Local Lists: Dan Kaufman
Dan Kaufman, bleeding
Is Dan Kaufman the most intriguing person in Denver? That’s for me to know and for you to find out.
Although Dan Kaufman is a fancy-pants tenured professor in the Philosophy Department at CU-Boulder, he makes his home in the Baker neighborhood in Denver. Why? Because he likes Denver, and the thought of living in Boulder makes him want to eat the barrel of a gun.
Westword once called Dan Kaufman “the musical equivalent of Colonel Kurtz” and he thinks that is pretty sweet.
But mostly, he is just Dan Kaufman, that [insert appropriate adjective here] boy at the bar.
[Side note: Once I mentioned to him that I was going to go watch Blue Velvet on the big screen and he left me this voice message, which pretty much rules.]
Name: Dan Kaufman
Occupation: Professor, CU-Boulder and Founder/CEO of kaufmania2525 analog
Favorite restaurant in Denver: Tie: Queen of Sheba and Rioja
Favorite watering holes in Denver: Hi-Dive, Sputnik, Sputnik, Hi-Dive
Favorite overall place in Denver: Tie: Baker Neighborhood and Lake Steam Baths
Best new trend in Denver: More bike lanes
Go-to drink in a bar: “Man’s Wine” and some fizzy water with bitters
Go-to karaoke song: “In the Year 2525” by Zager and Evans
Favorite US city that is not Denver: NYC
New, proposed slogan for Denver: Denver: John Elway chose us over Baltimore!
The now-closed restaurant/bar/business in Denver that you miss the most: Rainbow Music Hall.
Best event in Denver: At one time, I would have said the UMS, but it may have gotten too big for its britches. Time will tell. It is still pretty fun.
Now, I would say the ‘Baker Bonanza!’ Tons of people in the neighborhood have yard sales on the same day, and there are always cool things to buy and you run into people you haven’t seen in forever. And there is always daytime drinking involved.
Favorite season in Denver and why: Every season other than summer. Too hot, too sunny.
Worst new trend in Denver: Ridiculous facial hair.
Fondest Denver memory: Echo and the Bunnymen with Billy Bragg at the Rainbow Music Hall, Summer 1985. The ‘Ocean Rain’ tour. No one knew who Billy Bragg was, but he walked around the parking lot during the day with an amp and guitar, singing songs. The next day, Dan Kapelovitz and I went to Wax Trax and bought “Life’s a Riot with Spy vs. Spy”.
What’s missing in Denver? More off-leash dog parks. A train from Denver to Boulder.
A friend has three hours to kill in D-Town, what should they do? Stop 1: Wax Trax. Stop 2: Everything on South Broadway except Punch Bowl. Seriously, my friend, do not go to Punch Bowl! Listen, man, you only have 3 hours! Don’t mess around with that shit. Ok?
That voicemail was so full of douche. I’m always puzzled how easily women fall for that type of garbage. It’s a hobby for guys like that, to sit around thinking up crap that will spread girls legs. That was the only motivation for that message. If not yours, then one of your friends that he knows you would tell about it. I’m surprised you didn’t include a blurb about how intrigued he was by the late night shadows on the bedroom wall- that’s another classic ploy.
Hahaha, he was actually quoting the movie Blue Velvet.
wow.
yeah, ‘bo ludo’. that was laura dern’s ‘monologue’ in the car in front of the church in BLUE VELVET.
just curious: what is it like having really strong opinions about stuff you know nothing about? does it feel weird?