Red Rocks Amphitheatre facts for kids
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| Location | Red Rocks Park 17598 W. Alameda Parkway Morrison, Colorado, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 39°39′55″N 105°12′21″W / 39.66528°N 105.20583°W |
| Elevation | 6,450 feet (1,970 m) |
| Owner | City and County of Denver |
| Operator | City and County of Denver |
| Capacity | 9,525 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1906 1941 |
| Architect | Burnham F. Hoyt |
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a famous outdoor concert venue in the western United States. It's located near Morrison, Colorado, about 10 miles southwest of Denver. The city of Denver owns and runs it.
What makes Red Rocks special are its two huge rock formations, "Ship Rock" and "Creation Rock." A smaller rock, "Stage Rock," is also there. These rocks naturally form the sides of the amphitheater, which can hold 9,525 people. While it's mostly known for concerts, many other events happen here all year.
In 1957, the American Institute of Architects chose Red Rocks as Colorado's special entry for a big exhibition. Later, in 1999, Pollstar magazine, which gives awards to music venues, named Red Rocks the best small outdoor venue for the eleventh time! After that, they even changed the award's name to the "Red Rocks Award" and stopped including Red Rocks in the competition because it won so often.
In 2020, work began to update the stage roof and make it stronger for hanging equipment. This project was finished in the summer of 2021.
Contents
The History of Red Rocks
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The amazing rock formations at Red Rocks were created millions of years ago. They were pushed up and tilted during a huge geological event. This same event also formed other famous Colorado spots like Garden of the Gods. The rocks get their reddish color from minerals that have rusted over time.
Native American tribes, like the Ute Tribe, likely used these grounds long ago. In 1820, an Army group led by Stephen Long rediscovered the area. Later, during the Colorado gold rush in the mid-1800s, more people became interested in the land.
The first recorded owner of the site was Marion Burts in 1872. He sold it to Leonard H. Eicholtz, who turned it into a park in 1878. Almost 30 years later, in 1906, Eicholtz sold Red Rocks to a famous magazine editor named John Brisben Walker.
Walker renamed the site "Garden of the Titans." He added a temporary stage for concerts. He also built a special railway called the Mount Morrison Cable Incline. This railway carried tourists up Mount Morrison for about five years, starting in 1909.
In 1927, George Cranmer, who managed Denver Parks, convinced the City of Denver to buy the Red Rocks area from Walker. The city paid $54,133 for it. At this time, it officially became known as "Red Rocks" Amphitheatre, a name people had already been using.
Cranmer then worked with Denver's Mayor Benjamin Stapleton to build the amphitheater we see today. They got help from architect Burnham F. Hoyt and Stanley E. Morse. Workers and materials were provided by government programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Work Projects Administration (WPA). Construction started in 1936, and the amphitheater officially opened on June 15, 1941.
Famous Performances
People have been performing at Red Rocks for over 100 years! The very first big performance was the "Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans" on May 31, 1906. It featured a 25-piece brass band.
A huge event called the "Feast of Lanterns" happened on September 5, 1908. It was like a festival from Japan, with four military bands and fireworks.
Famous opera singer Mary Garden performed there on May 10, 1911. She had sung in many opera houses around the world, but she said Red Rocks was the best place she had ever performed!
After the amphitheater was fully built in 1941, regular concert seasons began in 1947. On July 23, 1948, famous composer Igor Stravinsky conducted the Denver Symphony at Red Rocks. Every year, the first performance of the season is the "Easter Sunrise Service," a special event held on Easter Sunday. In 1958, piano player Van Cliburn played to a sold-out crowd.
The first big rock concert at Red Rocks was by The Beatles on August 26, 1964. It was the only concert on their US tour that wasn't completely sold out. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr remembered, "I remember it was very high and the air was thin. They were giving us hits from oxygen canisters." When Ringo Starr came back in 2000, he asked if anyone in the crowd had been at that first Beatles concert!
Other famous bands and artists who have played at Red Rocks include Jimi Hendrix in 1968, Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1969, and Johnny Cash in 1965.
The 1971 Incident
On June 10, 1971, something unusual happened during a concert by Jethro Tull. About 1,000 people without tickets tried to get into the sold-out show. Police tried to keep them in an area where they could hear the music. But some people tried to break through the police line. A situation developed where some people threw rocks, and the police used an irritating gas. The wind carried this gas over the hill, affecting the audience inside and even the band on stage.
After this event, the Mayor of Denver, William H. McNichols Jr., banned rock concerts at Red Rocks for five years. During this time, only calmer music acts like John Denver, Sonny & Cher, and The Carpenters were allowed. The ban on rock music was finally lifted in 1976 after a legal challenge. Jethro Tull returned to play at Red Rocks many years later.
