The Best Concerts in Denver This Weekend

Anyone who went to the Global Dance Festival last weekend will probably dig this weekend's EDM-centric shows, including DJ Snake B2B Malaa on Friday and Bear Grillz on Saturday at the Mission Ballroom, and BoomBox at Sculpture Park on Saturday, with Mark Farina. Also on tap this weekend are two nights of the Tedeschi Trucks Band at Red Rocks, Ozomatli at Levitt Pavilion Denver, and Continuum, a concert with surprise guests to celebrate the changing of hands at the Mercury Cafe.

Here are the best concerts in Denver this weekend:

25th Annual Chicano Music Festival
Friday, July 30, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 31, 6 p.m.; Sunday, August 1, 11 a.m.
Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive
$6-$25
The 25th Annual Chicano Music Festival continues throughout the weekend with the Chicano Roots Resistance Jam Session on Friday, while the Summer Pachanga rolls out on Saturday and features performances by Chicano Heat and the Rudy Bustos Band. The Mariachi Kick-Off is on Sunday, with Mariachi El Mensajero, Mariachi El Rey and Mariachi Vasquez.

DJ Snake B2B Malaa
Friday, July 30, 9 p.m.
Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop Street
$45-$125
French EDM DJ and producers Snake and Malaa co-headline the Mission Ballroom tonight, while Wax Motif and Freddy Rule open.

Greg Gisbert and Rico Jones Honor Kenny Dorham
Friday, July 30, 6:30 p.m.
Nocturne, 1330 27th Street
$25
Local trumpeter Greg Gisbert and saxophonist Rico Jones honor the jazz legend and composer Kenny Dorham.

Jason Boland & the Stragglers
Friday, July 30
Globe Hall
$25
Texas Red Dirt country act Jason Boland & the Stragglers have a new album in the works, with Shooter Jennings producing. Local country band the ThreadBarons opens.

Lawsuit Models
Friday, July 30, 9 p.m.
Lost Lake, 3602 East Colfax Avenue
$10
Denver pop-punk band Lawsuit Models headlines, with State Drugs and Bad Year opening.

Mary Fahl
Friday, July 30, 8 p.m.
Soiled Dove Underground, 7401 East First Avenue
$35
After leaving the ’90s pop band October Project, singer-songwriter Mary Fahl embarked on a solo career and has released a number of albums under her own name over the past two decades.

Ozomatli
Friday, July 30, 7 p.m.
Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 West Florida Avenue
Free/VIP $35
Los Angeles multifaceted band Ozomatli works in a number of styles, including hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, cumbia, samba, funk and more. Denver Xicanxbeat orchestra Pink Hawks, which blends hip-hop and Afrobeat, will open.

Tedeschi Trucks
Friday, July 30, and Saturday, July 31, 6:30 p.m.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
$49.95-$130
Tedeschi Trucks kicks off a four-night Colorado run as part of the band's Fireside Live tour, which includes two nights at Red Rocks and shows in Dillon and Beaver Creek.

Bear Grillz
Saturday, July 31, 9 p.m.
Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop Street
$19.99-$65
Denver EDM DJ and producer Bear Grillz headlines while Downlink b2b Figure, OG Nixin, Hairitage and Green Matter open.

BoomBox
Saturday, July 31, 6 p.m.
Sculpture Park, 1736 Speer Boulevard
$25.95-$35
Electronica duo BoomBox, featuring the Backbeat Brass, headlines with Chicago house DJ Mark Farina and ETHNO open.

Continuum
Saturday, July 31, 5 p.m.
Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street
$10-$30 donations
A changing of hands from its founding and current owner to its future stewards, this concert features surprise performances celebrating the magic of the Mercury Cafe, past, present and future.


Patrick Sweany
Saturday, July 31, 7 p.m.
Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 West Florida Avenue
Free/VIP $35
Ohio blues-rocker Patrick Sweany, who released Get That Feeling Vol. I last year (the second volume is set to be released this year), headlines, with Colorado roots, rock and blues guitarist A.J. Fullerton opening.

City Park Jazz
Sunday, August 1, 6 to 8 p.m.
City Park, 17th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard
Free
A fixture in Denver's jazz scene since the late ”80s, saxophonist Nelson Rangell has worked with Hiram Bullock, Jorge Dalto, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker and others.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
Sunday, August 1, 8 p.m.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
$47-$99
Following his split with the Drive-By Truckers in 2007, Jason Isbell played the Larimer Lounge a few times with his band the 400 Unit during tour stops. Since then, the singer-songwriter went on to earn four Grammys and gradually headline bigger venues. Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, who released Runnin' Down a Dream: A Tribute to Tom Petty last year, will open.

Find more music events in the Westword concert calendar. Organizing a show you'd like to be considered for this list? Send information to [email protected].