Crystal Valley Blog

Try something new this first week of spring—catch a rock concert sung in a cappella or the stand-up routine of an up-and-coming comedian! Or if you prefer perennial favorites, they are also in town—from Frozen on Ice to the best Abba tribute show to Beethoven’s Fifth…and even the Beatles! With a wide variety of entertainment to choose from, there is always something for the whole family to do in the Crystal Valley vicinity!

TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, March 22

UP-AND-COMING COMIC AJ FINNEY

First time headlining at the Comedy Works, AJ Finney encompasses all that is funny about the psychedelic scene of the sixties, including jam bands and Volkswagens. An eclectic Midwesterner who is stylistically manic and artistically brilliant, Finney’s an eco-friendly, improvisational, sometimes philosophical, patchouli-soaked quipster. His organic approach is refreshing and his poetic stream of consciousness style makes for a colorful and unforgettable comedic experience. 

Finney joined TJ Miller on his Meticulously Ridiculous tour in 2015 after being crowned “Best of the Midwest” winner at Gilda’s LaughFest in Grand Rapids. He has been featured on the FOX television show Laughs, and was one of the 100 performers chosen for Season 8 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. As an effective and engaging storyteller, Finney delivers with a rhythm that quickly pulls you into his world. You’ll laugh until you leave and then later you’ll laugh again!

Comedy Works-South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $14
Phone: 720-274-6800

Thursday-Sunday, March 22-25

H2-OH! PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
That precious thing, water, is captured brilliantly and beautifully in the Mile-High Wildlife Photo Club’s permanent exhibit. A part of the CU South Denver Museum, these winning entries celebrate water in its many forms. From frozen, diamond-like glacier blocks washed ashore a black volcanic beach to stunning sunset colors illuminating a mirrored lake surface, these exquisite photographs capture the beauty and versatility of water and its life-giving properties. ​

CU South Denver, 10035 S. Peoria St., Lone Tree
9:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $8-$12 (Museum Admission)
Phone: 303-315-9444

Friday, March 23

A NEW KIND OF ROCK MUSIC – A CAPPELLA!
Feeling the urge to mix things up this first week of spring? You’re in luck! Parker Arts’ new Uncharted Music Series features artists and bands from off-the-beaten-path. While the music of Face, the Boulder-based a cappella group, has been delighting audiences all over the world for a decade, this kind of music may be new to you!

The band features an energetic performance of rock-based music that you know and love, delivered in complex a cappella vocal arrangements. This internationally renowned group’s excitement about their music is simply infectious: every show gets the crowd up and dancing. Face has competed on the hit NBC series The Sing-Off, and performed over 100 shows last year, as well as opening for legendary performers such as Jon Bon Jovi, Jay Leno, and Manhattan Transfer. Challenge yourself to get out of your routine and explore uncharted territory—and have a great time in the process!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $24-$29
Phone: 303-805-6800

Friday-Saturday, March 23-24

SKETCH-COMEDY MASTER HARLAND WILLIAMS!
It isn’t every stand-up comedian who has also mastered the art of sketch comedy routines! Harland Williams is one of them. If you’ve ever caught one of his outlandish routines or hilarious movie roles, you will undoubtedly remember him. Williams is best known for his scene-stealing roles in films such as Dumb and Dumber, Something About Mary, Half Baked, Rocketman, Sorority Boys, and many more. Or maybe you remember his witty and unpredictable stand-up routines from Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Conan, or his many appearances on HBO and Comedy Central. You won’t want to miss this true master of joke-telling and crowd interaction!

Comedy Works-South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village
7:15 and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $28
Phone: 720-274-6800

Friday-Sunday, March 23-25

FROZEN – ON ICE!

You haven’t experience Frozen, Disney’s Academy Award® winning and number one animated feature film of all time, until you’ve seen it in its natural state—on ice! This production brings the story, songs, and heartwarming family entertainment that you know and love to epic proportions. Producer Nicole Feld says, “While it might seem obvious that Frozen is well suited for the ice, this Disney On Ice production will touch audiences emotionally through innovative show elements and world-class skating”—including set design that rises up from the ice to project the North Mountains!

The complete adventure of the tale will be told live for the first time, as Anna, a girl with an extraordinary heart, embarks on an epic journey to find her sister, the magical Elsa, who is determined to remain secluded until she finally feels free to test the limits of her powers. Audiences will get to sing along with favorite songs such as Let It Go and Do You Want to Build a Snowman? and tangibly experience the storm inside Elsa.  Elsa’s magic will be enhanced by state-of-the art special effects while her emotions will be conveyed through powerful skating. You will want to share this magical performance with your entire family for an experience that no one will forget! 

