The Dove Underground Kept Its Room and Rebuilt the Week Around It

Walk down the stairs at 7401 E. 1st Ave. and the room looks familiar. The seat count is still 300 and the stage is where it was. The basement that once booked B.B. King, the Avett Brothers and Big Head Todd & The Monsters is laid out almost exactly as it was under the Soiled Dove Underground name.

The building above it has changed. Jackie Glenn bought the former Tavern Lowry property and reopened it this year in two parts. Downstairs is The Dove Underground. Upstairs is Rising Phoenix, a chef-led American restaurant and sports bar with a full bar. Downstairs still opens for ticketed shows. Upstairs keeps hours six days a week, with karaoke, bingo and brunch on a fixed schedule.

The Renovation Went Into Sound

Lowry United Neighborhoods reported that the downstairs layout stayed put. The one physical change is a new backstage restroom for musicians. According to Westword's preview of the reopening, the rest of the work went into things the audience hears and touches:

• A new sound system from Listen Up
• A new lighting setup
• New upholstery
• A restroom off the green room

Glenn has a performer's reason to leave the room alone. "The Dove Underground has always held a special place in my heart because I performed here long before I ever imagined owning it," she said in a statement quoted by Westword. In the same statement she said the project "has never been about reopening a venue," and that neighbors "weren't just missing the music; they were missing the experience."

The grand opening on August 15 brought back a familiar headliner, Hazel Miller & the Collective. Two music previews ran before it. Rising Phoenix held its own grand opening the same day, after several weeks of soft opening that began in June.

Upstairs Runs on a Weekly Clock

The restaurant brought the building its regular schedule. Daniel "Chef D" Young runs the kitchen. He is a longtime Denver chef who opened Sunset Loop Bar & Grill at Denver International Airport in 2023. "I really wanted to do something publicly to re-engage with my customer base," he told Westword in August.

Here is the week as the restaurant's own site and Westword's August review describe it:

Two items need a quick check before you go. Westword's hours did not include Monday. The homepage features Sunday brunch, while the FAQ describes live music at both Saturday and Sunday brunch. The site also mentions a trivia night without giving a regular day.

The pizzas carry aviation names. The B-52 ($14) uses whole slices of kielbasa where pepperoni would usually go, and the Howard Hughes ($14) pairs meatballs and roasted peppers with an olive tapenade. The sandwiches are named after artists. Westword's review singled out the Stevie Nicks, a turkey club with avocado and bacon, and the Phoenix Chips & Dip ($7.50), house-made chips with Cajun seasoning.

The schedule upstairs changes how the downstairs works. Rising Phoenix promotes the 300-seat room for music, comedy and major sporting events. So the stage can serve as an extension of dinner, and dinner can lead into a show you didn't plan around weeks ahead.

Who Picks What Plays Downstairs

The bookers make it clear the room won't stick to its old lineup. Talent buyers Jesse Wehling and Patricia Duncan book the music, with local, regional and national touring acts. Comedian Terri Barton Gregg books the comedy. General manager Joseph Augusto told Westword the plan covers all genres, including comedy, karaoke and poetry.

The November calendar shows that mix: cover sets, a tribute night, an orchestra and a comedy headliner, all within four weeks.

On the Calendar Through the First Week of December

As of late October, the official Dove Underground calendar lists these shows:

Lies or Lullabies opens the month with a set of Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp songs. General admission was listed at $25 plus a $2.37 fee. The Holiday Affair on the Saturday after Thanksgiving starts an hour later than the other shows, which leaves time for a full dinner upstairs first. Only one December date is posted so far, and more shows may be added. Check the calendar before you make plans.

The Same Weeks Elsewhere in Lowry

The Dove's busiest weekends fall on the same dates as other Lowry calendars, so you can plan a full evening around them.

On Saturday, Nov. 14, Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum has an aircraft-and-food community event on its calendar, and that night Ben Roy headlines downstairs at the Dove. On Saturday, Nov. 21, the museum lists aircraft access, an aviation merit-badge program and stargazing, and DaeDai takes the Dove stage at 7 p.m. The museum's November calendar also lists a Food Bank of the Rockies drive on Nov. 1, an after-hours arts-and-culture night on Nov. 7 and a closure on Nov. 8.

The first week of November has a full set of weeknights. Denver Beer Co.'s Lowry taproom at 7070 E. Lowry Blvd. hosts Lowry Bingo Tunes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Geeks Who Drink trivia on Wednesday, Nov. 4. That Wednesday is also karaoke night at Rising Phoenix, and Thursday brings music bingo there at 9 p.m.

Go back far enough and Lowry's evenings depended on whichever shows were booked at the Soiled Dove Underground. Now a weekly schedule upstairs keeps the building open whether or not there's a show. The 300 seats downstairs fill on the nights the bookers choose, and on the other nights, Lowry has a karaoke mic, a bingo card or a $14 B-52 pizza upstairs.

If you catch Soul School on Nov. 28 or the Allman Brothers tribute on Dec. 4, Trish & Maggie Team would love to hear how the newly reopened room sounded. Let's Connect.