The five best concerts this week: October 22-26

New week, whole new batch of shows. We start off the week with an absolute bang — Sleigh Bells tonight at the Boulder Theater — and end it with lauded locals Big Head Todd and the Monsters playing a super intimate show at the Soiled Dove Underground to raise money…

La Playa dries up in Centennial

Ever since he left Colorado in 2000 and returned to Texas to finish up college in his home state, it was Israel Trevino’s dream to get back here. In the meantime, though, he opened two outposts of La Playa Mexican Cafe in Harlingen and Austin, Texas — which did well…

The 25 gnarliest walking dead at Denver Zombie Crawl 2012

Anyone who didn’t already know about Denver’s ghoulish annual tradition might have been tempted to run for their lives on Saturday. During Denver Zombie Crawl 2012, thousands of people dressed up as the walking dead and converged on the 16th Street Mall for what might be the creepiest crawl in…

Twenty best costumes at MileHiCon 44

Colorado’s longest-running science fiction and fantasy convention hit the Hyatt Regency in the Denver Tech Center over the weekend. The convention featured more than eighty speakers and events across three days, and it attracted hundreds of costumed attendees dressed as their favorite characters. Continue reading for our twenty favorite looks…

Photos: This is what midnight on Broadway looks like on a Saturday night

Over the weekend, photographer Brandon Marshall stopped by Vinyl, El Diablo, Barry’s on Broadway, Blue Ice, Sputnik, hi-dive, 3 Kings Tavern, Badger’s Pub and Skylark Lounge to capture the nightlife on South Broadway. What’s your favorite South Broadway hangout? See also: – Midnight on South Broadway – Midnight in LoHi…

The ten best concerts this weekend: Oct. 19-21

Ah, yes, welcome to the weekend! And what a glorious weekend it’s going to be. Have you seen the forcast? What’s more, the Broncos have a bye-week this week, which means there’s no reason at not to get out in the sunshine during the day and then treat yourself to…

Boy Scouts’ mishandling of past abuse cases beyond schmucky

Why brand the Boy Scouts of America as a collective schmuck after releasing files about volunteers and leaders banned from the organization after being accused of inappropriate actions (and, all too frequently, sexual abuse) against children? Because it took the BOA so unconscionably long to do so — and because…

Photos: The undead undress at Zombielesque

The zombie craze shows no signs of dying out; you can’t take part in any pop-cultural obsession these days without someone trying to add brains to it. But last night at Bar Standard, the show revolved around what was being removed, not added. Burlesque maven Cora Vette and crew added…

Hoot and Howl takes wing in Northfield Stapleton

Hoot and Howl is now open in the former Twisted Olive space in Northfield Stapleton. The restaurant has made live music a major part of its menu, with open-mic nights and karaoke on a weekly basis, and it put on quite a show of local acts at its grand opening…

Photos: Burlesque and theater meet in Merry Widow’s Artisan Operetta

Led by title performer Merry Widow, Merry Widow’s Artisan Operetta features a rotating cast of local burlesque and theatrical talent that performs a variety of experiments, sketches and song-and-dance numbers at the Voodoo Comedy Playhouse on the third Monday of every month. Photographer Brandon Marshall caught up with the group…

Photos: Mici Handcrafted Italian now open in Stapleton

The Miceli family opened their third Mici Handcrafted Italian restaurant yesterday, this one in Stapleton, in the former home of An’s Lemongrass — and right across from a Montessori school…which initially presented a problem. “We’re a family-owned Italian restaurant,” says Kim Miceli-Vela, one of the family members behind Mici Handcrafted…

Photos: The best beer swag of Great American Beer Festival 2012

Sure, you like beer — but have you ever worn it? Wrapped your entire being in it and then spent three days at a convention devoted to it? That’s what the country’s most dedicated boze enthusiasts (enbooziasts?) did at the Great American Beer Festival, held at the Colorado Convention Center…

Twenty best costumes of Great American Beer Festival 2012

Beer lovers aren’t exactly known for their high fashion, but they do know how to stagger in style, and thousands of people showed off just how crazy they could look last week during the three-day Great American Beer Festival. From Viking horns to Waldo costumes, this year’s hops lovers were…

Photos: The spooky scenes behind the Mausoleum and Nightmare at Spider Mansion

As the temperature grows colder, Denver’s days are darkening earlier, which can only mean one thing: It’s prime haunted house season. Aaron Thackeray, Westword’s expert on all things horrific, has been patroling the city’s finest (and spookiest) scarestablishments and chronicling the chilling stories behind each one. Continue reading for photos…