The weekly open-mic event, which happens each Tuesday, is quickly building hype. While artists of all genres are welcome, those in the hip-hop community have particularly been drawn to this creative hub. "With Inner Circle, I wanted it to be everything that I did not see when I came out here," says Allen. "I'm trying to do more collaboration with other open mics and poetry open mics...to stop that stigma that when you come to an open mic, it's just rap."
Allen moved to Denver in 2016 from Memphis, Tennessee, where she grew up singing in the church choir. When she got to the Mile High City, she quickly saw the potential of the local talent and sought out ways to uplift the scene. "There was so much more that could be done musically — or just for artists, period — and it wouldn't be too much effort," she recalls.
After hearing Allen at another open mic, Jonathan Burke, the creator of Beats Bodega, invited her to emcee his event, which began in March 2023. After establishing a successful relationship with River through Beats Bodega, Allen was encouraged to start her own shows, and the first Inner Circle took place last September.
Inner Circle is a collaboration project between Allen and DJ NY, or Zechariah Cokley, whom she met through the local music scene. While they are both navigating the many responsibilities around jobs and kids, the importance of art, community and their many out-of-the-box ideas are still essential to these creatives. To them, Inner Circle represents more than just an open-mic night.
"We do community discussions and stuff like that, trying to give people the opportunity to speak," Allen says. Such discussions inform how Inner Circle operates, serving as a think-tank for improving the music scene.
Building a supportive and artistic environment, Inner Circle's creators call to artists of all genres who want to perform.
Victoria Glidden
In that, Allen has succeeded. Each act that performs, whether it's a seasoned performer or someone sharing their work for the first time, is met with rowdy encouragement from the audience. Cokley often asks an artist questions after their performance, getting to know about why they make their art and their life in Denver. Local vendors and savory food are also staples at every Inner Circle event, and videographers and photographers are present to provide content for each performer while listeners play pool, shuffleboard or even the occasional video game provided by the Inner Circle team.
The importance of such events is underscored in the winter season, when nightlife enthusiasts brave the cold to support local artists. Tucked away next to Blue Moon Brewery, River has become a home away from home for its loyal customers and the musicians who perform there. Years of art, graffiti, and song lyrics cover the walls, and scrawled signatures fill the ceiling, all adding to the warmth of the multi-color lights throughout the bar. And thanks to She Who Wont Be Named and the community she's built with DJ NY, Tuesday nights are bustling with energy in this riverside dive.
"The hip-hop scene is flourishing, and it's really dope," Allen says. "It's growing in a way where the 'old ways' are not working anymore. Now you have options to figure out where you fit in and what kind of crowd you like to be around."
And Inner Circle is definitely a crowd you want to be around. "As long as you're cool," she concludes, "you can be in here with no problems."
Inner Circle is every Tuesday, 9:15 p.m., at River Bar, 3759 Chestnut Place. Cover is $10 at the door.
