126 APRIL 4-10, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | ders in those new to the city. The funky spot is home to raucous open-mic nights flush with jams, as well as a dance floor built from light-up cubes that encourage you to dance like no one’s watching. Your Mom’s House pulls in acts from a multitude of genres, but jam, funk and EDM reign su- preme here. It may not be where we’d take our moms, but it is the place to go for a night out you’ll never forget — partly because of that embarrassing photographic evidence from your friends. We love this venue not only for its name, but also for the happy-go- lucky community you’ll fi nd there. See you at Your Mom’s House! Best Free Summer Concert Series Levitt Pavilion 1380 West Florida Avenue 720-588-3444 levittdenver.org Situated on the gentle slopes of Ruby Hill Park, Levitt Pavilion has captured the hearts of live-music lovers since it opened in 2017. And the nonprofi t returns that love tenfold each year with its free summer concert series, which offers around fi fty concerts where you can kick back and relax on a lawn chair without worrying about how much you have left to spend on booze or food. This year’s series includes shows from the likes of Buffalo Nichols, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist; the venue has tick- eted shows as well, with this year’s lineup including the Beach Boys, slowdive and more. The free shows aren’t the only way Levitt gives back: In 2020 the venue cre- ated its Bodies of Culture board, which just launched a mentorship program for young BIPOC musicians. Best Ticketed Summer Concert Series Denver Botanic Gardens 1007 York Street 720-865-3500 botanicgardens.org Denver Botanic Gardens has been hosting its annual outdoor summer concert series, now produced in partnership with Swallow Hill Music, since 1980. The series includes ten concerts from June through August and showcases both local and national acts in an array of genres — all surrounded by the romantic beauty of the well-tended gar- dens. This summer will see shows from Graham Nash, DeVotchKa, Trombone Shorty, Emmylou Harris and more. The DBG also hosts Evenings Al Fresco in the summer, intimate music experiences that take place around the 24-acre grounds. Best Music School Nonprofi t Swallow Hill Music 71 East Yale Avenue 303-777-1003 swallowhillmusic.org The next generation of Denver musicians is in good hands with Swallow Hill Mu- sic, where students can study classical, folk, jazz, pop, bluegrass, rock and more with professional local musicians. But the nonprofi t also makes its mark on the city’s music scene by producing a number of con- cert series at such venues as the Botanic Gardens, the Butterfl y Pavilion, Four Mile Historic Park and the Clyfford Still Mu- seum. Swallow Hill hosts its own concerts, too, where you can hear everything from world music to folk from musicians from around the globe. Best Park for Free Live Music City Park cityparkjazz.org Since 1986, City Park Jazz has produced ten concerts every summer, and catching a show here is a Denver tradition. The free series, which begins the fi rst weekend of June, features some of the best local musi- cians in the city as well as touring artists, all playing jazz, blues, salsa and more at the park’s iconic pavilion on Sundays from 6 to 8 p.m. This year’s lineup includes the legendary Hazel Miller & the Collective, Roka Hueka, Mistura Fina, Jakarta and more. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and some snacks and cocktails for the perfect summer evening. Best Neighborhood Concert Series Riverfront Park Summer Sessions 2101 15th Street riverfrontparkevents.com On the third Thursday in June, July and August, music lovers can head to Com- mons Park for a free concert hosted by the Riverfront Park Neighborhood. Along with great music, there are always food and drink vendors on site, so it’s easy to make an evening of it. This year’s lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but last year the shows included national indie names like Jaguar Sun along with local artists such as Grace DeVine. Bring blankets and lawn chairs, and get ready for a relaxing summer evening of live music. Best Neighborhood Music Festival Five Points Jazz Festival artsandvenuesdenver.com/programs/ fi ve-points-jazz-festival Five Points was once known as the “Har- lem of the West,” and that history is cel- ebrated each year at the Five Points Jazz Festival. The blast of brass is hard to miss when a New Orleans-style parade kicks off the