Arts & Entertainment

There’s no better place for a sculpture show than at the Denver Botanic Gardens, what with all those curving walkways, clearings and water features. And exhibitions director Lisa Eldred has used the grounds to her advantage, mounting one great exhibit after another. The most recent one was Catalyst, devoted to pieces by some of the top contemporary sculptors in Colorado, including James Surls, Linda Fleming and Robert Mangold, along with mid-career masters Emmett Culligan, Kim Dickey, Nancy Lovendahl, Terry Maker, Andy Miller, Patrick Marold, Pard Morrison, Carl Reed and Yoshitomo Saito. All were working in abstract and/or conceptual modes, with nary a bronze cowboy or marble ballerina in sight.

Conceptual artist Patrick Marold hit the big leagues last year when he was awarded a $1.5 million commission to create a work that will occupy the under-construction “valley” where the rail line will meet the new station and hotel at DIA. But even though Marold is adept at orchestrating massive works like these, he’s also good on a more intimate scale, as he proved in Patrick Marold: Strata. Marold likes to use simple repeated shapes, like the cluster of metal rods that were used to create a standing sculpture, its shiny surfaces reflecting the room around it; or the rusted rods that were stacked precariously into a leaning pyramid. But he also uses ideas, which explains why his pieces are so smart.

The Robischon Gallery is so big that it’s easy for co-directors Jim Robischon and Jennifer Doran to mount large and impressive group shows in which each artist is given his or her own spacious berth. And not incidentally, they also have the curatorial talent to be ambitious. That was surely the case with Out of Line, in which an overarching, unified vision of contemporary abstraction was achieved through the sum of its individual artist parts, including mostly conceptual abstract pieces by Jason Karolak, Wendi Harford, Ted Larsen, Derrick Velasquez, Kate Petley, Annica Cuppetelli + Cristobal Mendoza, and Bernar Venet. The results were spectacular, and by mixing up nationally known artists with prominent locals, Robischon and Doran showed how good the hometown team really is.

The Golden Triangle is looking at a glittering future, with the new Vance Kirkland museum soon to join such monumental achievements as the Clyfford Still Museum, the Denver Art Museum, the Byers-Evans House Museum, the History Colorado Center, the Denver Central Library and the revitalized Civic Center. But many of the welcome developments in this neighborhood are on a smaller scale, with new galleries and arts-oriented businesses making a home here. Golden Triangle Museum District founders Robin Riddel Lima (of the Native American Trading Company) and Christine Serr (of Gallery 1261 and Abend Gallery) have worked hard to get the district off the ground, and the results are solid gold.

An old saying advises that if you fall off a horse, you get back on, but what if it’s a ladder? Back in 2011, Colorado artist Ania Gola-Kumor fell off a ladder while painting — her kitchen ceiling, not one of her sumptuous abstract canvases — and was so seriously injured that she had to give up painting for a year to recover. When she started again, she went slowly, doing small works on paper. But it was immediately apparent that she wasn’t out of practice, and she soon began creating her large signature paintings again. Ania Gola-Kumor: Moving Paint marked her triumphant return.

Last fall, the Denver Art Museum bundled three related shows — Court to Cafe, Drawing Room and Nature as Muse — as a unified blockbuster called Passport to Paris. Like previous blockbusters at the DAM, Passport to Paris attracted huge crowds who drove up ticket sales, membership rolls and gift-shop receipts. This kind of successful audience-building is the culmination of a dream of former director Lewis Sharp. But it was his successor, Christoph Heinrich, who carried it out. Using his wits and sensibilities rather than stats and charts, Heinrich figured out the formula for getting attention by mounting blockbusters — or beacons, as he calls them. The next point of light: Modern Masters, which just opened.

The extensive art collection at Denver International Airport has paid for itself in publicity alone. There’s “Mustang,” the all-but-fire-breathing stallion by Luis Jiménez that still inspires fear in the timid, and the enigmatic Leo Tanguma murals that have spawned a thousand conspiracy theories. But there are also works with a quieter presence, like Betty Woodman’s sumptuous “Balustrade,” which many travelers miss because it’s on level six of Jeppesen Terminal. Woodman has taken the baluster shape and put her own signature spin on it, creating rows of them out of expressively worked ceramics.

The impressive “I Know You Know That I Know” is a public commission granted to Denver artist Sandra Fettingis, who was asked by the Colorado Convention Center to cover an astounding 160 feet of wall space with murals. What she came up with is a highly sophisticated and complex set of triangular patterns that look something like trellises. These patterns — painted or in the form of cut acrylic panels — are essentially the same save for size and color (though all of them are black, white or red). The piece is meant to demonstrate how things change over time yet remain the same in some way — and it enlivens a corridor that had an unwelcome gloominess to it before.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is growing like a weed, most recently with an elegant if enormous klipp architects-designed addition. With it came the lyrical “Iridescent Cloud,” by Seattle’s Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan. The piece, constructed by Demiurge Design, is a canopy of sorts, supported by three canted pillars that hold a woven mesh of stainless-steel cable that’s been adorned with transparent tetrahedral prisms made of acrylic. As the sun passes over — or when artificial light hits them at night — the prisms sparkle with iridescent reflections.

The doctor is in! You’ve probably seen Dr. Fart’s work around the city — on electrical boxes, lampposts, the occasional dumpster. It’s hard to miss, as the elusive Dr. Fart — the alter ego of an up-and-coming comedian — has found the ideal prescription for inducing a smile: writing “Dr. Fart” in very public places. In the ever-evolving world of graffiti, Dr. Fart’s work falls under the sub-category of toilet-humor “tagging” or “getting up.” And spotting another Dr. Fart eruption gets a laugh out of us every time.

Art collecting can be a tricky business, one that requires a shrewd eye, knowing what you like and a knack for telling the future. The CSArt Colorado project replaces that trickiness with a treat. It invites “shareholders” to join for a $400 annual membership; in return, they receive a selection of five diverse works twice a year, drawn from a pool of twenty participating artists, both established and emerging. Shareholders choose from two ten-artist packages offered each year; 2014’s first distribution event will be an outdoor party at the Denver Botanic Gardens in May, while BMoCA will host a second distribution and reception in the fall. It’s the way to go if you like art — and surprises.

The yarn artists of the Ladies Fancywork Society proved last year that their work, though rooted in the street, transcends the underground designation. The LFS created not one, but two major yarn installations at a pair of Denver’s most prestigious art museums: MCA Denver and the Denver Art Museum. The MCA kicked off 2013 with the LFS curtain installation “Fancygasm” adorning its chilly entryway in wintry shades of white and blue; later, in conjunction with its blockbuster textile exhibit Spun, the ladies draped a massive knitted floral carpet off the roof of the DAM that was later disassembled by museum patrons, who were invited to take home a piece of the work. A sneaky art idea has become a welcome part of the landscape.

