RAY DAVIES DAY
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) See My, What a Busy Week!
BLOWOUT, BUD BRONSON AND THE GOOD TIMERS, GOTH TV
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) When Nashville rockers Diarrhea Planet stopped off in Denver earlier this year, they shared the stage with local openers Bud Bronson and the Good Timers. Unbeknownst to each other, both bands had planned to cover “The Boys Are Back in Town,” and the coincidence led to a healthy dose of Thin Lizzy tributes. Bud Bronson and the Good Timers might lack some of the sheer guitar firepower that Diarrhea Planet are known for, but the Denver band’s ability to live up to their name puts them right alongside the Nashville shredders in terms of pure entertainment. Singer/guitarist Brian Beer performs in a speak-sing style that calls to mind the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, especially in his ability to spin elaborate lyrics into nostalgic coming-of-age tales. The end result makes for classic barroom rock that is equal parts goofball and sincere. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
POKEY LaFARGE, CAHALEN MORRISON AND COUNTRY HAMMER
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Though his name may sound like an alias you’d use to book a hotel room for an affair, Pokey LaFarge is a modern-day crooner with a voice from the ’30s. He hails from St. Louis, and the sweet melancholy of his vocals and uptempo blues guitar are reminiscent of a Midwestern summer night, when you spent all your money gambling and you haven’t touched a girl in too long. LaFarge—AKA Andrew Heissler—plays with a five-piece band that includes junk-band staples like washboard, clarinet, and trombone. His latest album, Something in the Water, is more fine tuned and well orchestrated than his previous ones. Between his old-timey tone, his nostalgic lyrics, and his plucky instrumentation, it’s hard not to feel warm and retrospective when listening to a LaFarge blues-country-folk ballad. ROSE FINN