Mason McAlexander
Audio By Carbonatix
The most exciting place to see up-and-coming heavy bands in Denver is not a concert venue; it is a community space called Ante Up, and it is the product of a years-long dream for Audra and Steve Beam.
“As ‘elders,’ this is how we felt we could contribute,” says owner Audra, 43. “We have these memories of seeing these crazy bands that blew up. I saw Angel Dust last weekend at Marquis; it was sold out. I saw them at a matinee at Office Space in 2013, which is crazy. I want to give these kids those moments.”
In contrast with a commercial concert venue, Ante Up is a community space run by about thirty volunteers, and for events, attendees pay a suggested donation, which may be discounted with a material donation for another nonprofit. It is also an all-ages sober space.
“A sober space is not just welcoming to the under-21 crowd and the straight-edge crowd, but also the recovery crowd, [whom] I feel are often overlooked,” said Audra. “There are plenty of places to go during the day that aren’t centered around drinking, but very few nighttime activities offer sober alternatives.”
Ante Up is “orchestrated by old heads and energized by the new ones,” according to Audra’s husband Steve, 48.
A former resident of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Steve performed in Denver bands starting with As We Speak in 2001, then Killing Kings, Make Way and The New Narrative. He also promoted concerts and ran a DIY space called The Underground in the early 2000s. He met Audra, originally from Oklahoma, in 2014. The couple married in 2017.
The Ante Up building serves a dual purpose for the Beams. It is also the warehouse for Steve’s handyman business, Denver Remodels.
“I wanted a warehouse, and Audra was like, ‘What if? What if?’” Steve recalls.
Ethan Cook
Steve contacted the owners of approximately thirty properties from late October 2025 through early November 2025, eventually landing at 2130 South Platte River Drive. It was one of only two properties with owners who were comfortable with a lease for the Beams’ vision.
The size of the building allowed the Beams to include a large greenroom, complete with donated furniture, pool table, an arcade machine and TVs. “Some guy brought his five-year-old, and someone’s grandmother was in there on the same night,” said Audra. “I want the spectrum of people at Ante Up, and I want everybody to be comfortable.”
Considering the bands already slated to play at Ante Up, the Beams have a unique plan to address the possibility that moshing could lead to fights. “No fighting,” reads attendance guidelines. “All parties will be removed immediately and will be banned until a meeting is held.”
“Sometimes, shit happens,” Audra says. “If it is not a malicious thing, then we can forgive how it happened. We want to give people the chance to do the right thing.”
The Beams plan to host many different types of gatherings – markets, parties, movie screenings, fashion and art shows – but Ante Up, whose name references a song by hardcore band Bane, is already known for live music.
The first Ante Up event made a splash with approximately 300 attendees in January 2026. Headlined by Weld County hardcore band Play’n for Keeps, the event was also a food donation drive that collected 200 food items for the Action Center of Lakewood.
The Beams are committed to making an impact in the Denver music community.
“We don’t have enough community spaces where people can just come enjoy music,” said Audra. “Non-corporate spaces,” says Steve. “This is a whole different vibe. This is ours. This doesn’t belong to some billionaire.”
To see upcoming events at Ante Up, go to anteupdenver.com or visit Ante Up on Instagram or Facebook, @anteupdenver.
