The Dears Come Alive

Contest and Promotions

It Happened Last Night

DENVER: Colorado gets a heavy dose of Montreal-based rock with the Dears and Young Galaxy at the Bluebird.

By Spin Staff 12.06.06 4:00 AM

Denver's treasured Bluebird Theatre was featured in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, but plenty of the living were stoked to see the Dears take the stage last night. The Canadians rolled out dark, emotive treasures from their latest, Gang of Losers, and fans from as far away as Ohio soaked up frontman Murray Lightburn's sordid tales. Stephen Ramsay and Catherine McCandless, the central constituents of Young Galaxy -- who recently became labelmates of the Dears on Arts & Crafts -- traded lead vocals on their meandering, challenging art rock. Last night's show also came on the eve of a major shake-up in the Denver rock scene, with a number of promoters shifting about in the new year. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SOREN McCARTY / DEARS PHOTOS BY SCOTT D. SMITH

On SPIN.com:
Review: The Dears, Gang of Losers

>> Listen to the Dears on Napster

We Asked: How will the shake-up in promoters affect Denver's live music situation? COMMENT

Name: Nate Gross
Age: 27
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
Occupation: Graphic designer
"It's good. Competition should bring in more artists."

Name: Alisa Dowell
Age: 35
Hometown: Grantsville, WV
Occupation: Shop owner
"I expect some good shows next year. I think everyone will have to prove themselves."

Name: John Caprio
Age: 33
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Occupation: Manager of the Fox Theatre
"It's a lot of the same people, but now they are working at different companies. Booking the same venues, but if it brings the right band to the right venue, then they are doing their job."

Name: Shaggy Ehmcke
Age: 30
Hometown: Denver, CO
Occupation: Lighting designer
"I think it will be better for everybody. I think we will start to see the right shows at the right venues, and hopefully the quality of each venue will improve."