Day One

Yeasayer – Sounded great. Would love to check them out in a proper venue.

Ra Ra Riot – Much improved from their SXSW show, which was riddled with technical issues. Fell in love with the violinist, crushing hard on the cellist (who might have the best ass in indie rock)

The Specials – Sounded so good. Wish I would have checked them out longer but had to catch…

Passion Pit – Tons of fun but the lead singer needs vocal lessons… or the mix was way off but I doubt that because the second he sung falsetto (which is always) he was impossible to hear.

Them Crooked Vultures – Good to see John Paul Jones live but I wish they didn’t sound like Queens of the Stone Age outtakes.

Echo & The Bunnymen – He’s such a prick but he’s earned it.

Vampire Weekend – Without a double my pick of the day. Last time they were nervous, stiff and out to prove themselves. This time they came to rock and boy did they.

Jay Z – So I can check that off the list. And now I love how Danger Mouse improved him even more.

Day Two

Camera Obscura – I was certain they’d wilt in the desert heat but they were surprisingly awesome.

White Rabbits – I wish these guys were surprisingly awesome but they’re young so I’ll cut them some slack.

Tokyo Police Club – Man, I wish they were better live.

The xx – Their sound is huge. Go see them, preferably outdoors. Just awesome.

Dirty Projectors – Oh, oh, oh damnit, you’re only good on albums.

Corinne Bailey Rae – Still beautiful.

Faith No More – They opened with a bitchin’ cover of “Reunited” and commanded the stage until their last note. Without a doubt my pick of the day.

MGMT – They sounded better. I’m done saying nice things about them.

Muse – In theory I should really, REALLY like… unfortunately that’s just in theory.

The Dead Weather – Alison, don’t leave The Kills for this band. You and The Kills are better than this side project.

Day Three

Mayer Hawthorne – I’m a little over the current white soul surge… or maybe just this guy.

Florence and The Machine – Very good but not magical and she really should have been magical.

Julian Casablancas – Sounded great, just like The Strokes (are they still together) but still great.

Charlotte Gainsbourg – Yawn.

Phoenix – Just when I lost my faith in the French they rocked it. For sure my pick of the day.

Pavement – Sounding good guys.

The Big Pink – Way heavier than their album and I wish they weren’t. Still, worth checking out.

Gorillaz – Damon, get your ego out of your ass and stop boring me!

On a final note, the new “in/out” policy whereby people can enter the show, leave to go back to their car and then return, resulted in way more folk rolling. Christ, I saw a pack of fourteen year-old girls doing blow, in public no less. The whole event took on a different vibe.

Okay, I’m off the soapbox. Here are my pics.

One last note.  This is my 500th post.  I wasn’t sure if I was gonna go all Clark Boyd but I knew I wasn’t gonna go Brian Ibbott.  Instead, let this marker stand as a good place to look back, then look forward.

Three years ago, I didn’t know a thing about beer. I was in Colorado to support a friend through a difficult situation when I received a phone call asking if I wanted to help out on a documentary called BEER WARS.

Three years later the film is done, it’s out (go pick up a DVD) and I’m at the GABF celebrating my newly developed love for craft beers.

The first night at the GABF I was hanging with my long time friend Bella and her husband Eric.

(this is their “before GABF” picture)

At the fest, I caught up with the director of BEER WARS and some of its subjects.

(That’s the director Anat Baron and Dogfish Head owner Sam Calagione)

We tried a lot of beers, not all of them… how shall I say… “suited out palate”

Let it be known, beer geeks take their brews seriously (but with a good sense of humor).

After the first night, we headed into downtown Denver for a night cap.

(this is their “after GABF” picture)

We kicked the night into overdrive and met up with Bella’s cousin Megan.

In order to protect the innocent, I won’t publish the gory details but in the tradition of “a thousand words….”, how about I show you this:

(this is the “morning after GABF” picture)

Big thanks to Megan and Kate for the hospitality and kindness.

The second night Bella and I returned and we made sure to drink plenty of water.

I also meet podcast legend Brian Ibbott.

If you aren’t listening to Coverville, what’s your excuse? Waiting for me to do a post dedicated to the show? That’s in the works.

I drank many great beers by phenomenal breweries such as Sam Adams, Tommyknockers, New Belgium Brewery, Stone Brewing and so many more I can’t remember them all but I will say that Dogfish Head is one of my all time favorites. I’d drink every beer they make at least twice. Heck, I even bought a friend three cases as a wedding gift.

The weekend wasn’t all beer. My friends and their two kids were kind enough to drive me around and show me some sights.

And so I say adios to Denver. Next stop, VEGAS BABY!