There are plenty of rumors flying around about Glendale's Paradise Theater, which has been shuttered since late May--and few of them bode well for the future of the establishment. But according to Sammy Mai, a co-owner of the property since the days when it was known as Bangles, we have not yet seen the end of Paradise. "We're closed because we have to get the kitchen set up in order for the state to approve a hotel-and-restaurant license," he says. (Barb Dye, who's been booking many of the acts at the club, elaborates: "There was some problem getting the liquor license renewed, because one of the applications for the restaurant part was messed up somehow.") Mai will not be pinned down on a reopening date, but he allows, "We want to keep the live-entertainment aspect--the original bands, the semi-nationals and so forth." Meanwhile, Eck's Saloon in Lakewood will be closed between June 16 and July 15, allegedly for "remodeling." Our sources tell us that euphemism is code for liquor-license problems. Surprise, surprise.
After its Friday, June 14, appearance, Carolyn's Mother is hitting the highway. "We head out to Chicago for three weeks," says guitarist Drew Hodgson. "Then we're going to Dallas for four weeks after that, and then back to Denver. Our aim is to do a basic triangle between those three cities for as long as it takes for us to get established." The players are so committed to this approach that they've all quit their day jobs. "It's kind of a scary time," Hodgson confesses, "but we feel we have to do this. Denver's a great town, but I think if you're going to make it, you've got to get out of here."
Among the bands staying here are the Amirs, the Hectics, Electrolux, Gina Go Faster and Boss 302. These acts and more appear at the Ogden Theatre on Friday, June 14, for "Nate Clarke Rocks," an evening dedicated to the Greeley student who was murdered in a downtown Denver parking garage earlier this year. The proceeds will go to a local battered-women's shelter. Also of note: On Thursday, June 13, Tommy Castro smokes at Brendan's. On Friday, June 14, the members of Fox Force 5, joined by King Rat and Jett Redball, accompany their chrome friend to Seven South; Dave Moore and Johnny Long strum at Swallow Hill Music Hall; the String Cheese Incident, with Skin in tow, introduces those at the Boulder Theater to a new CD, Born on the Wrong Planet; the Keepers hang out at Ziggie's Saloon; and MU330 returns to the Raven. On Saturday, June 15, Mary Flower celebrates the release of her new album, Rosewood and Steel, at the Bluebird Theater; Magnapop heats up at the Fox Theatre, with Local H, Nada Surf and Hi-Five Mo Fo; and Beth Quist visits Penny Lane. On Sunday, June 16, George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars, the Radiators, Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo' cook at Red Rocks; the Rocky Mountain Music Association sponsors the "Walt Conley 'After All These Years' Acoustic Music Awards" at the Mercury Cafe; and Lynn Skinner plays the Denver Civic Theatre, 721 Santa Fe Drive. And on Tuesday, June 18, the Cocteau Twins pair up at the Ogden, with Spain. Double your pleasure.--Michael Roberts
Backbeat's e-mail address is Michael_Roberts@ westword.comMichael_Roberts@
