As Boulder’s music scene resumes after the coronavirus pandemic, a new venue will soon give a platform to local artists Crank up the sound and get people back on the dance floor.
This weekend the public is invited to listen to live music, sip on cocktails – or two – and dance at Boulder’s new venue Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St. Lounge is the latest effort from the Big Red F restaurant group, said Dave Querrey, the group’s chef-owner. The group also owns several restaurants, including Jacques’ Fish House and Oyster Bar, The West End Tavern, and Centro Mexican Kitchen.
“We’re really excited,” Querrey said. “We have wanted to do this for a long time and the pandemic was certainly not the time to open up to anything. We are expecting that we are going through heaviness, although we are going slow because we have not gone through it yet. We are going to proceed with caution.”
The lounge will hold a private event for friends and family on Saturday but will be formally open to the public on Sunday. During the public event, Strangebirds would perform as part of an album release party. The bar will open at 4:30 p.m., and concerts will begin at 8 p.m. Drinks and food will be limited during the Sunday event.
Tickets are $21.99 and are available at bit.ly/3kXABH2. People can sign up for the lounge’s newsletter at velvetlounge.com to be notified when tickets for future performances are available for purchase online.
Quarry stated that the venue is in a gun building with a bar on the front and a stage at the rear. The lounge will also feature local bands, DJs and open mic nights, comedy shows and dance parties. In addition to drinks, it will serve small shareable foods such as spicy fried Korean chicken sam, fried mushrooms and chicken poutine.
“It will be a small room with a good sound system and a very small stage and a fun place to have a few drinks and listen to live music,” Querrey said.
The lounge will be open seven days a week from 4:30 p.m., with the last call for alcohol at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 p.m. on weekends.
“We are just trying to add live music to Boulder and continue the tradition of venues that deliver great local live music,” he said.
Before Big Red F Restaurant Group took over, the building was occupied by Silver Wine Winery. Chip, CEO of the Downtown Boulder Partnership, said Big Red F Restaurant Group previously had a small space available for events behind The Post Chicken & Beer on 13th Street.
“It’s a very essential element to the cultural environment here,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have venues like E-Town and the Boulder Theatre, but it’s a very different style and size.”
Boulder Chamber President John Tyre said the Velvet Elk Lounge will help turn Boulder into a corner and rejuvenate the city’s vibrant music scene.
“What this represents is an opportunity to maintain Boulder’s character as a great place for business and a place with amazing attractions,” Tyre said.
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