Chase Dinkler and Zach Jacobsen work IT jobs during the day, but have always dreamed of running a nightclub. Friends since high school, they've been throwing parties under the name Palace Entertainment — and now they're making their dream a reality at the Sound Kitchen, which opened April 1 at 753 Santa Fe Drive.
Sound Kitchen brings art and music to 753 Santa Fe.
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Bob Ortiz, who has owned the building for the past three decades, is giving Dinkler and Jacobsen a chance to handle all the booking at what they envision as a music and arts venue, with artists not just showing work, but also offering workshops. They're planning on tapping into the dubstep scene that's hitting really hard now, Dinkler says, and also bringing in bluegrass and indie-rock bands. At the start, the Sound Kitchen will be open two days a week — Whomp Wednesdays and Fridays, with big shows on First Fridays — but eventually they want to be open six days a week. "There's so much talent coming out of Denver right now that it's just itching for gigs every night," Dinkler says.
In addition to installing new lighting and sound systems, which Dinkler says can accommodate a whole lot of bass, he and Jacobsen are fixing up the second level and adding a DJ booth. While the 7,000 square feet on the first floor can accommodate about 350 people, the second floor can hold an additional 100 bodies. They've also remodeled the place somewhat, scrubbing away the remnants of the short-lived Club 753, which last inhabited the spot. Before that, it was Mystery Night Club — after a long run as Joe's Buffet. The place still has a kitchen, which will be open during shows, says Dinkler, who went to culinary school in Chicago. In fact, that kitchen provided part of the inspiration for the club's name.
"I'm always cooking in our house," Dinkler says, "and I'm always playing very loud music. We've got a full kitchen at our disposal, and we're going to be brewing some sound in this place."
Club scout: Noah Ray McMahan, one of the three owners of Beauty Bar (608 East 13th Avenue), is throwing a birthday party at the club on Friday, April 8, when he'll also bring in Spike and Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation. It's been around a decade since the festival was last in Denver, McMahan says, and there will be some new animation shorts along with a few classics. The festival will continue through Saturday, with screenings starting both nights at 8 p.m. — but doors will open at 5 p.m. for the club's Martinis and Manicures happy hour, when the purchase of a $10 specialty martini gets you a complimentary manicure. There's no cover either night, but remember that the club is 21-and-over.
Suite Two Hundred (1427 Larimer Street) will kick off In the Cut, its new fashion series, on Tuesday, April 12. Local designers will compete to win $1,000, a spread in LoDo Magazine featuring their line, and a custom runway show at the club.
