Scott LaBarbera has made it through some ups and downs during his first year owning and operating the Oriental Theater.
But despite the usual struggles, including staff turnarounds – he just brought on Dewey Moffitt as his booking manager last November – he’s happy to look back on 2006 with a great local lineup for tonight’s anniversary show; Angie Stevens and the Beautiful Wreck, JT Nolan, and John Common will all take the stage.
“All three acts have done phenomenal shows here in the past year,” LaBarbera said. “JT and John both did CD release parties, and Angie is one of my favorite local talents. Plus, JT, John, and some of the people in Angie’s band live within blocks of the theater, so it’s going to be a special show for us and for the neighborhood.”
The anniversary party continues Saturday night with another special event. Vocalist Randy Jackson of the band Zebra will be in town for Friday night’s performance of “The Music of the Doors” with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and will perform a solo acoustic set Saturday night at the Oriental.
Moving forward, LaBarbera plans to expand the entertainment roster to include more national acts, plus local theater and afternoon children’s events. Plans are also in place for an exterior facelift including a new sign, new tile, and new paint, scheduled to begin this spring. “The work never ends,” LaBarbera said. “But we’re planning to bring some big changes and reach for the next level.”
The Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave., 303-455-2124 or www.theorientaltheater.com
School of rock
Bring a study partner to La Rumba nightclub on Wednesday nights to soak up some musical knowledge during Sound College, a new weekly event the club launched last Wednesday. Hosted by Dameion Hines, aka DJ Check One, each week will feature a tribute topic, such as last Wednesday’s tribute to the Detroit music scene, or next week’s tribute to the music of soundtracks.
“It’s a night where you can see creative, community based entertainment,” Hines said. “It’s been kind of a dream of mine, and the gist of it is that each night is a celebration of music that is dedicated to something in particular. If it’s based on anything, it’s built around soul music, but includes anything that can be a part of that.”
Next week, Hines plans to spin music based on great soundtracks. Expect to hear songs from a range of films – “Purple Rain” to “Reservoir Dogs.” Upcoming tributes will be built around the Chicago house music scene and London’s Drum & Bass sound, but the themes are not limited to DJ sets.
“Later, I’d like to do a tribute to the beat, and feature live drummers, or maybe bring in several world-class bass players.” Hines will also offer different musical segments each night, including a “guided mic” session. “It’s like an MC battle with a spoken word theme, featuring poets, rappers, and singers.” He’ll also include a segment called “Burn” to showcase unreleased recordings from local musicians and DJs.
Check it out every Wednesday; doors open at 9:30 p.m., cover is $7 and drink specials include $2 PBR’s and $3 gin and tonics. 99 W. 9th Ave., 303-572-8006.
Takin’ care of the bartenders
The Lure Lounge (1434 Blake St.) has a novel approach to attracting the attention – and hopefully, the recommendations – of service-industry members. The downtown lounge is offering 50 percent off food and beverages to bartenders and other service workers at all times except happy hour (Monday– Friday. 4 p.m.-7 p.m.). It’s a better deal than the usual once-per-week events that many bars and clubs offer. According to Lure co-owner Johnny Coast, it’s also a great way to promote the lounge.
“We know that service industry people are apt to talk about our place if they come in,” Coast said. “And if they really like it, they’ll talk about it a lot, so the return is really high.”
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7Days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or call 303-954-1568.
