This Event Brings R&B to LoDo Each Month

Choosing where to go out on a Saturday night can be quite the battle, especially if you are looking to explore the Denver R&B scene in Denver. But the Friends & Lovers RnB Party is a good place to start if you happen to be in LoDo on Saturday, April 19.

The monthly event was started by Randy Jimenez (also known as DJ Denco), a longtime performer, artist manager and fan of R&B. While living in Denver and managing artists with Expansion Team, Jimenez decided to make an event geared toward a community he saw lacking. “I definitely think Denver is missing R&B parties that are weekly," he says, noting that other R&B events are "still playing other stuff besides just R&B."

The Friends and Lovers RnB Party "is a different energy than going to a bar or nightclub," he adds. "It's real, more chaotic, and it's geared towards the women that love R&B music and sing it all." Sourcing performers from Expansion Team's DJs and local artists, Friends & Lovers RnB Party began in February 2024.

For the past year, events were held monthly at Mile High Spirits before shifting to Jackson’s LODO, which offers the potential for patio and daytime parties this summer. With a full year of success behind the Saturday-night show, Jimenez is excited to expand even further with the audience base he's built so far.

At the core of every RnB Party is the ongoing relationship between the event planners and the attendees. Not only did Jimenez find his host, Larry Reed, by networking with his audience, but he also heard the call for staying R&B-specific. “We got a lot of slack from the women on social media saying, 'This isn't a true R&B party.' So we listened to them and said, 'We're sticking solely to R&B,'” says Jimenez.
With the genre theme holding strong, a loyal nightlife crowd comes together each month and Jimenez makes sure to show just how much he loves the community back. Audience interaction is first priority at every Friends & Lovers RnB Party, he says. Prepare for a DJ or MC to hand you a rose, an inflatable microphone or ask you to sing and prove your love for R&B. The vibrant enthusiasm of the community makes each event a night to remember, all elevated by Reed's hosting and musical talents.

“From the jump, just walking in, I thought, 'This is where I need to be.' If we could do this every night, it would be nice,” says Reed. “The vibes are always there. This does put you in a different atmosphere, to feel like you're more at a club, but also a concert feel.” As a local musician (he performs under the moniker Larry Legend) and a deep R&B enthusiast, Reed couldn't contain his excitement when he discovered this event.

“Everyone [in Denver] is doing rap. I wanted to be different and try R&B, but only the few who are into R&B listen to it,” Reed says. “It makes me feel like I have to switch back to hip-hop and that no one else wants to sing.”

Once Reed found his R&B people, he made it his mission to join the teamr. Now, Reed is thrilled to continue building the community and watch the good vibes connect people.

“You can see that there's true R&B here — it's just that no one knows where it's at. When you get them all in one room, it makes me feel excited and want to build relationships to have people keep coming back,” says Reed. “People go out to parties, and it always ends up in drama. When everyone walks in, it's almost like they leave all that in their cars, in the Lyft or at home. To see everyone getting along and singing and enjoying the night together, it's very uplifting.”

Keeping attendees engaged, local DJs such as Hex Kitten, DJ FIVE8, DJ Agon and DJ Denco himself each build a unique and intentional set. The night is broken down into R&B eras by the hour, so depending on your timing, you can explore new R&B, 90's R&B, 2000's R&B or close the night by belting out some ballads until 2 a.m. Each era touches on the palpable emotions tied into the era and highlights the ways R&B has evolved. It also guarantees at least one song that any R&B lover will know every word to.

“I call this a karaoke night, because it really is,” explains Jimenez. “It's singing the whole time. Being a DJ, you think you always have to play high-energy stuff. There's so much good R&B music that you can play the ballads and slower stuff as long as you're singing and having a good time. Our party feels very intimate. I think it's magical when you're there, having a good time and feeling very positive about the experience.”

Friends & Lovers RnB Party, Saturday, April 19, 9 p.m. at Jackson’s LODO, 1520 20 Street. Tickets are $10-$30.