56-443: Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also known colloquially as simply Red Rocks ) is an open-air amphitheater in the western United States near Morrison, Colorado , approximately ten miles (16 km) southwest of Denver . It is owned and operated by the city of Denver. In addition to several other large sandstone formations nearby, the venue is best recognized by its two massive monoliths, named "Ship Rock" and "Creation Rock", as well as
112-534: A 2019 performance at the venue. Comedian Bill Burr filmed a comedy special at Red Rocks in September 2021. In 1987, former Colorado Senator Gary Hart announced his campaign for president with a press conference at Red Rocks. Part of the 1990 film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane was filmed at Red Rocks. Opening sequences feature the fictional rock band "Black Plague" playing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre where lead singer Bobby Black (played by Vince Neil ) makes
168-481: A band hailing from Colorado Springs , announced they would be heading back to Red Rocks for a special performance to close out the North American leg of their Native Summer Tour. While performing the song " I Lived " they recorded the band, the audience, and one of their fans (Bryan Warnecke) for the "I Lived" music video. The video also featured several aerial views of the venue during the day as well as during
224-424: A central arena surrounded by perimeter seating tiers. The seating tiers were pierced by entrance-ways controlling access to the arena floor, and isolating it from the audience. Temporary wooden structures functioning as amphitheaters would have been erected for the funeral games held in honour of deceased Roman magnates by their heirs, featuring fights to the death by gladiators , usually armed prisoners of war, at
280-595: A donation-driven reserve dedicated to the rehabilitation and preservation of the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The follow-up live compilation CD, Carved In Stone – Volume 2 , Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre was released in October 2007. Erik Dyce, Trevor Pryce of Outlook Music Co., and Jeff Giarraputo of Factory Labs were the executive producers, making it the first venue to issue a CD and the first commercial release of these live tunes. Phish frontman Trey Anastasio included excerpts from his 2005 performance at Red Rocks on
336-544: A duet with Grace Potter , on his album Welcome to the Fishbowl . The recording has a segment with audience participation singing the chorus "You and Tequila make me crazy, run like poison in my blood, one more night could kill me baby, one is one too many, one more is never enough". A Perfect Circle recorded the DVD portion of their A Perfect Circle Live: Featuring Stone and Echo box set on August 2, 2011. Also included in
392-411: A few original songs from the supporting bands, the concert mainly consisted of Parker and Stone performing music from the series. On June 21, 2023, the largest injury-inducing weather event in the venue's history occurred. Before Louis Tomlinson was scheduled to perform, a hailstorm with apple sized hail injured over 90 people, including 7 who were hospitalized. On October 8, 2023, Noah Kahan played
448-612: A grand entrance hanging from the rock face of the landmark red rocks above the crowd swooping on stage via zipline . In June 2015, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame opened its doors in the Trading Post at Red Rocks. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre History and Geology. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017 Amphitheater An amphitheatre ( U.S. English : amphitheater ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from
504-756: A particular rock formation naturally amplifies or echoes sound, making it ideal for musical and theatrical performances. An amphitheatre can be naturally occurring formations which would be ideal for this purpose, even if no theatre has been constructed there. Notable natural amphitheatres include the Drakensberg Amphitheatre in South Africa , Slane Castle in Ireland , the Supernatural Amphitheatre in Australia , and
560-408: A performance by Jethro Tull on June 10, 1971, led to a five-year ban of rock concerts at Red Rocks. Approximately 1,000 people without tickets arrived at the sold-out show. Denver police directed the overflow, non-paying crowd to an area behind the theater, where they could hear the music but not see the band. The situation seemed satisfactory until some of the people without tickets attempted to enter
616-573: A result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The first performance of each season is the Easter Sunrise Service , a nondenominational service held on Easter Sunday of each year. In 1958, Van Cliburn played Red Rocks to a sold-out crowd. The earliest notable rock performance at Red Rocks was by The Beatles on August 26, 1964, the only concert not sold out during their US-tour. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr later recalled, “I remember it
