Leigh Jones already owned Jonesy's EatBar, the Horseshoe Lounge next door and Bar Car, which opened just last June in the former home of the Recovery Room, so she thought it might be too soon to open a fourth place. But after Steve Gelman closed the Boston Fish Shack (which had been Gelman's before that) in December and essentially made her an offer she couldn't refuse, Jones and business partner Margaret Moore took over the spot at 2911 West 38th Avenue. Now they're planning to open it on Thursday, March 10, as Stingray Lounge.
Initially, Jones had thought about going with a surf theme, but after a recent trip to Texas, she decided to stick with early '60s car culture. Think American Graffiti, drag racing, even a little Beach Blanket Bingo. Some of the bar stools look like car seats, and a big black-and-white drag-racing mural will cover one wall. "I think with the concepts that Margaret and I do, it's really important to truly define it," Jones says. "Otherwise, it could look like a garage sale."
When Jones designed Atomic Cowboy, the Colfax Avenue spot she sold to Drew Shader in 2004, she was thinking '50s-era Western cowboy by way of Howdy Doody; the Horseshoe was more like a '50s Las Vegas Western. And Jonesy's?
"Jonesy's is like an older sister over there," Jones explains. "And the Horseshoe is kind of like the kid bar. And this one, even though it's more like the Horseshoe, it's going to be a little bit older. This neighborhood is a little older."
Welcome to the family.
Club scout: For the second year, Herman's Hideaway (1578 South Broadway) and Westword are teaming up for the Best of the West battle of the bands. More than 32 acts will compete on Fridays, with the finals held on May 21. The winning band gets $4,000 cash, a spot with this year's Film on the Rocks lineup, a fifty-hour recording package with Arsenal Studios, a Jägermeister endorsement and more. The Epilogues, last year's winner, played Film on the Rocks and is currently recording a new album using studio time at Colorado Sound Studios that was a prize in the contest.
After a few minor setbacks, owner Salmineo Martin says he hopes to have Mind Benders (9262 West 58th Avenue, Arvada) open this weekend. In keeping with the name, the venue's décor will be a bit of a trip: Everything from the carpet to the pool tables will be black light-reflective, and the waitresses will sport neon fishnets, so that their legs glow as they walk.
St. Patrick's Day festivities kick off this weekend, with the annual parade downtown on Saturday, March 12. After local Celtic rock band Potcheen plays on top of its veggie-powered bus in the parade, the group will head over to Quixote's True Blue (2151 Lawrence Street), where it will host a massive St. Paddy's day bash with the Denver Cruisers. P-Nuckle, Reckless Red, Hillbilly Inferno, Fresh Cut Memory are also playing; cover is $5 from 2 to 6 p.m. For more St. Patrick's Day-related fun, check out Westword's online listings.
