Remember the Casino Ballroom
We had the Rainbow Ballroom, Mammoth Gardens and the Rossonian here in Denver, but who remembers the Casino?
Today the venue continues to present music in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood as the “Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom”, but it began life first as the “Casino Ballroom” sharing the premises with the “Ex-Serviceman’s Club” on 2635 Welton Street.
Denver’s black newspaper the “Colorado Statesman” ran promotional pieces for the Casino musical appearances as well the Rainbow Ballroom up on 5th Avenue & Broadway.
The Casino was located right across the street from the famous Rossonian.
The Casino Musical Timeline & Casino Events
In the early days of the Casino, many local bands were featured at dances, and many community organizations made the Casino their base of operations for special events.
Like the Rainbow Ballroom, the Casino also featured many boxing matches.
In the 1950’s, the Casino would also begin hosting a hotel.
Around 1940, the Casino would apparently close for a time before reopening as “Swing-Land” with manager Hazel Waterman. I don’t think that the venue lasted long as “Swing-Land” Then, in 1948 the venue would re-open again as the “Casino”.
December 7th, 1933 – Curtis Mosby Orchestra
April 16th, 1934 – Weird Music Tantalized
June 6th thru 8th, 1934 – Community Fair & Dance
September 14th, 1934 – May Brady & Her All Girls Band (Denver band)
September 29th, 1934 – Leo Davis Orchestra (Denver band)
April 20th, 1935 – Bennie Moton Orchestra
Bennie passed away on April 2nd of 1935 tragically at age 41 when he had a tonsillectomy which failed and caused his death. The band continued performing.
May 6th, 1935 – Daughter Elks Gigham Dress Dance – Booker Christian Orchestra (Denver band)
September 16th, 1935 – May Brady and Her All Girl Band
September 30th, 1935 – Hit Talton Orchestra (Denver band)
October 21st, 1935 – Leo Davis Orchestra (Denver band)
November 21st, 1935 – Leo Davis Orchestra
December 23rd, 1935 – Tiger Clan of Delphians Dance
November 16th, 1936 – Harlem Play Girls
December 3rd, 1936 – Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra
December 21st, 1936 – Clique’s Women’s Club – Dance Party
January 11th, 1937 – Nat Towles Orchestra
February 11th, 1937 – Hi Talton Orchestra
May 8th, 1937 – Earl Father Hines Orchestra
May 24th, 1937 – Floyd Ray Orchestra
June 14th, 1937 – Joan Lunceford Chic Band
August 9th, 1937 – Eli Rice Band (Denver band)
September 4th, 1937 – Ernie Fields Orchestra with Hortence Aikens
October 4th, 1937 – Bill Jones Orchestra
October 11th, 1937 – Ernie Fields Orchestra
October 25th, 1937 – Floyd Ray Orchestra
November 11th, 1937 – American Legion Armistice Dance
November 13th, 1937 – Negro Women’s Club Dance
December 6th, 1937 – Lloyd Hunter Orchestra
April 2nd, 1938 – Easter Sunday Dance – Kenny “Stick’s McVey Orchestra” (Denver band)
April 4th, 1938 – Music Battle – Hi Talton Band vs. the Swingin Swankies
April 11th, 1938 – Anna Mae Winburn & Cotton Club Boys
April 28th, 1938 – Charity Ball – Hi Talton & His Rhythm Generators
November 18th, 1938 – First Annual Cooking School
January 22nd, 1939 – Kenneth Sticks McVey Orchestra
September 29th, 1939 – Death of Basie?
September 30th, 1939 – Count Basie Orchestra
December 25th, 1940 – Verecylee Norvell
January 16th, 1941 – “Swing-Land” Grand Opening – “Sticks” McVey Orchestra
January 17th, 1941 – Swing-Land Ad
April 5th, 1947 – The Casino Changes Hands
October 1st, 1948 – Casino Grand Re-Opening – Tennessee Slim & His House Fillers
October 21st, 1948 – Lil Green with Clarence Samuels Orchestra
December 8th, 1948 – Ruth Harris
December 11th, 1948 – Miss Tiny Princess Pepper Blues
December 27th -31st, 1948 – Ernie Fields Orchestra with Kit and Kat
January 5th, 1949 – Jack McVea Band
February 17th, 1949 – Joe Turner Orchestra
March 2nd, 1949 – Dennis Myles Texas Hop Revue with Miss Shirley Green – Shelley Rhym Trio – Heel and the Dance Team – The Texanettes – Charlie Sanburn
March 5th, 1949 – International Sweethearts of Rhythm
April 9th, 1949 – Charlie Ventura Orchestra
April 30th, 1949 – Sonny Thompson Band
June 13th, 1949 – Mother’s Council of Glenarm Benefit – Art Brunson Orchestra
February 3rd, 1950 – March of Dimes Dance
April 20th, 1950 – Spring Subscription Dance
July 31st, 1950 – Arthur Tidmore’s Orchestra
Most likely a Denver area band
August 7th, 1950 – Paul Motley’s Revue – Bishop Hunter Jr.
October 28th, 1950 – Real Democracy Test Dance (1950)
December 4th, 1950 – The Daughters of ISIS Talent Show
July 9th, 1951 – Count Basie Orchestra
June 19th, 1951 – Horace Henderson Orchestra
June 28th, 1951 – Shriner’s Charity Sport Dance – Art Bronson Orchestra (Local band)
July 4th, 1949 – Huckle Buck Dance – Dottie Carlson – Charlie Sanborn Orchestra
February 13th, 1952 – Amos Milburn
March 31st, 1952 – Art Bronson Orchestra – Morevene
October 29th, 1952 – East Denver Republican Rally
October 30th, 1952 – Democratic Rally
November 27th, 1952 – The Bronze Daughters of America Dance
December 1st, 1952 – Joe Liggins & His Honey Drippers
December 25th, 1952 – Casino Christmas Show – Rusty Roland, Baby Ruth and the Charlie Sandborn Band
December 31st, 1952 – Art Bronson’s Orchestra (Denver band)
February 9th, 1953 – The Bobby Lopez Revue
Lopez was a one-time member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers
April 16th, 1953 – Chubby Jackson
April 30th, 1953 – King Perry and His Big “Little” Band – with Trarey O’Neal – Dell St. John
May 17th, 1953 – Jimmy Hodges Orchestra
June 7th, 1953 – The Harlem Parade Revue – Gene Stanley and His House Rocking Band
July 8th, 1953 – Eddie Boyd – The Clovers
August 16th, 1953 – Preston Love Orchestra
September 1st, 1953 – Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers
September 23rd, 1953 – The Fats Domino Orchestra
December 16th, 1953 – B.B. King with the Bill Harvey Orchestra
February 13th, 1954 – Queen Night
February 15th, 1954 – Elks Valentine Gala
April 14th, 1954 – “Big” Joe Turner – Smiley Lewis
May 7th, 1954 – The Orioles
July 22nd, 1955 – Sweetheart Ball
December 24th, 1955 – Paul Motley’s Children’s Christmas Show
March 18th, 1956 – Marvin and Johnny with the Marvin Phillips Orchestra
December 24th, 1956 – East Denver Improvement League Christmas Party
May 16th, 1958 – Mad Hatters Ball
October 11th, 1960 – James Brown and His Famous Flames with J.C. Davis Orchestra
December 14th, 1962 – Bill of Rights Day Dance
July 28th, 1963 – Civil Rights March Sponsorship Refuted
December 23rd, 1967 – E. R. Dorsey Memorial Children’s Christmas Party
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