Sunday. Rock. The rock will be plentiful when Slayer and Marilyn Manson co-headline the Rockstar Mayhem Fest, which plays Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Greenwood Village. The bands make for strange bedfellows, as Slayer is a legitimate star in the metal world and Marilyn Manson reached his peak in the ’90s. Still, fans will enjoy plenty of fake blood and pseudo-goth gore as the two bands tag-team this big summer date. More: . Ricardo Baca Two for the folk fan
Thursday. Pop-folk. Now and again, two or more artists will come together and create that oh-so-perfect show bill. Last week it was Bon Iver and The Wheel; this Thursday it’s folk-rockers Josh Ritter and Langhorne Slim. Idaho-bred singer/songwriter Ritter is often praised for his inventive lyrics while Brooklyn’s (by way of Pennsylvania) Langhorne Slim takes an edgy, playful approach to his music of the people. And as if you didn’t have enough reasons to attend next weekend’s Denver Post Underground Music Showcase, here’s another: Langhorne will play a special midnight show at the Hi-Dive after his set at the Bluebird. Tickets to the Bluebird show, $20, are available through . Four-day wristbands to The UMS are available for purchase at . — also for $20. John Hendrickson
THEATER Middle Earth is back
Tuesdays, Fridays. Theater. The Aurora Fox Theatre’s “Little Foxes” celebrate its 25th year of presenting children’s theater with “The Hobbit.” J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through July 30. $7 (303-739-1970). John Moore
FESTIVAL Two fiestas in one
Saturday.Latino culture. For the past six years, the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs has presented the popular Latino Rhythms program for free, and this year it returns with music and dance from Fiesta Colorado, Rick Garcia Band, Jazz del Barrio and Sabor de la Calle. The family-friendly event, which takes place 4-8 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Park (11th Ave. and Mariposa St.) also includes children’s activities, food and booths from community organizations. Visit . for more information. That same night, Fiesta Colorado also returns to the Arvada Center for the first time in 20 years to present the high-energy dance and music extravaganza La Magia de Mexico. 7:30 p.m. Arvada Center Amphitheater, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. $10-$28. 720-898-7200 or . John Wenzel
CLASSICAL MUSIC Free and forward-looking
Today. Symphonic music. Fans of new music, take note. The Colorado Symphony has teamed with EarShot to present a series of music readings from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today. These informal performances allow emerging composers to get their works heard and give audiences a taste of classical music’s future. For these readings, works by four composers — Yotam Haber, Angel Lam, Jeremy Podgursky and Tim Sullivan — were chosen from among 180 submissions. Conducting will be Delta David Gier and Fergus Macleod, a conducting fellow at the Aspen Music Festival. Free. 303-623-7876 or . Kyle MacMillan
Operatic introduction
Tuesday and July 28. Opera. Central City Opera’s family matinees offer full-length, fully staged opera productions at the bargain price of $15 for adults and $10 for children. The only difference between these performances and the company’s regular offerings is that promising members of Central City’s Young Artists Training Program take the lead roles. And there are some bonuses. A narrator provides a child-friendly introduction to each act of the operas, and kids can come early for a series of activities (there is an additional charge) under the banner of “Take a Child to the Opera Day.” The family matinees will be: 2 p.m. Tuesday, “Lucia di Lammermoor,” and 2 p.m. July 28, “Rinaldo.” 303-292-6700 or . Kyle MacMillan
Horning in
Saturday.Brass music. Brass, brass and more brass. In conjunction with the annual Rafael Mendez Brass Institute, the Summit Brass and Denver Brass5 are teaming for a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Denver’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. The Summit Brass consists of top brass musicians from across the country who come together three or four times a year to perform. As its name implies, Denver Brass5, formerly known as the Aries Brass Quintet, consists of five top members of the larger Denver Brass. $15. 303-832-4676 or . Kyle MacMillan
JAZZ Picking his musical path
