When Lannie Garrett opened her Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret 5 1/2 years ago, she didn’t know if anyone would show up. I mean, an edgy cabaret house in the basement of a clock tower in downtown Denver?
“Can you imagine?” Garrett says. “I was in a fetal position for three years. But now we’re kind of rolling along. People know we’re here.”
This month’s lineup exemplifies what Garrett wanted to do: give Denver a crazy club where everyone would feel welcome — “80-year-olds and 21-year-olds, straight, gay, whatever. We just try to be eclectic and campy and fun.”
The Clocktower is doing just that. Tonight at 8, you have Rockstarz Show, starring NFL and NBA dancers and cheerleaders. That’s about a dozen former sideliners dishing out hip-hop and burlesque, followed by a mixer/party.
On Saturday, Garrett takes on the songs of Frank Sinatra in “The Chick Sings Frank”; on June 10, there’s a Santana tribute band; on June 15, Nuclia Waste’s “Totally Wasted” Dragtastic Comedy Show; on June 17, a Beatles tribute band; on June 24, Jill Sobule comes back home; on June 26, a Sondheim salute; and on June 29, “The Drunken Bachelor Talk Show,” a takeoff on the talk-show format that Garrett describes as “Jack Paar meets ‘Playboy After Dark.’ “
Do it again.
Kid Charlemagne (1993-2005) was one of the first tribute bands out of Denver, covering the loopy, eclectic studio songs of Steely Dan. It started with Dave DeMichelis on guitar, Gary Bragg on keyboards/vocals and Don Newby on drums. Before the band broke up, it was 11 members strong and sounded terrific.
Kid Charlemagne reunites Sunday for two shows: 5:50 p.m. (all ages) and 8:30 p.m. at Jazz @ Jacks.
“(Steely Dan) was always considered a kind of band you couldn’t cover,” says DeMichelis. “We’re just trying to serve the music and have a few yuks along the way.”
Mmm, baaaacon.
Keystone Resort is gonna smell good June 24-26 with the arrival of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour. Thirty bucks gets you into the bacon be-in with unlimited bacon samples, one beer, a bacon lecture, more bacon and music from Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band — and bacon and a bacon hat. Go to keystone .
Local talent.
The kid flick “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,” produced by Denver’s Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, opens next Friday. The movie features three songs from their 11-year-old daughter, Camryn, poised to release her debut single and album this summer. Check her out at .
City spirit.
Painted sign, looking like a headstone, on a bus bench at Quebec and Leetsdale: “DNT TXT N DRIVE. WE CAN WAIT. ERICKSON MONUMENTS.” . . . Chef Mi chel Wahaltere is running Chicago Louie’s food truck and taking it to the People’s Fair this weekend with actor Joseph Gannascoli, the guy who played Vito Spatafore in “The Sopranos” . . . Sez who: “Oh, poor baby. What do you want, a Whitman’s Sampler?” Tony Soprano
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost . Take a peek at Husted’s next column at husted.
