76 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | Best Local Comics Eeland Stribling and Hannah Jones eelandstribling.com hannahjonescool.com In a scene rich with comedic talent, Ee- land Stribling and Hannah Jones stand out. Stribling, a two-time Comedy Works New Faces contest winner, combines laid-back charisma and razor-sharp wit with home- town charm, delivering jokes that range from clever refl ections on Denver’s quirks to universally relatable absurdities. Han- nah Jones, who broke onto the scene after growing up in a conservative, homeschooled environment, captivates audiences with frank humor about dating, gender norms and sobriety, delivering punchlines with impeccable timing. Both regularly perform at Denver’s best comedy venues and tour across the country, so there are plenty of opportunities to see these local performers. Best Comedy Show in a Vegan Restaurant Ryan Ergo’s Very Kuhl Showcase The Corner Beet 1401 Ogden Street 720-295-4447 cornerbeet.com Combining plant-based cuisine with uproari- ous laughter, comedian and producer Ryan Ergo has turned the Corner Beet into an es- sential stop for comedy fans. With his monthly A Very Kuhl Showcase, Ergo transforms the intimate vegan venue into one of the most laid-back stages in town. Drawing top na- tional acts — including recent Denver trans- plant Rory Scovel — and standout locals, the show exemplifi es Ergo’s sharp eye for talent and commitment to creating intimate comedy experiences. (He also brings his indie-comedy ethos to his biweekly Ubisububi Underworld showcase at the Thin Man.) No beef? No prob- lem: This Beet packs plenty of laughs. Best Cornucopia of a Book Rare but Serious Zack Kopp What business do Paul McCartney, Philip K. Dick, Charles Manson, David Byrne and Charles Bukowski all have being in the same book together? All is made clear in the pages of Zack Kopp’s 2025 book Rare but Serious. The author has been kicking around the local literary landscape for decades now, and he seems to have accumulated so much weird- ness and wisdom that he felt compelled to impart it all to readers in this tome of mad- deningly insightful essays, reviews, inter- views and pop-culture conspiracy theories. It practically bursts at the binding with odd- ball, compulsively readable revelations. Best Audiobook A Black Odyssey SETH wagingart.com/a-black-odyssey Gregory SETH Harris has been “waging art,” as he puts it, for decades in Den- ver — and that includes everything from spoken-word poetry to performance art to organizing. Given his multimedia-oriented mind, it was inevitable that some of his pur- suits would overlap, and that gave birth to A Black Odyssey. It’s a new audiobook version of his 2012 poetry collection, and in addi- tion to the author’s own resonant recitation of his powerful work, it features accompa- niment by a host of local musicians drifting in and out of just about every genre imagin- able — just as SETH does himself. Best Self-Published Novel The E.T. Fort Ryan LaMantia School violence, from bullying to shoot- ings, has taken on such monstrous propor- tions that it’s easy to lose perspective on the intimate, immediate impact it has on kids and parents. Ryan LaMantia’s The E.T. Fort dials that back in — hauntingly and poignantly. Set in a fi ctional Denver high school, the novel is loosely based on his and his daughter’s own experiences and fears, and it also grapples with the huge question that looms behind school violence: What’s at its psychological root? Along the way, it’s also a heartfelt story about a dad and his kid trying to navigate a world that seems increasingly oblivious to the well-being of the vulnerable. Best Nationally Published Novel Anyone but Her Cynthia Swanson cynthiaswansonauthor.com If you’re going to write a novel that uses Denver as its setting, here’s how you do it. In Cynthia Swanson’s latest novel, Anyone but Her, the best-selling, award- winning Colorado author takes familiar landmarks like historic, infamous East Colfax Avenue and threads them through a gripping thriller that spans the 1970s through the 2000s. Not only is it a treat to turn these pages on the merits of their own suspenseful mystery, it’s also a blast to feel the atmosphere of old Denver drift out of each scene. Swanson’s work is loved on a national level, so it’s great to see her give a nod to her hometown’s rich, weird vibe. Best Poetry Collection Translations From the Soul Ashley Cornelius ashleycornelius.com Ashley Cornelius currently holds the title of Pikes Peak Region Poet Laureate, and it’s easy to see why she received that honor when you read Translations From the Soul, the debut poetry collection by the Colo- rado Springs-based writer. An activist at heart and in prac- Arts & Entertainment continued from page 72 continued on page 78
