Last year, a cadre of Denver's finest noir fiction writers skulked their way over to Juanita's for Denver's inaugural Noir @ the Bar fiction event. The success of that first edition was measured in viscera: "The uninitiated left Juanita's bleeding from the ears, and unsuspecting diners were found vomiting in the gutters of Broadway for hours afterwards," they reported.

In the year and change that followed, the noir genre has continued its literary renaissance, and anticipation grew for a a second set of live authorial readings of red-meat crime stories. Sadly, the past year also witnessed the death of organizer Cortright McMeel, a promising writer whose career was cut tragically short.

See also:
- Noir at the Bar comes to Denver Thursday
- One chapter book reviews: Cort McMeel Short, chapter 18
- Westword Book Club: Ryan Demers on filmmaking, furries and Gone Girl

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Bruce Price, "Medium & Large Aggregation," 2012. Acrylic paint and fabric on paper; 30 x 22 in.  Lent by the artist. © the artist; courtesy Plus Gallery, Denver & CuratorialAccessories.com.

#69: Bruce Price

A painter who started out as a musician, Bruce Price learned from his mentor, the pattern painter Clark Richert, at the Rocky Mountain School of Art + Design, and eventually stretched and bent those lessons into something that suited him better. The resulting work, abstractions expressed in a looking-forward way, have morphed into new dimensionalities that challenge the flatness of traditional painting. It looks simple, sometimes rough, but there is a careful structure behind it all.

See also:
- 100 Colorado Creatives: Theresa Anderson
- 100 Colorado Creatives: Donald Fodness
- 100 Colorado Creatives: Lauri Lynnxe Murphy

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All photos by Danielle Lirette.

Dogs and their owners brought sexy back at the Mutts and Models Mardi Growl on Saturday, May 18, 2013, at the EXDO Events Center. The event was not just about flash and glamour; it also raised funds for PetAid Colorado, a nonprofit dedicated to at-risk pets. Continue reading for a few highlights, and visit our full Mutts and Models Mardi Growl slide show for more photos.

See also:
- Animal shelters charging big bucks to adopt "Very Important Pets"
- Photos: The Dogs of the Lucky Mutt Strut
- Best Shop Dog - 2013 - Buster Brown

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Much like Pee Wee in Pee Wee's Big Adventure, I wondered: Would I ever ride my bike again?

Nothing has been the same since the accident. Okay, that's not true -- I've just always wanted to start a piece that way. But really, after a car accident in February 2012 that followed a disappointing faux-tryst with Demetri Martin put me out of commission, my world -- which revolved around a fifteen-hour a week manic workout obsession -- fell apart. No more yoga, no more boxing, no more riding my bicycle.

I don't know how it is for other addicts, but while I've enjoyed exercise most of my life, the desire went into overdrive when I quit drinking. I did hot yoga to fucking live, man. I own an almost complete line of Nike shirts that say weird shit like "Every Damn Day" and "Girls Score More" that I wear to the gym every day (items of clothing that definitely make my boyfriend question ouer relationship on a daily basis.) I love working out.

After a shoulder injury kicked me out of my fitness orbit, I suffered a profound disconnection with my bicycle. But fifteen months later, we're back together -- and I'm trying to figure out how to be the commuting cyclist I once was, without being overwhelmed by the idea that it has been so damn long since I rode thirty miles in a day.

See also:
- The Cherry Creek bike trail is a magnet for assholes in spandex
- Broox Pulford plugs Loops four-year anniversary and the power of safe cycling
- Cruiser bikes suck: they attract Philistines and ruin cycling for the rest of us

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Denver native T.J. Miller can be a polarizing character in his hometown. Many in the comedy community see him as a local hero who's helped bring national eyes to the scene; others think he's a bro-down braggart who erroneously claimed civic pride with his "Denver" music video. Either way, though, there's no denying his mainstream success, as evidenced by last night's premiere of the Fox comedy Goodwin Games, co-starring Miller as a lovable jailbird competing against his siblings for his father's inheritance. The show comes on the heels of January's announcement that Miller will co-star in the new Mike Judge comedy pilot, Silicon Valley.