Crafting mavens Becky Hensley of Denver Craft Ninjas and Anne Davidson of the Colorado Bead Company got together last year to create a haven where crafters of all skill levels can share ideas and techniques or just work together side by side. The huge Park Hill facility offers a dizzying selection of classes that cover not only a cornucopia of crafting skills, but also such market-savvy subjects as “Etsy for Newbies” and “Crafting Your Blog Pitch.” Share Denver’s DIY spirit makes it a go-to for all crafters, whether they’re hobbyists or looking to craft a living out of making things by hand.

Makers work in many fields, but they all have a few things in common, including an entrepreneurial spirit and the talent for something — be it brewing or crafting or cheese-making or canning homemade pickles or providing chemical-free beauty services — that people need and want but can’t find just anywhere. That’s why Colorado Makers was started: to give small, artisanal businesses the benefit of a like-minded community for networking, while also creating a stronger public face for members as a whole. A lot of what’s happening at the grassroots level in cities like Denver begins with such local communities; Colorado Makers helps assure a bright future for small-business growth.

Northwest Denver is changing fast — in fact, most of the southern end of the 3600 block of Navajo Street has been scraped flat. But the other end remains home to one of Denver’s first art districts. Pirate: Contemporary Art got its start as an artist co-op for rebellious types more than three decades ago, and when it moved here, it quickly established this block as the best place in the city to catch up-and-coming painters, sculptors and multimedia artists. And so it remains today, with Pirate joined by the well-established Edge, Next and Zip 37 galleries, plus the Bug Theatre, Clear Creek Jewelry Academy and Patsy’s, the family-owned Italian joint that’s been slinging red sauce since the ’20s. First Fridays are always off the hook on Navajo, but our favorite event is the district’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration. Long live the Navajo Street Art District.

We plop down our dollars to drink wine while creating identical paintings, but deep down inside, don’t we know that’s not really art we’re making? PlatteForum’s make.workshops go the extra mile by pairing creative drinkers with storied members of the art community to create projects of lasting value. Past instructors have included painters, sculptors, fiber artists and more, leading such projects as jewelry making, sun printing, poetry writing, felting and collage. Fees benefit PlatteForum’s real reason for being: programs pairing underserved youth with artist-mentors.

Plus Gallery’s Ivar Zeile and digital artist Ryan Pattie brought a different kind of spectacle and a feel for the future to the streets of downtown Denver last summer when, with help from the Denver Theatre District, they presented Denver Digerati, a series of curated motion-based artwork on the DTD’s jumbo second-story LED billboard at 14th and Champa streets. The five programs changed focus each month by featuring works, sometimes on a theme, from a local and/or international pool of artists, ending with a presentation of works commissioned from seven artists by the DTD for its permanent collection. A gallery showcase by the artists coincided at Plus, and all seven received stipends, which smoothed the road for their contributions. We’re looking forward to seeing what this season brings to Denver Digerati’s big screen.

The project of artist Donald Fodness, Showpen provides low-cost housing and studio space where select young artist-residents can build and exhibit bodies of work for a given amount of time. Showpen’s success rate is its best advertisement: The majority of its “graduates” move on from the incubator to grad schools, teaching jobs or other art-related work. But the real beauty of Showpen is that it’s something Fodness does not because it’s his job, but just because he wants to. His reward lies in the work that results: Showpen makes champions.

Prince doesn’t obey regular human rules. Last year, despite his arena-filling popularity, he announced that he would do a tour of small venues across the country, playing multi-night runs in each city. In Denver, that meant a three-night, six-show residency at the Ogden Theatre. The kicker was the $250 ticket price. But anyone who ponied up the money got to spend some relatively intimate time with the Purple One and his new band, the all-female 3rd Eye Girl. Drawing from the considerable breadth of his career, Prince treated audiences to alternate versions of classic songs in addition to more faithful renditions.

Griffith Snyder of Inner Oceans spent a few years as a member of the Americana-inflected pop band Dovekins. The popular band appeared headed for a national audience before dissolving suddenly, leaving Snyder with a lot of time to contemplate his next move. He wrote expressive music that came from his imagination, and formed Inner Oceans in order to share those songs. The band rapidly gained an audience, appealing both to fans of well-crafted pop and those with a taste for the experimental. Snyder didn’t actually spend a winter at an abandoned seaside resort, reflecting on his life and writing this music, but it sure sounds like he did. Listening to Inner Oceans, you can practically see the fog rolling in.

The punk band Wiredogs finally found a name to fit its sound, just before releasing last year’s The Resistance. Frontman Dan Aid and his crew of mighty punk men finally got it right, as the handles they’d used in the past didn’t quite fit. As White Leather, the band could have been mistaken for an ’80s outfit like A Flock of Seagulls. The Hate captured the group’s ferocity, but casual observers might have taken it for an emo band on a tirade. Wiredogs fits just right.

Colorado has had a nice share of video cyphers from different hip-hop crews in the past couple of years. But most stay confined to their own group — or they add so many people that they lose the attention of their fans. Rarely does one video capture a careful cross-section of the hot artists of a given moment. But “Culture Over Currency Vol. 1” does just that, delivering some of the best talent the town has ever seen in one video: Squizzy Gang is well represented, with Trev Rich and AP, and Welcome to the Dope Game has Hustle Man and Turner Jackson. You’ll also see appearances by Mr. Midas, F.L. of the Foodchain, and Koo Qua.

When the DIY Brass Tree House collective came to an end in 2012, the excellent Brass Tree Sessions series of live concert videos ended as well. But with their background in video and television production, the heads behind Brass Tree were able to team up with former Teletunes host and Pindowns member Heather Dalton, a producer on the arts program Out of Order, to produce Sounds on 29th. The program, which airs late on Saturday nights on Channel 12.2, features comedy sets alongside a handful of songs performed by local bands. Hosted by Sid Pink, Sounds on 29th is the less surreal — but no less entertaining — cousin of Dalton’s other show, Late Night Denver.

Nine artists, some of them graduating RedLine residents, joined together early in 2013 to realize a dream by building out TANK, a revolutionary new studio space in Overland. The flowing circular blueprint worked so well that they’ve since added a second buildout of interconnected, doorless studios, including an area reserved for residents selected through Adam Gildar’s nonprofit Art-Plant. Imagined in the working spirit of other precedent-setting spaces like RedLine and Ironton (which also got a new building this year), but with an added layer of grit, TANK proves that Denver’s art community is ready for its close-up.

