Red Rocks Amphitheatre Information
About Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is located at Red Rocks Park, 17598 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, Colorado. It is 15 miles southwest of the city of Denver, CO, which owns and operates the venue. Nearby, the towns of Morrison, CO, and Golden, CO, offer dining, hotels, and local amenities. For a livelier visit and more activities, many choose to stay in Denver itself. For nature lovers and those looking for a bargain, this area of Colorado also offers many stunning campsites.
With a long history of hosting world-renowned acts, Red Rocks continues to attract the biggest performers to Colorado. You’ll find rock concerts, pop music, symphony acts — and everything in between. For any music fan, seeing your favorite band at a Red Rocks concert is truly an unforgettable experience.
The Red Rocks, is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure near Morrison Colorado. You can find it 10 miles west of Denver and will recognize the large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage and the huge vertical rock angled downwards from stage right. This distinctive design plays to the acoustics giving it a unique sound experience you’ll never experience anywhere else, with a capacity for about 9,525 guests.
The venue began life around 1927 when Denver purchased the area of Red Rocks for construction of the venue. Construction was delayed until it began in 1936. Then, five years later, it was opened to the public in June, 1941. Over the years that followed, it hosted many excellent shows and legendary performances, including being used for recordings for film and television. And eventually the Colorado Music Hall of Fame opened in the Trading Post at Red Rocks. The amphitheatre has hosted some of the biggest tours including the likes of U2, Fleetwood Mac, The Dave Matthews Band and Moody Blues.
Location
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an outdoor music venue located in Morrison, Colorado. The amphitheatre can seat over 9,000 roaring music fans and offers a unique setting, with huge Red Rocks rising from the ground and towering over the seating areas. The Colorado countryside can be seen for the stands and on a clear night the sky millions of stars can be seen.
Geologically, the rocks surrounding the Amphitheatre are representative of the Fountain Formation. Originally the place was known as the “Garden of the Angels” (1870s-1906), and then as “Garden of the Titans” during the Walker years (1906–1928). The park, however, had always been known by the folk name of “Red Rocks”, which became its formal name when Denver acquired it in 1928. Make sure you keep checking back for regular updates as tours are announced throughout the year.
History
The history of Red Rocks Amphitheatre technically goes back millions of years, when its two large red rock formations were formed. The area may have been inhabited by indigenous groups before an army expedition discovered it in the early 19th century.
Red Rocks gained popularity during the Colorado Gold Rush in the 1850s. Over the years, it has had several names, including Garden of the Angels and Garden of the Titans.
The city of Denver purchased it in 1927 and renamed it Red Rocks.
It was the early twentieth century, when John Brisben Walker had a vision of artists performing on a stage nestled in the acoustic surroundings of the famous Red Rocks. So he produced several concerts between 1906-1910 in temporary platforms. These early shows gave the region a reputation as an entertainment venue, despite its humble origins.
In the 1930s, city planners began designing the location as an entertainment destination. Construction began on the Red Rocks amphitheatre in 1936. Red Rocks Amphitheatre was completed in 1941.
Since then, it has become known as a world-class, award-winning outdoor music venue. It has hosted some of music’s most legendary acts, including:
The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Blues Brothers, The Grateful Dead, U2, Rush, Cher, Depeche Mode… and many more. Recent renovations have improved the stage roof and updated some of the staging equipment, allowing Red Rocks to continue to attract the biggest acts each year.
It has also hosted some exceptional events including virtual shows that were streamed live despite COVID-19 related closures in September of 2020. It also featured drive-in movies for mainstream films and the famous Denver Film Festival’s red carpet movies.
And in 2021, Red Rocks Amphitheater was named the top-gross and most-attended concert venue of any size, anywhere in the world. Which may have brought South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone to hold a live concert alongside rock bands Primus, Ween, and Rush at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, commemorating South Park’s 25th anniversary.
What’s It Like At The Amphitheater
But what is it like being a guest at this venue? To start, Red Rocks Amphitheater has been world-famous for the exceptional and scenic views that could only have come after countless years of natural design. The red rocks surrounding the stage makes for a stunning view that is both majestic and humbling.
But it isn’t just a pretty view. Because the Red Rocks also helps accentuate the sound acoustics making most sounds from visiting bands pop a little bit more. Though the venue’s high elevation and winds can affect sounds, so guests on the lawn are encouraged to show up early to walk around and find spots that meet your needs. Especially for events where you can get up to the front right before the stage.
The general vibe is fun-loving and energetic, as most guests will have to walk up a path to get to the show. And so most guests will be loosened up and relaxed after getting a good solid walk to the show. And that looseness makes for a relaxed and warm vibe that makes Red Rocks Amphitheater one of the most chill experiences in music.
