Entertainment Reporter
John Wenzel
John Wenzel joined The Denver Post as an arts and entertainment reporter and critic in 2006. He fell in love with newspapers in the mystical land of Dayton, Ohio, and feels lucky to have spent his adult life exploring Colorado's culture. In addition to contributing to Esquire, The Atlantic and Rolling Stone, he is the author of the nonfiction book "Mock Stars" and has had essays published in music, horror and comedy anthologies. He lives in Denver with his family, a Hobbit garden, and a half dozen overworked gaming consoles.
Featured Stories

Broken family: Sexual assault allegations against Jay Bianchi splinter Denver’s jam-band scene
Two women alleged sexual assault against Denver businessman Jay Bianchi, a longtime Deadhead and bar owner, after a 2020 Halloween party.

Infiltrating Hate: How Colorado Springs’ first black detective joined the KKK — and became the subject of Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman”
Police veteran Ron Stallworth is disturbed by today’s parallels to racial strife of the 1960s and ’70s

The definitive guide to Denver International Airport’s biggest conspiracy theories
To get to the heart of their continuing popularity, a Denver Post team was granted behind-the-scenes (and underground) access to examine the theories, facts and history of Denver International Airport.
All Stories

How to celebrate Mardi Gras in Denver, and more things to do
Your best bets also include Colorado Pint Day and a vintage gaming convention.

Punk in the Park 2025: Beer, nostalgia and — oh yeah — tons of music!
The lineup for the summer festival in Denver is packed with DIY legends and Gen-X catnip.

Denver Botanic Gardens announces full summer concert lineup: Red Rocks headliners, Grammy nominees
The full summer lineup is here, with tickets on sale to the general public starting April 28.

A guide to 2025 Colorado Oscars hopefuls: “The Brutalist,” “The Wild Robot” and more vie for top awards
Best Picture, Best Director and Best Animated Feature nominees are led by Colorado natives.

Levitt Pavilion free summer concerts will include local legends and Red Rocks headliners
The May-through-October calendar will continue to expand as more shows are announced.

Despite rising costs and competition, Denver record stores are spinning gold from new customers
Drop to Pop, Invincible Vinyl, City Records and others have joined Twist & Shout, Wax Trax as brick-and-mortar options.

Grizzly Rose opening second Front Range country-music venue
The Whiskey Rose is taking over the former Whiskey Baron space in Colorado Springs.

Denver’s Vinyl Me, Please battles scam sites while making changes to its business
The LP subscription service has over the last year grappled with lawsuits and customer complaints.

2025 is a huge year for Denver concerts. But what about ticket-scalping bots, festivals and Red Rocks’ line-up?
Growth -- and festival fatigue -- are already shaping this year's summer concert calendar

Casa Bonita in 50 years, an undie run, and more things to do this week in Denver
Your best bets also include Arvada Winterfest and a new exhibit at DMNS.