ROX-TV invades Denver for the big takeover. A three part series featuring The Roxy Theatre, Ouija Macc, Scum, and Cody Manson. The street life of tent city, graffiti, and a little dope are also examined.

Part 1: The plan comes together

Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. We have a special three part series in store for the readers, after the crew invaded the City of Denver and had a look around. The initial premise of the trip was to cover the “Death by Denver” show at the Roxy Theatre and to hear the wicked sounds from some of the undergrounds biggest names including Ouija Macc, Scum, and Cody Manson. Others also performed including my homegirl HB the Grizzly, and many more.

When word came down about the show, we initially wanted to head out and see what the hell was going down in Denver, but the the show quickly sold out which was scheduled for Saturday. So much interest was popping off about the concert, they added a second date slotted for Friday 5/14. When that 2nd show was announced, ROX-TV decided to get moving and launched into action. Words are really nice and can sound cool, but nothing is more gratifying than “action”. In fact, without it, nothing really ever happens. I always say fuck words, show me the movement.

So anyway, with the 2nd show added, there was a clear path laid out for me to follow all the way to the mile high city. I contacted DJ Carlito from the “Cruisin The Barrio” internet radio show on CRB and told him about the new concert added at the Roxy Theatre. My homie Carlito was down to hit the road and so it all began. I wanted to book a hotel room in the city, but after some deliberation, I decided that an airbnb would be more suitable for this type of adventure. I jumped on the internet and started surfing, in search of that perfect location for what we wanted to do.

Definition of destiny

1: something to which a person or thing is destined : wants to control his own destiny

2: a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency felt that destiny would determine their future

I’m not sure if it was destiny at work, but sometimes I just have to wonder. The very first rental property I looked at was located at 2944 Welton in the historic neighborhood of Five Points. The neighborhood is one of Denver’s oldest and most diverse areas. At one point the district was known as the “Harlem of the West” due to the frequent stops by some of the biggest names in Jazz including Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. At one point, Welton Street alone hosted almost fifty bars and clubs, stoking the endless fire of good times and wild nights.

Every May, the neighborhood’s Jazz history and legacy is celebrated with “The Five Points Jazz Fest”. But perhaps the most thrilling part of the Five Points community is that my hero of the beat generation Jack Kerouac and his wandering soul best friend Neal Cassady, used to be-bop on the same streets. The Five Points neighborhood is mentioned in one of my all time favorite books “On the Road” (by Jack Kerouac) which I have read and owned for over twenty years. What are the odds of that all coming together on a random night? When I needed to book a room, and the first property that I looked at was this wonderful place on Welton, that would drop me into the mecca of all things cool.

The area of “Five Points” gets its name from the intersection at Washington Street, 27th Street, 26th Avenue, and Welton Street. That was a lot of information to put on a sign for the streetcar stop there, so in 1881, it was shortened to the “Five Points”. I decided that I would just book 2944 Welton, which was featured on the site Loftium, and see what happened. I wasn’t sure how far away it was from the historic Roxy Theatre, but it just felt right. Sometimes, you just have to put your faith in the universe. I’ve been doing it rather frequently as of late, and I must say that the results have been over the moon.

After securing the property on Welton, I decided to look up the Roxy Theatre, to see exactly what I would need to do to get there from where I would be staying. I have been to Denver on two previous occasions in 2013 (to check out the marijuana scene that was unfolding) and again sometime around 2015. I wasn’t an expert on the city by any means so I needed to figure it all out. When I went to Bing maps and typed in Roxy and 2944 Welton, I was blown away to discover that my rental house was 4 blocks away from the Roxy Theatre! I was right where I needed to be and I think that’s a little destiny.

The Roxy Theatre has an amazing history dating back to 1934, when it opened as the first and only non-segregated movie house in Denver. It has seen many makeovers since that time until its current form, which is described as “a gritty, no nonsense, cut your teeth type of venue. Primarily catering hip hop of a million different shades, the Roxy is where you’ll find that particular niche that speaks to you, whether it’s the Insane Clown Posse or the back-pack rap of acts like Chris Webby” (quote from www.Denver.org site “Denver: The mile high city”)

So the scene was set and my rental place was locked in. DJ Carlito and I were going on the road (technically in the air) to the mile high city. Carlito was down to be my road dog and I was down to be his. We were about to take ROX-TV and Cruisin The Barrio to Colorado for a few days of kicks. What could be better than that? I didn’t know or care. We had a mission and preparations started immediately.

In a couple of days, we would be chasing history through the Five Points, digging on the local scene, grabbing up a little marijuana and some “whomp whomps”, and invading Denver for a wild show at the Roxy Theatre. We were going to be covering Ouija Macc and DJ Chunk, Scum and his LSP family, and much more. I felt like I was channeling Hunter S. Thompson and his famed visit to Las Vegas (documented in the “Fear and Loathing” book by H.S.T.). The start was approaching…at least that much was clear.

Tune in for the second installment of the series, dropping tomorrow. Full of amazing pictures from “Five Points” and reviews for area restaurants, head shops, and marijuana dispensaries. The action was fully documented by the amazing ROX-TV jet set crew featuring Rude Boy, DJ Carlito, and myself with help from two terrors of the death match wrestling scene…Mosh Pit Mike and my carnale Chuey. Don’t miss it. Dropping tomorrow.

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

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