One of Denver’s most beloved benefactors and businessmen, Dan Ritchie, rocked the house Saturday during Saturday Night Alive, a benefit for the Denver Center’s Arts in Education programs, at the Stage Theatre.
Ten of Colorado’s movers and shakers paid $5,000 apiece to learn how to rock on during a fantasy rock-star camp with the World Classic Rockers — musicians and singers from Santana, Journey, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steppenwolf and Boston.
We (I was added to the group for comic relief) studied “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Magic Carpet Ride” before we took the stage.
But Denver Center chairman Ritchie embraced his inner rock star with over-the-top enthusiasm. When he took the podium at the dinner before the concert, he appeared in a full (former guitarist with Guns N’ Roses) Slash costume.
“Slash was one of the most outrageous stars who ever lived,” Ritchie said about the character he chose. “Plus, our costume department is very knowledgeable and suggested it.”
Ritchie/Slash wowed the crowd with his fake guitar riffs. “I found a new dimension to myself that I never knew I had,” he said.
Elevator expense.
Denver PR pro Mike Gaughan calls his chance meeting with U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey “the most expensive elevator ride of my life.”
By the time the short ride was over, he had pledged $1,000 to her campaign. On Friday, Markey got to repay his generosity by stopping at Gaughan’s table at Barolo Grill.
Markey dined at Barolo with seven folks, including her sister, Kathleen Markey, who was celebrating a birthday. The congresswoman also stopped off at another table, where prominent defense attorney Hal Haddon and his wife and Stapleton Foundation honcho Bev Haddon were dining with lawyer Jim Lyons.
The seen.
KHOW-630 AM radio yakker Peter Boyles dining apres ski Friday with KDVR-Channel 31 reporter Julie Hayden.
“We worked together at (radio station) KNUS 25 years ago,” Boyles told me. “I was still drinking when I met Julie.”
Food fight.
Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” chronicling Adam Rich‘s visit to Denver, where he eats a 7-pound burrito at Jack n’ Grill, begins airing at 8 p.m. Wednesday with many repeats.
Eavesdropping.
A 4-year-old girl to her mom while riding the train at DIA: “It’s going to take forever to get to Denver like this!”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday; 303-954-5224 or pparker@