More Memorable Shows
On June 5, 1983, U2 played a concert during their War Tour. Only 4,400 people attended because of bad weather, even though tickets were sold out. The band decided not to cancel because they had already paid for filming crews. This concert was filmed for their famous concert movie, U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky. The music video for "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was also made from this show.
Depeche Mode has performed at Red Rocks four times, including a show in 2009 that was recorded for their live albums.
The Grateful Dead loved playing at Red Rocks and performed there 20 times between 1978 and 1987. They held the record for the most sold-out shows until 2015.
Currently, Widespread Panic holds the record for the most sold-out performances at Red Rocks, with 72 shows as of June 2024! Blues Traveler has played there every Fourth of July since 1993, except for one year when their singer had heart surgery.
Phish was not allowed to play at Red Rocks for a while after their 1996 concerts. Fans without tickets caused problems outside the venue, and the nearby town was not ready for so many people. Phish was invited back in 2009.
Geddy Lee from the band Rush called Red Rocks "one of the most stunning concert venues in the United States... or anywhere."
Many Colorado musicians have also performed at Red Rocks, including John Denver, Judy Collins, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, OneRepublic, and The Lumineers. As of 2023, Colorado band The String Cheese Incident has played there over 50 times!
Since 2000, Red Rocks has hosted "Film on the Rocks," where movies are shown on the big screen.
In 2014, the Colorado Symphony played a special "Red Rocks on a High Note" show. In 2018, famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma started his tour of Bach's Cello Suites at Red Rocks.
During the 2020 pandemic, Red Rocks still hosted some events, like socially distanced concerts and drive-in movies. In 2021, Red Rocks Amphitheatre was named the top-earning and most-attended concert venue of any size in the world!
On August 9 and 10, 2022, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, held a live concert with bands like Primus and Ween to celebrate South Park's 25th anniversary.
On June 21, 2023, a severe hailstorm hit the venue before a Louis Tomlinson concert. Over 90 people were injured, and 7 had to go to the hospital.
On October 8, 2023, Noah Kahan played a sold-out show at Red Rocks.
Famous Recordings
Red Rocks is a very popular place for live recordings, especially videos, because of its unique and beautiful setting.
In the 1970s and 1980s, local folk-rock singer John Denver recorded several concerts at Red Rocks that were shown on TV around the world.
U2's 1983 concert video, Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky, became a huge bestseller.
Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks released a DVD of her 1986 concert there. In 1992, The Moody Blues performed live with a symphony orchestra for a TV special called "A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra". This concert was also released on CD and DVD.
Other artists who have released live albums or DVDs from Red Rocks include Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Blues Traveler, and Steve Martin (with his comedy album A Wild and Crazy Guy).
The Grateful Dead played at Red Rocks 20 times, and some of their performances have been released as live albums.
The live Neil Young album Road Rock Vol. 1 and its DVD were filmed and recorded at Red Rocks in 2000. Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters also released a DVD and live album from their 1995 performance.
Two albums called Carved In Stone (Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2007) featured live recordings from many artists like R.E.M., Coldplay, and Phish. Money from these albums helped "Preserve The Rocks Fund" to keep the amphitheater in good condition.
Depeche Mode recorded their show at Red Rocks in 2009 for their live album project.
Country singer Kenny Chesney included a live version of his song "You and Tequila" from Red Rocks on his album Welcome to the Fishbowl.
A Perfect Circle recorded a live DVD from their 2011 show at Red Rocks.
On August 29, 2012, Mumford & Sons recorded their live performance of "I Will Wait" at Red Rocks. This became the official music video for the song. They also released a full DVD of their shows there called The Road To Red Rocks.
On September 1, 2014, OneRepublic recorded their music video for "I Lived" at Red Rocks. This video helped raise awareness for cystic fibrosis.
Barenaked Ladies released a live album called BNL Rocks Red Rocks in 2016.
Opeth and Gojira both released live recordings from their performances at Red Rocks in 2017.
Singer-songwriter Vance Joy released a live album from his 2018 performance called Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
The band Nofx released a live recording of their long song "The Decline (EP)" with an orchestra from a 2019 performance. Comedian Bill Burr filmed a comedy special at Red Rocks in September 2021.
Red Rocks in Movies and TV
In 1987, former Colorado Senator Gary Hart announced he was running for president at a press conference at Red Rocks.
Part of the 1990 movie The Adventures of Ford Fairlane was filmed at Red Rocks. The movie shows a fictional rock band playing there.
Colorado Music Hall of Fame
In June 2015, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame opened its doors inside the Trading Post building at Red Rocks.
Images for kids
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Red Rocks Amphitheatre seating
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Red Rocks Amphitheatre stage
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Red Rocks Aerial Photogrammetry mission
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Downtown Denver view from Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2011
See also
- Category:Albums recorded at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
- Mishawaka Amphitheatre, another outdoor concert venue in Colorado
- Red Rocks Park
