Review: Loudmen at Stay Tuned in Denver (03/02/24)
Mitch Smith's and wngdu’s first residency set at the revamped Denver venue had plenty of groove, grit and curiosities.
Last weekend was my first time back at 2162 Larimer St. since it closed as Everyday Pizza and reopened as Stay Tuned, pivoting the restaurant concept into a night club.
It is a cozy night club, and with the tables removed and a few more interior changes by owners' Sam and Tricia Maher — who also own the fabulous Somebody People at 1165 South Broadway — the space can resemble either a hip loft party or a campy 80s prom night. Pink and purple orbs hang from the ceiling. Plants adorn the back of the bar. Along with the dark-green dance floor and pop-art mural in the east wall, they give the bar a cool, tropical atmosphere. Noticeably, the largest disco ball I have ever seen spins slowly not too high above the dance floor, swirling mesmerizing dots of light on the ground. I swear, they must’ve stolen that thing straight from the LCD Soundsystem tour.
Saturday was the first night of the Loudmen’s bimonthly residency at the club, opening for techno DJ Bill Converse. Individually, DJs Mitch Smith (who contributed to a Loops guest mix a couple of weeks ago) and wngdu play some of the most exciting and creative sets in Denver. As a duo, they moved expertly and with precision between a wide array of dance music history. They were relaxed and cheerful behind the tables, as if their battery packs were fully charged with some reserves to last until the morning.
Their set started off with lilting house and disco, then accelerated to hard-edged electro, big beat and rave. By 11 p.m., wngdu was blending Frankie Bones’ “Come Out and Play” with Mim Suleiman’s “Haki”. A spirited crowd gathered in front of the decks and the pummeling bass:
Their night was just getting started. I headed home to catch some sleep.
Stay Tuned calls itself a "hi-fidelity, multisensory gastropub." Much of that is due to its tight quarters: The bar, DJs and crowd all share the same floor. (Also worth noting that there isn’t much seating — at least in the nighttime.)
The club’s sound system (from UK's Void Acoustics, according to Westword) is calibrated in a way that seems to split the room in half: a louder section where the DJs and dancers are, and an airier space for people wanting to talk or relax. On Saturday, the kicks hit with the same accuracy and muscle you might find at a tennis match. Melodies perfumed the air, adorning the synths and low-end that nestled in the room. It’s an impressive balance and intensity for such a small space. Other “hifi” bars in town should listen and take notes.
One more thing
I’m looking forward to a gig of my own next week at Denver's Hi-Dive (7 S. Broadway). I want it to be an opportunity for any readers/listeners of Loops to come hang out and say hi. I can’t say all I’m going to play, but it'll befit the ghostly vibes of the Dive.
So that'll be Wednesday, March 13 from 8-close. No cover.