festivities on Welton Street, which be- comes home to several stages that welcome jazz acts from near and far. The free Arts & Venues-run festival rang in its twentieth anniversary in 2023, with forty artists play- ing on the outdoor stages as well as inside such Five Points staples as the Roxy, Cer- vantes’, Brother Jeff’s and the Marigold. Here’s to twenty more years! Best Event Name Domingueando Raíces Brewing Company 2060 West Colfax Avenue 720-324-8550 raicesbrewing.com Ay, domingueando...even the word itself sounds like an invitation to chill. Domingo is “Sunday” in Spanish, and domingueando generally translates to spending a Sunday afternoon in a pleasant way. In Denver, that means heading to Raíces Brewing for Domingueando, two hours of live Latin- based music in the laid-back confi nes of the inviting taproom, where you can also enjoy cold craft beer, snacks from local small businesses, and the latest soccer match playing on a fl at-screen. As its tag- line notes, Raíces, a Latin-owned brewpub on the banks of the Platte River, is all about embracing community and sharing culture. We can’t think of a better way to end the weekend — or a better way to describe it — than Domingueando at Raíces. Best Concert Video Series Sounds on 29th pbs.org/show/sounds-29th Sounds on 29th, hosted by Flobots co- founder and Colorado Music Ambassador Stephen Brackett, is back for its eleventh season with PBS12, releasing stellar con- cert videos showcasing the best of local acts. But our favorite aspect of this season is that the show has moved out of its Five Points studio to stage bands at the city’s most beloved music halls and dives. Our favorite concerts in the series took bands back to the storied venue El Chapultepec, with both the Crooked Rugs and the Ma- ñanas rocking the house. Best New Music Radio Hosts Saxton & Dirt, Locals Only ktcl.iheart.com Meet the newest duo to take over this weekly series dedicated to Denver mu- sic, a pair of industry veterans with ears trained to the local sound. One peek at their résumés confi rms an innate ability to tune into the rising tide of Mile High musicians. Chad Saxton has a long history as a sound engineer and DIY supporter in Denver, while David “Dirt” Rosenblat has held numerous roles in the industry as well (whether he was running the venue or playing in the band). The pair’s fi ngers are permanently fi xed on the pulse of lo- cal music, keeping them informed about what Colorado listeners want to hear next. Catch them on Sundays at 9 p.m. on KTCL Channel 93. Best Music Festival for Local Bands Underground Music Showcase undergroundmusicshowcase.com The UMS has been a beacon for bands in the metro area since its inception in 2001. Taking over a strip of Broadway, the multi- day festival brings together the best in both local music and up-and-coming national acts, at favorite venues such as the hi-dive, HQ, the Roxy and the Skylark Lounge, as well as the festival’s own outdoor stages, all at an affordable price. This is where you can say you saw a band before it got big, and who doesn’t love having a little bit of that indie clout? Best Secret Concerts SoFar Sounds sofarsounds.com You won’t know who you’re seeing, and you won’t know where, but the mystery is part of the allure of buying a ticket to a SoFar Sounds show. The international concert company launched in London in 2009 and landed in Denver fi ve years later. Community-oriented, SoFar often part- ners with local organizations such as the Dream Create Inspire Tour, Music Minds Matter and Colorado Public Radio. After performing with SoFar here, local artists such as Covenhoven and Dzirae Gold have performed in some of the company’s other cities. SoFar artists are paid 70 percent of the concert’s net profi t, and we love it when an international organization really puts its money where its mouth is. Whether the show is in a yoga studio or a backyard, SoFar is so good. Best Grateful Dead Tribute Band and Event Drums and Space facebook.com/drumsandspace The tribute band Drums and Space doesn’t just play the Grateful Dead’s music; it brings the whole Shakedown Street ex- perience to wherever it performs. Band founder Eric West (guitar/vocals) says it’s like the “jam band circus,” complete with vendors, face painters, drum circles, fl ow artists and more. It’s about bringing the cul- ture together, and the band itself is a gem, too, with West being joined by Jay Rowe (keys), Chris Rose Music and Venues continued from page 122 continued on page 128 GETT Y IMAGES/ SEAMARTINI
