Reader: Punk's dead -- and Quixote's moving into Bender's is proof of it

To mark the transition of the former Bender's space to the new home of Quixote's True Blue, which opens tonight, the Johnny Cash mural on the eastern wall was replaced with one of Jerry Garcia -- which was then painted over while the artist came up with a replacement Garcia,...

By Patricia Calhoun

November 15, 2012

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To mark the transition of the former Bender's space to the new home of Quixote's True Blue, which opens tonight, the Johnny Cash mural on the eastern wall was replaced with one of Jerry Garcia -- which was then painted over while the artist came up with a replacement Garcia, which was immediately vandalized.

Everyone's a critic. See also: - Quixote's True Blue: The new Jerry Garcia mural defaced overnight

Our Backbeat blog has been all over this story, and the comments have been pouring in -- just as the vandal's paint poured out.

Says stevecarl_1

Seriously...you punk rock/hipster types need to grow the fuck up. You remember those Exploited shirts that said "Punks Not Dead" on the back. Wonder why you don't see them anymore? Because punk's dead. The fact that this bar shut down and was taken over by one of the kings of music in Denver, Jay Bianchi, is evidence. I can't wait to see some good music and some awesome people in this bar...a big change from the old Bender's. As far as the mural is concerned, Karma is a hell of a thing and the universe holds special energy for those that act negatively towards art and its creators. They'll get what they deserve.

What do you think of the mural vandalism? What are the other murals around town that should be celebrated, not slapped?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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