Steve, the uni-monikered leader of the folk ensemble FaceMan, figured he’d draw on the hypnotic power of scary sharks and funky folk rock when he planned a gig at the relatively small Lost Lake Lounge last October. Inspired by the bogus Discovery Channel documentary about a (fake, as it turns out) prehistoric shark called the Megalodon, Steve commissioned a monumental piece of stagecraft. Designed and built by Justin Hicks, Katie Webster and Keli Sequoia of Incite Productions (who also work as carpenters and set designers for Denver Center for the Performing Arts), the final shark-shaped set took up a big chunk of the bar’s back room. Featuring razor-sharp chompers, crimson shark lips and life-like grey skin, the shark stage proved the perfect complement to FaceMan’s brand of ambitious rock and roll. Here’s hoping FaceMan and his crew of creative geniuses find a way to top themselves this year. Maybe there’s a way to build an accurate re-creation of the polar vortex…

Ethan McCarthy is best known for his work as a musician in extreme-metal bands like Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, Keep and Primitive Man. He’s also had experience running the DIY venues Kingdom of Doom, Blast-O-Mat and Aqualung’s Community Music Space. A disarmingly gregarious and compassionate person, in seeming contrast to his bleak, aggressive and sometimes forbidding music, McCarthy has been a truly positive force in the local music scene. Recently he’s gained notice for his visual art, as well. The dark, detailed and imaginative fliers he’s made for various shows immediately pull you in and make you curious as to what event could warrant such powerful imagery.

The Raven and the Writing Desk tapped artists Emi Brady and Tim Tindle to design the cover art for its luminous 2013 EP Scavenger. True to the band’s imaginative aesthetic and songwriting, Brady and Tindle created a fold-out raven, colorful on the outside and black and white on the inside, where you’ll find the bird’s skeleton along with hand-lettered lyrics and credits. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the group’s literate, baroque pop songs. Many bands want to create a secret musical world, but The Raven and the Writing Desk went beyond the songs, providing a real work of art in which to wrap the music.

By holding its release show for (compass) at the Eron Johnson Antiques warehouse and incorporating a sort of treasure hunt, Chimney Choir made good on much of its mystique. The space truly is a warehouse, where the band held shows long ago amid architectural artifacts from old houses. The performance featured sets from similarly minded artists such as Laura Goldhamer and Ian Cooke. Chimney Choir created skits that were performed throughout the show and tied in to the album’s central theme of finding one’s own compass in life. Thanks to the band’s care and attention to detail, it felt almost magical.

After singer Shawn Strub left 40th Day in 1993, the band struggled on for another couple of years before splitting. And while its influence could be heard in bands like Space Team Electra, 40th Day faded into almost complete obscurity. Then, in 2012, bassist James Nasi and guitarist Neil Satterfield played a show with a set list that included a handful of 40th Day songs, and from there, the plucky Nasi contacted the remaining members from the band’s heyday, finding all but original drummer Sid Davis available to relive the Denver classics found on albums like Lovely Like a Snake. With Davis’s blessing, the group got together with Sympathy F’s Tony Morales on drums and made 40th Day’s hard-edged yet ethereal music feel anything but dated.

The Hundred has become the best source for amazing music that isn’t floating near the top of the iTunes dance charts. The group scours the ranks of underground acts to find artists for its Home concert series. In addition, founder Brennen Bryarly provides free entry to all Hundred events for exactly one hundred lucky fans each year, as a reward for those who are positive representatives of the scene and who contribute to underground dance music.

Professional concert promoters are rarely seen at their own concerts. They’re so busy (or jaded) that fans almost never catch them in the crowd or at the bar, let alone swinging windmill fists in the mosh pit. But Zach Smith is not your average concert promoter. He’s not even a professional in the strictest sense: At 24 years old, Smith has promoted concerts at “unofficial” venues in New Mexico and Colorado since before he could legally sign a contract. Denver’s hardcore scene has benefited to the tune of at least one or two extra ten-dollar shows per week featuring rowdy local bands, touring acts that could not get booked elsewhere, and groups that would rather play a warehouse than a bar. Zach faced adversity in 2013 as property owners forced him from two different locations, but he continued undaunted to Helm’s Deep II. It’s a venue that touring bands would write home about — if only they could give out the address.

Going to Untitled at the Denver Art Museum is kind of like going to your imaginary rich best friend’s fabulous loft party. Rock and roll and fine art may seem like strange bedfellows, but the DAM has found a way to successfully marry the two. On final Friday nights of the month from January through October, the DAM opens its doors to all manner of artists, musicians and generally curious weirdos for what it dubs its “mixed media late night program.” For the price of regular admission (free if you’re a member), you can catch some of the city’s best music — along with dance, theater and comedy — while sipping on a Fat Tire.

ZIP Gallery members Valerie Savarie and Karrie York lucked into a wonderful space when the Colorado Photographic Art Center vacated its Belmar digs for a more urban location; together they forged something new — an artist-run and -owned gallery and studio space that, while it partly adheres to the co-op model by having member artists, is something else entirely. Valkarie also offers wall space to guest artists — with an emphasis on local ones — while asking only a minimal percentage of their sales in return, so prices can remain reasonable and artwork more salable. For artists clamoring for more community and grassroots collaboration and less divisive wheeling and dealing, Valkarie has solutions. Ditto for collectors, who can only reap the benefits of more affordable work.

When Aaron Saye took over the space formerly known as Blast-O-Mat in August of 2012 and renamed it the Seventh Circle Music Collective, he had some impressive boots to fill. Fortunately, the gregarious filmmaker and music fan had organizational skills honed during his years of tour managing, and he competently took on the challenge of helming a DIY venue. Saye brought together an invested group of volunteers and established a booking policy that welcomes all styles of music. As a result, most shows feature solid bands that are still below the public radar, and young people who have yet to navigate the realm of bars or other commercial outlets have become regulars here. For these reasons and more, Seventh Circle offers an essential resource in a thriving music community.

When Kyle Ramirez and her husband opened the Sidewinder Tavern, they imagined a place that would host live music, serve quality food and be open to everyone. The venue is co-managed by Ramirez’s son, Fernando Guzman, best known for his multi-faceted drumming skills in bands like Fissure Mystic, Fingers of the Sun and Tjutjuna. Not only has the Sidewinder become one of Globeville’s most welcoming stops for local bands and underground touring acts, but it’s also a comfortable hangout for drinking and non-drinking patrons alike.

