Mercury Café Offers Promise of Eclectic Adventures

There are many reasons that bring one happily to the eclectic Mercury Café. Thursday and Sunday, there’s the tantalizing desire to fluidly swirl about a room to live jazz and swing; Tuesdays, it is the chill free style of blues which beckons; and sometimes the intense tango or artful belly dancing could strike one’s fancy on respective Fridays and Mondays. All of this for $10 a night or less. But if dancing is not your preferred flavor of the evening, Wednesday offers a daring chance to take the stage and perform comic acts, musical scores, and even parade those latent magician’s arts—that is if you are not already engaged with the other acts. And that’s only the upper floor. Downstairs you will find live music to jam to, beat poetry—whether your own or a professional’s—on Friday and Sunday, and documentary screenings and discussions on Thursday.

The Mercury has one of the largest dance communities in Denver, but their following is based around much more than their varied grooves and moves. The Café itself is a place of curious and intellectual appeal. Along with their delicious menu of local and organically sources foods—catering even to the gluten free, vegetarians, and vegans among us—tarot readers offer their services daily, free books are provided for that afternoon of coffee and desert, and a fantastic dessert menu of scrumptious cakes and delicate cookies can assuage even the strongest craving.

On Mardi Gras, a Blues Night Tuesday, was no exception to the lively ambiance you can appreciate about the Merc, as it is known to its following. The upstairs dance floor was decorated to the teeth with Valentine’s hearts and ornaments, to complement their standard fairy lights, in preparation for the upcoming Valentine’s weekend. The live band played soulful funk and jazz while couples and singles traversed the smooth wood floor in the style of Blues. There are dancers of every level from first timers to seasoned connoisseurs of the art form and no matter your level, there is always something new to learn in the $5 intermediate and beginner lessons that are taught just before the dance floor opens at 9. It is great to go to the Merc with a date or with friends because there an open dance floor means an open dance floor. Complete strangers ask each other for a dance and may strike up conversation between jazzy choruses or say nothing past a first name. The Merc is a wonderful place for meeting new people or just working on your own dancing skills.

When you finally depart from the Mercury, leaving the cheery echoes of jazz and merriment behind, you are looking forward to the next night of adventure!