Remembering 3 Kings Tavern: The Best Photos From Fourteen Years of Concerts

By Aaron Thackeray

Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 3 p.m.

Aaron Thackeray Jim Norris, Sid Pink and Magic Cyclops pose in front of the infamous wall at 3 Kings Tavern. 1/73

Aaron Thackeray Kitty Crimson and Seana Boettcher get friendly at the bar at 3 Kings Tavern. 2/73

Aaron Thackeray G. Matthew Bellinger takes a quick break from pinball to pose with a friend at 3 Kings Tavern. 3/73

Aaron Thackeray Members of Tauntaun pose for a promo shot before their show at 3 Kings Tavern. 4/73

Aaron Thackeray Jawsh Mullen and Kitty Crimson were a dream team behind the bar at 3 Kings Tavern. 5/73

Aaron Thackeray Siara Gray makes the pinball machines look good at 3 Kings Tavern. 6/73

Aaron Thackeray Jason Heller rocks out during UMS at 3 Kings Tavern. 7/73

Aaron Thackeray Members of Drag the River cuddling before their set on January 24, 2009. 8/73

Aaron Thackeray The late Gary Lee and his pal posing for a quick pic at 3 Kings Tavern. 9/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern. 10/73

Aaron Thackeray Lucius Armond Fairchild in usual form at 3 Kings Tavern. 11/73

Aaron Thackeray Josh, Beth and Geoff at 3 Kings on January 24, 2009. 12/73

Aaron Thackeray The late Mike Herrera backstage before a show at 3 Kings Tavern. 13/73

Aaron Thackeray Tauntaun obliterates the stage at 3 Kings Tavern. 14/73

Aaron Thackeray Manny Lopez behind the kit at the 3 Kings stage at Punk Rocks on May 28, 2009. 15/73

Aaron Thackeray Michelle creeping on Jawsh Mullen at 3 Kings Tavern. 16/73

Aaron Thackeray Casey, Tyler and Gordon together forever at 3 Kings Tavern. 17/73

Aaron Thackeray Dan Ericson and his artist crew at their show in the basement of 3 Kings Tavern. 18/73

Aaron Thackeray Mikey Herrera, Brooke, Aaron Thackeray, Jason and a friend hanging out at 3 Kings before a show. 19/73

Aaron Thackeray Emily hanging out with the Mustangs/Native Daughters crew at 3 Kings Tavern. 20/73

Aaron Thackeray Jersh and Josh from Gentleman Crow. 21/73

Aaron Thackeray Deva and Joe hanging out in front of 3 Kings Tavern. 22/73

Aaron Thackeray The Knew brought the house down in July 2014. 23/73

Aaron Thackeray Pinball action at 3 Kings Tavern on November 7, 2015. 24/73

Aaron Thackeray J.J. gets rowdy at the UMS at 3 Kings on July 24, 2014. 25/73

Aaron Thackeray Katie Blue Hair and Danny McCarthy hanging outside of 3 Kings Tavern. 26/73

Aaron Thackeray Jim Norris and Jerri Theil hanging out before a show at 3 Kings Tavern on Friday, December 4, 2009. 27/73

Aaron Thackeray Lucius Armond Fairchild rocking it with Kingdom of Magic at 3 Kings Tavern on Saturday, August 13, 2011. 28/73

Aaron Thackeray The Heineken girls at 3 Kings Tavern. 29/73

Aaron Thackeray Siara in the basement of 3 Kings Tavern on November 7, 2015. 30/73

Aaron Thackeray On Saturday, August 13, 2011, Planes Mistaken for Stars played its reunion show at 3 Kings Tavern. 31/73

Aaron Thackeray John Snodgrass has actually read this entire wall of comics. 32/73

Aaron Thackeray Craziness at 3 Kings Tavern. 33/73

Aaron Thackeray Patrons at 3 Kings Tavern. 34/73

Aaron Thackeray Members of Lola Black before a show at 3 Kings Tavern. 35/73

Aaron Thackeray Insane Warlock Pinchers show at 3 Kings Tavern on July 24, 2010. 36/73

Aaron Thackeray Jason and Steve at 3 Kings Tavern. 37/73

Aaron Thackeray Siara and Serana in the green room at 3 Kings Tavern. 38/73

Aaron Thackeray Resident rock star (and erstwhile Westword writer) Andy Thomas holds the UMS together on July 24, 2014. 39/73

Aaron Thackeray Sam and friends before Speedwolf takes the stage at 3 Kings Tavern. 40/73

Aaron Thackeray The Nobodys sneaking in the back at 3 Kings Tavern. 41/73

Aaron Thackeray Kelly and Dave at 3 Kings Tavern. 42/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 43/73

Aaron Thackeray The crowd goes wild at 3 Kings Tavern. 44/73

Aaron Thackeray Mongo at the Planes Mistaken for Stars reunion show on Saturday, August 13, 2011. 45/73

Aaron Thackeray An excited patron at 3 Kings Tavern. 46/73

Aaron Thackeray Two excited patrons at 3 Kings Tavern. 47/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 48/73

Aaron Thackeray Speedwolf at 3 Kings Tavern. 49/73

Aaron Thackeray Two excited patrons at 3 Kings Tavern. 50/73

Aaron Thackeray Josh and Aaron outside of 3 Kings Tavern. 51/73

Aaron Thackeray Emily and friend at 3 Kings Tavern. 52/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 53/73

Aaron Thackeray The Knew at 3 Kings Tavern on July 24, 2014. 54/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 55/73

Aaron Thackeray The Supersuckers at 3 Kings Tavern on Saturday, November 6, 2009. 56/73

Aaron Thackeray Annie and friends at 3 Kings Tavern. 57/73

Aaron Thackeray Scott, Steve and Spencer at 3 Kings Tavern. 58/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 59/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 60/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 61/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 62/73

Aaron Thackeray Rob and friend at 3 Kings Tavern. 63/73

Aaron Thackeray A rowdy bunch at 3 Kings Tavern. 64/73

Aaron Thackeray Tauntaun at 3 Kings Tavern. 65/73

Aaron Thackeray Chuck on stage at 3 Kings Tavern. 66/73

Aaron Thackeray Karen and Biff at 3 Kings Tavern. 67/73

Aaron Thackeray An incognito Dave at 3 Kings Tavern. 68/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 69/73

Aaron Thackeray Friends at 3 Kings Tavern. 70/73

Aaron Thackeray 3 Kings Tavern 71/73

Aaron Thackeray Jacqui holding it down at 3 Kings Tavern. 72/73

Aaron Thackeray Magic Cyclops at 3 Kings Tavern. 73/73

Remembering 3 Kings Tavern: The Best Photos From Fourteen Years of Concerts

After fourteen years of eardrum-pounding, body-slamming concerts, the owners of Denver's 3 Kings Tavern have announced that their rock club is closing.

Westword photographer Aaron Thackeray dug through his archives, looking back on some of his favorite shows and all of the people who made 3 Kings so special, including former 3 Kings owner Jim Norris of Mutiny Information Cafe, music journalist Jason Heller and impresario Sid Pink, as well as some who are no longer with us, including Gary Lee, Manny Lopez, Matt Bellinger and Mike Herrera.

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