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John Wenzel

@johnwenzel.bsky.social

1.1K followers 270 following 260 posts

A&E reporter / critic for The Denver Post. Bylines in Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vulture and The Atlantic. Dayton, Ohio, native. Send Marion's Pizza.

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John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 15h

You don't tour Europe with "West Side Story" without learning a few things about theater. Now Denver native #RyanFitzgerald is back with his Buell Theatre debut as part of the Tony-winning "Shucked."

How'd he get there? More for @denverpost.com

Denver to Broadway: Ryan Fitzgerald’s corny journey to Tony-winning “Shucked”

The Longmont native is touring with the acclaimed musical comedy, playing Oct. 7-19 at the Buell Theatre.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 1d

Indeed. As I was just talking about with my editor, he was always cutting edge on top of any other trend.

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 1d

#OffCenter, the experimental arm of Denver Center for the Performing Arts, is done. They did Camp Christmas, David Byrne & Mala Gaonkar's "Theater of the Mind," groundbreaking VR shows, etc.

This comes after layoffs in June at the DCPA that officials declined to describe. More for @denverpost.com

DCPA closes innovative Off Center, producer of “Theater of the Mind,” Camp Christmas

Budget challenges and lack of partners willing to share the risk were major factors, DCPA said.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 2d

"You are taking in the Human Centipede of Content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume" #AI

www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Reposted by John Wenzel

Tamara Dunn @tamaraddunn.bsky.social · 4d

Denver Film Festival lineup features new John Elway documentary amd spotlight on Delroy Lindo, Gus Van Sant and more: www.denverpost.com/2025/10/04/d... by @johnwenzel.bsky.social

Denver Film Fest: A John Elway documentary, the new “Knives Out” and Gus Van Sant

The festival returns Oct. 31-Nov. 8 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Sie FilmCenter and other venues.

www.denverpost.com

Reposted by John Wenzel

The Denver Post @denverpost.com · 6d

Radio has served as a medium for live music since its inception. In Colorado, radio stations have featured bands big and small over the decades, through in-studio performances and regular sponsored shows at local venues.

Live music is an integral part of these Front Range radio stations

Radio stations broadcast live in-studio sessions and put on concerts by bands playing jazz, indie rock, bluegrass and other genres

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 6d

Hmmm

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 6d

MENVER

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 6d

I mean... how can you misinterpret a 4Runner??

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 8d

Undercover quote-getter/photo-taker, I believe is the official job title?

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 8d

Anything. I tried to shoot UMS promo video there a couple times on escalators (funny interviews with Julie Davis, Rachel Pollard and others) and they drove us onto the mall. Tried a couple feet-on-the-street interviews there on and off during holidays and someone ran over when they saw me recording

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 8d

The folks who will soon be the former-operators have been hilariously hardcore about not letting us shoot photos on their property over the years. To the point of calling security guards on me. Sorry for trying to depict you in a civic way!

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 8d

"Brain rot" has lost cachet but as a descriptor for AI-creep in otherwise savvy creative people it's pretty spot on.

I concur w/Dawn here; artists using AI slop in promo speaks poorly of them in every way and makes me wonder what other gen-AI imagery/text they haven't disclosed

Dawn of the Dead 💀 @502eire.lol · 8d

seeing a distressing amount of writers, musicians, and other creatives using AI generated art to promote their work. some real artist-on-artist crime happening here

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 8d

Old Denver music heads: this one's for you (and me, since I moved to and started seeing shows here many moons ago).

Via George Tanner and @denverpost.com #denvermusic

15th Street Tavern, Tulagi and more Colorado music venues we miss

Long-gone stages in Denver, Boulder hosted the first Colorado visits from Dolly Parton, Eagles, White Stripes and The Shins.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 12d

Ah, makes sense!

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 12d

The hilarious thing about this article is that Bonnie Raitt ended up at Denver Coliseum due to poor weather at Red Rocks (this was written for @denverpost.com before that). What about Paul McCartney, Haim & Lorde? Plus a few more to take a chance on as the snow looms for Denver.

Outdoor concerts to see before the snow flies, including Paul McCartney, Haim, Bonnie Raitt

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Fiddler’s Green and the last open-air concert experiences of 2025

www.denverpost.com

Reposted by John Wenzel

dan sinker @dansinker.com · 13d

Dave Matthews has the opportunity to do the funniest thing.

Alyssa @alyssad.bsky.social · 13d

Hmmm....

US Border Patrol docks along Chicago Harbor Lock as part of immigration blitz

U.S. Border Patrol is making its presence known on Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake without a foreign border.

www.chicagotribune.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 13d

2026 concerts are ALREADY on sale and filling up Denver calendars, so here are a few biggies I've seen so far, from My Chemical Romance (at Coors Field, with The Breeders!), to Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Black Violin and more, for @denverpost.com

2026 Denver concert season taking shape: Cardi B, My Chemical Romance, Ed Sheeran and more

Tickets for some shows at Coors Field, Red Rocks are already on sale.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 14d

Time will tell but I certainly wouldn't be surprised, since he was the genesis of the whole thing.

Reposted by John Wenzel

James Poniewozik @poniewozik.bsky.social · 20d

"America may not be an actual autocracy. But it increasingly seems to be playing one on TV." [giftie]
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/a...

The F.C.C. Threatened to Punish Kimmel ‘the Hard Way.’ ABC Made It Easy.

www.nytimes.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 15d

Susan GREENE, that is

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 15d

I was lucky enough to work in the old-school @denverpost.com newsroom with Virginia and learned a ton from her about writing obits and cracking hilariously dark jokes. This excellent obit from Susan Green reminds me Virginia was also a deeply empathetic and trailblazing journalist. Well worth a read

Elizabeth Hernandez @lizzy-hernandez.bsky.social · 15d

Longtime Denver Post reporter Virginia Culver dies

Longtime Denver Post reporter Virginia Culver dies

For 44 years, Culver covered religion and reported obituaries yet remained intensely private on the matter of her own mortality.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 15d

The metro area's mega-venues (2,000 cap+) sell the most tickets, but artists are increasingly playing multiple dates along the Front Range, so why couldn't you see the same show elsewhere?

Ticket prices matter (and vary from venue to venue), so here's a handy roundup for @denverpost.com

Colorado’s 20 biggest concert venues: Red Rocks, Mission Ballroom, the Fillmore — and a few you may not know

Venues with 2,000-plus capacity include amphitheaters and ballrooms, but also the homes of the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies.

www.denverpost.com

John Wenzel @johnwenzel.bsky.social · 16d

Film commissioner and producer Donald Zuckerman, who headed the Colorado Office of Film, TV & Media -- and was a major force in bringing #Sundance Film Festival to Boulder -- has departed his job, with deputy Arielle Brachfeld stepping in as interim.

More below, for @denverpost.com

Colorado film chief is out despite upcoming Sundance Film Fest

Donald Zuckerman’s departure comes at a transitional time in the Colorado film industry.

www.denverpost.com

Reposted by John Wenzel

Matt Sebastian @mattsebastian.com · 20d

“What we’re seeing is an unprecedented attempt to silence disfavored speech by the government,” said Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth College. “Donald Trump is trying to dictate what Americans can say.”

Trump's moves against the media mirror approaches by authoritarian leaders to silence dissent

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has waged an aggressive campaign against the media unlike any in modern U.S. history, making moves similar to those of authoritarian leaders that...