Edgy music
Saturday.Brass. According to the Denver Brass, goosebumps are guaranteed. The ever-imaginative brass ensemble will celebrate Halloween with a program of chills (“A Night on Bald Mountain” and “Carmina Burana”) and colorful characters (“The Pink Panther) at the University of Denver’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Ballet Ariel and the LaMontster Brass (a group from the Lamont School of Music) and sound zombie Michael Schulzewill provide a little backup. The Brass will offer a one-hour version of the concert at 2:30 p.m. Saturday along with a “trick-or-treat street.” ($20, $10 children 12 and younger). The full program will take place at 7:30 p.m. ($22-$43, discounts for seniors, students and children).Kyle MacMillan
Spooky stuff
Historic (and haunted) house
Tonight and Saturday. Old-time shivers. It’s the last weekend to catch “Victorian Horrors” at the Molly Brown House Museum. Explore the mansion by candlelight, keeping an eye out for Victorian-era specters — they have stories to tell. Costumed actors will recite classic spooky stories in the gloom, from the likes of H.G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe. On Oct. 30, the Molly Brown House opens its doors again for a kooky Halloween tea. Wear a costume and learn about Victorian Halloween fun. Tours begin every 15 minutes from 6 to 9 tonight and Saturday. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St.; 303-832-4092. Tickets are $15 for seniors, children and museum members; $18 for nonmembers. Halloween tea tickets are $20 per person. Visit molly for more information and to buy tickets. Kathleen St. John
Creepy — and old
Saturday and Oct. 30. Walking tour. Investigate some of Central City’s famous haunts at the Central City Creepy Crawl. A lantern-lit walking tour, the Crawl takes guests through supposedly haunted buildings and other spooky sites. Members of the Gilpin Historical Society lead the tours, telling tales and legends of Central City’s past. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes — the hour-plus excursion includes hills and stairways. (No one ever said ghost-hunting was going to be easy.) Tours start at 7 p.m. and leave every five minutes until 7:30 p.m. Meet at the Century Casino, 102 Main St., Central City. The tour is free; make a reservation by visiting centralcity or call 303-327-2255. Kathleen St. John
Run for your life
Today. Charity event and party. Watch out for a herd of ghosts, goblins and other creatures at Washington Park — it’s the 2010 Scream Scram. A 5K run/walk that benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, the Scram is a family affair. “Little Monsters,” age 12 and younger, can join in the “Spooky Sneak,” a short 100-meter scramble. After that, it’s the 5K, and then the party begins. Wander a trick-or-treat street to pick up goodies, have a post-race snack and see the Halloween weirdness unfold. 6 p.m.. Washington Park, South Downing Street and East Louisiana Avenue. Registration is $35 for adults, $20 for kids age 12 and younger and seniors age 60 and older. Visit for more information. Kathleen St. John
Not so scary after all
Saturday-Sunday. Bug exhibit. Creepy, crawly spiders are a hallmark of Halloween, but they don’t have to be scary. Learn all about spiders and other arachnids at the Butterfly Pavilion’s “Bug A Boo” festival. Costumes are encouraged — between educational arachnid activities, kids can collect candy, play games, decorate miniature pumpkins and more. Take a break in the movie room, where “Charlotte’s Web” (naturally) will be showing all weekend. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster; 303-469-5441. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors age 65 and older, $5.50 for kids ages 2 to 12. Learn more at . Kathleen St. John
Kid concert
Thursday. Story and music. In the spirit of the season, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra presents a murderous mystery, “The Composer Is Dead.” Written by megapopular children’s author Lemony Snicket and scored by composer Nathaniel Stookey, the kid-friendly concert has every member of the orchestra as a suspect. Youngsters learn about different instruments and sections as the Inspector grills the musicians. 6:30 p.m. Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets. Tickets are $25 for adults and $13 for children. To buy tickets and learn more, visit or call 303-MAESTRO.Kathleen St. John
Classical music
A milestone of Monteverdi
Through the weekend. Choral music. An ensemble of internationally known early-music specialists joins conductor Evanne Brown and a local 80-member double choir to mark the 400th anniversary of Monteverdi’s Vespers. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder, and 4 p.m. Sunday at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave. As a kind of preview, the soloists, including baroque violinist Mimi Mitchell from Amsterdam, will present a program of Italian music from the 1600s at 7:30 p.m. today at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1350 Washington St. 303-442-3770, ext. 139, or . Kyle MacMillan
Arvada Chorale’s new face
Saturday. Choral music. The Arvada Chorale’s new artistic director, Sarah Deveau, will make her debut at 7:30 p.m. at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. She will lead a program of spirituals and gospel music, titled “When the Spirit Says Sing.” $15, $13 students and seniors. 303-250-7202 or arvada . Kyle MacMillan
Lessons in learning, unity reflect his gospel’s truth
Bill Gaither is a bridge. As a historian, he is a bridge to the past, and as a Southern gospel singer, he is a bridge between men.
