Music Lover? Why Red Rocks should Be on Your Bucket List.

1983. Sunday Bloody Sunday. You could forgive this naive private school teen for initially feeling guilty for liking it. I thought it was punk, you know, bloody Sundays.

Learning that U2 was Christian and the song referred to an incident in Irish history reversed my guilt, and made me an unashamed U2 fan.

Shortly after discovering War, and devouring their back catalog of Boy and October, Under a Blood Red Sky was released. I bought the LP and the VHS.

Even on the small screen, the show was magical. And what was this mystical place they were playing at, with monolithic red rocks and medieval torches? A place called Red Rocks? There was no internet then. Aside from a mention of Colorado in the credits of the film, I knew nothing of this place.

Fast forward to 2022 and I was planning a road trip through Colorado. Here was Red Rocks in my guide book. You could actually visit it. For free. Yes the concert venue is open to the public when there is no event happening and it is situated in a park on a hillside just outside of Denver.

My plan was to visit. A bit of a pilgrimage. When an email from a band I follow (the National) had the subject line Red Rocks I thought “what are the odds?” Well, almost like it was meant to be, the odds were amazing. They would be playing there the same time we would be passing through the Denver area.

If you are a music lover, I cannot encourage you enough to try to see a band you like at this venue.

The Sound is Stellar

Red Rocks is a natural amphitheater with perfect acoustics. Having been to well over a hundred concerts, a number of them outdoors, I can say that the sound was like no other I have experienced. Clear, with the natural reverb of a concert hall.

It makes sense that many bands, not just U2 have chosen to record live shows here. There is not much else I can say, other than if good sound matters to you like it does to me (audio major in college), you need to see a show here.

I’ve stayed on their mailing list because I hope to see another show here someday. Actually, if I’m totally honest, I would love to play here some day. Guess I need a band first though.

The View is Stellar

Waiting for the show to start the people watching is always interesting. You don’t need to go to Colorado for that.

Perched on a hillside looking over what seems like a valley (albeit at 5000 ft. above sea level), the Denver skyline is in the distance. Located at over 6400 ft. in elevation, there are views in multiple directions.

Aside from the distant view, the venue and the park surrounding it have these amazing red rocks pushing out of the ground at an angle that are unlike anything I have ever seen.

We were lucky, it was a beautiful sunny September evening. My understanding is that wind and rain is not uncommon so your views may vary.

We were lucky in another way. I believe this was a blood supermoon. As it rose from the horizon line, for a brief moment I thought a mushroom cloud was rising from the Denver skyline.

The pictures don’t do it justice. It was massive.

It’s Not Just a Show, It’s an Experience

I’m the kind of person who likes to get to a show early, stake their spot near stage left, and hold my ground so I have a great view of the band I am there to see. Because if I am not in the front, someone 6 foot tall will inevitably stand in front of me.

We had reserved seats so not an issue with this particular show, so we were free to roam around. In a plaza area at the top of the seating area were food stands, merch, and even some restaurants (you may want a reservation if you want to dine onsite).

Under the venue was a small museum and visitor center. Exhibits described the history of the area, the geology of the park, and included many photos of past performers. This was a wonderful way to spend some time that kept us out of our seat until showtime.

There are trails around the park, so consider coming a few hours early, snagging a great parking spot and exploring the area.

There is Parking!