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#1732783164097672-463: A sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre as part of his Stick Season Tour. This marked his debut performance at the iconic venue, where he captivated the audience with his heartfelt lyrics and folk-pop sound against the stunning natural backdrop of the Colorado landscape. Red Rocks has been a popular venue for live recordings, particularly videos, due to the visual uniqueness of the setting. During
728-503: The July 1978: The Complete Recordings box set, with July 8 having a stand alone release, Red Rocks: 7/8/78 . The Grateful Dead held the record for most sold out performances at Red Rocks until 2015. Widespread Panic holds the record for the most sold-out performances at Red Rocks, with 72 as of June 2024. Blues Traveler has played the venue every Fourth of July since 1993, except 1999 when lead singer and harmonica player John Popper
784-577: The Axe Murder Boyz , Grave Plott, The ROC, and Motown Rage in May 2008 at Red Rocks at perform the 'first annual' Hatchet Attacks Super Show, for which they released a video later that year. Depeche Mode recorded their show at the amphitheatre on August 29, 2009, for their live album project, Recording the Universe . Country singer Kenny Chesney included a live version of " You and Tequila ",
840-622: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as part of the New Deal program, construction of the amphitheater began in 1936 and was formally dedicated on June 15, 1941, with a performance by Helen Jepson . Public, organizational and private performances have been held at Red Rocks for over a century. The earliest documented performance at the amphitheater
896-702: The Fountain Formation , then lifted and tilted during a geological upheaval event called the Laramide Orogeny , the same time in which the nearby Garden of the Gods and Flatirons were formed. The characteristic reddish colors of the rock formations is the result of oxidized minerals. While the grounds were likely used by the Ute tribe in earlier times, an Army expedition led by Stephen Long rediscovered present-day Red Rocks in 1820. The prevalence of
952-813: The Red Rocks and the Gorge Amphitheatres in the western United States . There is evidence that the Anasazi people used natural amphitheatres for the public performance of music in Pre-Columbian times including a large constructed performance space in Chaco Canyon , New Mexico . Nagasaki, Japan Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
1008-445: The ancient Greek ἀμφιθέατρον ( amphitheatron ), from ἀμφί ( amphi ), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and θέατρον ( théātron ), meaning "place for viewing". Ancient Greek theatres were typically built on hillsides and semi-circular in design. The first amphitheatre may have been built at Pompeii around 70 BC. Ancient Roman amphitheatres were oval or circular in plan, with seating tiers that surrounded
1064-531: The "Film on the Rocks" series started with a screening of Casablanca . In 2014, after voters in Colorado legalized marijuana , the Colorado Symphony played a cannabis-themed "Red Rocks on a High Note" show there. In 2018, Yo-Yo Ma began his tour of Bach 's Cello Suites at Red Rocks. On October 5, 2019, AJR played a sold-out show at the amphitheater for their Neotheater World Tour . During
1120-599: The "Silver and Gold" tour. Local Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters released a DVD and live album of a 1995 performance in 2003, capturing what has become a local annual early season tradition. In 2009, they followed the original recording with a two-CD/1DVD set from their June 2008 performance. A two-volume 2003 album, Carved In Stone– Volume 1 , featured live recordings of 10 artists including R.E.M. , Ben Harper , Coldplay , The Allman Brothers Band , and Phish , with proceeds benefiting "Preserve The Rocks Fund",
1176-404: The (by now demolished) Gibson Amphitheatre and Chicago International Amphitheatre . In other languages (like German ) an amphitheatre can only be a circular performance space. A performance space where the audience is not all around the stage can not be called an amphitheatre—by definition of the word. A natural amphitheatre is a performance space located in a spot where a steep mountain or
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#17327831640971232-408: The 1970s and 1980s, local folk-rocker John Denver recorded several world-televised concerts at Red Rocks. U2 's 1983 concert video, Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky , became a bestselling long-form concert video and the performance of " Sunday Bloody Sunday " was played frequently on MTV . Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks released a 60-minute-long DVD of her August 1986 concert at
1288-563: The 2020 pandemic, Red Rocks hosted the Colorado Symphony Strings, which played sold-out Acoustic on the Rocks shows in July and August, following social-distancing guidelines. In September 2020, virtual shows were streamed live. Despite Denver Arts & Venues announcing the closure of all its venues (including Red Rocks) in September, in-person shows did occur. Other events included drive-in movies for mainstream films and