Broadmoor World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd., Colorado Springs             
Fri.-Sun., 7:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun. 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $22-$70
Phone: 719-520-SHOW

Saturday, March 24

HIGHLANDS RANCH SPRING BAZAAR
Not only is spring in the air…it’s in the neighborhood! One of the area’s most popular shows, the Highlands Ranch Spring Bazaar comes to town this weekend for its 20^th year! This fabulous marketplace features over 125 commercial and hand-crafters’ displays, where you can browse and purchase unique and high-quality products including photography, original art, sculpture, ceramics, specialty food, precious jewelry and gems and much more. You will be inspired and delighted at the all the ways you can spruce up your home this spring by adding a creative flair! Everything is priced to sell, and to top it off, admission is FREE, so bring the entire family!

Eastridge Rec Center, 9568 University Blvd., Highlands Ranch 
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-791-2500

ABBAMANIA  – THE BEST ABBA TRIBUTE BAND!
If you are one of the many Abba fans who yearns for a chance to see the real band in concert, this is as close as it gets! A reviewer from the Chronicle Journal raved in an open letter to Bjorn and Benny, “You don’t even have to get together with your ex-wives and record with them or tour with them. Let Abbamania play for you! They are that good!” In fact, they are the only Abba production to have performed twice for the cast of Mama Mia. Hear the hits—from Waterloo and S.O.S. to Dancing Queen—live and on stage!

Hailing from Toronto, Canada’s Abbamania is a 12-piece group complete with background vocals. They are accompanied by members of the London Ontario Symphony Orchestra that travel with the show. Their authentic costumes, vocal collaboration and stage performance exude an extraordinary re-creation of the magic and excitement of Abba. You won’t want to miss this historic passing of the torch as Abbamania brings the legendary songs to life for a new generation!

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $39-$44
Phone: 303-805-6800

Saturday-Sunday, March 24-25

A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN

The iconic first four notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony are among the most famous in the history of music, yet at the time they were first performed, they were revolutionary. Never before had the rhythm rather than the melody been emphasized in a symphonic movement, and these now-clichéd notes moved classical music in an entirely new direction. Such an original symphonic structure did not come easily, especially to a composer who lacked the ever-ready melodic genius of a Mozart, Bach or Haydn. The Fifth Symphony took Beethoven four years to complete.

Coupled with a mesmerizing performance by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, this evening with the famous symphony also includes a discussion of the work by conductor Thomas Wilson, exploring questions such as what inspired its deceptively simple opening bars, and how did Beethoven devise such a thrilling climax that compels the listener on and on toward the infinite?

Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS, Shockley-Zalabak Theater, 5225 N Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs
Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$77
Phone: 719-520-SHOW

Sunday, March 25

CELTIC EXTRAVAGANZA WITH ROCKY MOUNTAIN BRASSWORKS!

St. Patrick’s Day may have come and gone, but the Rocky Mountain Brassworks are here to stay! The Brassworks has been playing fantastic Celtic concerts in the Denver area for several years and continues this tradition with a new concert featuring the Happy Feet Scottish Dance Academy, Celtic Steps Irish Dance School, El Jebel Pipers, and much more. This festive and lively evening of music and dance evokes memories of the Albion Isles and other Celtic areas of tradition. Don’t miss this wonderful concert of Irish, English and Welsh music.

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $22.50
Phone: 303-805-6800

Monday, March 26

LET IT BE – THE BEATLES IN CONCERT!
An event worth extending the weekend for—an imagined reunion concert of The Beatles! Let It Be takes you back in time to what would have been John Lennon’s 40th birthday, October 9, 1980, and allows the fab four to come together again on stage after a decade apart, performing hits like Live and Let Die, Hey Jude, Woman and many more. The show is an international sensation that has been seen and loved by more than two million people and includes more than 40 of The Beatles’ greatest hits. It’s a surreal evening of a night that never happened—but is happening now!

The Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs          
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $45-$80
Phone: 719-520-SHOW

Crystal Valley: The Place to Live Castle Rock!
It’s a good time to have a good time in the Crystal Valley area, with a wide variety of events the family will love! You will find many things to do nearby, shopping, entertainment, classes and more. Stop by if you are in the neighborhood and visit the beautiful new models offered by D.R. Horton, Kauffman Homes, and Richmond American Homes. Crystal Valley homes are available in ranch and two-story models and priced from the high $300s.