what we're doing this weekend...

Angie Stevens

Stevens, accompanied by her band mates in the Beautiful Wreck, is making her bones in the local music scene and beyond with her intelligent songwriting and bell-clear voice. She's in the running for Best Unsigned Country Act at CMT.com and was named Westword's best singer-songwriter for 2006. See and hear more at www.angie stevens.com. We dropped a line to her before she headed out on tour.

• What did you do last weekend?

Last weekend I went to see Buckwild and Brethren Fast on Friday, practiced with Susan Phelan (Buckwild) and hung out with my 4-year- old, Spencer, on Saturday. Sunday I played at Lincoln's Roadhouse with Susan and Damon Scott.

• What's up next?

Susan Phelan and I are headed to South Dakota. Today, I am doing an interview on KNBN News Center 1 at 6 a.m., as well as a presentation at a Rapid City elementary school for four classes discussing my music! Then it's time to rock the Firehouse for two nights in downtown Rapid City. Sunday will be spent in the beautiful Black Hills.

Day Acoli

In addition to her own work as a performer, artist and poet, Day Acoli emcees the regular Cafe Nuba cultural nights and is an organizing force behind the Aurora Black Arts Festival. Her upcoming events include the Michael Jackson Dance Party and Art Show at the Otherside Arts Gallery (March 10, $10, all ages), a fundraiser for the Aurora Black Arts Festival, and Black Star Dog, her Tuesday-night poetry event at the Gypsy House Cafe, East 13th Avenue and Marion Street, featuring a live hip-hop performance and open mic for poets and mcs. Visit her at www.myspace.com/day_acoli. Here's what happens on a few nights with Day.

• What did you do last weekend?

Last weekend was filled with fun and partying. Thursday night, KGNU brought Suheir Hammad out to do her poetry. I followed that up with local hip-hop group Pirate Signal, who had a great concert at the Gothic Theater. That cat is, like, the James Brown of hip-hop! Friday evening, I hosted the poetry venue Cafe Nuba (it's hot and it's black), a multimedia open-mic arts space celebrating its eighth anniversary. The after-party was at Brix Downtown, at 22nd and Market streets, with DJ Musa. Saturday was all about afroblu afterhours. Afroblu is a hip-hop, house, afrobeat dance party at various warehouses each month. It was a great dance party with a real eclectic crowd and DJs. Sunday night, whew, after the recovery, went and hung out with my boy DJ Check One at Herb's (21st and Larimer streets) for hip-hop night with the great $3 drink special.

• What's up next?

Thursday night is SLAMNUBA at The Loft downtown (22nd and Stout streets) with DJ SD. It's a poetry slam and dance party. Then its good ol' first Friday, which is my favorite event in Denver. I adore walking the art galleries with all the people, afterward, after-party at Brix. . . . Saturday will be a Purple Martini night. I love martinis. Sunday, hip-hop at Herb's.

drink up!

Kevin Hrastar works at Coopersmith's, in the northern hamlet of Fort Collins. When he isn't rooting for whichever sports team will earn him enough to get back in his bookie's good graces, he's dressing up like Ron Burgundy and inflicting his homemade cocktail "the Big Train" on his fellow employees. Why "the Big Train"? Aside from tasting like locomotive exhaust, it's Hrastar's self-supplied nickname, which he adopted after reading about deceased baseballer Walter Johnson in a sports almanac. Really.

The Big Train is served double-tall and contains:

• Vodka

• Soda water

• A splash of orange juice

hey, dj...

DJ IX - aka Eric Putz,

owner of Cafe Netherworld - is a longtime fixture on the local Goth scene and has been spinning the darkness for, in his own words, "most likely . . . longer than you have been breathing." We believe him. These are the three songs that move him at the moment.

• Seabound - Castaway

"New track from the German electro/industrial band, which completes a trilogy of powerful songs dealing with intense emotion. A melancholic ballad that weaves a soundscape of hope."

• Massive Attack - Teardrop

"Elizabeth Fraser's (of the Cocteau Twins) vocals perfectly paired with the downbeat of Massive Attack's trip-hop make this song drip with sensuality."

• VNV Nation - Beloved

"A trance-laden track building to an emotional climax with an irresistible dance- floor beat. One of my all-time favorite songs."

DJs, tell us what you're spinning at spotlight@RockyMountainNews.com.

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