Tokyo’s Akihabara district is a gamers’ paradise — and now Brandon and Tiffany Osha have brought Akihabara to Westminster, turning that suburb into a mini-gamer’s paradise. The grand opening of the Akihara Arcade and Bar last weekend attracted a crowd of gamers eager to take a turn at twenty different Japanese…
#43: Raymundo Muñoz El Paso-born artist Raymundo Muñoz brings a can-do attitude to the Denver arts community, not only as a self-taught draftsman and block printer, but also in a series of interrelated roles: as co-curator at Alto Gallery, board president of the arts nonprofit Birdseed Collective, and editor of…
A fire at DIY space Ghost Ship in Oakland, California, that killed 36 people has thrust similar artistic communities around the country into the spotlight. On Thursday, December 8, the Denver Fire Department inspected longtime DIY space Rhinoceropolis at 3553 Brighton Boulevard, in the heart of what’s now hot-hot RiNo,…
Seman works with Denver Arts & Venues and Colorado Creative Industries, the state’s art council, and the community at large to connect and foster the local creative economy. A veteran of the national DIY music and art scene, Seman has spent decades playing house shows and warehouse venues with acts like his long-running band, Shiny Around the Edges.
While strolling along the 16th Street Mall, you might have noticed a female mime making balloon animals or playing the violin, eye-catching in monochromatic black and white outfits and theatrical makeup. She’s Mikki Von Weber — aka Mikki the Mime. Born and raised in Denver, Von Weber is a whiz at pantomime, magic,…
The holidays are a time of giving — and looking good. You can get a head start on both at fashion events around Denver in December, where you can shop for loved ones or pick up something new for yourself. Here are the ten best fashion events in Denver this…
If you’re having a hard time girding for holiday shopping this year, you’re not alone. The weather’s been weird and so are the politics, and it’s hard to turn your thoughts to trimming the tree and filling the space beneath it when nothing feels quite right. Here’s a secret…
#44: Ron Doyle For a guy who’s built a freelance business at home, Ron Doyle still spreads himself around town, whether he’s co-hosting and producing the Denver wing of The Narrators, a live show and podcast for which local creatives weave personal stories around a monthly theme, or pulling strings…
For gamers, Tokyo’s Akihabara district is a kind of promised land. Located in the heart of the Japanese capital, “Electric City” is a neon enclave of all things geeky, home to seven-story arcades, maid cafes and stores selling everything from retro consoles to computer parts. “There’s big game stores, there’s…
Before entering the grand hair and fashion show that was the capper of Denver Fashion Week, we spotted local fashion designer Mellissa Wiley, off the runway and looking amazing. So we stopped to ask her about her clothing line, the Metal Monkey, and found out what inspires her punk-rock Cruella…
More than a decade ago, when a then-twenty-something Kelly Shortandqueer and a friend first opened the doors of the Denver Zine Library in a backyard Baker neighborhood shed, he never imagined it would still be going — and thriving — in 2016. Always a volunteer-run project of the heart, the…
#45: Josie Quick Violinist Josie Quick is the penultimate laid-back career musician, though she’s always busy, whether she’s teaching, serenading a romantic wedding proposal, jamming with herself via looping or laying down tracks in the studio with Perpetual Motion, a jazz duo with her guitarist husband, Tom Carleno, and Coyote…
#46 Clark Richert Artist Clark Richert’s fascinating history began with a stint at the Drop City commune near Trinidad in the late 1960s, where his interest in the theories of Buckminster Fuller played out in the formation of geodesic domes and, eventually, in the direction of his painting style, an…
The dog has pulled the turkey carcass off the table, the relatives are sleeping off some extra drinks and you didn’t get punched on Black Friday. That can only mean one thing: It’s time to start planning your holiday movie watching! We’ve gathered all of the winter classics that will…
Throughout November 2016, there are plenty of options for leisurely and off-the-wall gift shopping in Denver that won’t break your budget — or your brain.
We found the street-style look of the month on a red carpet rather than asphalt, when actress Emma Stone arrived at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for opening night of the 39th annual Denver Film Festival. The romantic musical-comedy La La Land made its Denver premiere that night, and the…
I was recently having brunch with my family. It was a normal meal, like thousands of meals I’d had in public before. The server came to the table to take our drink order, and the exchange with this man in an apron went something like this: Server: And what can I…
Maybe you’re feeling a little paralyzed by the results of this election — I hear you. I am, too. I’m here to tell you that you are not alone, you are needed in the world, and you are important. And the good news is, you’re time, energy, talent (and money, if you have the means) are sorely needed
#47: Anthony Buchanan An experimental filmmaker and film scholar in his own right, Anthony Buchanan also hosts the ongoing Cinema Contra microcinema, a celebration of little-seen work by local and national media artists that pops up at different venues around town. Westword caught up with Buchanan to discuss the future of…
#48: Victoria Lundy Longtime Denver experimental musician Victoria Lundy conjures sounds out of the theremin, that weird, hands-off electronic device best known for spookifying mid-century sci-fi soundtracks and lending its spacey energy to 1966 Beach Boys tour de force “Good Vibrations.” A nerd-rocker, ambient composer and founding member of the…
When a group of local artisans found themselves priced out of the holiday-market scene, they went their own way. The result was the Witch Collective, a group of artists and artisans committed to creating an affordable place where people can sell affordable handmade goods. From noon to 4 p.m. this…
#49: Bonnie Ferrill Roman Colorado papermaker and mixed-media sculptor Bonnie Ferrill Roman creates airy, medium-melding installations that connect the dots from the realm of well-crafted fiber art to the frontier of art about ideas and personal issues. A longtime educator dedicated to sharing techniques and foundational know-how with young art…