1344-592: The 5th century and of staged animal hunts in the 6th, most amphitheatres fell into disrepair. Their materials were mined or recycled. Some were razed, and others were converted into fortifications. A few continued as convenient open meeting places; in some of these, churches were sited. In modern english usage of the word, an amphitheatre is not only a circular, but can also be a semicircular or curved performance space, particularly one located outdoors. Contemporary amphitheatres often include standing structures, called bandshells , sometimes curved or bowl-shaped, both behind
1400-583: The CD/DVD Weekend on the Rocks , which is a compilation of the band's four-night run in 2005, their last performances at the venue. Also recorded are The Samples live album Live in Colorado , John Tesh 's Live at Red Rocks and Worship at Red Rocks , the Incubus DVD Alive at Red Rocks , Blues Traveler's Live on the Rocks album, Steve Martin 's comedy album A Wild and Crazy Guy , The Moody Blues 's A Night at Red Rocks with
1456-558: The City of Denver to purchase the area of Red Rocks from Walker for $ 54,133 ($ 960,546 today), officially adopting the title of "Red Rocks" Amphitheatre, a name it had been informally referred to since the area was settled. Cranmer then convinced Mayor Benjamin Stapleton to build upon the foundation laid by Walker. By enlisting the help of Denver architect Burnham F. Hoyt and Stanley E. Morse , along with labor and materials provided by
1512-592: The Colorado Symphony Orchestra , and Boukman Eksperyans ' album "Live At Red Rocks". Widespread Panic 's DVD The Earth Will Swallow You features a 15-minute segment on Red Rocks. The Grateful Dead performed at Red Rocks 20 times. 7/7/78 and 7/8/78 have been released in their entirety on July 1978: The Complete Recordings and Red Rocks: 7/8/78 . The live Neil Young album Road Rock Vol. 1 and its accompanying DVD, Red Rocks Live , were filmed and recorded at Red Rocks in 2000 during
1568-587: The DVD that accompanied his album Shine . Country musician Gary Allan filmed the music video for his song " Watching Airplanes " during a live, sold-out concert at Red Rocks in August 2007. A portion of British rock band Oasis 's rockumentary film Lord Don't Slow Me Down was filmed at Red Rocks. A Perfect Circle also included one live video recording on the CD-DVD AMotion . Insane Clown Posse played with Twiztid , Blaze Ya Dead Homie , Boondox ,
1624-484: The Denver Film Festival's red carpet movies. In 2021, Red Rocks Amphitheatre was named the top-grossing and most-attended concert venue of any size, anywhere in the world. On August 9 and 10, 2022, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone held a live concert alongside rock bands Primus , Ween and Rush at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, commemorating South Park ' s 25th anniversary. Besides
1680-479: The English hard rock supergroup Bad Company . Opeth released a live DVD and Blu-ray of their May 11, 2017, performance at Red Rocks on November 2, 2018. Gojira performed the same night and released the full concert, titled Live At Red Rocks , on YouTube on May 20, 2020. The American pop-punk band Nofx released a live recording of their full 18-minute song " The Decline (EP) " featuring Baz's orchestra in
1736-502: The Universe , in front of a crowd of 8,679 people. The 2009 show was recorded for the group's live albums project Recording the Universe . Red Rocks was one of the favored venues for The Grateful Dead and the venue has become a traditional stop for many subsequent jam bands . In total the Grateful Dead played Red Rocks 20 times between 1978 and 1987. The performances on July 7, 1978, and July 8, 1978, were released as part of
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1792-420: The amphitheater by charging at, and breaking through, the police line. Some of those without tickets began lobbing rocks at the police, and the police responded by discharging tear gas at the gate-crashers. The wind carried the tear gas over the hill, into the paying crowd and onto the stage. Following the "Riot at Red Rocks," Denver Mayor William H. McNichols Jr. banned rock concerts from the amphitheater. For
1848-579: The amphitheatre, towards the end of her Rock a Little tour. In 1992, The Moody Blues performed live for the first time with a symphony orchestra for the PBS special " A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra ". The concert also was released on CD and DVD, along with a companion DVD, The Other Side of Red Rocks , which documented show rehearsals and preparation, as well as concert excerpts. Other Red Rocks material on CD and DVD includes Dave Matthews Band 's albums Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95 and
1904-444: The annual honor of being the best small outdoor venue for the eleventh time, the magazine changed the name of the award to the "Red Rocks Award" and removed Red Rocks from the running. Construction began in October 2020 to replace the existing stage roof and expand the structure's rigging capacity; the work was completed the following summer. The natural features surrounding the amphitheater were formed millions of years ago as part of
