Denver’s downtown is a vibrant place. Like all major cities, the swirl of activity — for better or worse — helps define the town’s character.
Schume C’de Baca and Jenney Ruzich founded their design team, Urbanity, with Denver in mind — to celebrate our fair city and do some good along the way.
On Saturday Urbanity presents a special night at downtown club The Loft (821 22nd St.; 303-296-4604). Sponsored by Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, the event features a fashion show, live artmaking, dance crews and more, all to benefit the Gang Rescue and Support Project.
“We wanted an event to give back to the city,” says C’de Baca, Urbanity’s creative director. “(GRASP) helps kids from 14 to 17 years old get out of gangs. . . . They try to get them going the right way and get them away from gangs and violence.”
To C’de Baca, an art-focused show is a particularly appropriate way to raise awareness and funds for GRASP. “A lot of kids in gangs are artists,” she says. “(GRASP) tries to make them think about it — when they’re painting — as a creative outlet.”
The highlight of the night, though, is the 11 p.m. fashion show with designs from local shops including 303 Boards, DS Additions, De Stijl and Optique. C’de Baca hopes Urbanity’s version will add a little to the usual formula of pretty faces and pretty clothes. She estimates they’ve already spent more than $2,000 on props alone.
“We notice at a lot of runway shows, they always want to be the coolest,” she says. “We’re stylists, but we want to make events that foster creativity and long-term change, get some depth into it with art and a good cause.”
C’de Baca says they hope to raise $6,000 on Saturday through ticket sales and a silent auction of urban artwork. Be ready for an eye- catching evening, from the strutting models on the Denver-inspired stage to the cupcakes decorated with graffiti.
“We like to inspire and bring a different outlook,” says C’de Baca. “We like to wow them a little bit.”
Tickets are $15 in advance at Floyd’s locations around town or $20 at the door. The party starts when the corks fly at a champagne reception at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Style Blender.
Calling Quetzal Guerrero a prodigy doesn’t quite cover it. Since he picked up a violin at age 4, the 26-year-old musician has apparently taken to almost every hobby he’s encountered.
He studied the Suzuki method in Japan, and was off and running. He’s also a guitarist, singer and percussionist. He also practices capoeira, a Brazilian mix of martial arts and dancing. He was born in Arizona but draws on his Mexican, Brazilian and American Indian heritage in writing his music.
Don’t try to pin it all down because it comes together on its own.
Guerrero performs at Bar Standard (1037 Broadway; 303-832-8628) Saturday, mixing echoes of salsa, bossa nova, soul, jazz and whatever else he wants. There’ll be lots of dancing, in any case. Advance tickets are $10 on . Doors open at 9 p.m.
Burlesque birthday.
After 10 years, the shimmy-shakin’ ladies of Burlesque as It Was are now a Denver institution, pasties, feathery fans and all.
Join the 10th birthday party at Jonesy’s EatBar (400 E. 20th Ave.) Saturday for drink specials, appetizers and socializing with the performers.
Then the party moves to the Bluebird Theater (3317 E. Colfax Ave.) for the main event. The Perry Weissman Three set the tone at 8:30 p.m. before the burlesque begins at 9.
The pre-party at Jonesy’s EatBar is free admission; tickets are $20 on . for the BAIW performance.
