Five years ago Joaquin Romero was holding mitts for his friends in his garage, which he’d turned into an “unofficial” boxing club. The trained boxer and martial artist had set up a ring and some punching bags, and was teaching different combinations and sparring techniques as a sort of “hang-out” hobby…
#63: Peter Mortimer Boulder filmmaker, entrepreneur and adventurer Peter Mortimer brings the mountains to the screen with Sender Films, the production company he founded that specializes in breathtaking mountaineering docs. In the Colorado spirit, Mortimer then diversified to co-found the REEL ROCK Film Tour with Big Up Productions, now in its…
Tickets and VIP passes are now on sale for the third annual CineLatino Film Festival, which lights up the Sie FilmCenter September 22 through 25. And this year looks to be the most vibrant yet. Since its debut in 2014, CineLatino has quickly become the most inclusive Latino film series in…
You never know when you’ll bump into a talented artist on the streets of Denver. We recently spotted multi-instrumentalist Wesley Watkins, front man of The Other Black, outside of Leela European Cafe, rocking serious platforms and an eye-catching purple hat. A Denver native, Watkins was raised in Montbello and has been…
In week three of the Ultimate Queen All-Stars competition at Tracks, the seven remaining contestants were challenged to present a tribute to their favorite “Idols,” with the most unique celebrity tribute winning its creator queen of the night. The contest’s judges — Mariah Spanic, Felony Misdemeanor and Victoria Sexton -…
The crisp morning air means fall is almost here, with all of its chic glory. September is the start of a prime season for fashion, when boots, jeans, knitwear and leather are welcomed back into our wardrobes. There’s no shortage of stylish shindigs in Denver this month, from shows to…
A new “gym for the rest of us” has moved into the metro fitness market, bringing low prices, a movie theater and an intimidation-free zone. Chuze Fitness recently opened the first of three planned Colorado locations in Westminster; all promise to break free of the typical “big box gym concept.” For starters,…
The hardcore anime cosplayers of Nan Desu Kan wandered the hallways of the Sheraton Downtown Denver over Labor Day weekend, sporting elaborate costumes that take months to create. At the fan convention’s twentieth annual run, the otaku crowd frequented screenings, panels, parties, a game room and more. All photos by Danielle…
The area once known as “that place outside downtown, close to the Coliseum and the Pepsi plant” was christened River North and reconstituted as the River North (RiNo) Art District more than a decade ago — long before real estate began its steady scorch up Brighton Boulevard and the rebranding…
#64: Lea Marlene After college, native Coloradan Lea Marlene left for Hollywood, where she excelled at standup comedy, studied Meisner Technique acting, and earned certification as a yoga instructor — all while developing her chops as a director, producer and writer. Marlene returned to Denver with that rare set of…
Are you ready for some football? And football parties? Civic Center will be the center of the action this week, but there’s more to life than sports — including top-notch comedy and an appearance by a celebrity chef. Check the Westword calendar for even more events. Sexpot Comedy Presents Ben…
Week two of the Ultimate Queen All-Stars competition at Tracks was dripping with imagination, as the challenge for September 1 called for all eight competitors to come in their best “fantasy” look — which usually means prosthesis, extreme makeup and and even more glitter than normal. Taking top honors this…
#65: Theo “Lucifury” Wilson Theo Wilson is the ultimate Denver artivist. In his guise as Lucifury, he was a founding member of the Slam Nuba poetry slam, and his artistic reach includes everything from acting and songwriting to inspirational talks on the TEDx stage. More than a performer, Wilson is…
I spend a lot of time watching dogs poop. I am the human to a wonderful, almost ten-pound Papillon freak show named Frankie who I often walk at night, so I’m extra-vigilant about where he poops — sometimes even using my phone flashlight to find said doo-doo in the grass so…
#66: Meagen Svendsen Ceramic artist, musician, mother, collaborator and traveler Meagen Svendsen swims creative seas like a natural. As an installationist, she builds worlds inspired by inquiries into natural science, and as the lead singer/songwriter of Avifauna, a band of local artists making moody and atmospheric music, she brings listeners…
The Ultimate Queen All-Stars competition kicked off with a bang last Thursday., when a hefty crowd filled Tracks nightclub for the premier episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars Season Two – which upped the ante on its drag drama with a show full of more twists and turns than a…
Colorado celebrated its 140th birthday on August 1. Because it was admitted to the Union on the hundredth anniversary of this country’s declaration of independence, it was quickly nicknamed the Centennial State. But to us, it’s always been Coolorado, the coolest state around, and the thousands of people moving here…
#67: Alex Weimer Alex Weimer is the Bug Theatre, overseeing the indie venue’s day-to-day from backstage to the front of the house, as it continues to prove that small is good, supporting such time-tested entertainments as the variety show Freak Train, the Emerging Filmmakers Project, Equinox Theatre Company and various…
#68: George Perez George Perez, Boulder artist and exiting RedLine resident, creates photo-based work comments on modern life, freely mixing found images and new media to turn portraiture on its ear. We invited Perez to discuss his influences and dreams via the 100CC questionnaire. Travel along…. Westword: If you could…
Just in time for the season premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars Season 2, gay hotspot Tracks has selected the best of its Ultimate Queen Competition for Denver’s own All-Stars battle, which kicks off on Thursday, August 25, with a wig and a prayer. Over the years, seven scrappy divas…
The kids are back in school, the nights are getting cooler, and there are moments here and there when it just plain feels like autumn. That’s right: Summer is almost over, and aside from a lot of binge-watching various Netflix series in front of the A/C unit, you just don’t…
Fashion can be mysterious…and intriguing. This week we spotted a striking night look sported by Kimberly Kay, owner of the online shop Disco Leaf Vintage. For a concert at the Ogden, she was wearing a silver sequined cardigan. Kay says she loves finding and selling vintage treasures; her favorite materials include…