It has no actual Mafia ties that we’re aware of, but Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, run by the inimitable Lannie Garrett, could certainly pass for a speakeasy. It sits on the 16th Street Mall, looking like nothing more than an actual clock tower. But when you walk downstairs into the cabaret section of the building, it feels like you’ve stumbled right into the 1920s. The lavish adornments and hushed atmosphere, along with the mood-appropriate food and drink, make the Clocktower feel like a secret hideaway for the classy set. Although Lannie’s often presents burlesque and variety shows, it’s also hosted local musicians including The Raven and the Writing Desk, Chimney Choir and Dan Treanor’s Afrosippi Band, as well as national artists such as Suzanne Vega. Cool and comfortable, the underground venue is truly a world away from the busy downtown streets above.

What better soundtrack for Denver’s finest comics than tunes from the city’s best indie bands? As obvious as the pairing may seem, it took the combined efforts of the Greater Than Collective, Illegal Pete’s and the folks from Lannie’s to make it happen — and the partners have cooked up a monthly gathering that’s bound to become a cherished local tradition. Past events have featured A. Tom Collins, the Ian Cooke Band and Snake Rattle Rattle Snake on the music side, and comics Kristen Rand, Ben Roy and Sean Patton on the other. One of last year’s installments even tapped into community goodwill for a bigger, nobler cause: The show featuring Adam Cayton-Holland and Bad Weather California was a fundraiser for Mike Marchant, a well-loved local musician undergoing chemotherapy. Forecast for 2014? More of everything.

Forget the dusty sonatas, stuffy tuxes and holier-than-thou cultural attitude. In the past year, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra has blown those tired classical-music clichés right out of the water. Instead, the organization has shown itself to be a dynamic and vital cultural force in the local arts scene, with a fresh group of collaborations and a renewed push to reach untapped audiences. That includes a string of impressive partnerships with pop, rock and folk musicians, including local indie-rock heroes like Nathaniel Rateliff, DeVotchKa and Gregory Alan Isakov. The CSO has also worked with different community organizations, ranging from the Jewish Community Center to the Denver Art Museum. The group’s success in redefining the civic role of an orchestra is all the more impressive considering its stormy recent history. Three years ago, the CSO was cutting musicians’ salaries and wrestling with its board of trustees as it faced a million-dollar budget shortfall. It took the innovation of new CEO Jerry Kern and his wife, Mary Rossick Kern, to turn the orchestra around, and the city is richer for it.

Mark Mosher organized the Boulder Synthesizer Meet-Up to connect with others interested in using technology in music. He found kindred spirits in internationally touring trombone player Darren Kramer and Victoria Lundy of the Inactivists and the now-defunct Carbon Dioxide Orchestra. The trio played through Mosher’s audio rig, with Kramer processing his trombone through analog and digital devices and Lundy joining him on her theremin. Playing separate sets with a collaborative performance at the end, Kramer, Lundy and Mosher presented a tour de force on the current state of electronic music and its future.

Everyone discusses the “secret bathrooms” at Red Rocks in hushed, reverent tones, but those aren’t even the best ones in the venue. That prize goes to the bathrooms in the Visitor Center, at the top of the amphitheatre. They are so luxurious that we frequently hear first-timers in there gushing over how fancy they are. There are private toilets with full walls and real, lockable doors in between, a lounge for families, and TV screens on the floor. Combine those amenities with an attendant who keeps things orderly, and you’re left with an experience that more resembles hotel living than the bathroom adventure awaiting you at most concerts. Stay hydrated on the Rocks and experience sweet relief at the prettiest potties in town.

Compared to the vending machine at the Larimer Lounge, which offers a new pack of 100-percent-cotton T-shirts and socks, other vending machines just seem naked. The chance to go home to that special someone feeling fresh as a daisy after a show is worth way more than the few dollars you’ll spend for said comfort. Puke, sweat, blood, gallons of spilled PBR: Whatever comes your way at the Larimer, you’re prepared.

Lola Black’s badass copper mic stand made its concussive debut last June, when the band performed at Broadway’s during the Westword Music Showcase. The stand was given to lead singer Lola by a seriously devoted fan, Josh Saucier, who’s a metal fabricator. The idea for the head-butting brass-knuckle design came from the band’s merch dude, Brad Tachibano, and guitarist Paige O. It’s an eye-catcher, always a crowd-pleaser and a friendly reminder that Lola Black can — and will — kick your ass.

Denver’s metal kingdom has flourished in recent years, partly because of contributions from transplants like Sherwood Webber of the New York-based death-metal band Skinless. After his band broke up in 2011, Webber moved to Denver and worked behind the scenes producing concerts for AEG Live. Using his industry connections and a Skinless reunion as bait, Webber and AEG’s Danny Sax worked with Denver’s Black Sky Brewery last year to assemble a lineup headlined by Dying Fetus, Exhumed and Ghoul and featuring up-and-coming acts like Weekend Nachos, Power Trip and Iron Reagan. No band refused the invitation to join the fun. Speedwolf, Call of the Void, Primitive Man and Black Sleep of Kali were just a few of the local names that completed a nineteen-band, three-stage slate that took over the Gothic Theatre and Moe’s BBQ. Plans for the 2014 edition are under way.

Metal may sound like a frenzied assault of cruel screams and wicked drum-pounding made by what looks like a crowd of shabby, bearded misanthropes. But TRVE Brewing owner Nick Nunns is out to prove that it doesn’t have to taste like cheap domestic garbage. TRVE has made metal palatable for Denver’s music scene since 2012, creating beers named for bands like Absu (Eastern Candle), Darkthrone (Circle the Wagons) and Denver metal favorites Speedwolf (Death Ripper). Patrons sip Stout O))) with fellow metalheads at the brewery’s long Viking-style table, while bands like stoner-metal legend Sleep replace the bubbly Top 40 hits one expects elsewhere. The occult-oriented work of local artist Sam Turner adorns the beer’s labels and the brewery’s walls. Denver’s metal-and-beer scene has its first landmark.

Patrick Dupays of Z Cuisine is as much an aficionado of local artists as he is a great chef, which is why it’s not surprising that he turned the hole-in-the-wall spot between Z and its sister brasserie, À Côté, into a gallery space where artist friends — many of them also his restaurant patrons — could show their work. Entre Nous — which means “between us,” in the coziest, most private sense of the words — opened last fall, giving the block a new element of high-street society as well as a place to hang out before or after eating. The wait for an open table has never been so pleasant.

Good music deserves good drinks to go along with it, but not all venues offer great cocktails. Compared to the watery whiskeys and eight-dollar Heinekens found at many clubs, the Soiled Dove Underground is a booze-lover’s oasis. Along with the venue’s classic Colorado cocktails, all made with spirits from local distilleries, there’s a beer roster heavy with local craft beers — and it’s a good bet you won’t find another music venue in town where you can buy a bottle of O’Lillo Super Tuscan wine. Fancy-pants drinks not your style? The bar also sells PBR tallboys and pours its well drinks nice and strong.

