Where To See Incredible Live Music in Denver
HOME TO THE COUNTRY’S FINEST outdoor music venue — Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre — Denver is possibly the best place in the U.S. to see live music thanks to its top-notch venues, its progressive vibes, and the sheer number of incredible musicians playing throughout the city’s neighborhoods every night. Here’s a short list of the many bands, dive bars, and major stages worth paying attention to while you’re in The Mile High City.
Neighborhoods and venues
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
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Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year,
Big-name acts like Sia, My Morning Jacket, Twenty One Pilots, and home-grown stars The Lumineers, among others, will headline concerts. With space for roughly 9,500, this summer at Red Rocks is set to be huge.
South Broadway
A straight shot and quick walk south of downtown, the
A few blocks farther down is
LoDo
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Lower Downtown (“LoDo” to locals) is home to
The bar area at Summit features local craft brews — another thing Denver does insanely well — and is separated from the main theater room, giving you a chance to get away from the crowds for a breather. That said, there’s also a smaller stage by the bar that’s often used for local artists and other events on nights when there aren’t shows scheduled.
On the other hand, eating or catching a concert at
East Colfax
The country’s longest continually running street is a hotbed of musical venues from one end to the other. I spent countless teenage nights watching my idols play at the
The Bluebird’s 500-person capacity makes it intimate and a bit of a proving ground for local artists, the type of place where fans can be right up front of the stage and catch sweat dripping down from the singer’s forehead. Jam artist Rob Drabkin hosts his annual birthday bash here, often featuring guest stars from around the jam and indie rock communities. The Ogden is bigger, with 1,600 people all packing together on the busiest nights. The best season for the Ogden is the winter, when Red Rocks has fewer shows and major touring bands head to the indoor clubs.
The
The
Five Points
The Five Points neighborhood has a rich history in jazz and the arts dating back to the days when rail cars were the main form of transportation along the city’s streets. The area once played host to over 50 clubs that saw legendary artists like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Miles Davis come through.
These days,
It’s not all straight jazz in Five Points, though. Just about 10 blocks down 27th St. from Nocturne is
Festivals and events
Denver is growing rapidly. Entrepreneurs and tech startups are moving here for the booming economy — and probably because we like to boast that we have 300 annual days of sunlight. The buzz and the sunshine mean the city is an awesome host for a wide variety of annual music festivals.
Underground Music Showcase (UMS)
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With 400 bands on 20 stages, there’s nothing quite like
Wear an old shirt that you won’t mind ditching — The Yawpers’ set at the Skylark Lounge in 2014 saw the crowd swaying in one gigantic motion back and forth for a solid hour, mixing sweat, smiles, and sing-alongs into a humidified ball of skin and fabric. A great time, but afterwards I threw my shirt away and walked home topless. Expect the same in 2016 when Poliça, Thee Oh Sees, and Allah-Las headline.
Westword Music Showcase
A huge summer music party — nowhere else is the local scene as well represented — in the Golden Triangle neighborhood,
Riot Fest
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2016 marks Denver’s third time hosting
There’s also carnival rides, games, and a sideshow to provide a breather during three days of live music. It brings an air of youthful ambition, reminiscent of going out to watch my favorite bands as a teenager, but in an adult’s play-land complete with ample drink and food stations. If you tip the Ferris wheel guy, he might even let you bring your drink on the ride and send it for an extra couple spins, providing the best possible view of Iggy Pop.
Getting around
Moving around town gets easier every year. The brand new airport rail line offers commuter rail service from Denver International Airport right to downtown. Once you’re at Union Station, Denver’s recently remodeled historic train depot, light rail and bus service makes getting to venues simple. Plus, bike lanes line the streets — Denver B-cycle has 700 bikes for rent from 87 different stations around the city.