“I would like people to say that I brought people together,” Gaither said.
At age 74, Gaither tends to reflect on his life and the legacy he will leave on the world, but don’t think he spends all his time looking back. The Christian-music icon still tours and will bring his Gaither Vocal Band to the 1stBank Center in Broomfield tonight.
With more than 500 songs, 40 albums and six Grammy Awards in his pocket, Gaither doesn’t rely on his accomplishments to sustain him but rather the making of music and its message.
“There are two reasons I keep touring,” he said. “First, I really believe in the message with all sincerity. Gospel music can make a difference in the world.
“I think that a majority of our nation’s problems are more spiritual than anything else. If we had more gratitude, we wouldn’t borrow so much and be in debt the way we are.
“Second, I love the art form. Oh, and three, the young people I travel with don’t treat me like an old person.”
Gaither’s legacy began in Alexandria, Ind., in 1956 when he started the Bill Gaither Trio with his sister Mary Ann and brother Danny while attending Anderson College.
After graduating, Gaither taught English at his alma mater, Alexandria High School, where he met his wife, Gloria Sickal, who was a substitute French teacher. The two joined forces writing music while still teaching and revived the trio in 1962 as the Gaither Vocal Band, playing churches and school auditoriums with his brother and sister.
“I’ve been blessed, in a way, that success didn’t happen overnight,” Gaither said. “We played small churches, then we were playing at the state Capitol . . .”
Then legendary gospel singer Doug Oldham came across Gaither’s song “He Touched Me” and put it to vinyl. The song won Elvis Presley a Grammy Award in 1972.
And Gaither’s music career took off. Still, the teacher remains in him and his wife. They have given many young musicians such as Sandi Patty, Guy Penrod and Michael English a start in their everchanging band.
“Yes, I’m still a teacher, but in a larger classroom,” Gaither said. “A lot of our songs are teaching-type songs. I can tell people to reach out to one another to give, not just money but their time and energy . . . I like that.”
As a lover of Southern gospel music and his penchant for learning, Gaither saw a need to preserve the roots of the genre, resulting in the highly successful “Homecoming” DVDs.
“I do fancy myself a historian,” he said. “As a kid I grew up listening to Southern gospel music, and I loved the history of it.”
In 1991, Gaither began laying the groundwork for “Homecoming.”
“We thought if we sold 3,000 copies that it would be great,” he said. “We were just blown away by the response.”
The demand was so great that the “Homecoming” DVD series is 12 strong, including one recorded at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Through his years, Gaither has seen a seismic evolution in the Christian music industry with the growth of hip-hop, heavy metal and alternative rock, and he’s in support of all the changes in gospel music.
“Martin Luther’s critics of his day said he was trying to bring heavy theology to the street level. Spiritual is spiritual in all its creation. God is the message in rap, rock, country . . . I see it as entry music to the gospel.”
Eliza Marie Somers: 303-954-1629 or lsomers@denverpost.com
GAITHER VOCAL BAND.
Gospel/Christian. 11450 Broomfield Lane. Today. 7 p.m. $29.50-$39.50. 303-410-0700, ext. 301, or
A Piano Night
Saturday. Recital. Barry Douglas, who brought his all-Irish chamber orchestra, Camerata Ireland,
to the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, in 2001, returns for a solo recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The gold medalist at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow will perform a program of works by John Field, Robert Schumann and Frederic Chopin.
$26. 303-987-7845 or lakewood.org/culturalcenter. Kyle MacMillan