The rooftop at Vinyl is easily the coolest place in town to light up and party down. The spacious open patio includes fire pits surrounded by cushy seating, breathtaking views of the downtown skyline and Front Range, and bar service featuring cheap drinks and sexy bartenders. In this rarefied setting, you’re sure to find kindred souls — or at least someone with a spare lighter. But even if you don’t indulge, Vinyl’s rooftop is one smokin’ place to be.

The rooftop patio on the building that houses Bar Standard and Milk Bar is rarely open for business. But when it is, it makes for one hell of a party pad. After climbing up the metal staircase to the top of the building, you’ll find a tiered space with ample seating and a large shade to protect you from the sun, as well as a sound system that carries music to every corner. But best of all is the view: an unobstructed panorama of the Rocky Mountains that’s particularly lovely during the summertime. On warm Sundays, the patio plays host to an array of local DJs, who wind down the weekend with gorgeous music. And the well-stocked rooftop bar almost always has drink specials on offer.

Every Sunday morning, DJ Ginger Perry sets up shop at Table 6 for a breakfast that could double as a dance party. Discerning diners can enjoy their Hollandaise with a side of hip-hop, their biscuits with boom-baps and beats — and their Bloody Marys with, well, another round. Nothing says “hangover cure” like good food, good drinks and grooving tunes.

With a name inspired by a late-’70s hip-hop group from the Bronx, Cold Crush opened on Upper Larimer last May and immediately became part funky lounge and part artist haven. Most nights of the week, DJs spin all manner of hip-hop, funk and soul, and occasional guest musicians stop by to test out the Crush’s killer sound system. The hip bar serves up shots of the wheatgrass and ginger varieties for teetotaling rockers, but it also boasts an extensive wine-and-beer list.

In recent years, Denver’s electronic-music scene has gained a reputation as the place for new and rising talent. Success stories like Big Gigantic, Pretty Lights and Paper Diamond have drawn both emerging and established artists to the area. And thanks to the Sub.Mission crew, those newcomers have an outlet. Electronic Tuesdays has thrived where other weekly events have failed, thanks to Sub.Mission’s careful curation of fresh faces. “E-Tuesdays” does an exemplary job of showcasing new producers’ music to fans whose tastes change as quickly as the bipolar Colorado weather.

Cold Crush is a little slice of hip-hop heaven, layered with morsels of goodness at every level. You might accidentally catch a legendary DJ there, just doing his or her thing on the wheels. DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill stopped in on June 22, delivering a truly surprising set that went way beyond his more well-known production work. If you’re headed to the popular bar/juice bar/venue, arrive early. The place fills up with patrons of all backgrounds, and you never know what big names might walk in.

Lights, foam, action! That’s the idea behind Crowdsurf Concerts, a company that has mastered the art of bringing theme parties and huge dance acts together. It starts with an incredible lineup of dance-music acts and adds theme parties such as the aptly titled Parade of Lasers and Foam Wonderland to enhance the experience. Other events have more specific sonic themes — TrapFest, for example, is designed for the bass enthusiast — but whether you’re being bombarded by light beams, getting blasted by soapy bubbles or just dancing your ass off, music and fun are at the top of Crowdsurf’s agenda.

Inkmonstr turned the Exdo Event Center’s parking lot at 34th and Larimer into a gigantic beach party with a trio of events last year. The Denver print studio brought in a couple of stages, a sixty-foot slip-and-slide, a dunk tank and a pool, along with booze and live music from Lama Squad, DJ Manos and a slew of others for three of the biggest summer blowouts in recent memory. A who’s-who of Denver scenesters showed up, lingering late into the afternoon hours on the makeshift beach.

DJ Ktone was once dubbed “The Turf DJ,” and even though he rarely uses the moniker these days, he is still Denver’s favorite turf DJ. Every year at the beginning of March, the often disparate corners of urban culture join together to celebrate Ktone’s birthday, bringing out old favorites and new blossoming stars. This is the sound of Denver music, encompassing West Coast and East Coast, R&B singers and street characters alike. Every year, Ktone gets a break from the tables while fellow DJs take over. Last year’s host was Turner Jackson, who caught the crowd off guard with his energy and style. But rapper Foo Man stole the show, performing his song “Me So Horny” in a bathrobe.

There are restaurants that hang art, and then there is La Cour: Run by a family of staunch Francophiles, the new blue-brick cafe brings a little bit of Paris to South Broadway for folks longing for charcuterie and cheeses, a tasty tartine or quiche, affordable French wine and/or pastries from Trompeau Bakery, all served with a view of artwork. But La Cour deliberately bills itself as an “art bar,” so in addition to the food and relaxed atmosphere, there’s a gallery that offers changing shows ten times a year. C’est si bon!

Denver Disco has gathered the previously disconnected nu-disco scene in Denver at a weekly night featuring some of the genre’s best acts. The synths of yesteryear, pumped up with some modern-day bells and whistles, are still getting people out on the dance floor — and then some. Bar Standard, the host venue for Denver Disco’s weekly event, creates the perfect party ambience, with a wall-sized mirror, a VIP area behind the stage, and a 360-degree bar for serving drinks all around. Who says disco’s dead?

Last year’s Decadence was the largest indoor EDM event in North America, with an attendance of nearly 40,000, and it happened right here. Colorado favorites Bassnectar and Pretty Lights headlined alongside Tiësto and Above & Beyond — and those were just a few of the acts to grace the stages of the Colorado Convention Center. Decadence has listened to the concerns of fans over the years and now offers free water stations and organized ticket lines. And the production features much more than just the DJs, with confetti cannons, balloon drops, lasers and panels upon panels of mapped LEDs.

A monthly club night that’s been going strong for close to five years, Mile High Soul Club is the place where Northern Soul and Motown fanatics can share the dance floor with folks just looking to get down to the throwback sound. DJs Dogboy, Tyler Jacobson and Steve Cervantes rotate on the ones and twos, curating sets of well-known favorites by Aretha Franklin and the Five Du-Tones and more obscure tracks by the likes of the Showstoppers and Rita & the Tiaras. The DJ trio has recently started booking live acts under the Mile High Soul Club name, but the focus is still on providing the right sonic atmosphere for busting out the bird, the pony and the watusi.

