Coloradans adore their ice skating, whether it’s gliding around a frozen pond or catching a big- budget arena tour from the nosebleed seats.
A trio of the latter type will visit the Front Range this winter with all the usual thrills, including scores of Olympic medalists on hiatus from competition.
The family-friendly “Disney on Ice” will bring its “Disneyland Adventure” program to the Broomfield Event Center Dec. 8-10 and the Denver Coliseum Dec. 13-17. The nostalgic show finds popular animated characters making their way through iconic Disneyland attractions. Tickets are on sale now ($15-$70, broom fieldeventcenter.com or Ticketmaster).
More on the grownups’ side is the Brian Boitano Skating Spectacular at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland on Dec. 16. Boitano, the most decorated ice skater in the sport’s history, knows how to sweeten the deal: He’ll have popular Irish vocal group Celtic Woman open the show, which will be taped for a New Year’s Day broadcast on NBC. Tickets are on sale now ($45-$55, ComcastTix.com).
Finally, Scott Hamilton’s long-running “Smucker’s Stars on Ice” will hit the Pepsi Center on Jan. 31, featuring Olympians Jamie Salé and David Pelletier. Tickets go on sale Monday (starting at $25, Ticketmaster).
Lyle Lovett, below, John Hiatt, Joe Ely and Guy Clark first played together at a Country Music Association songwriting event. The musicians’ easy rapport has since spawned a few songwriter-in-the-round tours, in which each plays a mini-set and talks about his work. The eclectic country and rock artists will play Colorado Springs’ Pikes Peak Center on Feb. 8 and the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 9. Tickets for both shows on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($49.50-$69.75, Ticketmaster)
Shemekia Copeland has gathered loads of critical praise with her soulful vocals, but the Grammy-nominated R&B singer has yet to become a household name. She plays the Walnut Room on Dec. 12 armed with songs from her new album, “The Soul Truth,” which was helmed by Stax legend Steve Cropper. Tickets are on sale now. ($17, walnutroom.com)
Slayer should be proud: The band’s commitment to dark thrash metal has remained constant, even as many of its peers have changed direction or softened. The band is touring behind its 14th album, “Christ Illusion,” with a stop at the Fillmore Auditorium on Jan. 31. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($30, Ticketmaster)
Jeff Daniels is more familiar for his roles in “The Squid and the Whale” or “Dumb and Dumber,” but the actor has also been writing songs for the last 30 years. And believe it or not, his jaunty folk tunes are pretty good. He plays the historic Sheridan Opera House in Telluride on Jan. 2 to benefit his Purple Rose Theater. Tickets are on sale now ($50-$75, tellurideticket.com).
