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The bouncer on stage did a decent Axl Rose impression -- complete with bandanna. “All we need is just a little patience,” he sang into the karaoke mic. In the room next door, a DJ mixed Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” with “Sweet Child O’ Mine."
It could only be Night of the Living Shred, Bender’s Tavern’s Thursday-night blow-out that won Westword’s “Best Club Night” for 2008 (as well as “Best Club Night for Hooking Up” in 2007). By midnight, the joint at 314 East 13th Avenue was jumping.
But when 1:35 a.m. rolled around, the same bouncer who’d sung “Patience” proved that he practiced what he preached. After giving last call, he and his colleagues were the friendliest people-thrower-outers I can remember encountering (the ones that I don’t remember probably weren’t that friendly).
Even when a dumb drunk threw a cue ball at him, Mr. Rose stayed calm -- and had him out of the bar faster than that cue ball had flown across the room.– Luke Turf
Keep Westword Free... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Denver with no paywalls.