What started out as Rave on the Rocks has transformed into the biggest dance-music festival in the region. Global Dance Festival has pushed the boundaries of the genre in past years with headliners like Empire of the Sun, Kid Cudi and LMFAO, but festival promoter Triad Dragons Entertainment remains dedicated to its EDM roots. Global stages are packed with the biggest dance acts in the world, many of whom are making their first appearance in the Denver market. All dance styles are represented at the equal-opportunity festival, from chill downtempo to feverishly upbeat drum-and-bass, and they’ll have you on your feet well into the night.

Lotus Clubs founder Francois Safieddine, who owns Chloe and Suite Two Hundred, clearly knows a thing or two about dance clubs. He took a slightly different approach with ViewHouse, which opened just before the start of the 2013 baseball season, in the former home of Mori Japanese Restaurant. Safieddine pulled out all the stops to honor the ViewHouse name, transforming the venue into a 20,000-square-foot party palace topped by a deck with a breathtaking view of the mountains and Coors Field.

Do you feel a need to dance in the dark with strange people, to music your parents don’t understand? According to Rolling Stone, Beta is the best place in America to do it. Beta’s immense reputation and even bigger sound system draw some of the greatest electronic musicians from around the world. In addition to the main stage, there’s the Beatport Lounge, an intimate club-within-a-club where you’ll often find local DJs spinning their own brand of dance music. Beta is a LoDo fixture, and it’s a large part of what keeps late-night thrill-seekers coming back to the neighborhood.

Dazzle has won numerous Best of Denver awards from Westword over the past decade or so, primarily because it is, hands down, the best jazz club in town. DownBeat magazine even thinks it’s one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world. Over the past year, music manager Kevin Lee has done a noble job, bringing in jazz legends such as Jimmy Heath, Houston Person and Eddie Gomez, as well as younger nationally recognized players like Terence Blanchard, Chris Potter and Dave Douglas. He’s also found time for some of the best in local jazz and blues talent. The music is stellar, obviously, but the food at Dazzle has star power, too: We recommend the burgers and the mac and cheese.

Now in its fiftieth year, Ziggies is Colorado’s oldest blues bar. No surprise, then, that it’s also Denver’s main spot for catching the area’s finest local blues talent every night of the week. But Ziggies brings in its share of national touring acts, too, and even some international players. While there’s a flat-screen that displays upcoming events and specials, there are no TVs broadcasting anything else, one more clue that it’s all about the music here. And like any blues club worth its salt, Ziggies is a great place for musicians to hone their skills: In addition to its legendary blues jam, it hosts three other weekly jam or open-mic nights.

Ziggies has been around for five decades, and it boasts the state’s longest-running blues jam. Every Sunday, whether you’re looking to hone your chops or just listen to some great local players, Ziggies is your spot. The Blues AllStars and Doc Brown switch off hosting duties every week, getting things started and then opening the stage to other players. Ziggies also hosts an acoustic open mic on Mondays and a Hump Day Jam on Wednesdays, where you’ll hear a variety of music, including rock, funk and zydeco. Step right up…

There are a number of high-school and college jazz programs in the area, and they’re turning out some incredibly talented young musicians. But while music theory, jazz standards and note transcription are important, sometimes just jamming with other folks is the best way to learn. Over the past few years, the Monday-night jazz jams at the Meadowlark have attracted some fiery and exciting players, on horns, guitar, keyboards and drums. Whether you’re playing or listening, Mondays at the Meadowlark are the jam.

Before they became the sort of international superstars who headline places like Red Rocks, the Lumineers played many an open mic at the intimate Meadowlark. Every Tuesday night from 9 p.m. until 12:30 a.m., the venue gives local singer-songwriters a chance to test out new material, refine older songs or just show people what they’re made of during their fifteen-minute allotment. At the Meadowlark, you just might see — or be — the Next Big Thing.

Karaoke is a curiosity: Alcohol, peer pressure and occasional untapped talent all combine in one extremely public display, making for entertaining and unpredictable results. Armida’s draws a consistently big and diverse crowd, ensuring a night high in both drama and comedy. And while its popularity guarantees a considerable wait for the spotlight, there’s plenty of free entertainment to enjoy in the meantime. Whether you’re looking to have a few drinks, show off your pipes, make a fool of yourself, or all of the above, there are few places better than Armida’s.

Just as Month of Photography overtook Denver galleries across town last March, Mo’Print 2014 — aka Month of Printmaking — did the same this year, sharpening its focus on the art-world’s most underappreciated skill set. The centerpiece, the Open Press 25th Anniversary Exhibit, at the McNichols Building, is as much a 25-year retrospective of the local art community as it is a tribute to the longevity of Mark Lunning’s fine-art printmaking studio (see it through April 12). Though its reach is more subtle than MoP’s, Mo’Print is bringing a cascade of amazing work by artists around the region before the public. Keep the presses rolling.

It makes sense that the jukebox at the Skylark Lounge has plenty of rockabilly and classic country on it, with tunes from the likes of Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins and Patsy Cline; after all, that sound complements the overall vibe of the retro-centric bar, which is lined with vintage movie posters. What might be a better-kept secret, though, is that the Skylark’s juke is also one of the most eclectic in town, offering everything from the punk of the Clash and the Sex Pistols to the jazz of Miles Davis, Django Reinhardt and Dave Brubeck — plus a whole lot in between. You’ll even find a few discs by local bands that have played at the ‘lark, like Halden Wofford and the Hi*Beams and the Dalhart Imperials. Mosey on down and give it a spin.

If you want to get sweaty in a tight room with a bunch of hot women who like women, head to Tracks Nightclub on First Fridays for Babes Around Denver (BAD), which has been touted as the largest lesbian night in the country. The evening starts with line dancing and turns into a party that rages till the bar closes, with a mob of women — ranging in age from 21 to 75 — getting sweaty and shaking their booties into a frenzy.

Jody Bouffard has had the corner on Denver’s lesbian bar scene for years. While other venues and owners have come and gone, Bouffard has continued to create safe, comfortable spaces where lesbians and the broader LGBTQ community can drink, socialize and flirt. Her newest enterprise, Blush and Blu, is no exception; it’s gained a reputation for friendly bartenders and a warm, inclusive environment. Located at the site of her former tHERe Coffee Bar and Lounge, right next to Voodoo Doughnut, this is a bar and coffee shop wrapped into one venue that promises everything from Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments to drag-king performances, pool, standup comedy and even yoga.

If you love the salty smell of leather and sweat on a beautiful man, wrap your hands around the phallic doorknob at the Eagle and walk into paradise. Despite a few burly men looking Hells Angels-scary (and most people who frequent the Eagle like that sort of thing), the bartenders are some of the sweetest guys in town. And like the patrons, they’re as warm as they are hot. Tuesday through Sunday, the Eagle has an all-you-can-drink happy hour from 4 to 8 p.m.; it often sponsors themed events including leather, denim, sportswear and underwear parties with Denver’s hottest guys of all shapes and sizes. And while this is definitely a male-oriented space, the Eagle welcomes everyone into the nest.

