Denver is a fabulous place to be on a warm summer night.
I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend exploring the Underground Music Showcase in Denver. What impresses me about this annual music festival, which takes place in the slightly grungy bordering on trendy Baker neighborhood in downtown Denver, is the eclecticism of the offerings. As I wandered around from bar to outdoor stage to street corner to cafe along South Broadway, I heard at least five different musical styles, from transvestite rock involving backing singers dressed in pleather bikinis and pizza slices to skiffle-laced country ballads performed by guys in rhinestone-studded shirts and cowboy boots.
The experience made me yearn for the early days of South By Southwest, when a ticket didn’t cost hundreds of dollars and when you could stumble across all kinds of unusual new bands without having to elbow your way through thick crowds reeking of barbecue and cheap beer. Well, the beer at UMS was still cheap, but the crowds were beautifully manageable.