1960-499: The area of the Roman Empire . Their typical shape, functions and name distinguish them from Roman theatres , which are more or less semicircular in shape; from the circuses (similar to hippodromes ) whose much longer circuits were designed mainly for horse or chariot racing events; and from the smaller stadia , which were primarily designed for athletics and footraces. Roman amphitheatres were circular or oval in plan, with
2016-477: The box set is a CD of the audio from the show. On August 29, 2012, Mumford & Sons recorded their live performance of their first single, " I Will Wait " from their new CD Babel at the amphitheatre. The performance was released on September 9, 2012, as the band's official video for the song. The band released a full-length DVD of their show at Red Rocks, recorded on August 28 and 29, 2012, entitled The Road To Red Rocks . On September 1, 2014, OneRepublic ,
2072-505: The central performance area, like a modern open-air stadium . In contrast, both ancient Greek and ancient Roman theatres were built in a semicircle , with tiered seating rising on one side of the performance area. Modern english parlance uses "amphitheatre" for any structure with sloping seating, including theatre-style stages with spectator seating on only one side, theatres in the round , and stadia . They can be indoor or outdoor. About 230 Roman amphitheatres have been found across
2128-440: The concert itself. This performance of the song was done to help spread awareness for cystic fibrosis and to share Bryan's journey with the disease. The music video was released on September 25, 2014. On June 10, 2015 Barenaked Ladies performed at Red Rocks on their Last Summer on Earth 2015 tour. The performance was aired on AXS TV , then later released on May 20, 2016, as a live album titled BNL Rocks Red Rocks and in 2017
2184-426: The court ruled that the city had acted "arbitrarily and capricious[ly]" in banning rock concerts at Red Rocks. Starting in the summer of 1976, the rock bands were once again welcomed at the venue. Jethro Tull played Red Rocks again on June 7, 1988, August 12, 2008, and June 8, 2011. On June 5, 1983, U2 performed during their War Tour , in front of only 4,400 in very inclement weather. The venue had been sold out, but
2240-455: The crowd size was affected by the weather, with attendees believing the show would be canceled. The show was not canceled because the band could not get their money back for the outlay on filming crews and equipment for the performance. Those who braved the weather and showed up were told personally by Bono , who came to the parking lot and into the crowd more than once, to ignore their seat assignments, and to move as forward as they wished to make
2296-468: The finest venue at which she had ever performed. Upon the full construction of the amphitheater to its present form by the Civilian Conservation Corps , the venue was formally dedicated on June 15, 1941. It has held regular concert seasons almost every year since 1947. On July 23, 1948, Igor Stravinsky conducted the Denver Symphony at Red Rocks. In 2020 and 2021, it was shut down temporarily as
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2352-648: The funeral pyre or tomb of the deceased. These games are described in Roman histories as munera , gifts, entertainments or duties to honour deceased individuals, Rome's gods and the Roman community. Some Roman writers interpret the earliest attempts to provide permanent amphitheaters and seating for the lower classes as populist political graft, rightly blocked by the Senate as morally objectionable; too-frequent, excessively "luxurious" munera would corrode traditional Roman morals. The provision of permanent seating
2408-533: The house seem full, since the show was being filmed for what became the group's concert film U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky . The music video for " Sunday Bloody Sunday ,” shown in heavy rotation on MTV , was also the fruit of the filming effort. Some songs from the show appear on the group's 1983 live album Under a Blood Red Sky . Depeche Mode performed at the amphitheater four times: July 1, 1986, July 11 and 12, 1990, during their World Violation Tour , and on August 27, 2009, during their Tour of
2464-809: The most stunning concert venues in the United States... or anywhere. I would hazard a guess that it's one of the most beautiful places in the world." Rush played Red Rocks on their R30 30th Anniversary , Snakes and Arrows and Time Machine tours. Colorado musicians who have performed at Red Rocks include John Denver in 1973, Judy Collins in 1973, Big Head Todd and the Monsters in 1994, Earth, Wind & Fire (some members are from Denver) in 2002, The Fray in 2006, DeVotchKa in 2008, 3OH!3 in 2012, Pretty Lights in 2012, OneRepublic in 2013, The Lumineers in 2013, and Strawberry Runners in 2016. As of 2023, Colorado band The String Cheese Incident has played at Red Rocks over 50 times. On August 7, 2000,
2520-561: The nearby Colorado gold rush between 1858-1859 drew further interest from prospectors and new settlers along the Front Range . Originally named the "Garden of the Angels", Marion Burts became the first recorded owner of the site in 1872. He sold it to Leonard H. Eicholtz , who in turn developed the property into a park in 1878. Nearly 30 years later, Eicholtz sold Red Rocks to famed magazine editor John Brisben Walker in 1906. The site
