It’s hard to believe it’s been two years. I’m channeling Vince Vaughn in “Swingers” here: Our baby’s all grown up.
The Loft (821 22nd St.; 303-296-4603) celebrates its second anniversary this weekend the best way it knows how: with a hip-hop extravaganza and a fashion-forward fete.
The mix of the two themes succinctly captures The Loft’s vibe: stylish and sleek, but with a streetwise twist.
Mixtape master DJ Drama headlines Friday’s party, joined by the Aphilliates. Model and video vamp Summer Walker also makes an appearance, much to the guys’ delight.
The birthday blast continues Saturday, and clotheshorses will be champing at the bit. There’s a giveaway of clothing by Christian Audigier, the flashy designer whose colorful wares are a frequent sight in Denver’s club- land. Rapper Pittsburgh Slim and DJ Mark Da Spot will provide the soundtrack to the fashion frenzy.
It’s been a busy two years for The Loft, a spacious dance club on the edge of downtown. Located at Champa and 22nd streets, a healthy walk from the LoDo madness, the Loft is still thriving. That’s no mean feat in the tumultuous nightclub business. Raise a glass to The Loft’s success this weekend.
Ten out of ten.
Already a hit on the idyllic shores of Ibiza, Martijn ten Velden makes his North American tour debut this month. It’s a short tour that hits all the hotspots, like New York, Miami, Los Angeles — and Denver. The very first tour stop, in fact, is Beta (1909 Blake St.; 303-383-1909) on Thursday.
Ten Velden got his start as a hip-hop DJ in Haarlem — that’s Haarlem, Netherlands — in the ’80s. A move to London in the ’90s gave him the house-music bug, and he took it from there.
Though he’s now a renowned remixer and producer, ten Velden remains true to his first love, DJing. He made a splash in Ibiza in 2006 with his hit “I Wish U Would,” but he didn’t rest on his laurels. He kept moving, remixing and writing, and now he’s ready to take on the States and Canada.
Welcome ten Velden to America, Denver- style, on Thursday. Presale tickets to Thursday’s show are $10 on .
City summer blues.
When one lives downtown, it’s easy to forget that the suburbs know how to party, too. A couple of events going on this weekend remind Denver dwellers that they’re not the only game in town.
Good weekends generally start with a barbecue, and the barbecues at Cool River Cafe (8000 E. Belleview Ave.; 303-771-4117) bode well for Greenwood Villagers.
Normally, Cool River’s an upscale dining and drinking destination for Denver Tech Center bigwigs. But on summer Fridays they loosen the tie and host a down-home patio grill-out. From 4 to 7 p.m., a hamburger with fries is $5 and hot dogs and bratwurst are $3 each. Bring a crew and share a bucket of five New Belgium beers for $18. Pop in tonight and have a little snack before the evening’s festivities begin.
Like Cool River, Lone Tree’s Robusto Room (9535 Park Meadows Drive; 303-790-7363) is a bit on the swank side but unafraid of regular-Joe fun.
There’s a different event every night, from stand-up comedy to poker. Trivia Tuesdays are a real challenge, too. With $3 specials on Jagermeister and all flavors of Stolichnaya vodka, it gets tricky staying in a focused, competitive trivia mind-set. Give your brain a workout from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
Or just relax. The Robusto Room functions in many ways: live music venue, cigar bar, south suburban meet-market.
How late does the light rail run again?
Kathleen St. John: 303-954-1568 or kstjohn@gmail.com
