4 SEPTEMBER 4-10, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 7 POLICE SAY THEY KNOW WHO KILLED ALICIA TVERBERG Six years later, the suspect is still free. BY HANNAH METZGER 14 ROCK, SCISSORS, PAPER Nearly 100 zinesters will exhibit their weird and wonderful works at this year’s Denver Zine Fest. BY KRISTEN FIORE 19 RAISE A GLASS Finn’s Manor just turned ten. BY TONY WHITE 21 SONIC FRACTALS Psychs Peak celebrates fi ve years of psych rock in the Rocky Mountains. BY EMILY FERGUSON 14 Culture 19 Cafe 21 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 22 26 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 26 HIGH NOTES ............................................. 26 VOLUME 49 NUMBER 1 SEPTEMBER 4-10, 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 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, Nate Easley, Trey Konsella, Kirby Quick, Christian Sanders, 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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COVER DESIGN BY MONIKA SWIDERSKI “BOOK IT,” PATRICIA CALHOUN, JULY 31, 2025 W R I T E A N D W R O N G Patricia Calhoun: I was a six-year Denver na- tive when you founded this paper. I’ve been here most of my life, and just wanted to tell you that you are a good-to-GREAT writer. I rarely randomly reach out to strangers, but just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your dedication and skill in preserving that little slice of old Denver that still lives. Keep rockin’ it! Bill Brown Denver I saved your book issue, and have been slowly working my way through some of the suggestions. My favorite so far: Plainsong by Kent Haruf. But I would be remiss not to point out how important it is that week in and week out, Westword remains required reading in Denver — both for the subject and style of your stories. We do not thank you enough for what you do. Jaymi Martin Denver I really appreciate your covering books. There are plenty of writers and readers in Denver, and I would be happy to see Westword incorporate coverage of books, especially those that might be new to the bulk of your readers. There are many things about living in Denver that are enjoyable, and even unusual. I’m thinking of the nearby mountains, the SCFD tax, the Anschutz medical facility, Red Rocks and a fairly friendly attitude on the part of those who live here. However, there are a number of things that puzzle me. I moved here when Mayor Bill McNichols attributed our bad air to its ”blowing in from Seattle.” Other mayors haven’t been quite as disingenuous, but on the other hand, none of them seem to have ever bothered to take on the issue. A few simple steps: The purpose of RTD is not to make money, but to serve the taxpayer. What if the airport fare was $1? What amount of automobile traffi c and air pollution would be eliminated? Why are all our mayors so afraid of the big, bad Suncor? Sure smells like New Jersey around there. Then there’s the mall, now known as 16th Street. When I moved here in 1972, it included the Denver Dry Goods and May D&F; believe it or not, there was a paper- back bookstore in Larimer Square. Exactly what are we buying into in “refurbishing the mall”? Has anyone noticed that, to a considerable extent, there is no there, there? Cherry Creek is eating downtown’s lunch. What do we want to happen on 16th Street that would bring new life there? Sorry, folks, a night mayor and forcing city workers to be omnipresent isn’t going to cut it. Then there’s Colfax Avenue. I wish some- one could explain to me what’s going on there. How much taxpayer money, and for what purpose? And how is the mayor’s homeless thing working out? I’d love to see Westword take on the ques- tion of public money and sports facilities. Nothing against women’s soccer, but why should taxpayers be involved? And if the Broncos want to move, why should the public fi nance this in any way? The sports teams are not exactly non-profi t organizations! I’d like to see Westword take a broader at- titude towards cultural events. How about an entire issue about Ron Miles, the people who studied with him, and the importance of his infl uence on the Denver jazz scene and the national one as well? I’m not opposed to your coverage of rock bands, but the truth is that if I think about all the bands covered in the last ten years, I often feel as though I’m reading the same article, over and over — only many of the bands have disappeared. How about some coverage of what it takes to survive as an artist — as a musician, a painter, a dancer or a writer? Which brings us to the Colorado Sym- phony. Does it ever play classical music writ- ten after 1940? Who chooses the repertoire? Surely not the musicians! Again, I’m not opposed to the pops concerts; I’d simply like to hear some new and adventurous music. They are doing that even in South Dakota and Knoxville. Or will we forever be stuck in Prairie City with the Memphis blues again? Dick Weissman Denver
