A love letter to an obsession: Casablanca, I love you.

As I’m sure it is with actual love between two people, when a piece of art comes into my life that I’m ultimately going to fall in love with, I don’t recognize it right away. When I first heard Pulp’s This Is Hardcore in its entirety, I was unaware that…

Pauly Shore on Stephen Baldwin, Timothy McVeigh and The Weasel

Yes, yes, we all know him as The Weasel, the speech-impaired, blank-eyed wonderboy who confused parents and enthused Gen X-ers in films like Encino Man, Son in Law and Bio-Dome. But Pauly Shore’s revival as a standup comedian is more than just a ’90s novelty act: Descended from Mitzi Shore,…

Boulder writer Matt Samet chronicles his benzo hell in Death Grip

Benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in America — and one of the most addictive. In Death Grip, which came our yesterday, Boulder-based author, expert climber and former editor-in-chief of Climbing magazine Matt Samet chronicles his five-plus-year struggle with an addiction to the…

100 Colorado Creatives: Onus Spears

#94: Onus Spears Onus Spears (that’s a stage name and Facebook alias) isn’t your typical creative. He’s been homeless at times, and he goes to AA meetings every day. He estimates that he’s had dozens of jobs — the number is in the hundreds, in fact — over his 49…

Photos: Partiers pre-game Mardi Gras with a Saturday celebration

If you can’t let loose at a Mardi Gras party, when can you? Although Kevin Larson’s nightlife group technically held its recent celebration on a samedi (Saturday, for you non-French speakers), the pre-game party at the Hilton Doubletree DTC suffered from no lack of joy, abandon or face paint. Continue…

3 things to do for free in Denver this week, February 11-14

There’s no need to spring for an expensive evening out this week. From Eve Ensler’s anti-violence V-Day dance party to a Heartburn bash to a flash fiction-reading series, you can have a sweetheart of a time without even opening your wallet. For more events, visit the online Westword calendar, and…

One Million Bones starts with you and your kids, today at RedLine

This one’s officially for the kids, but it’s really about the whole world, and the suffering of people in other nations. As part of its ongoing Monthly Creative Literacy program in collaboration with the Denver Public Library, RedLine will host the second of two One Million Bones art events in…

The 2013 Whiteout Fashion Show: What did the audience wear?

It finally happened last night: Thanks to a number of great sponsors and designers, Westword welcomed the 2013 Whiteout fashion show at the McNichols Building last night. While we all focused on the live runway show, with models dressed by eight local designers, there was no shortage of fun fashion…

The fashions of Whiteout 2013 on Instagram

Last night, Westword introduced its newest signature event, the Whiteout Fashion Show. In front of hundreds of guests at the McNichols Building, Whiteout combined artistic entrainment, free food and drinks and a live runway show featuring nine local designers and programs. For more scenes from the night, visit our full…

Marcus Gardley debuts Black Odyssey at New Play Summit

Marcus Gardley, one of the five writers featured in this year’s New Play Summit, has received several honors and awards — including the PEN/Laura Pels award for Mid-Career Playwright — and has been widely produced. His Black Odyssey, an ambitious, large-cast production that most theaters would have trouble accommodating, was…

Deep throats: Kurt and Andy Bauer mix throat singing with new traditions

You don’t often hear throat singing — a traditional vocal technique for singing in overtones. Generally the domain of goat-herding Tuvans or Tibetan monks, it’s rarely performed by Americans. But you’ll get your chance tonight when cousins Andy and Kurt Bauer perform their world music live at the Swallow Hill…

Win day passes to Loveland Ski Area!

Update: Congratulations to andsolgo! You’ve won two day passes to Loveland. Check your email for details on how to claim them. Original post: Valentine’s Day is coming up next week, and if you haven’t already, it’s time to decide where you stand, whether to gift and how much to spend…