In many years of faithful attendance at Heritage Square Music Hall, I have never seen T.J. Mullin lose control of an audience. Sure, he always gives the jokers in the seats some play, letting them interrupt or yell out a comment or two — but he was having serious trouble…
Iraq War, the Musical. Unlike so many political satires, Iraq War, the Musical has teeth. It’s a sustained and ultimately serious attack on the Bush administration’s war and the lies told by Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney in order to launch it. Through skits and songs, writer-creator Paul Cross tells the…
The Modern and Contemporary department at the Denver Art Museum gained official status in 1978 when the institution hired Dianne Vanderlip to head it up. During her nearly three decades in the post, Vanderlip facilitated the acquisition of thousands of works for the permanent collection. But between shopping sprees, she…
Last week, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center concluded its nearly year-long search for a new director by hiring Sam Gappmayer (pictured). The job represents a big promotion for Gappmayer, who is currently the director of the much more modest Sun Valley Center for the Arts, in Idaho. Second only…
About Us… et al. In the West Gallery at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is About Us…, put together by freelance curator Mark Addison, who brought in two dozen works of conceptual realism by a raft of internationally known artists in addition to pieces from his own collection. Addison…
One of my favorite pastimes growing up was playing what we called Ultimate Frisbee (also known simply as “Ultimate,” leaving out the trademarked Frisbee name). Sort of like football or rugby, the game involves passing the disc from one player to the next until the end zone is reached —…
Until the untimely death of singer/guitarist D. Boon at the end of 1985, the Minutemen were one of the most exciting and creative bands of their era. The documentary We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen — which kicks off a four-part film series called Our Band Could Be…
Mary Mackey closed her groundbreaking gallery space at the corner of 25th Avenue and Eliot Street nearly ten years ago, but she never left the building: As an artist-turned-gallerist returning to her creative roots, she continued to rent studio space in the old red-brick commercial building, along with a variant…
The first time I read The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, I was twelve and on a family visit with friends in New Mexico. The book, an elegant old hardback volume that had belonged to their then-grown son, was on the bookshelf in the room where I stayed,…
The Moondance International Film Festival has returned to its roots. Founded in 2000, the fest moved to Hollywood during its 2006/2007 run — but let’s face it, the Los Angeles area has nothing on Boulder, where fest films will screen at Chautauqua Park (900 Baseline Road) and the Boulder Shambhala…
Serious blogging is a world unto itself. There’s the main story, of course, but each story is also punctuated with links and pictures and videos. Enough! For an easily distracted flake with a compulsion to finish reading and listening to everything he starts, there is nothing more maddening. And these…
Need to get out of town over Labor Day weekend? Look no further than our neighbor to the north: The city of Cheyenne is hosting two (count ’em) festivals this weekend, featuring the best of the West’s musicians, storytellers, poets, vendors and artisans. The Americana Music Festival (which comprises both…
What started as a kitschy birthday party for swing dancer extraordinaire Tiffiny Wine has morphed into an end-of-summer standard at the Mercury Cafe, where Wine and Dan Newsome hold court over the dance floor. Not only have the two been the orchestrating force of the swing scene there, but they…
Didn’t get those tickets you wanted to the Obama speech? Don’t fret. The Shoppe has the perfect alternative to braving the crowds at Invesco: taking part in the Yes We Can! parties organized by MoveOn.org. Stop by the Shoppe tonight at 8 p.m. to watch the speech and partake in…
Sure, having the Democratic National Convention in Denver caused some excitement, but the real party happens this weekend at the only DNC for drinkers: the Drunkard National Convention, sponsored by Modern Drunkard magazine. The debauchery begins today at 3 Kings Tavern, 60 South Broadway, with a meet-and-greet at noon and…
Seeking a way to celebrate the Democratic National Convention, Tai Beldock decided to throw a viewing party. Her business — the Erico Motorsports dealership in a 20,000-square-foot 1930s warehouse north of Coors Field — seemed like the perfect venue from which to watch Obama speak on a big-screen TV. To…
The word “crafts” has a negative association with macrame plant-hangers and other kitschy handmade crap, but these days, crafting is enjoying something of a renaissance. The DIY spirit of the punk and indie music scenes has been injected into this once moribund activity, resulting in something new: crafts that are…
Joggers love crushed granite. Maybe that’s why the Aetna Park to Park 10 Miler is so popular: Its ten-mile course connects four city parks, three of which are known for their miles of runner-friendly, crushed-granite paths. Another reason to love this race is that it provides a Labor Day bookend…
I’m always regretting the outings I’ve blown off for no good reason, especially those opportunities for the otherworldly experiences one can have on a single tank of gas. This summer, for instance, I never did travel the back roads of Our Journey, a day-long self-guided tour of small towns on…
It’s rare to find an animal that can be both a smart, gentle companion and your source of wool for the winter, but that’s the alpaca for you. Already cuter and more intelligent than their friend the llama, alpacas are a hard breed to beat — at least they were…
Not every dog show is a collection of prancing, pampered purebreds being guided around a circle. Starting today and running through September 7, you can catch a different kind of dog showing off in the 22nd annual Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials. Forget the ribbons and shampoo — these dogs…
The Democratic National Convention is finally here and the city, as so succinctly stated by my friend Holly-Kai, is “a-buzzin” with energy. I met up with Holly on Sunday after attending the After 5 Jazz and Blues Fest in Five Points, where African-American and African vendors from as far spread…
