. Washed Out - Mister Mellow

4. Ariel Pink - Dedicated To Bobby Jameson

5. Bibio - Phantom Brickworks

Michelle (Meesh) Deyden - Photographer & Writer (Music and Fashion) Ultra5280

1. Overcoats - Young

2. Son Little - New Magic

3. Noah Gundersen - White Noise

4. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

5. Arcade Fire - Everything Now

Bridget Burnett - Photographer (Music and Fashion) Ultra5280

1. Odesza - A Moment Apart

2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

3. SZA - CTRL

4. Lorde - Melodrama

5. JAY-Z - 4:44

Tobias Krause - Events Manager at Two Parts / Booking Dude at The UMS

1. Parallelephants - Supply

2. Proz Taylor - Deadman Wonderland

3. Toro Y Moi - Boo Boo

4. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

5. GGOOLLDD - Teeth

Danny Sax - Talent Buyer at AEG

1. King Gizard & The Lizard Wizard – Murder Of The Universe

2. Thundercat - Drunk

3. Myrkur - Mareridt

4. Dreadnought – Awake In Sacred Waves

5. Code Orange – Forever

Amy Osgood - Program Director at Passport Program

1. SZA - Ctrl

2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

3. Arcade Fire - Everything Now

4. The XX - I See You

5. Sylvan Esso - What Now

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Rikki Aston - Talent Buyer at Live Nation

1. Quicksand – Illuminant

2. Billie Eilish – Don’t Smile At Me

3. St. Vincent – Masseducation

4. SZA – Ctrl

5. Kehlani – SweetSexySavage

Zoe Lanterman - Marketing Director at Soda Jerk Presents

1. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

2. King Krule – The OOZ

3. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice

4. Gorillaz – Humanz

5. (Tie) Mac Demarco – This Old Dog
The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding

Kendall Smith - VP of Sales and Events at Denverite

1. St Vincent - Masseducation

2. Beck - Colors

3. In/Planes - Everything

4. Aldous Harding - Party

5. Gary Numan - Savage

Joel Rekiel - Founder & Artist Manager at BLDGBLKS / Marketing & Hospitality Manager at Levitt Pavillion

1. Brand New - Science Fiction

2. The National - Sleep Well Beast

3. Sylvan Esso - What Now

4. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

5. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

Virgil Dickerson - Marketing Manager at Illegal Pete's

1. Action Bronson - Blue Chips 7000

2. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock

3. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

4. St. Vincent - Masseducation

5. Thundercat - Drunk

Thursday Brought All The Feels To Summit Music Hall On Monday Night

April 18, 2017

Thursday brought the ruckus to Summit Music Hall (Photo Credit: Austin Voldseth)

In their return to Denver post-hardcore rockers Thursday made their triumphant return to the mile High City. The Jersey boys made themselves comfortable at Summit Music Hall for the packed crowd taking us down memory road as well as playing some newer material. Not to be undone the opening lineup was pretty epic as Touche Amore, Basement and Cities Aviv also played raucous sets to give the crowd an amazing night of music. Check out our photos below courtesy of Austin Voldseth.

State Champs w/ Against The Current, With Confidence and Don Broco | Summit Music Hall

April 16, 2017

Sumitt Music Hall was buzzing last week as State Champs brought their traveling road show with the help of openers Against The Current, With Confidence, and Don Broco. Check out our photo gallery of the nights festivities.

State Champs (Photo Credit: Mike Kvackay)

With Confidence (Photo Credit: Mike Kvackay)

Ultra5280's Best Albums of 2016

December 15, 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.

The Sounds Took Us Down Memory Lane Wednesday Night At Summit Music Hall

November 17, 2016

Sweden indie rockers The Sounds paid a visit to Summit Music Hall this Wednesday evening. Currently touring in support of their iconic album Dying To Say This To You, the band ripped through the record as if it were ten years ago. The dance moves may have gotten more subtle but the fact remains that lead vocalist Maja Ivarsson still commands the stage with her blond locks and amazing energy. Playing the album in its entirety from beginning to end brought about nostalgia feels from the diverse crowd of old and new. Hits such as "Tony The Beat", "Painted By Numbers", and "Hurt You", all had the crowd going insane and singing along.

Not only did the band play the full album they included a few other notable hits such as "Living In America", and "Rock n Roll". We got a taste of new material including the recently released hit "Thrill", which still maintains the core sound of the band with Ivarsson once again at the helms giving you something to shake your hips to. After all these years the band has continued to play music that defined the Indie Rock genre and its cult following has remained loyal.

Words and Images: Robert Castro

RIOT FEST ANNOUNCES NEW LINEUP ADDITIONS AND THE RELEASE OF SINGLE-DAY TICKETS FOR DENVER AND CHICAGO

June 28, 2016

Early this morning, the Riot Fest team announced the final additions to their 2016 festivals in Denver, CO (Sept. 2-4, National Western Complex) as well as single-day lineups. And with only a few hours before single-day tickets go on sale (Noon CST), there are several note-worthy additions for fans to get excited about, in addition to the previously announced The Original Misfitsreunion, Ween. Jane’s Addiction, and over a hundred more artists.

For the first time in his career, Julian Marley (son of the late Bob Marley) will perform Bob Marley and The Wailer’s Exodus in its entirety in Denver and Chicago. Considered one of the greatest albums of the 20th Century for not only its musicality, but its keen political and social awareness, Exodus – almost 40-years later – still displays its global relevance, especially when considering today’s political and social environment.

Julian Marley will be joining several other artists playing albums in their entirety at either one or both Riot Fests, including Jane’s Addiction (Ritual De Lo Habitual), Rob Zombie (White Zombie’s Astro-Creep-2000), Social Distortion (White Light, White Heat, White Trash on the exact date of its release 20 years ago) and The Hold Steady (Boys & Girls in America).

Outside of Julian Marley’s performance, other additions for Riot Fest & Rodeo 2016 in Denver include gypsy-punk favorites Gogol Bordello, Denver-based genre-defying DeVotchKa, one of the best current hip-hop artists in 2 Chainz and Colorado-based pop-punk influencers, The Lillingtons.

Single-Day and additional multi-day tickets for Riot Fest in Denver will go on sale today (Tuesday, June 28) at Noon CST via ( https://www.ticketfly.com/search/?q=riotfest+denver) and www.riotfest.org.