Denver’s gay scene has no shortage of drama: It seems like every time we look up, somebody is boycotting one gay bar or another. Take a time-out at the Barker Lounge, where the staff is friendly, the regulars are always happy to strike up a conversation, the drinks are cheap, and you can even bring your dog. While this bar might not be the best cruising ground, it’s a comfortable spot for LGBTQ people of all ages and desires to hang out in a drama-free zone. Some nights are quiet, with just a few people chatting at the bar or shooting pool; other nights you might find a pantsless dart tournament or a dancing crowd of queens with yapping dogs.

Without officially branding its programming a feminist endeavor, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art brought women into the spotlight in force in 2013. As part of its Present Box series, BMoCA invited bridal dressmaker Maggie Evans to sew live and artist/lawyer Vanessa Place to present her confessional performance art. The museum’s fall series, Craft Tech/Coded Media, gave multiple generations of technology-based artists a great platform for their multimedia work, and companion events like Femcees: Lyrics Decoded brought female musicians into the mix. BMoCA showed that curation doesn’t have to be labeled in order to be empowering, engaging and effective.

Mutiny Information Cafe is first and foremost a bookstore/coffee shop. But this Bermuda Triangle of weirdness in the sea of ultra-hip South Broadway is also a space that throws some of Denver’s best all-ages concerts and art happenings. Stop by any night and catch zine readings, noise shows, performance-art pieces and the occasional jazz quartet getting down in the front window of the sprawling shop. And even when there’s no entertainment, Mutiny captures Denver’s truest self: It’s a quirky, welcoming space where you can find good used books, excellent coffee, and an experience you never knew you were looking for.

There is no one quite like Koffi Toudji. Depending on the day, the drummer, dancer and teacher can be found sharing his fancy footwork and rhythm skills at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance; playing music with the West African Drum and Dance Ensemble or his thirteen-piece Afro-fusion band Koffi Togo Vibe; or organizing family-friendly music and arts events to fund the cultural center he’s building in his home country of Togo in West Africa. And here in Denver, Toudji’s work with kids and adults alike in the realms of music, dance and cultural education brings nothing but positive vibrations.

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is a national chain, yes, but the Texas-based theater house still leaves room in its monthly lineup for programming unique to each location. Enter Keith Garcia, a devout cinephile who left the city after a decade with the Denver Film Society and took his eclectic taste and unique event-planning skills to the Alamo in 2013. He’s already invited Hollywood badass Pam Grier to the theater and started the new, late-night cult horror-film series Channel Z, all while bringing great, underappreciated films and forgotten classics to a brand-new audience.

Join nearly 55,000 film lovers making their way through more than 200 films at the Starz Denver Film Festival, Denver’s preeminent, audience-friendly movie event of the year — for thirty years! Whether you want to watch future Academy Award nominees or gems that might never again see the light of day, the Denver Film Festival has got you covered. And where else in town can you rub elbows with Hollywood directors, brave documentarians and independent auteurs talking about their craft and showing off their latest work? Even without the bonus red-carpet events, multiple parties and panel discussions with film-industry players, this fall festival is a chance to pack a year’s worth of movie viewing into ten glorious days.

The MCA’s Adam Lerner has a thing for art propelled by socio-political movements, and that predilection threw him in the direction of Devo musician/composer/artist Mark Mothersbaugh, a man who Lerner says is the most creative person he’s ever met. Those are strong words to describe a pop-culture anomaly who can’t let a day pass without churning out twenty or so postcard-sized drawings (he’s been creating them for dozens of years). In the interest of sharing Mothersbaugh’s postcards, quirky compositions and installations with the public, Lerner coaxed the object of his obsession to let the MCA put together the show Myopia. This will be Mothersbaugh’s first-ever exhibit in a museum — in fact, at a series of museums, since it will travel to other venues after its inaugural run at the MCA this fall.

Could a chocolate-chip cookie save the world? Until you bite into the warm, crispy exterior and molten inner gooeyness of the cookies at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, hold your bets. Even home-baked cookies taste stale compared to these. Beyond the cookies, the Alamo offers melted butter — real butter — drizzled over popcorn that is served up in silver bowls, and burgers with patties charred to perfection on buns that caress your mouth and come with a panoply of toppings: prosciutto, goat cheese, pesto and Hatch green chile, to name just a few. There’s also a hefty list of adult milkshakes, such as the Grasshopper Shake, with crème de cacao, crème de menthe and vanilla ice cream, as well as standard-fare cocktails and a long list of craft beers. If you’re looking to pack dinner, drinks and a movie into one unforgettable binge, get to the Alamo Drafthouse, now.

Denver has killer blockbuster multiplexes and a few arthouse-chain theaters, but none of those corporate programming teams can compete with our hometown curators at the Denver Film Society. As a nonprofit, DFS has multiple funding streams that allow the Sie FilmCenter to show movies no other venue could. Last year, when the crown was passed from former programming manager Keith Garcia to Ernie Quiroz, Denver cineastes held their breath. Would the newbie build on Garcia’s legacy? He has. Whether you want to scream and giggle through an ’80s horror flick, scratch your head through an experimental documentary, analyze porn with an academic or meet some of the most innovative filmmakers of our age for a post-screening cocktail in the intimate Henderson’s Lounge, the Sie has programming for you.

When you snuggle up with a dreamy date, the stiffest, smallest movie-theater seats start feeling plush. The true test of movie-theater comfort is to go solo and sit between two strangers in a crowded theater — and there is no theater to which we would rather go alone than the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Here even a giant among men would have sufficient legroom and enough space to wiggle, shuffle and lean back and forth without annoying his gargantuan pals. The Alamo also provides ample space for servers to walk, crouch and bend, so if you need to escape mid-movie, you never bump knees, stomp toes or whack someone in the face with your oversized posterior. The tables provide plenty of room for concessions, and the seats are easy on both your back and your butt.

Pablo Kjolseth of the International Film Series is more than a curator: He’s a man with a mission who juggles a mixture of new and old art-film and pop-culture oddities, current sleepers and cult favorites on IFS screens every fall and spring semester at CU-Boulder. And the series has only gotten better over time: With new digital equipment, Kjolseth can present the contemporary films everyone’s talking about while still offering the celluloid classics and archival prints that have always been the backbone of the series. Kjolseth loves film, and it shows in every knowledgeably sculpted schedule. Long love the IFS!

