It's the age old debate (Or at least one that’s been fretted over for about the last 10 years or so): “Couch Touring” Vs. the “In Person” experience.

I have been privy to those who claim couch touring is not a valid way to see a performance; In fact, I’ve heard people say that those who have streamed shows in the comfort of their homes can’t really count that as officially “seeing the shows”. In other words, if I’d been to 30 shows, but 15 were on couch tour, I’ve technically only seen 15 shows.

New Year’s Eve can be celebrated in many different ways. Some people choose to be close with their loved ones, others want to find to wildest party, or for some it’s just another day. Music lovers across the land can undoubtedly agree that New Years Eve means good music with large array of shows to choose from. I particularly like the themes of these nights; reflection, celebration and renewal. I find people are always more positive on New Year’s Eve than other holidays. First, obviously there’s always a party.

Many people love the holidays for different reasons. Christmas means family, friends, giving and receiving. Here in Colorado its usually around when our skiing gets pretty good and things tend to quiet down as students are off of classes and folks get a few days away from their jobs to spend time with those who matter. For many, the best time about the Holidays in New Years Eve. No matter what your up to, it needs to be exceptional. In Colorado, New Years usually means great music.

Third Man Records in conjunction with Columbia Records is proud to announce that Jack White's Blunderbuss is the biggest selling vinyl album of 2012 according to Nielsen Soundscan's vinyl charts with over 33,000 copies sold.Knocking The Beatles' Abbey Road" off the top spot (a position it had held the previous three years), Blunderbuss sales are the highest for a new album (not a catalog album) since Soundscan began specifically tracking vinyl in 2008.

Electro-funk artist Eliot Lipp has been touring for over 8 years now, bringing his bass beats, expert melodies and unique live shows to festivals and concert venues all across the United States and beyond (hopefully soon he’ll venture into space!). As electronic music evolves, so does Eliot Lipp.His live shows are well-known as rhythmic, melodic and bass-heavy; and they typically span all of his albums along with some tasteful electro-jamming and rad remixes.

If much of the news coming out of the media in recent weeks, months or years has made you sick to your stomach or weakened your faith in humanity, Vusi Mahlasela’s, Sing to the People, has the cure for much of what may be ailing you. Vusi’s album is a call to celebrate the best of life and full of songs motivating us to recognize and appreciate the love that surrounds us all.

As far as ways to start off 2013, you can’t do much better than Yonder Mountain String Band at the Boulder Theater. Mixing a balanced setlist that featured a little bit of everything with the inimitable Darol Anger on the fiddle made for a tasty New Year’s Eve stew.

When Yonder Mountain String Band gets the chance to play in Boulder, Colorado, they don’t pull any punches. The supposed “warm-up” show at the Boulder Theater the night before New Year’s Eve was filled with high-energy performances and dazzling musicianship that left the capacity crowd satisfied and happily exhausted by the time the music stopped at 1:30.

It really has been quite a journey for Colorado’s String Cheese Incident. There are small and humble beginnings for these fellas who have now gone on to influence a solid generation of bluegrass-fusion bands. Michael Kang, Bill Nershi, Michael Travis, and Keith Moseley talk about how in the beginning they would play unplugged next to the ski lifts at Telluride and Crested Butte, Colorado, hoping to score a free lift ticket and gain some local clout.

A New Year’s Eve Party is much like the Super Bowl. A highly anticipated hyped event that rarely lives up to preceding tension. The event must live up to the crowds expectations and tote a larger than expected production. If you don’t end up there, or if game time doesn’t deliver the goods, disappointment is naturally amidst. Luckily us Coloradan’s here on the Front Range we have a super rare opportunity to end our year with; the chance to spend three nights with an iconic Colorado musical entity.