2 westword.com WESTWORD JULY 3-6, 2025 | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 13 THE SKY’S THE LIMIT! Cheers to the ten best rooftop bars in Denver (and a chaser). BY MOLLY MARTIN 4 BUMPY ROADS AHEAD The city started charging sidewalk fees in January, but repairs have yet to begin. BY CATIE CHESHIRE 6 STANDING FIRM Joe Oltmann may say he’s running from politics, but the podcaster isn’t going anywhere. BY BRENDAN JOEL KELLEY 8 ART IN MOTION Denver Month of Video begins July 5 with a sprawling lineup of more than seventy artists. BY TONI TRESCA 17 COUNTRY ROADS Rhett Haney’s path is taking him from Western stages to international audiences. BY EMILY FERGUSON 8 Culture 13 Cafe 17 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 18 22 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 22 HIGH NOTES ............................................. 22 VOLUME 48 NUMBER 45 JULY 3-9, 2025 E D I T O R I A L Editor Patricia Calhoun News Editor Thomas Mitchell Food and Drink Editor Molly Martin Interim Food and Drink Editor Gil Asakawa Music Editor Emily Ferguson Culture Editor Kristen Fiore Social Media Editor Katrina Leibee Staff Writers Catie Cheshire, Brendan Joel Kelley, Bennito L. Kelty, Hannah Metzger Senior Contributors Alan Prendergast, Michael Roberts Contributors 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, Abigail Nueve, Ryan Pachmayer, Kristin Pazulski, Adam Perry, Evan Semón, Amber Taufen, Toni Tresca, Kastle Waserman, Helen Xu Music Listings Matthew Jones Editorial Intern Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez 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, Martin Ellison, Trey Konsella, Kirby Quick, Allison Wissink Operations Manager Carver Hodgkiss Digital Sales Coordinator Anne-Grace Hartman Director of Digital Sales Alan Heath Advertising Director Teri Driskell 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 Editorial Director Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek Editorial Operations Director Bridget Thomason Director of Membership and Community Development Jennifer Robinson Audience Strategist Allison Stephenson Audience Development Director Dallon Adams 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 BURN DOWN BY EVAN SEMÓN 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, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. And it’s all free! ILLUSTRATION BY MARCUS MURRAY “TALK IT UP,” MICHAEL ROBERTS, JUNE 26 P L A Y B A W L ! I love listening to Drew Goodman. But he’s talking up a team that’s beyond help under the current owners. Lacey Martin Denver Suffi ce to say he’s telling you it’s raining when you’re just getting spit upon. Walt Sobchak Thornton It’s such an embarrassment: I can no lon- ger fl y our Rockies fl ag, no longer listen to the games on the radio while doing chores. So sad. Teri Voloshin Denver The Rockies will always be here. It was a big fi ght and took a long time to get an MLB team. Settle in, people. Dan Archuletta Denver For over three decades, the Colorado Rock- ies have been a staple of Denver summers, a purple beacon in the city’s vibrant sports land- scape. Yet for too long, that beacon has shone dimly, casting a long shadow of mediocrity and frustration over a loyal fan base. The blame for this persistent underperformance, the chronic inability to build a consistent winner, rests squarely at the feet of the Monfort family. It is time for them to sell the Colorado Rockies. The Monforts’ ownership, which began with Charlie Monfort’s initial investment in 1992 and solidifi ed with Dick Monfort’s increased stake, has yielded a dismal return for fans. In 32 years, the team has managed a mere nine winning seasons. Only once, in the magical anomaly of 2007, did they even reach the World Series. This isn’t just a slump; it’s a systemic failure. The arguments for a change in ownership are manifold and increasingly urgent. First and foremost, there’s the pervasive sense that the Monforts prioritize the team as a business venture over a genuine pursuit of championship baseball. While their real estate dealings around Coors Field, particularly the development of McGregor Square, have been undeniably successful, the on-fi eld product has suffered. Fans see a well-oiled machine for gen- erating revenue from concessions and property, while the baseball operations appear to be an afterthought. The uncomfortable truth is that the Rockies have consistently underperformed their payroll, indicating a fundamental misman- agement of resources, not a lack of spending. This isn’t about simply opening the checkbook; it’s about how the money is spent and who is making the decisions. The Monforts have been criticized for an insular approach, promoting from within even when outside expertise is desperately needed. The Monforts have had their run. Colo- rado fans deserve more than decades of futility. They deserve ownership committed to winning, investing in modern baseball, analytics, accountability and innovation. For the good of the Rockies and its yearn- ing fanbase, the Monfort family must sell. New blood, with a fresh vision and com- mitment to success, can fi nally deliver the championship baseball Colorado deserves. Jerry Widener Aurora “TACO THE TOWN,” GIL ASAKAWA, JUNE 26 I N T H E F O L D I loved the Taco Tuesdays article. Neat family custom that continues! Paul Kavanaugh Colorado Springs This is the wholesome news we really need. Lindsay Bartlett Denver “DOOMGAZE DUALITY,” JUSTIN CRIADO, JUNE 19 D O O M W I T H A V I E W Circling Over deserves all this praise and more. The band just keeps getting better. Ryan Reed Denver Their new single is a certifi ed banger. Devin Rombough Denver