Have you ever gone to a movie theater and pulled a refillable popcorn bucket and soda cup out of a trash can, washed them off, then sheepishly approached the concession line saying, “I’m here for my refills,” praying that the gawky kid behind the cash register won’t bust you? To avoid that humiliation, check out the Landmark Greenwood Village, which doles out free popcorn and carbonated corn syrup for every ticketed customer. The quality of the popcorn and the soda selection are better than average, and you can fearlessly fill up to your heart’s content — even beyond it. The comfortable theater also has a selection of pub grub and drinks for VIP customers — but it’s the UIP (unimportant people) who really get a good deal.

Not many film screenings come with syringes full of human blood. But that’s the sort of thing that makes “BloodThirsty Theresa” Mercado’s seasonal horror-film series at Crash 45 so special. The impeccably curated films, which show on the first Tuesday of the month and are grouped into Cruel Autumn, Cruel Winter and Cruel Summer, run the horror gamut — from classics like 1974’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre to more obscure flicks like the ridiculous alien-abduction movie Xtro to Kathryn Bigelow’s vampire tale Near Dark (when those syringes were handed out). Mercado creates handmade souvenirs tailored to each free screening, and the bar concocts movie-themed drink specials to enjoy along with the scares.

Last year, the reigning madam of Denver’s burlesque scene premiered Cora Vette’s RestoMod at the Voodoo Comedy Playhouse. The Thursday-night extravaganza takes its name from car culture: A “restomod” is a vintage car that’s been rebuilt for speed under the hood but maintains its classic appeal everywhere else. And Cora Vette has done just that with this production, which is a stylish meld of classic burlesque with the more modern offerings that have proliferated since the burlesque scene exploded here a few years ago. Attendees are treated to songs from the lusty gal herself (whose alter ego, Reyna Von Vett, held down major roles on Broadway before turning to the darker side of the stage curtain), as well as performances by the VaVaVettes and other special guests. It’s the biggest, baddest burlesque night that Cora Vette’s ever put together — and that’s saying something. Wowza!

Cabaret Otaku is in a theater class all its own, a troupe that brings traditional opera to the stage through the heart and vision of the local anime and cosplay communities. Led by classically trained opera singer Christina Marzano Haystead, this dedicated group of professionals takes conventional stories made for the stage and gives them a modern twist, adding elements like gamer music and contemporary humor. While they may initially attract the anime-savvy crowd, Cabaret Otaku’s productions are for anyone who enjoys beautiful voices and a laid-back approach to opera.

In the wide world of comedy, improv can get a bad rap — but Governor Jack is working tirelessly to change that perception. This group of funny dudes hosts various events at its Voodoo Comedy Playhouse home, including The Duel: Improv Cagematch, which pits local troupes against each other in heated improvisational throwdowns. But the quintet’s signature show is Governor Jack Watches You Sleep, a night when Denver “celebrities” — like television lawyer Michael Sawaya and rapper Mane Rok — are interviewed on stage and their answers twisted into a hilarious improv show. Governor Jack is also instrumental in the planning and execution of the Denver Improv Festival, which last year saw groups from all over the country perform for hundreds of fans at multiple venues in downtown Denver.

Those looking for laughs without a pesky two-drink minimum can find solace on the last Sunday of every month, when the glamorous Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret hosts Propaganda! At Matt Monroe’s free comedy night, you can catch priceless sets by such local favorites as Adam Cayton-Holland and Ben Kronberg, as well as big touring names like Sean Patton and Beth Stelling. As a bonus, street parking is always free on Sundays — and Sexy Pizza even provides free-slice cards. This night comes just once a month, but you can laugh all the way to the bank in the meantime.

Theatre Esprit Asia, a local company bringing together pan-Asian casts with culture-centric works, has proven in its first season that the concept is no flash in the pan. Not only is TEA, the theatrical brainchild of actors Maria Cheng and Tria Xiong, strong on talent, but the fine acting has been put to good use in challenging works that are new to the region. It was a leap, no doubt, to even start an all-Asian company in a city where independent theater groups often struggle, but we read the promise of continued success in TEA’s leaves. All theater troupes do not look alike.

Former Nordstrom exec Chuck McGothlin has an impeccable eye honed during a career buying for the department store’s Fifth Avenue boutique in New York, and his experience there clearly translates well at the beautifully upscale Denver Botanic Gardens gift shop. What makes this a must-see stop before or after any visit to the gardens (or even when you’re just gift-shopping)? Brilliant merchandising — and a well-selected mixture of art, jewelry, repurposed materials, books, cards, pottery, plants and elegant home accents, along with many nature- and garden-oriented items. And with a much-awaited outdoor exhibit by glass artist Dale Chihuly coming to the DBG in June, the shop should be even more spectacular.

Slam poetry is a growth industry in this city, with local spoken-word performers regularly winning national honors, even making their case before Denver City Council, as University of Denver student Jose Guerrero did to mark the release of Imagine 2020. The report came complete with a new poem by Guerrero, which included a classic line about another arts icon in this town: the Big Blue Bear.

As an educator

I often find myself arguing for the

Importance of art in our classrooms

I go on and on about its potential to empower

Our youth and its

Ability to turn traumatic life experiences

Into beautiful pieces of art

For those who remain skeptical

I challenge you to take it up with the

Big Blue Bear and as

You stand there staring right into the

Big Blue Bear’s Butt

You will smile, and realize

That small moment of joy

Could be the most important lesson we could

Teach our youth…

Best Book Club

Words Beyond Bars Project

This book club has everything: great titles, a dynamic facilitator, interesting company all deeply engaged in relating works of literature to their life experiences. The only hitch is you have to be in prison to join. Ex-librarian Karen Lausa’s largely volunteer effort to bring serious books into the Colorado Department of Corrections, which began with a group of lifers at Limon in 2012, has expanded to several other facilities, demonstrating that incarcerated men and women, adults and juveniles are all hungry for a good story — and a chance to reflect on what it can teach them about their own wrong turns and possible paths to redemption.

This book club has everything: great titles, a dynamic facilitator, interesting company all deeply engaged in relating works of literature to their life experiences. The only hitch is you have to be in prison to join. Ex-librarian Karen Lausa’s largely volunteer effort to bring serious books into the Colorado Department of Corrections, which began with a group of lifers at Limon in 2012, has expanded to several other facilities, demonstrating that incarcerated men and women, adults and juveniles are all hungry for a good story — and a chance to reflect on what it can teach them about their own wrong turns and possible paths to redemption.

Welcome to the Best of Denver 2014, a celebration of everything that we love about this city. Click here to connect to the Arts and Entertainment section, then go to westword.com to view the rest!