Top of the Town 2012

Although City Hall is more like an event center of sorts—the three-tiered space with a retractable roof hosts everything from art exhibitions to fashion shows to fitness boot camps—it most frequently transforms into a live show venue and music club. Each floor is guarded by a New Orleans–style wrought-iron railing that allows partygoers to look down at a courtyard of audience members. From reggae to electronica to the best hip-hop acts in town, City Hall has a diverse persona and attracts an equally eclectic crowd—yet it somehow manages to maintain a down-to-earth vibe that reminds its patrons they’re still in Colorado. And we’re impressed with the talent-courting: Just recently, the fired-up crowd welcomed Lupe Fiasco to the stage in front of a packed house. 1144 Broadway, 303-832-8628, coclubs.com/venue