Raising the Bar

Four years ago, club owner Regas Christou transformed the former Jonas Brothers building at 1037 Broadway into the jungle-themed Serengeti, which then became the Shelter. On Friday, March 28, the space will reopen as Bar Standard, an Art Deco-themed, modern-day speakeasy — think Roaring '20s and '30s with a twist. The club has also expanded next door into the former Alfieri Color Salon space, which has been turned into a lounge where a pianist will play from 5 to 9 p.m. during Friday happy hour.

While the name and look may have changed, the club will still feature a rotating crew of local DJs spinning house music on Fridays, and nationally known house DJs will come in on a monthly basis. But the lineup now includes indie-electric Future Shock Saturdays, when world-famous acts like Steve Aoki, L.A. Riots and Santo Gold will fly in to lay down grooves, and resident DJ MU$A will be at the decks along with local guests. Also new to Club Standard are burlesque dancers, which Veronica Smith, SoCo's marketing director, says will be a fun visual experience, but not too-over-the-top serious. On March 28, DJ Colette headlines the grand opening with some help from local DJs Ivy and Miss Audry. And on Saturday, March 29, the French-Cameroon duo Les Nubians will be in the house, kicking off AfroBlu's AfroPop Fusion Saturdays, when Peju Alawusa and Ashara Ekundayo will bring in local and national Afro-soul and nu-jazz acts on a monthly basis.

In the basement of the building, Milk will continue its regular Wednesday and Saturday goth nights, and Smith says a karaoke room could someday be added in the space next to Milk.

---

Club scout: DJ Bedz just landed yet another gig — at the new One FM/107.1-FM, he'll be turning out daily "quick-mixes" that will run every few hours. He's also in his fifth season of spinning for Nuggets games, and is featured at clubs four nights a week: Mondays at La Bohème (1443 Stout Street), Thursdays at Purple Martini DTC (8000 East Belleview Avenue, Greenwood Village), Fridays at Open Bar (1403 Larimer Street) and Saturdays at the Loft (821 22nd Street).

Speaking of the Loft, the club just fired up its Strawberry Sundays, with DJs Chiefrocka and Sounds Supreme spinning neo-soul, R&B, old school and hip-hop mash-ups. And in its lower level, Sushi Hai (3600 West 32nd Avenue) has opened its Hai Bar, a 3,000-square-foot martini and sushi lounge that sports two tatami rooms and three pool tables.

Le Rouge (1448 Market Street) is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend. The party starts Thursday, March 20, with Scarlet Salon's hair and fashion show; on Friday, March 21, Cool Waves will host another fashion show; and on Saturday, March 22, the first hundred people through the door get a free goodie bag. You can also catch the Soul Residue crew of DJs Devious D, Downunder and Rescue spinning deep, funky house grooves at the club on Tuesdays.

On March 21, DJ Rex Buchanan kicks off his Popocalypse Fridays at Crave (1523 Market Street), where he'll spin mashing pop with underground beats and throw down a mix of dance, electro, rock and hip-hop; VJ Taylor Shockey will be mashing up video, too. Finally, in last week's Bar Back I said that Devo's Jerry Casale would be spinning at Rockbar (3015 East Colfax Avenue) on Monday, March 24 — but I hear he's stuck in Los Angeles. But Brendan Kelly of the Lawrence Arms should be at the tables on Monday, March 31.