Matt Fecher is Colorado's king of music festivals: In addition to being executive director and founder of the popular South Park Music Fest, he holds the same title for this September's Monolith Fest at Red Rocks. Somehow, he finds time in between to make short films and rock.

• What did you do last weekend?

We put on a party with a Denver focus at the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. For those new to the game, SXSW is a whirlwind of new music and arguably the most important new-music conference in North America. The party was a huge success, with lines of people waiting to check out Denver bands Machine Gun Blues, Laylights and Born in the Flood. Denver, great news - it's a great time to experience and support the vibrant music scene here! You can catch pictures of these and several other bands at SXSW on our Web site at www.monolithfestival.com

• What's up next? Saturday is your chance to support two Denver bands that played at SXSW, right here in their home town. Photo Atlas, a local breakout dance-punk band, will perform at the Hi-Dive (7 S. Broadway), along with hard-core blues-explosion rockers Machine Gun Blues. We'll be spending the rest of the weekend working around the clock for the launch of the 2007 MONOLITH Festival at Red Rocks. This time of year, there's no such thing as a day off for concert promoters. If you're interested in following the "behind-the-scenes" of what's going on in putting together the largest event at Red Rocks this year, you can visit out our blog at www.monolithfestival.com for all the details (both the excitement and the struggle).

drink up!

The Bartender's shrine - or what one might build after a few Liquid Jesuses.

This week, we offer you The Bartender. The Bartender (aka Loren Speer) works at the Larimer Lounge and takes the creation of alcoholic refreshments seriously. We will now take a step back and allow The Bartender to explain himself:

"I wrote a few blogs about drinks I've invented. The Liquid Jesus blog is about the staple drink for the customers I serve at my bar, which consists of a can of Pabst and a shot of whiskey. In another blog, I named a drink after a local Denver band, the Machine Gun Blues, which is a martini, dirty, with a drop of vermouth and a lighted firecracker taped to the glass. You have to chug it down before it blows up in your face.

"In reality, my favorite drink to pour is still the Pabst-and-whiskey (specifically bourbon) combo. Pabst is the most popular and best-selling of our spirits; definitely the drink of choice for the bikers, metal heads, indie rockers and just average blue-collar bar patrons. I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it's the design of the can; it certainly can't be the taste; there are better beers.

"And the average bar customer wouldn't know that bourbon is also the national spirit of America, which was voted in by Congress in the 19th century, but still I sense a hint of nostalgia and American-ness when a ragged-looking rocker stares at his fresh can of PBR and overflowing shot of Beam. It's powerful. Rapturous, even. I think that's how the name Liquid Jesus came about - it's a religious experience."

Bartenders, tell us what you're pouring and why at netha@Rocky Mountain News.com.

hey, dj . . .

Dj kinetik is a Crescent City transplant who fled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for mile-high(er) ground. You can catch him Tuesdays at the Robusto Room and, with emcee Bionik, opening for Slick Rick on Saturday at the Plunge Music Festival, in Telluride. These are the three tracks he currently digs the most. Visit him online at www.myspace. com/kinetik5.

• Sister Nancy - Bam Bam

I currently play this because every time it starts, everyone loves the vibe (and I just recently got married in Negril, Jamaica).

• The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By

Just a classic hip-hop song with a story that every man can relate to, bottom line.

• Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Part 2

It's the song from the first scene in 8 Mile, when Eminem is practicing before he hits the stage. The beat is unbelievable! I also always include some New Orleans funk like The Meters' Cissy Strut because I have to represent the old-school, dirty funk each and every time I spin.

DJs, tell us what you're spinning and why at netha@RockyMountainNews.com.