Between its sloping silhouette and stunning vistas, Red Rocks Amphitheatre hardly seems to change over the years.
That’s true in some ways. But ever-evolving rules — did you know it was BYOB until 1997? — constant upgrades, and a carousel of new bookings tell another story.
Most of us wouldn’t be expected to know every name on the venue’s 2024 calendar (which begins Saturday, March 30, with a show from Boogie T). Or even half of them. But that’s what keeps Red Rocks relevant. Skyrocketing demand for concerts at the 9,545-capacity outdoor amphitheater has matched a post-pandemic explosion of touring, combining for a record 200 or so concerts this season, March through November.
With a reputation for hosting the biggest names in music, Red Rocks would seem to demand a certain level of fame. But one needn’t “earn” a Red Rocks spot from some imagined arbiter of taste. A band’s draw — and whatever ticket price the market will bear — has in recent years been far more of a factor than dues-paying when it comes to getting a date, as promoter AEG Presents Rocky Mountains (Red Rocks’ main booker) has acknowledged.
Artists make most of their money on the road these days, and finding a Red Rocks-worthy audience does not require broad, mainstream recognition.
That can be true at any large venue that’s hosting acts such as Lizzy McAlpine, Matt Rife, Wallows and Slander — artists you may not have heard of but who command large and fiercely loyal audiences anywhere they play. They’re all headlining Red Rocks in 2024.
The Beatles get ready to leave Denver’s Stapleton Field after their arrival Wednesday afternoon, August 26, 1964. In the rear, from the left, are Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon. The Beatles’ plane arrived at 1:45 p.m., but crowds of sign-waving teenagers were lined up at the gate at East Montview Boulevard and Ulster Street as early as 7 a.m. There were also crowds along the roads leading to Red Rocks. (Photo by Dave Mathias/The Denver Post)
Did The Beatles (in 1964) or U2 (1983) really deserve to be there, years before they became undisputed rock ‘n’ roll royalty? It may seem forgone, but neither of those shows sold out, nor was rock always welcome at Red Rocks; see the 1971 Jethro Tull riot, which kept rock shows from being booked there for the next four years.
Truthfully, the culture of Red Rocks has never been stagnant, despite its long-enshrined spot in Colorado music history. As someone who moved here in 2000, the venue’s character at first seemed defined by John Denver and the Grateful Dead, Colorado Symphony collabs and middle-of-the-road folk-rock. That was projection on my part. Within a few years, I had seen familiar names such as Bob Dylan and B.B. King, but also mind-bending concerts from Radiohead, Bjork, De La Soul, The Flaming Lips, and LCD Soundsystem. The joy and possibilities seemed endless.
Promoters still book the heritage acts, as they’re often called, and they should. Where else would you rather see James Taylor (June 2-3) and Lyle Lovett (July 9), or jam-band legends like Colorado’s own String Cheese Incident (July 12-14)?
But with nearly every available date booked for 2024, and new ones being announced each week, there’s more genre diversity and more niche acts than ever.
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Electronic music, which has dominated the venue in recent years, began tightening its grip at least a decade ago with headliners such as Tiesto and deadmau5. Last year, Red Rocks was named EDM Venue of the Year by EDM Maniac, and it was well deserved, thanks to Colorado’s ever-ascendant import in the bass music genre, as well as playing home to mega-headliner Illenium (May 14) and others. Hip hop, trap and reggae continue to have a foothold on the calendar alongside superstar DJs and producers.
And we can only hope to see more variety, with Spanish-language artists, comedians and other non-traditional acts on future lineups.
Ticketing woes aside, Red Rocks has increasingly become a venue that meets music fans where they’re at, even when the bands seem niche. Whether it matches your memories of going there for the first time, or you’re just now having life-changing experiences and setting expectations for future crowds and traffic, you’re living in a music world in which monoculture has shattered.
All it takes to be a crowd-pleaser at Red Rocks is a pleased crowd.