It’s the week after New Year’s — and everyone is recovering from eating too much and partying to0 hard — but there is still a lot happening in Denver. From comedy and art to diverse communities and beyond, there is something for everyone. Whether you want to learn more about culture, society or yourself, you have many opportunities to make a difference. Through donations, benefit concerts, plays and book readings, you’ll embrace important conversations that will continue to propel everyone into 2017. So get out there and change not only your life, but someone else’s too.
Monday, January 9
Mozart’s Dirty Parts Live Stand Up Comedy Show
Photo courtesy of Mozart’s Dirty Parts Live Stand Up Comedy Show on Facebook.
When: January 9, 8 – 10 p.m.
Where: Mozart’s Denver, 1417 Krameria St., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: Mozart’s Denver is a neighborhood bar with an old-time feel and comforting atmosphere. It’s a place that welcomes and values Denver’s East Colfax, Park Hill, Montclair, Mayfair denizens – and beyond. Connect with an old favorite in a new neighborhood feel, as you are enveloped in the heart of Mozart’s service to community with music, tasty grub and plentiful drinks. Every Thursday they offer trivia at 7 p.m. and karaoke at 8:30 p.m., as well as live music, darts, special events and more. For this event, enjoy a live stand up show with some of Denver’s hottest local comedy talent, hosted by James Pate, with headliner Adrian P. Mesa, featuring Aaron Maslow, Mina Thorkel and Jose Macall. Come and gather with all communities and get ready to laugh, drink, have fun and be merry.
Tuesday, January 9
Denver Film Society: Buddhism in Film
Photo courtesy of Denver Film Society on Facebook.
When: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 7 p.m.
Where: Sie FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax, Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: The Denver Film Society presents a four-week series that investigates Buddhism in film. It will focus on two Korean films that portray monastic Buddhism in Asia and two American films that carry significant Buddhist themes. Both sets of films have similar themes but weigh them through different perspectives. Week one will present the first Korean film, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring. Week two will present the first American film, Groundhog Day. Week three will present the second Korean film, Why Has Bodhi Dharma Left for the East?. Week four will present the second American film. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Professor Jeffrey Mahan and Zen meditator and chaplain Wm Jeavons pose this question to the viewers, “Can Buddhism supply a critical lens through which we might view and understand movies: Is it then a perspective, applicable across the board?”
Wednesday, January 11
Ain’t Nobody’s Business Lobby Exhibit
Photo courtesy of GLBT Community Center of Colorado on Facebook.
When: January 11, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: GLBT Community Center of Colorado, 1301 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: For this event, you will have the opportunity to view an exhibit that highlights the city of Harlem in the 1920s and how its art, literature and music were primarily produced by LGBT African Americans. The LGBT Community Center of Colorado is the third-oldest LGBT community center in the nation. It serves as one of Colorado’s safe spaces where engagement, empowerment, enrichment and advancement for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities transpires through strong and active statewide advocacy. The center is a nationally recognized non-profit organization for their cultural and educational programming. It also serves as a “catalyst for community organizing, support services, social activities and cultural events.” Come and explore the enriching history and art of this cultural movement and witness its influence that continues to be felt by many today.
Thursday, January 12
The Zodiac Party: A Goldyn New Year Celebration
Photo courtesy of The Zodiac Party on Facebook.
When: January 12, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Goldyn, 2040 W 30th Ave., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: Goldyn is a curated shop founded in 2007 that highlights a mix of established and up-and-coming designers of apparel and consciously-crafted fine jewelry. These hand-crafted adornments have the ability to transform the way the wearers feel from the inside out, and help them express who they are. This shop was awarded best women’s clothing store in Denver by 5280 Top of the Town in 2012 and 2016. Customers can shop online or in-store at the LoHi Denver location. For this event, you are welcome to join the party and kick of 2017 with a holiday celebration, featuring mini tarot card readings, a hot toddy bar, astrological nail art and music by DJ Matthew Brown of Fancy Tiger. Come and enjoy a truly Goldyn-inspired event and perhaps you’ll find something that shows off your new 2017 self.
Dusk to Dusk: Unsettled, Unraveled, Unreal
Photo courtesy of Vicki Myhren Gallery on Facebook.
When: January 12 to February 26, 5 – 8 p.m.
Where: Vicki Myhren Gallery, 2121 E Asbury Ave., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: Dusk to Dusk focuses on the artistic representation of “examining individual isolation, political repression and collective ennui in the decline of the industrial age.” Through painting, photography, sculpture and video, this one-of-a-kind exhibit explores the ever-changing and ever-evolving concept of “contemporary familiarity with collective darkness.” It features the work of artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Marcel Dzama, Tony Cragg, Gilbert & George and Richard Long, among others. This exhibit is made possible by the Samek Art Museum at Bucknell University, curated by Museum Director Richard Rinehart and toured by Curatorial Assistance Traveling Exhibitions from Pasadena, California. Come and enjoy this introspective and extrospective art that deals with and unveils the ideals of returning to the land, spiritual transcendence and the shared affection for a new hybrid of our alienated selves.
