The Red Rocks Amphitheater is not your ordinary outdoor music venue that most major cities will have. With less than 10,000 seats it’s definitely not the biggest either. But it might, however, be one of the most beautiful places to go see your favorite band play. Nestled right in the middle of an enormous rock structure sits this Amphitheater built into the land like it was put there by mother nature herself. These aren’t what people would normally call “rocks” considering they are bigger than what people in the Midwest consider a “mountain” and they are this cool reddish color that looks so awesome when it gets dark and the lighting crew shines lights on them. Located about 10 miles west of Denver Colorado in a small little town called Morrison, which if you are ever there you have to go to the Morrison Inn and get one of the Chimichanga’s I promise you won’t regret it.
PHOTO: DenverLibrary
The Park didn’t acquire the name Red Rocks until 1928 when George Cranmer, who was the manager of the Denver parks system, the City of Denver to purchase the land from John Brisben Walker for $54,133 which if you look at that in today’s money it is an estimated $737,000. Some of the previous names were “Garden of the Angels” (1870s-1906), and then as “Garden of the Titans” during the Walker years (1906–1928).
PHOTO: wiki
Due to the fantastic acoustics provided by the rocks this particular area has been used as a place for artists to perform for over 100 years. The First documented performance was Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans, put on by famed editor John Brisben Walker in 1906 but it was believed that the Ute Indians had been using that area for long before that. Many believe this to be sacred ground due to all the stories of Indians using the land as well as all of the incredibly talented people that have played there over the last 100 years. It would Literally take books, plural, worth of information to talk about all of the best performances from even the last 50 years let alone 110. But with names like the Beatles, Rush, Fleetwood Mac, U2, and the Dave Matthews Band it’s kinda hard not to at least mention a few of them.
The Beatles 1964
The Beatles at Red Rocks 1964
PHOTO: secondstorygarage
The First documented Rock performance was the Beatles in 1964 which interstingly was the only show that wasnt sold out on the entire tour.
Jethro Tull 1971
PHOTO: TullPress
At a Jethro tull Concert in June of 1971, there was an incident that led to Rock Bands being banned from playing at the venue for 5 years. Basically, it started when over 1000 people showed up to an already sold out and packed show trying to get in even though they didn’t have tickets. Police thought they had the situation under control by making a space for the people outside the venue behind the stage to where they could sort of hear the music but obviously couldn’t see anything. But as the night when on people got antsy and decided they were gonna rush the police line, which for the record that is never a good idea, police were forced to respond with tear gas but due to a wind change the gas blew into the venue causing problems for the spectators and the musicians.
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic 6/27/13 @ redrocks
PHOTO: PanicStream
Widespread panic is a hippy Jam band similar to the like of the grateful dead and they currently hold the record for most sold out shows at Red Rocks with 48 shows
Dave Matthews Band 1995
Dave Matthews Band @ RedRocks. Look at the Firedancers on the wall.
PHOTO: CNN
One more just because it happens to be my personal favorite and that is the Dave Matthews Band. They recorded and filmed the the 2 day show Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95 and then 10 years later with Weekend on the Rocks that was cpmplied over the 4 day show. The DMB is one of those bands that once you hear them live and you feel the energy that band is able to produce is beyond electric.