While Goodwin Games is a DOA dud, Silicon Valley will most likely be a fantastic gem that may -- or may not -- have a chance of getting picked up. It seems that Miller is taking the classic Nicolas Cage route of "safe" roles that will secure him an income, balanced by "smart" comedies that garner self-respect and long-term credibility. It's a wise route to take, but is it very Denver?

See also:
- Which version of The Office was better: U.S. or U.K.?
- Marc Maron's new TV series will make you want to shoot yourself in the face
- T.J. Miller talks Dane Cook, Denver comedy and eating mustard out of a can

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New Talent night begins May 22 and continues through October.

If you want to join the ranks of the dozen or so local comics who have gone on to national recognition, then Comedy Works New Faces Competition is the perfect place to start. "A lot of comics use it each year to see where they are as comedians, judging by how far they get along in the contest," says competition organizer Deacon Gray. "Past winners have included Adam Cayton-Holland, Ben Kronberg, Josh Blue, and last year's winner was Elliot Woolsey. It's one of those things that carries a bit of bragging rights here in town." While the competition will continue for the next eighteen weeks, round one begins tomorrow at Comedy Works downtown.

See also:
- Natasha Leggero went for the jugular last night at Comedy Works
- Marc Maron's new TV series will make you want to shoot yourself in the face
- Best Comedy Night: Arguments and Grievances

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Between last summer's devastating wild fires, the Aurora shootings and other high-profile news stories, Colorado has had a rough year.

It is difficult to find a way to express the emotions that these events have evoked, but the Damsel Dance Company is trying to do that by communicating Colorado's fear and pain as well as hope, faith, and pride through dance.

Denver on Fire, which tackles these topics, begins tonight (although the first showing is sold out) and runs through May 22.

See also:
- Denver On Fire event information
- 100 Colorado Creatives: Nancy Smith of Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance
- Photos: The strange and seafaring fashions of the Holy Ship!! dance cruise

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All photos by Mauricio Rocha

The sun was shining over the weekend, and those who weren't joining in the American Ninja Warrior hijinks in Civic Center Park were catching rays in other parts of the city. One of them was local pianist and composer Pudgy Swollen, who we spotted playing a piano on the 16th Street Mall. Read here to learn about his intergalactic pants, what publication inspires his look, and what kinds of tips he earns playing the piano.

See also:
- Menswear Mondays: Artist Juan Nunez on his bleached DIY look
- Menswear Mondays: sacred clown Bradley Mccollough on his utilitarian fashion
- Menswear Mondays: Artist Shane O'Connor on his punk-rock fashion

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Photo/Ken Hamblin

Hundreds of local ink enthusiasts put their tattoos to the test at the Ink Slingers Ball and Tattoo Expo over the weekend. The eighth annual event took over PT's ShowClub on May 18, 2013, as ink junkies competed for $2,000 grand prizes for the best sleeve, black-and-white, color and large tattoos. Photographer Ken Hamblin captured all the action: Continue reading for a few highlights, and visit our full Ink Slingers Ball & Tattoo Expo slide show for more photos.

See also:
- Five reasons restaurant employees should be allowed to have tattoos and piercings
- Tattoo Nation documents California's romance with ink
- Tattoo Nation director Eric Schwartz on the oral history of the art form

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All photos by Danielle Lirette.

The Five Points Jazz Festival had jazz fans of all ages dancing in the streets on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Local musicians, art, and street food filled Welton Street as soulful jazz filled the air from the morning through the evening. Continue reading for a few highlights, and visit our full Five Points Jazz Festival slide show for more photos.

See also:
- Five Points Jazz on Film presents The Girls in the Band
- The five best jazz shows in Denver this May
- The 2013 Colorado music festival guide

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