2576-399: The next five years, shows at Red Rocks were limited to softer acts, such as John Denver , Sonny & Cher , The Carpenters , Pat Boone , Seals & Crofts and Carole King . The ban on rock and roll was finally lifted through legal action taken by Barry Fey, who tried to book the band America at the venue in 1975. After being denied a permit by the city, Fey took the city to court, and
2632-411: The opening of the scenic road up nearby Mt. Falcon , it was patterned after the festival of Nagasaki , Japan, and featured four military bands and fireworks off Mt. Falcon, Mt. Morrison and two intermediate hills. Renowned opera singer Mary Garden put Red Rocks on the world musical map with her performance on May 10, 1911. Having performed at many opera halls around the world, she pronounced Red Rocks
2688-662: The smaller "Stage Rock", which together flank its 9,525 capacity seating area and naturally form the amphitheater. While the venue is primarily known for hosting concerts and music festivals, other events of various types and sizes are held throughout the year. In 1957, the American Institute of Architects selected Red Rocks to be Colorado's entry at the National Gallery of Art for the AIA's Centennial Exhibition. In 1999, after Pollstar magazine awarded Red Rocks
2744-636: The stage and behind the audience, creating an area which echoes or amplifies sound, making the amphitheatre ideal for musical or theatrical performances. Small-scale amphitheatres can serve to host outdoor local community performances. Notable modern amphitheatres include the Shoreline Amphitheatre , the Hollywood Bowl and the Aula Magna at Stockholm University. The term "amphitheatre" is also used for some indoor venues, such as
2800-662: Was no standard size; the largest could accommodate 40,000–60,000 spectators. The most elaborate featured multi-storeyed, arcaded façades and were decorated with marble , stucco and statuary. The best-known and largest Roman amphitheatre is the Colosseum in Rome , also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre ( Amphitheatrum Flavium ), after the Flavian dynasty who had it built. After the ending of gladiatorial games in
2856-457: Was on August 29, 1965, headlined by Johnny Cash . The unique setting has led to the venue's becoming a favorite for many performers: Jimi Hendrix played at Red Rocks on September 1, 1968, along with Vanilla Fudge and Soft Machine . It was the first Red Rocks show booked by concert promoter Barry Fey . Diana Ross & the Supremes performed there on August 14, 1969. An incident during
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#17327831640972912-568: Was renamed to "Garden of the Titans" and further developed to incorporate a temporary platform for hosting concerts from. In addition to the platform, Walker also built the Mount Morrison Cable Incline funicular railway, which carried tourists from the lower area of the park up to the top of Mount Morrison. The incline operated for about five years beginning in 1909. In 1927, George Cranmer, Manager of Denver Parks, convinced
2968-612: Was the Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans , put on by publisher John Brisben Walker on May 31, 1906. Featuring Pietro Satriano and his 25-piece brass band, it was the formal opening of the natural amphitheater for use by the general public after Walker purchased it with the proceeds of his sale of Cosmopolitan . The amphitheater's largest-scale performance to date was the Feast of Lanterns on September 5, 1908. Commemorating
3024-612: Was thought a particularly objectionable luxury. The earliest permanent, stone and timber Roman amphitheatre with perimeter seating was built in the Campus Martius in 29 BCE. Most were built under Imperial rule, from the Augustan period (27 BCE–14 CE) onwards. Imperial amphitheatres were built throughout the Roman Empire, especial in provincial capitals and major colonies, as an essential aspect of Romanitas . There
3080-516: Was unable to play due to heart surgery. Phish were banned from performing at Red Rocks after they played four concerts there in August 1996. Fans of the band who showed up to the concerts without tickets were accused of starting a riot outside the amphitheater on the second night, and the nearby town of Morrison was unprepared to accommodate the size of the band's following. Phish was not invited to perform at Red Rocks again until July 2009. Geddy Lee of Rush said, "It's an amazing location...One of
3136-611: Was very high and the air was thin. They were giving us hits from oxygen canisters.” When Starr returned to Red Rocks with his All-Starr Band on June 28, 2000, he asked if anyone in the crowd had been at the Beatles concert thirty-six years earlier. On August 26, 2004, the East-Coast-based Beatles-tribute band 1964 was flown to Denver to re-enact the Beatles concert held at the site exactly forty years earlier. The first country and western show at Red Rocks
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