Red Rocks Amphitheatre stands out among music venues with its unparalleled acoustics and is an absolute must for music enthusiasts who wish to experience one of America’s top outdoor stages.
John Brisben Walker began inviting musicians to perform on a temporary platform between Ship and Creation Rock as early as 1906, which quickly caught on and construction started in 1936.
Geological History
Red Rocks’ sandstone rock formations belong to the Fountain Formation, an accumulation of sedimentary rocks that once belonged to an ancestral Rocky Mountains that paralleled today’s Front Range. Two notable features within the formation are Ship Rock and Creation Rock which stand on either side of an amphitheater.
Ancient storms sent ancient stormwater cascading down mountainside slopes, compressing and compressing rock into its present-day forms – which eventually became visible today as Red Rocks. Of all of Red Rocks’ many iconic formations, two stand out as being particularly notable – being taller than Niagara Falls themselves!
Since opening its doors 116 years ago, this amphitheater has hosted some of the greatest musicians ever such as Nat King Cole, Louie Armstrong, Harry Belafonte and The Eagles. It is famous for its unparalleled sound produced by natural reverberations in its 300-foot monolithic rocks which absorb rather than reflect music resonant with them. On non-concert days the park also serves as an outdoor gym for locals to exercise while tourists visit to enjoy sights.
Ticketing
Red Rocks Amphitheatre attracts music enthusiasts from around the globe for an unparalleled musical experience. Its natural landscape and spectacular acoustics provide the ideal setting for concerts, movies, yoga classes and other events – but its singular character can create its own set of challenges.
Tickets to Red Rocks often sell out quickly, making it wise to book tickets early if you plan on attending a concert there. But even if this fails to happen, there may still be options available so that you can see the show.
Red Rocks Theatre’s ticketing policy is tailored to combat scalping and ensure those with disabilities have equal access to seats near the stage. Under new rules, anyone purchasing an initial four-row seat at Red Rocks must attest that they have a disability – this follows a lawsuit filed by multiple Denver residents with mobility impairments against Disability Law Colorado over their ticketing policies at this venue. The city of Denver is now working alongside Disability Law Colorado on revising these policies at Red Rocks accordingly.
Parking
Red Rocks parking requires several key considerations when arriving for an event: lots open two hours beforehand and fill quickly; to be near the action, park in either of two lots: Upper North Lot is most preferred because it provides accessible spaces while Lower South Lot is located equidistant from both entrances leading directly into amphitheater; in both instances the shortest walking route leads directly from there into amphitheater itself.
If you’re planning on tailgating, the Lower South Lot is usually where it takes place. Just remember that alcohol and marijuana are technically banned from parking lots so please be discreet if you plan to consume any. Also ensure your car faces downhill to make getting out after the show much simpler.
Pre-booking your parking online can be the easiest and simplest way to avoid high drive-up rates and guarantee yourself a spot at the concert, saving money while relieving stress. Plus, booking parking early could save time at check-in!
Accessibility
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, like other music venues across the country, must provide seating for people with disabilities. To do so, the first row of this 9,500-seat venue has been designated ADA seating; tickets for these seats can often end up reselling on secondary markets; to stop this practice a group of disabled concert-goers sued the city; new rules came into force in October 2017 mandating that these seats only be sold, given to or used by people with disabilities.
The city plans to add more wheelchair-accessible seats and convert some limited mobility seats to fully accessible ones, improve shuttle parking and construct a ramp from the first row. Natalie Ostberg of Pine who uses a wheelchair attended concerts at Morrison amphitheater since 2002; attending concerts featuring Earth Wind & Fire, Cyndi Lauper, Arlo Guthrie and Stevie Nicks among many others. She shared her feedback this month by visiting near Morrison amphitheater near Morrison amphitheater near Morrison this month to gather more information regarding proposed changes and give her input regarding proposed changes proposed. She had also attended concerts featuring Earth Wind and Fire, Cyndi Lauper, Arlo Guthrie and Stevie Nicks among many other artists since 2002!