Sunday. Grappelli-style jazz. Few musicians are more multifaceted than violinist and composer Mark O’Connor. After first making a name for himself in the bluegrass realm, he has successfully branched into jazz and classical music. The popular musician will pay tribute this weekend to his friend and mentor, French jazz legend Stephane Grappelli, with a program titled “Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing.” The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Riverwalk Center as part of the Breckenridge Music Festival’s Blue River Series. $26 advance, $30 day of show. 970-547-3100 or . Kyle MacMillan
COMEDY Mice, monkeys and cows
Today and Wednesday.Funny benefits. Laugh with purpose as two different comedy offerings aim to raise cash for worthy causes. First up, Denver-based improv troupe Rodents of Unusual Size will finish up its second annual fundraiser for Smile Train at the Avenue Theater (417 E. 17th Ave.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The event, which benefits children in need of cleft-repair surgery in developing countries, features comedy from members of Monkey’s Uncle and the Wigs. $15, . On Wednesday, Bovine Metropolis Theater hosts its “A Night of Tumorous Comedy” featuring Gypsy Cab Company and monologues from local improv veterans. The event benefits Team Sarcoma Initiative. 7:30 p.m. $15. 303-758-4722 or . John Wenzel
FAMILY FUN Ropin’ and ridin’
Today. Old West. Corral the kids and round up some friends: It’s Cheyenne Frontier Days. This year marks the 113th anniversary of “The Daddy of ‘Em All,” 10 days and nights of rodeo, music, rides and old-fashioned, wild West fun. Headliners include George Strait (8 p.m. Saturday), Taylor Swift (8 p.m. Thursday) and Kenny Chesney (8 p.m. July 24-25). The other big draw at Frontier Days is, of course, rodeo. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association contests run daily, starting Saturday, with a variety of events at each show. If concerts and rodeo aren’t enough, there are carnival rides, free pancake breakfasts and parades, a cowboy church service, an Indian village, Western art, a show by the Air Force Thunderbirds and more. Daily through July 26. Most events located at Frontier Park, 8th and Carey avenues, Cheyenne. Ticket prices vary: Concert tickets are $23-$73, depending on show. Rodeo tickets are $12-$26, PBR $29-$39. Purchase tickets in advance by calling 800-227-6336, or visit . Visit . for a full schedule of events and more ticket information. Kathleen St. John
A whee of a spree
Saturday-Sunday. Festival. Aurora is the place to be for Kidspree, a two-day festival of events just for kids. This year’s theme is “Your Hometown Playcation,” and there’s enough going on to make anyone feel like they’d been overseas and back. Rides, a petting zoo, art activities, life-sized board games, live entertainment — it’s a full day of fun. Best of all, admission and all activities at Kidspree are free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Bicentennial Park, 13655 E. Alameda Ave., Aurora. Free. . Kathleen St. John
Travels with Huck
Today. Theater. It’s the first big weekend for “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” at the Arvada Center. A family-friendly retelling of Mark Twain’s classic tale, the musical starts with Huck on his raft on the Mississippi. He runs into Jim, a runaway slave, and the adventure begins. The show runs through Aug. 9. 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7: 30 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The Arvada Center for the Performing Arts, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.; 720-898-7200. Tickets are $45 to $55; . Kathleen St. JohnUnsinkably good time
Saturday. Party. Celebrate the birthday of one of Denver’s most famous citizens at Molly’s Birthday Bash at the Molly Brown House museum. Brown would have been 142 years old this year, and everyone’s invited to the party: an afternoon of Victorian treats, including lawn games, birthday cake and special kids’ activities. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St.; 303-832-4092. Tickets are $12 per person, or $52.80 for a family four-pack. Visit . to purchase tickets, and for more information. Kathleen St. JohnMUSICAL ART Music to your lens
Today-July 31. Photography. A couple music-related photo exhibitions on South Broadway are displaying two very different sides of a musician’s world. “Face the Music” at Sputnik (7 S. Broadway) is a collection of local musician portraits by photographer Todd Roeth. “REVERB! The Photo Show!,” at the Phoenix Gallery (downstairs at 3 Kings Tavern, 60 S. Broadway), is a collection of live-in-concert images from four contributors to The Post’s music blog, Reverb. Tina Hagerling, Joe McCabe, Jason Claypool and Mike McGrath have photos that reek of rock ‘n’ roll excess and beauty. Both shows are up in conjunction with the ninth annual Denver Post Underground Music Showcase, the four-day music festival along South Broadway July 23-26. More: . Ricardo Baca
