Red Rocks

This past week, we were able to catch a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado.  Fortunately for us, the bad weather stayed just south of the area, and we had a beautiful evening to sit out and hear the Indigo Girls in concert.  While the music was great, the setting of Red Rocks is what makes any concert there an amazing experience.  I’ve been to quite a few outdoor concerts around the country both on the east and west coast, but Red Rocks is by far the most beautiful outdoor music venue I have ever experienced.  Add to that the  fact, that the natural rocks that border the amphitheater provide almost perfect acoustics, and you have the  recipe for an unforgettable evening.

The amphitheater is set in Morrison,  Colorado in Red Rocks Park at an elevation of 6,450 feet just west of Denver and was built in the 1930s with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The first concert took place in 1941, and many famous bands and artists have appeared there over the years, including The Beatles, U2, Phish, Stevie Ray Vaughn and others.  The amphitheater was built using two natural prominent rock features — Ship Rock and Creation Rock that soar high above the seating area on both sides.  While typically the best seats for concerts are right in front of the stage, the higher rows of Red Rocks provide unique benefits of amazing views of the twinkling lights of Denver down below.

One of the more interesting concerts I saw there was a few years ago, when an ABBA tribute band played.  There were people ranging in age from 12 year olds to 70, some dressed in ABBA outfits — white boots, bell bottoms, and glittery tops.  But no matter the age or outfit, during Dancing Queen, everyone was standing and dancing in the aisles.  Crazy!

I always try to get tickets to at least one concert every summer, and look forward to it for weeks.  Being able to experience live music at Red Rocks is just one more reason to enjoy either living or visiting in Colorado —  it will no doubt be an experience you won’t soon forget.