2011 marks the third year that local chapter of the business review website Yelp has held an annual event in Denver to showcase some of the area’s food, beverage, service, and live music offerings. Apparently, there has been so much interest in “Yelpapalooza” that the organizers decided to throw two events this year. Thus, Yelpapalooza 3.5 was born.
October 26th’s Yelpapalooza 3.0 was a “monster” of an event – both in theme and size. Just 5 days before Halloween, guests were encouraged to arrive in costumes. It was held at Casselman’s (with additional DJ performances at The Matchbox across the alley). The place was packed! So, when I heard that Yelpapalooza 3.5 would be held at Stoney’s Bar and Grill at 11th & Lincoln, I was concerned about the size of the venue. Stoney’s served as a venue for the 2011 Westword Music Showcase, but in terms of size it’s no Casselman’s. And the event was crowded, but not overly so, despite being free for guests who RSVP’d on the Yelp website (a donation of $5 at the door to Invest in Kids was suggested but not required). The theme “Yelp Turns It Up to 11” was a reference to the historic date: 11/11/11.
The doors opened at 7 PM for Yelp Elite members, and at 8 PM for everyone else. When I arrived shortly after 8 PM, the R&B-jazz-rock band Petals of Spain had already begun their set, although without singer/keyboardist Hunter Hall. And while the band has enough songs in its catalog featuring Nic Hammerberg (“Loading Zone”) and Air Dubai’s Wesley Watkins (“What it is”) on lead vocals, these guys put on a more confident show when all five members are present. Cute girls representing Bacardi were walking around offering mixed drink samples featuring their new OakHeart Spiced Rum. The area in front of the stage was the easiest place to move around. More crowded were the areas in front of the bar and towards the back where most of the vendors were. I headed over to the Wahoo’s Fish Tacos flavor and was handed a plastic cup filled with white rice, black beans, chicken, lettuce, salsa, and a spicy chili sauce. Despite being served out of buffet tubs, the rice and beans were perfect in texture. The chili sauce left some heat on my lips, but was not overpowering to me. That being said, I was a little surprised to see a chain restaurant featured at Yelpapalooza. I don’t know many people who have never visited a Wahoo’s location. Next up was a Mocha Latte Fozen Yogurt from 32nd Treat. Very tasty, particularly due to the chocolate/cinnamon crumble topping. I had hoped to try the Pumpkin Spice, but I didn’t want to take two portions. They also had some cute mini-cupcakes. Is the cupcake fad still hot?
Nic Hammerberg (Petals of Spain)
In between bands, DJ Savior Breath entertained the crowd by mashing up classic rock/R&B with current Top 40 tunes. Take to the Oars took the stage next and played a mix of tracks from their full-length album “American Volume” and new tracks, closing with a cover of The Fly’s “Got You (Where I Want You)”. Las Brisas Restaurant in Englewood was offering Crispy Chile Rellenos and Enchiladas right next to the stage. I tried the Relleno. It was good, but I really could have used a knife to cut through the slightly sinewy Anaheim pepper. It was also quite spicy! Deschutes Brewery to the rescue! They were offering ample cups full of Inversion IPA or Obsidian Stout. I opted for the IPA. Now, I’m not a beer snob. I’m perfectly fine with Bud Light because I try not to consume too many liquid calories. While the IPA was very hoppy, I found it to be smooth and delicious. Too bad they aren’t based in Colorado.
Mike Trujillo (Take to the Oars)
The Dont’s and Be Carefuls rounded out the live music portion of the night with their brand of high-energy electro-pop. Vendors had started to pack up their tables and the crowd was starting to thin out. My wife and friends took this opportunity to visit what was arguably the busiest attraction of the night: Denver Photo Booth. Unfortunately, they had run out of color ink a while back and were only capable of printing in black and white. The pictures were also blurry if somebody was moving. A neat concept – poorly executed.
Despite the pre-cooked vats of food, it’s hard to complain about a free event as cool as this – particularly when it provides exposure for local music. I’m glad to live in a city where these types of events can be successful. Thanks Yelp!
Everyday (in the Mile High) 