Photos: Hot Times at the 2016 Colorado Firefighter Calendar Tryouts

Twenty-three incredibly fit men and women set the night on fire last Saturday at the 2016 Colorado Firefighter Calendar Tryouts, an annual fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Burn Center and and Burn Camp that packed Exdo with more than a thousand hooting fans who were pretty well-oiled by the…

Photos: Lipgloss Finds a New Home at Syntax Physic Opera

Lipgloss is one of the longest-running, most successful dance nights in Denver. After several years in both La Rumba and Beauty Bar, the event recently moved to Syntax Physic Opera on South Broadway, where you’ll find it every Friday. Photographer Brandon Marshall was there last week to capture the lively…

The Eight Best Concerts in Denver This Week

It’s a good week for shows — the Jesus and Mary Chain play tonight at the Ogden, and Courtney Love will be at Red Rocks with Lana Del Rey tomorrow. There’s plenty for you if you aren’t into nostalgia, too — the full list of our picks follows.  MONDAY, MAY…

Reader: Consumers Want Convenience When Buying Alcohol

Colorado’s independently-owned breweries and liquor stores have banded together to Keep Colorado Local — and keep supermarkets and convenience stores from selling full-strength beer, wine and other spirits. Their campaign tactics include Colorado LocALE, a new brew created by Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora. But grocery stores have formed their own…

Civic Center Eats Kicks Off Another Food Truck Season

Despite the week of gray skies and wet sidewalks, the weather held off long enough yesterday for Civic Center Eats to kick off its tenth season of food truck rallies in Civic Center Park. The Civic Center Conservancy, which produces the twice-weekly event,  wanted to get the season started on…

Bill Cadman Blasts “Extremists” in Unborn Justice Debate

Bill Cadman is mad as shmuck. The state senate leader is mighty steamed. Not because the legislative session that ended with a thud this week was one of the most impotent and gridlocked in recent memory, or because a host of bills dealing with pressing issues such as affordable housing,…

Lend Your Ear to This Westword Music Showcase Sound Check

Denver blog posts are feeling the beat of the streets. Streetsblog, which writes about “livable streets in cities and regions across the country,” launched a Denver website this week. Its most recent story looked into “funding mechanisms” for the proposed I-70 expansion through Denver. At our arts blog, Keith Garcia…

Calhoun Columns Take First Place in National Sigma Delta Chi Awards

Westword editor Patricia Calhoun has won first place for General Column Writing in the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Awards (daily circulation 1-100,000/non-daily publication) with a collection of columns that included two pices on the Sand Creek Massacre (including Governor John Hickenlooper’s apology to descendants) to a pioneering…

Photos: The Weirdest Night at Red Rocks

Primus brought its Willy Wonka-inspired tour to Red Rocks last night, with the oddballs of Beats Antique in tow. It was a strange night, to say the least, with the rain and the carnival gear and Les Claypool. Photographer Brandon Marshall was there to capture the scene — here are…

The Nine Best Concerts in Colorado This Weekend

FRIDAY, MAY 8 Adventure Club$39.95-$55/VIP $75-$100 6:00PM Red Rocks Amphitheatre Caramel Carmela$10/$12 6:00PM Summit Music Hall Waka Flocka Flame$22/$55 8:00PM Aggie Theatre The Royal$10 9:00PM Larimer Lounge SATURDAY, MAY 9 Gramatik$37.50-$75 6:00PM Red Rocks Amphitheatre All Time Low$26/$30 6:00PM Fillmore Auditorium SUNDAY, MAY 10 The Moody Blues$44.50-$69.50 7:30PM Red Rocks…

Podcast: Avengers 2 Is Better Than Avengers 1

Avengers: Age of Ultron director and screenwriter Joss Whedon wants to give us everything in his movie, and that he fits it all in is its own kind of feat, writes LA Weekly film critic Amy Nicholson in her review of the film, which opens May 1. Joining her on…

Photos: The Colors of Denver’s 2015 Cinco de Mayo Fest

Though the actual commemoration falls on today’s date, Denverites of all ages and cultures came together at Civic Center Park over the weekend to celebrate the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín at NEWSED’s 28th annual Cinco de…

The People You Meet at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom

Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom has developed one of Denver’s best gathering places — on any given weekend night (and many weekdays) the place is a reliable mainstay for fans of jam bands, electronica and general goodwill. There was plenty of evidence at Friday’s Signal Path and Zoomga show; photographer Scott Lentz…

Reader: Best Ramen is 25 Cents at the Supermarket

Denver is rolling in ramen these days, with new eateries all over town. And today Jeff Osaka will officially open the doors of Osaka Ramen, his long-awaited noodle bar at 2601 Walnut Street in RiNo. Says a relieved Dale: Finally. And Logan is tired of reading about all the new restaurants…

Arta Tequila Will Introduce Extra Añejo in Denver on Cinco de Mayo

While all kinds of craft distilleries are popping up in Colorado, none of them manufactures actual tequila. That’s because in order to qualify as tequila, the spirit must be made in Mexico, from Mexican agave. But there are Colorado-based companies that sell tequila, most notably Arta Tequila, which Denverite Tony…

Rawk Fists in Paradise: The Fans of Mastodon at Red Rocks

Mastodon played Red Rocks on an overcast weekend, but the modern metal titan brought out plenty of fans anyway. Our Brandon Marshall was there to capture these affable folks in their natural pose: Holding up a rawk fist (or in some cases, the University of Texas hand symbol, for some…

The Eight Best Concerts in Denver This Week

This week’s best concerts include Matt & Kim at the Ogden, Bobby Bare Jr. at the Fox in Boulder and plenty of early May holiday action. Our full list of picks follows.  MONDAY, MAY 4 Cinco de Mayo All Day (Monday and Tuesday) ViewHouse Eatery Bar & Rooftop Star Wars…

History Repeats: Our Restaurant Roll Call for April 2015

Despite the incredible number of eateries that continue to pop up in and around metro Denver, relatively few restaurants seem to be closing. We lost Belvedere, the Polish restaurant downtown; its space on 14th Street will soon be replaced by the oddly named Greedy Hamster. Another spot with an even…