Friday, January 13
Ominous: Oz Vs. Wonderland
Photo courtesy of Ominous Denver on Facebook.
When: January 13, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Tracks Denver, 3500 Walnut St., Denver
Cost: $5 presale, $10 for 21+ All Night, $15 for 18-20 All Night
Tickets: Available Here
The Lowdown: Ominous is an electrifying dance event that happens every second Friday at Denver’s premiere nightclub, Track’s Nightclub, that caters to the LGBT, Goth, Industrial, Rave, Burner, Fetish and Alternative communities. These highly anticipated events feature Dark Electro, Alternative, Industrial and EBM dance music. For this event, Ominous is celebrating everything cooky, whimsical and fantastical about Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. Alice and Dorothy both had challenging journeys, as one fell down a rabbit hole and the other was whisked away by a tornado, but all they wanted to do was to find their way home. Sucked through hidden vortexes to the secret worlds of Wonderland and Oz, every which way they went produced quite a scare. From witches and munchkins, to mad hatters and hares, nothing was ever quite as it seemed. They were lost in lands of their dreams. Come and enjoy this crazy collision of classics, as you follow Dorothy down the yellow brick road and jump through the looking glass with Alice.
Saturday, January 14
Community Collaboration Project Brainstorm
Photo courtesy of Community Collaboration Project Brainstorm on Facebook.
When: January 14, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain region’s leading resource for science and history education. As a primarily education-based organization, the museum’s mission is to stress the importance of open exchange and learning, and to provide a safe space for family-friendly and respectful engagement. The staff are dedicated to producing a quality experience for their visitors, whether it be online or offline. For this event, they invite you to collaborate on a shared vision to “create relevant experiences, strengthen what is working, engage new audiences and serve our community’s needs.” They want YOU to help re-imagine the museum by “bringing in new perspectives and voices that will provide fresh possibilities for the future.” They want to work with YOU to make an impact!
Urban Peak & Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Photo courtesy of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless on Facebook.
When: January 14, 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Where: Hi-Dive Denver, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Cost: $15 at the door
The Lowdown: The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is an organization that actively works to prevent homelessness and create long-lasting solutions for homeless, at-risk families, children and individuals throughout the state of Colorado. The organizations provide housing and a variety of other services to “improve the health, well-being and stability of those it serves.” For this event, they are teaming up with Urban Peak, which is a non-profit organization that seeks to end homelessness among youth ages 15 to 24. They provide essential services and supportive communities to help youth overcome challenges and empower them to become self-sufficient adults. This benefit show brings together some of Denver’s finest heavy bands for this shared cause. Throughout the event there will be drawings featuring prizes from local breweries, tattoo shops and artists. The more raffle tickets you purchase, the more chances you have of receiving a prize. All proceeds will go directly to both organizations. Come rock out to make a change.
The Happiest Song Plays Last
Photo courtesy of Curious Theatre Company on Facebook.
When: January 14 to February 18, 8 p.m.
Where: Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St., Denver
Tickets: RSVP
The Lowdown: Curious Theatre Company brings the best new and innovative theatre to Denver and produces thought-provoking productions that “challenge ideas, stir emotions and leave audiences thinking for days.” Established 18 years ago, it has grown into a company of 27 professional actors, designers and directors. Located in a newly renovated 19th-century church, this theatre company works hard to engage and introduce the community to “important contemporary issues through provocative modern theatre.” In addition to producing five to six shows a season, they keep busy with programs such as Curious New Voices and the Curious Cultural Initiative. For this event, they’ve produced a play that explores issues of diversity through the passion for discovering what we are going to do, who we are going to be and how we are going to change. Join characters Yaz, Elliot and more, as they deal with the current state of their roles in society and how they choose to evolve as people. This play features music from Puerto Rico and the Middle East.
Sunday, January 15
At The Inkwell Denver: New Beginnings
Photo courtesy of BookBar on Facebook.
When: January 15, 6 – 8 p.m.
Where: BookBar, 4280 Tennyson St., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: At The Inkwell is an organization that supports and profiles well-known and emerging published authors through interviews, readings and book reviews. They actively host readings at Manhattan’s KGB Bar every 2nd Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. KGB is a highly coveted venue for readings in New York City. You can view author interviews, book reviews and readings at www.AtTheInkwell.com. For this event, the BookBar: a bookshop for wine lovers and a wine bar for book lovers, is celebrating the new year with At The Inkwell for a night of fiction with readings from Bryan Jansing, Steven Dunn, Levi Andrew Noe and Michael Annis. For more information on each author please visit the event page on Facebook. This free event will also include an open mic.
Mark Your Calendar:
Join Labor Marching in the Marade!
When: January 16, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: City Park, Denver
Cost: Free
Fierce45 West Wash Park Anniversary
When: January 17, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Where: The White Whale Room, 415 S Cherokee St., Denver
Cost: Free
Being A Video Spokesperson w/ Mia Voss & Shawnae Jebbia
When: January 18, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: Denver YouTube Professionals, 700 Kalamath St., Denver
Cost: $12 suggested donation
Donation: Available Here
The Debut Show Of Storycraft
Where: Syntax Physic Opera, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Cost: Free