A year after opening the 1UP in LoDo, owner Jourdan Adler took over the former home of Pete's Monkey Bar in the summer of 2012 and put his second arcade-themed bar, the 2UP, in that space. Last April, Adler secured the space next door, which once housed Kitty's East for decades. After completely renovating the place and turning it into a 500-person music venue, the 1Up Colfax, as the club will now be known (the downtown location is now the 1Up LoDo), celebrates its grand opening tonight with Yamn.
See also: The 2UP leases Kitty's East space, plans to open music space
"We changed the name for consistency and brand recognition," says Craig Bailey, who handles promotion and marketing for the clubs. "It's easier and more effective to promote one brand, two locations, than two brands, two locations. Many didn't realize that the 1Up and former the 2Up were owned/operated by the same person."
While the 1Up Colfax has more than fifty vintage arcade games and multiple pinball games, the space will now be bringing a number of local and national acts. After Yamn plays tonight, Raw Card headlines tomorrow night, followed by two nights of Cosby Sweater and Jet Edison. On Monday, December 30, Umphrey's McGee takes a break from its three-night Fillmore New Year's run to play a private show at the 1Up - Colfax. On New Year's Eve, it's Mux Mool, Mikey Thunder, Krooked Drivers, Artifakts, The BeatServer, Deluxe and a special surprise headliner.
The bar and the hallway in the music venue both pay homage the former porn store with Kitty's signs. Thornton-based Brown Note Productions, who work with some heavies like STS9, set up the sound and lighting system for the venue.
"As a lover of music, I wanted to create a special space that both fans and artists would be passionate about," Adler says. "Too often fan and artist experiences get lost in the business model. We took a different approach and thought of them with every decision. Everything from the sound and lights to the amenities and post show entertainment. I created the place I'd want to go to."
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