Best '90s Nostalgia Trip 2024 | The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best '90s Nostalgia Trip

The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues

Courtesy Oskar Blues Black Buzzard Facebook page

Heading behind the red velvet curtain and down the stairs into the Black Buzzard is such a throwback. The stripped-down venue allows for close proximity to those performing, with plenty of seating and a full bar that lets concert-goers choose their own adventure. Get sweaty in a mosh pit or sit on the sidelines watching acts take the stage. Either way, your flannels are welcome here, and you just might feel the urge to head to a Blockbuster store or flip through the Yellow Pages to dial your friend on their landline: The Black Buzzard is just that good at transporting you to simpler times.

Best Stepping-Stone Venue

Bluebird Theater

Anyone who's lived in the city for a while likely has fond memories from nights at the Bluebird Theater, which many musicians see as a key stepping stone on their path to stardom. It's where we catch acts on their come-up, and it's even where many return after hitting the mainstream — it's that beloved by the musicians who play there. Aside from the quality of the booking by AEG, the Bluebird keeps fans coming back for its intimate, funky setting, from the gargoyles on the walls to the balcony, where you can grab a beer and have a bird's-eye view of the dancing crowd.

Best Staff at a Venue

The Ogden Theatre

The Ogden Theatre is more than 100 years old, but this intimate concert venue still knows the definition of hospitality. The Ogden's security, bar and operations employees are attentive and kind, willing to give dizzy concert-goers a bottle of water and a place to sit or to point out the location of the bathrooms if needed. The staff is approachable and takes care of every patron. It's nice to know that no matter what happens at the Ogden, we're in good hands.

Best Venue Name

Your Mom's House

Sam Nguyen

You're going where? Your Mom's House is such a great name, simply because of the confusion it engenders in those new to the city. The funky spot is home to raucous open-mic nights flush with jams, as well as a dance floor built from light-up cubes that encourage you to dance like no one's watching. Your Mom's House pulls in acts from a multitude of genres, but jam, funk and EDM reign supreme here. It may not be where we'd take our moms, but it is the place to go for a night out you'll never forget — partly because of that embarrassing photographic evidence from your friends. We love this venue not only for its name, but also for the happy-go-lucky community you'll find there. See you at Your Mom's House!

Best Free Summer Concert Series

Levitt Pavilion

Joel Rekiel

Situated on the gentle slopes of Ruby Hill Park, Levitt Pavilion has captured the hearts of live-music lovers since it opened in 2017. And the nonprofit returns that love tenfold each year with its free summer concert series, which offers around fifty concerts where you can kick back and relax on a lawn chair without worrying about how much you have left to spend on booze or food. This year's series includes shows from the likes of Buffalo Nichols, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist; the venue has ticketed shows as well, with this year's lineup including the Beach Boys, slowdive and more. The free shows aren't the only way Levitt gives back: In 2020 the venue created its Bodies of Culture board, which just launched a mentorship program for young BIPOC musicians.

Best Ticketed Summer Concert Series

Denver Botanic Gardens

Brandon Marshall

Denver Botanic Gardens has been hosting its annual outdoor summer concert series, now produced in partnership with Swallow Hill Music, since 1980. The series includes ten concerts from June through August and showcases both local and national acts in an array of genres — all surrounded by the romantic beauty of the well-tended gardens. This summer will see shows from Graham Nash, DeVotchKa, Trombone Shorty, Emmylou Harris and more. The DBG also hosts Evenings Al Fresco in the summer, intimate music experiences that take place around the 24-acre grounds.

Best Music School Nonprofit

Swallow Hill Music

Swallow Hill Music

The next generation of Denver musicians is in good hands with Swallow Hill Music, where students can study classical, folk, jazz, pop, bluegrass, rock and more with professional local musicians. But the nonprofit also makes its mark on the city's music scene by producing a number of concert series at such venues as the Botanic Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, Four Mile Historic Park and the Clyfford Still Museum. Swallow Hill hosts its own concerts, too, where you can hear everything from world music to folk from musicians from around the globe.

Best Park for Free Live Music

City Park

Since 1986, City Park Jazz has produced ten concerts every summer, and catching a show here is a Denver tradition. The free series, which begins the first weekend of June, features some of the best local musicians in the city as well as touring artists, all playing jazz, blues, salsa and more at the park's iconic pavilion on Sundays from 6 to 8 p.m. This year's lineup includes the legendary Hazel Miller & the Collective, Roka Hueka, Mistura Fina, Jakarta and more. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and some snacks and cocktails for the perfect summer evening.

cityparkjazz.org

Best Neighborhood Concert Series

Riverfront Park Summer Sessions

On the third Thursday in June, July and August, music lovers can head to Commons Park for a free concert hosted by the Riverfront Park Neighborhood. Along with great music, there are always food and drink vendors on site, so it's easy to make an evening of it. This year's lineup hasn't been announced yet, but last year the shows included national indie names like Jaguar Sun along with local artists such as Grace DeVine. Bring blankets and lawn chairs, and get ready for a relaxing summer evening of live music.

twoparts.com/work/summersessions

Best Neighborhood Music Festival

Five Points Jazz Festival

Five Points was once known as the "Harlem of the West," and that history is celebrated each year at the Five Points Jazz Festival. The blast of brass is hard to miss when a New Orleans-style parade kicks off the festivities on Welton Street, which becomes home to several stages that welcome jazz acts from near and far. The free Arts & Venues-run festival rang in its twentieth anniversary in 2023, with forty artists playing on the outdoor stages as well as inside such Five Points staples as the Roxy, Cervantes', Brother Jeff's and the Marigold. Here's to twenty more years!

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