A wet spring is springing up mushrooms

It has been a wet, wet, wet spring here in Denver. I moved here in 2017 and I have not experienced such a verdant spring since arriving. As such, I’ve already been getting more than my fair share of mushroom inquiries. Recently, I’ve answered questions from a concerned dog owner who passed along pictures of a Stropharia mushroom, and some primordial birds nest fungi, growing in the wet mulch of a local dog run. Apart from telling him to pick and toss the mushrooms and enjoy the birds nest fungi, there’s not much else that can be done other than monitor what your four-legged furry child sticks in its mouth.

But this got me thinking, what have people been seeing in this wet, wet, wet spring? To nd out, humorous and incisive approach beautifully. On display at MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. in Denver, through Sunday, Sept. 10, the show is focused on Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of teaching. Using a range of mediums, including video, performance, sculpture, photography and installation, the work “challenges and expands the boundaries of aesthetic and conceptual expectations for Native artmaking to reclaim and rewrite their de nitions,” according to provided information.

Visit https://mcadenver.org/exhibitions/anna-tsouhlarakis for all you need to know.

Pick your fighter — ‘Barbie’ or ‘Oppenheimer’

If you’re not keeping up with the lm community, you may not be aware that the weekend of July 21 is the biggest weekend of the year in 2023 — it’s the release day for Greta Gerwig’s“Barbie”and Christopher Nolan’s“Oppenheimer”. It’s been built up as a kind of clash of the titans or cinephile’s Christmas, depending on who you ask, but either way, we’re getting two of the year’s most anticipated lms on the same day.

So, which will you see? And if you do a double feature, what is the proper or-

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Guest Column

Andrew Wilson

I decided to jump onto iNaturalist and see what others around Denver have put on the app since June 1. In the rst 12 days of June in Denver County, there was a total of 103 mushroom observations on iNaturalist, representing 42 species. Several observations of the beautiful — but potentially poisonous — Chlorophyllum were made. ere’s also the beautiful Lepiota lilacia that has been surfacing in mulch and yards. en there’s the fun, but adult rated, Phallus hadriani. ese are fun because they often start o as rubbery eggs. I get a kick from the startled gardeners believing aliens have laid o spring in their mulch beds. When they come out of their shells, these impudent alien forms de nitely don’t conform to polite societal standards.

What sort of surprises me are the lack of Agaricus barnardii observations on iNaturalist. It’s surprising because they’re so abundant in Denver’s parks that they’re almost a weed. However, they’re easy to identify because they look like a fat portobella mushroom, but smell kind of like the ocean. Another species that people didn’t put on iNaturalist in early is Coprinellus micaceous. is is truly a weedy mushroom species because when it’s wet, you always see it fruiting in large “inky” bouquets at the base of trees and tree stumps. One of our most common wood eaters, it is mushrooms like this that return stumps back to the soil.

As a mycologist, this is a fun time of year to help people explore their mushroom curiosities. ere’s a ton of diversity out there, and each one of the species mentioned above can be found around Denver and the Denver Botanic Gardens. For those who are truly enthusiastic, the best way to gain experience in mushroom identi cation is to join your local mushroom club. Check out the Colorado Mycological Society. ey have monthly meetings at the Denver Botanic Gardens and you can go there to meet with other mushroom enthusiasts who are happy to share their knowledge. Better yet, join the society and go on a local mushroom foray. der? Do you start your experience with the neon-pink fun and satire of “Barbie,” or the mind-blowing visuals of “Oppenheimer”? ere’s no right answer, but I hope to see plenty of discussion about both options and the lms. So, head over to your local theater and I’ll see you at the movies.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Je Tweedy at the Boulder Theater newspaper.

If you’ve followed the great Chicago band Wilco over the years, then not only have you been treated to a lot of great music, but you’ve been able to witness frontman Je Tweedy’s journey from enigmatic songwriter to beloved cultural gure. He’s made his own music, written three books and even acted a few times. No matter what he’s doing, I always nd his work rewarding and worth the time.

All this makes it incredibly thrilling to have one of indie rock’s leading gures out and about on his own, and Tweedy will be performing at the Boulder eater, 2032 14th St. in Boulder, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 21. is tour is being billed as intimate performances and with opener Le Ren on hand, this is bound to be a special evening. Secure tickets at www.ticketmaster. com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

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BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

They proudly call themselves the B.O.B. from the 303, bringing the Big Easy up to high altitudes with their soul-gripping blend of music stylings with New Orleans jazz.

Known for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings is the French Quarter. e French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans, and jazz is its heartbeat.

Breathing life into Bourbon Street are the sounds of brass instruments and drums continuously owing out of numerous jazz clubs. With just a trumpet, clarinet, berry sax, alto sax, trombone, snare, bass drum and tuba, the Brothers of Brass are bringing that one and only soulful heartbeat to Colorado.

“It’s a cultural tradition that most of the country doesn’t have,” said Armando Lopez, a member of the Brothers of Brass.

e group’s repertoire is a simmering mix of slow and angsty tunes and fast-paced tempos with a kick of familiar melodies. e Brothers of Brass blend of other genres like R&B, hip hop and psychedelic jam rock into each set.

A day after a tornado hit Highlands Ranch in late June, the Brothers of Brass dished out a much-needed evening of fun for the community. Soon, everyone went from clapping to full-out dancing, allowing concertgoers a chance to relax.

“It was nice to see so many kids, like, actually getting up out of their seats and the older people getting up and dancing and enjoying the music,” said Khalil Simon, who is originally from New Orleans. “It’s not so often that we get to play like New Orleans brass music for a crowd like this and appreciate it, that’s pretty unique.”

Not only did the band members interact with one another on stage throughout the night, they got the crowd involved by singing along and repeating after them. Although it was an outdoor concert, there was no excuse for the crowd not being loud enough.

Among some crowd favorites were “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr., and “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. And of course, they couldn’t call themselves a brass band without playing the beloved spiritual hymn “When the Saints Go Marching In.” e strong, powerful notes of brass instruments and the beautiful harmo-

In true New Orleans fashion, each band member was called out to do a solo, each one emoting a di erent feeling.

As the music continued and the sun began to set, the crowd let the good times roll as more children and adults came to the front of the stage, dancing as if it were Mardi Gras.

Just when the sun went behind the buildings, the Brothers of Brass were kind enough to strap on their instruments for an encore, playing “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.