2 westword.com WESTWORD APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2026 | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 4 ARE YOU WATCHING? How Matthew Beem became Colorado’s biggest YouTube star. BY HANNAH METZGER 10 CLEANING HOUSE After years of fi nancial uncertainty, a $1.9 million deal ensures that Curious Theatre will remain in its historic venue. BY TONI TRESCA 12 FRANK TALK As Mizuna turns 25, its outspoken owner is ready to start over yet again with Romyo. BY ANTONY BRUNO 15 THE WISDOM OF PUSCIFER Maynard James Keenan talks about his new album, Red Rocks and mushrooms. BY JUSTIN CRIADO 10 Culture 12 Cafe 15 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 16 22 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 22 VOLUME 49 NUMBER 35 APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2026 E D I T O R I A L Editor Patricia Calhoun News Editor Thomas Mitchell Food and Drink Editor Molly Martin Music Editor Emily Ferguson Culture Editor Kristen Fiore Social Media Editor Katrina Leibee Staff Writers Hannah Metzger Senior Contributors Brendan Joel Kelley, Alan Prendergast, Michael Roberts Contributors Gil Asakawa, Teague Bohlen, Hyde Chrastina, Jacqueline Collins, Justin Criado, Audrey Ferrer, John Flathman, Susan Froyd, Jason Heller, Nick Hutchinson, Danielle Krolewicz, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Kristen Kuchar, Skyler McKinley, Abi- gail Nueve, Ryan Pachmayer, Kristin Pazulski, Adam Perry, Evan Semón, Amber Taufen, Toni Tresca, Kastle Waserman, Helen Xu Music Listings Matthew Jones Cover Designer Monika Swiderski P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Michael Wilson Assistant Production Manager Erin Kirk Graphic Designers Kami Miller, Tori O’Connor C R E A T I V E S E R V I C E S Senior Graphic Designer Allie Seidel A D V E R T I S I N G Senior Multimedia Account Executives Amy Camera, Aaron Lembke Multimedia Account Executives Remy Diamond, Rachel Gilmore, Keith Gordon, Trey Konsella, Kirby Quick, Dalton Wilson, Allison Wissink Operations Manager Carver Hodgkiss Digital Sales Coordinator Anne-Grace Hartman Director of Digital Sales Alan Heath C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Ty Koepke B U S I N E S S Director of Business and Operations Russell Breiter Financial Accountant Robert Scribner AR Coordinator Stacy Phillips IT Systems Manager Kris Robinson Receptionist Cindy Perez Associate Publisher Tracy Kontrelos Publisher Scott Tobias V O I C E M E D I A G R O U P Executive Editor Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek Editorial Operations Director Bridget Thomason Director of Membership and Community Development Jennifer Robinson Digital Operations & Audience Strategist Allison Stephenson Audience Strategist Lauren Antonoff Hart Corporate Controller Beth Cook Legal Counsel Steve Suskin Chief Financial Offi cer Jeff Mars Chief Executive Offi cer Scott Tobias V M G N A T I O N A L National Advertising: 1-888-278-9866, www.voicemediagroup.com Senior Vice President of Sales Operations Joe Larkin D I S T R I B U T I O N Westword is available free of charge. 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Peri- odicals postage paid in Denver. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $100/year or $50/six months. Postmaster: Send address changes to Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 5970, Denver, CO 80217 Street address: 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80203 For general information, call: 303-296-7744 For Editorial, email: [email protected] ON THE COVER PHOTO OF MATTHEW BEEM LETTERS T O T H E E D I T O R YOU CAN COMMENT ON ANY STORY AT WESTWORD.COM; SEND LETTERS TO [email protected] Don’t miss a word! The stories in this print edition are just a fraction of the pieces we publish every week on westword.com. For a cheat sheet on all that content, subscribe to our daily newsletter at westword.com/profi le. You can also follow @denverwestword on Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram and TikTok. And it’s all free! PHOTO BY MONIKA SWIDERSKI “WEEKLY WTF,” HANNAH METZGER, APRIL 23 W E ’ R E D O W N W I T H D O W N T O W N Hurray! I’ve been taking my daughter to the 16th Street Mall since she learned to walk... before Covid, during Covid and since Covid. Now we ride our bikes, but we’ve taken the shuttle bus up and down the mall. We used to grab a bagel at Moe’s, also used to go to the Museum of Money at the Denver branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. We’ve checked out the Museum of Illusions, ridden up and down the escalator at Target with the cool cart caddy, checked out fancy leather goods at Overland and wandered our way to Union Station to play in the water jets and people-watch in the waiting area sipping a fancy hot chocolate. We also met a Denver historian who turned us on to the Allen Tupper True art in the historic Colorado National Bank, now a hotel lobby. People are always complaining about dis- appearing old Denver. Lean in and become a part of Denver today. If you’re scared, say you’re scared. And stay home. Michael Segler Denver I would say 16th Street and downtown are starting to come back; I have been seeing more and more people returning. I have spoken to many out-of-towners, and their comments are how clean downtown is. So go downtown and see for yourself. Life is returning. Chris Barrett Denver Just a quick note to say thank you for Han- nah’s beautiful article on 16th Street in Den- ver. After working at 14th and Lawrence for many years during the early mall years and riding the mall “trolleys” down to the RTD terminal for my ride home, I’ve only been able to enjoy reading about 16th,\, and most of what we read was pretty scary for seniors. Now, I think we have to see the changes and try again because of her reporting. Clearly, Olive knew better than we did. Please thank her for us. Donna and Larry Smith Denver Most of the critics are boomers who haven’t been downtown in years. Every time they see a homeless person, they wet their Depends. John Plagge Golden It’s too dangerous for scared conserva- tives. Anyone else its fi ne. Ricardo Banos Facebook I’ve lived here in downtown for fi ve years and it’s great except for all the sports tour- ists and townies who toss their trash on the streets and get drunk and vomit everywhere. Please don’t come visit 16th Street. We don’t need your cybertrucks tossing burger bags into our bike lanes. Rebecca Rene Denver Westword has always run cover for Denver’s failed Democrat policies and politicians. This is just another one of its pathetic attempts at gaslighting. “Believe what we tell you, not your own real lived experiences.” Westword is a complicit accomplice in Denver’s demise and willing to risk your family’s lives on a lie. Holly Tracy Facebook “HAIL SATAN?,” HANNAH METZGER, APRIL 23 H A L L P A S S If you respect one religious belief, you have to respect them all. You also don’t have the right to ask whether a particular belief is legit. That’s how Freedom of Religion works. Shawn Yasutake Omaha, Nebraska Bravo. It sounds like a tracking device, and that should be against everyone’s beliefs. If they break the rules, consequences. Sally Lee Parker Facebook I’ve raised my son to worship Ullr. Ex- cused absence on a powder day? Jeff Crane Alma
