Destination: The Clocktower Cabaret

Location: Denver, Co.

Website: https://www.clocktowercabaret.com/

Accessibility: 3/5

The Clocktower Cabaret is located beneath the historic Daniels and Fisher tower on the 16th street mall in downtown Denver. In operation since 2006, The Clocktower Cabaret offers music, burlesque, comedy, drag, circus, and dance all performed in a fun, intimate, vintage setting. Since 2015, I have attended numerous shows in this unique venue, but how is the accessibility for those who are blind or visually impaired?

Getting to the Clocktower

The Daniels and Fisher tower is easily accessed via ride share, and there are a ton of options for parking close to the venue. Upon entering the lobby of the tower, there are stairs leading down to the reception area for the Clocktower Cabaret. An elevator is also located in the lobby which also drops you off in the reception area for the Cabaret. There are a few stairs that need to be navigated to get to the seating area. The venue is quite dark, as you would expect from a vintage style venue, but I found it easily navigated with my cane. Those with mobility restrictions might find the environment more difficult to navigate, as the tables in the main seating area are close together. The venue offers small tables for two to four people and more cozy booths.

The shows

The Clocktower Cabaret offers something for everyone all presented in a fun vintage format. We have seen a variety of bands; comedy shows and burlesque. The burlesque shows, which the venue is best known for feature comedy, striptease and depending on the night can include juggling, ariel artists or other fun circus type performers. Since this is an intimate venue, there are of course no audio descriptions, so I rely on those who are with me to explain what is going on.  

Something to note is that the venue is quite small and can be loud, especially during the later shows when the guests tend to have had a few drinks. When you first sit down for a burlesque show, on the table you will find some noisemakers. Depending on the show, these can range from the type you blow into to the ones you spin around to make the clicking or buzzing sound. These noisemakers combined with the crowd noise could be overwhelming for those with sensitive ears. On the positive side, the sound system was not overly loud even when seeing a band at the venue. I usually wear earplugs, but my hearing is overly sensitive.

Food and drinks

We often attend later shows at the Clocktower Cabaret, opting for some dessert or one of their great drinks after dinner. However, they do offer a selection of sliders and snack trays to choose from. The drink menu changes often, but I have been there when they offered some cool classic cocktails like the French 75.

Conclusion

The attractions at the Clocktower Cabaret are always changing, check the calendar link on their website for details on this month’s shows. We have found this to be a fun place for date night or for an evening out with friends for some silly sexy fun. There is no full nudity, and though the shows are not accessible for those who are vision impaired, it is still a fun time, and we find ourselves coming back time and time again.