What’s happening at Monarck?
The nightlife giant’s upstairs is closed and shrouded in mystery. The party people are wondering: What’s Francois Safieddine got up his sleeve this time?
It’s 24K, a new lounge area of Monarck that promises to be Safieddine’s most exclusive and expensive club to date.
“It’s going to be opulent without being cheesy,” says Paulina Szafranski, marketing director for Safieddine’s Lotus Entertainment. “Glimmering. A fun panache place.” Think soaring ceilings, skylights and chandeliers.
Construction’s been underway for about a month. It’s a big renovation, and they’re not going to hurry it.
It’s all part of the plan to make 24K a haven for lounge-loving clubgoers with a taste for the finer things – the people who want to drink and dance, but in a tasteful, relaxed kind of way. No surging mobs and obnoxious amateur drinkers, please.
“It will be a boutique nightclub,” says Szafranski.
24K is planned to be part of Monarck, but definitely a separate vibe. The V.I.P. bit will be more than just a marketing gimmick. Monarck bottle-service patrons will have access to 24K as a perk, but the crowds will be kept on the small side.
“It’s the pinnacle out of all the venues, as far as the service, as far as the decor,” Szafranski says.
At the moment, Safieddine isn’t setting an exact date for the grand opening – just a vague “later this year,” according to Szafranski. Like she said, the thriving Lotus Entertainment has time to spare.
“It’s going to be thought out and done at the perfect time.”
Divas galore
Imagine Cher, Madonna, Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross sitting in the same room together. Consider the icy silence and the glares exchanged. Each one would probably sit staring at a corner than share a common space with her rival divas.
Now imagine the four singers inhabiting the same body. It’s a terrifying thought.
But if vocal impressionist Jimmy James has ever crossed your path, it’s not too hard to picture – without any spilled blood. James can perform in the voices of those legendary women, plus dozens of other pop-culture notables. From Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin to Prince to Neil Diamond, James has a voice for each.
The New York-based James built his career on his voice impressions, but his stage show also mixes in comedy, improvised banter and music. James can sing in his own voice, too: He recently released an album, “Jamestown,” that showcases peppy dance-music anthems as well as ballads.
James and his many voices visit Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret (1601 Arapahoe St.) tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at lannies.com or by calling 303-293-0075. James’s show sold out both nights last time he was in town, so advance ticket purchases are recommended.
Mezcal celebrates
Si! It’s Cinco de Mayo this weekend, everyone’s favorite celebration of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over the French at Puebla.
Whatever your reason for celebrating, there should be plenty of cerveza specials around town with which to raise a toast. Don’t forget the best part, though: The party in Civic Center that will rage all day Saturday and Sunday. Mezcal (3230 E. Colfax Ave.) is hosting its own celebration all weekend, starting tonight.
Live mariachis will set the mood Friday and Saturday, along with a weekend-long happy hour. That means deals on margaritas, tequilas and regular old cerveza, too.
The $1 taco happy hours, from 10 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, make Mezcal a great place to stop on the way home after a day of sun in the park.
And one more
House DJ Tony Estrada of Chicago headlines at The Church (1160 Lincoln St.) tonight as part of the Scion B.E.A.T. tour. Locals Matthew Orloff and Ascension from the Twenty40 crew will also man the decks.
It’s an 18-and-over party, with I.D. required to drink.
