If your Instagram feed is getting boring after more than two weeks of staying at home and another three weeks looming ahead, try out these five videos all made by creatives in Denver. Although the crippling effects of coronavirus have hampered many local artist’s sales and shows, it hasn’t stopped them from creating. Who knows, maybe one of these videos will lead to your next quarantine obsession.
A Painted Lady
Who made it: Thomas “Detour” Evans
The Lowdown: Thomas “Detour” Evans is a well-known and well-loved local visual artist who has made a name for himself with monumental murals of colorful portraits. Those murals can be found all over Denverm, including locations off I-70 and Colorado Boulevard, on South Broadway, in RiNo, Villa Park and inside venues like Mission Ballroom. Detour published this video the day before the stay-at-home orders were put in place, giving us all a hypnotic way to remember his skills through this crisis.
A Timelapse Coronavirus Mural
Who made it: Joseph Pope III
The Lowdown: Bassist of popular Denver-based band Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Joseph Pope III found more time on his hands after the group canceled tour dates and shows. Luckily, Pope is a pretty creative guy and spent a few days and nights painting his own mural in an alley behind his house. This time-lapse video of him sketching, projecting, painting and editing it is highly entertaining and informative. Plus, the mural isn’t just any mural — Pope spent his time making an image for the time of coronavirus and focusing on “flattening the curve.” Read more about the endeavor here.
Babelord’s Music Video
Who made it: Babelord
The Lowdown: In this retro sci-fi fantasy music video by Denver’s own Babelord, you can get lost for a few minutes and forget about everything happening in the real world. Babelord is a synthpop duo made up of Daniel DiMarchi and the intergalactic phenomenon herself. Their modern electric sound is all about spreading good vibrations and love. Babelord is actually the name of an intergalactic being that is translated through the music — a concept we explored in one of our interviews.
Drone Footage of Empty Denver Streets
Who made it: Blake Rubenstein of Guerrilla Capturing
The Lowdown: Blake Rubenstein is used to making drone videos for big companies like Twitter, but after the stay-at-home order was enacted, Rubenstein took to the streets during a lunch break to film the emptiness. Some of the places featured — like RiNo and Union Station — look practically deserted and that’s what makes this video so mesmerizing. Read more about Rubenstein and this video in our other article about it.
A Digital Ode to Joy
Who made it: Colorado Symphony
The Lowdown: Colorado Symphony banded together while adhering to stay-at-home orders and recorded this fantastic version of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” virtually. It might not have some of the editing pizazz of other videos on this list, but what it lacks in visual flair it makes up for in goosebump-inducing music quality. It’s great to watch each of the player’s faces when they are concentrating, and if you ever see the symphony in person you surely won’t be this close up again.