Stunning Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Park
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Nestled in the Red Rocks Park is a 9,450-seat open air arena that has been carved out of 70 million year old red sandstone rocks, known as the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. A large, tilted, disc-shaped rock stands behind the stage, and the seating area is flanked by a massive vertical rock angled outwards from stage right and several large boulders angled outwards from stage left.
Photo David Amirault
The red rocks near the amphitheatre are called “Creation,” “Ship Rock (formerly called “Titanic”),” and “Stage Rock,” forming the stage and seating area that attracts visitors world-wide. There is no other amphitheatre in the world like this naturally formed one in Red Rocks Park.
The rocks are representative of the Fountain Formation — a conglomerate sandstone or arkose, red or reddish-gray in color, found in various locations in Colorado, U.S. along the east side of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Particularly notable examples of this formation are the Flatirons, the Garden of the Gods, and Red Rocks.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre was originally known as the Garden of the Angels, reputedly named on July 4, 1870 by Martin Van Buren Luther, a pioneer Colorado judge. It was renamed Garden of the Titans in 1906 by famed editor John Brisben Walker when he purchased the place with proceeds from his sale of Cosmopolitan Magazine. Known however by the folk name of Red Rocks since the area was settled, it was formally given that name when Denver acquired it in 1928. The amphitheatre was designed by Denver architect Burnham Hoyt.
Photo RedRocksOnline
Photo RedRocksOnline ,/p>
Photo RedRocksOnline
The park however, had always been known by the name of Red Rocks, formally named when Denver acquired it in 1928.
The amphitheatre in its stunning setting has hosted everyone from the Beatles to top symphony orchestras, located 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of Denver, Colorado. Owned and operated by the City and County of Denver, Colorado, it was created by the workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps under the New Deal.
Historical Performances
Public, organizational and private performances have been held at Red Rocks for more than 100 years. Likely used by the Ute tribe in earlier times, the earliest documented performance at the amphitheatre was the Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans, put on by famed editor John Brisben Walker on May 31, 1906. Featuring Pietro Satriano and his 25-piece brass band, it was the formal opening of the natural amphitheatre for use by the general public.
Pic 8 Photo RKimpeljr
Photo Laura S
The amphitheatre’s largest scale performance to date was the Feast of Lanterns on September 5, 1908, commemorating the opening of the scenic road up nearby Mt. Falcon, featuring 4 military bands and fireworks off Mt. Falcon, Mt. Morrison and 2 intermediate hills.
Upon the full construction of the amphitheatre to its present form by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the venue was formally dedicated on June 15, 1941.
Holding regular concert seasons every year since 1947, the first performance of each season is the Easter Sunrise Service, a non-denominational service on Easter Sunday, known for its beauty and inspiration.
The earliest notable rock performance at Red Rocks was by the Beatles on August 26, 1964, and Ringo Starr returned to Red Rocks with his All-Starr Band on June 28, 2000.
One of the most prominent performances given at Red Rocks was by the rock group U2, who released 2 tracks from a Red Rocks concert on their 1983 live album, Under a Blood Red Sky and a full concert-length video of the same appearance, segments of which were frequently shown on MTV.
Photo Denver.org
A 5 year ban of rock concerts was imposed after the ‘Riot at Red Rocks’ incident during a performance by Jethro Tull on June 10, 1971. About 1,000 people without tickets that arrived at the sold-out show were directed by police to an area behind the theater, where they could hear the music but not see the band.
A disgruntled non-paying ticket holder attempted to enter the amphitheatre by charging at and breaking through the police line. Others without tickets began lobbing rocks at the police, so the police discharged tear gas at the gate-crashers. The wind carried the tear gas over the hill, into the paying crowd and the stage.
The ban was finally lifted though legal action taken by Denver concert promoter Barry Fey, who tried to book the band America at the venue in 1975. The court ruled that the city had acted “arbitrarily and capricious” in banning rock concerts at Red Rocks, and rock bands were once again welcomed at the venue the summer of 1976.
Jethro Tull is scheduled to play Red Rocks again on August 12th, 2008, Steve Miller Band on July 31, The Police on July 21 and 22, 2008, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on June 21, 2008, Canadian rock band Rush will return on June 5, 2008, and The Cure on May 21, 2008.
Other famous bands and artists that have played and recorded at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre include the Grateful Dead, Canadian rock band Rush, The Moody Blues, Incubus, Neil Young, Carved in Stone, R.E.M., Ben Harper, Coldplay, The Allman Brothers Band, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Oasis, The Black Crowes, Insane Clown Posse, former Phish front-man, Trey Anastasio, Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, John Denver, Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters, Pat Boone, Seals & Crofts, Carole King, and Country music superstar Gary Allan.
Widespread Panic holds the sellout records at Red Rocks Amphitheater for 23 shows.
The amphitheatre was the starting and finishing line of the reality show The Amazing Race 9, and part of the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane was filmed at Red Rocks.
For current information about events at Red Rocks, visit RedRocksOnline.
Red Rocks Park
Also owned and maintained by the city of Denver as part of the Denver Mountain Parks system is the famed Red Rocks Park in Jefferson County, Colorado, named for the towering 300-foot sandstone rock formations within its 868 acres.
Photo MrTrailer.com
Well-known for its massive red sandstone boulders, many of these formations have names, from the mushroom-shaped Seat of Pluto to the inclined Cave of the Seven Ladders. The most visited rocks, around the amphitheatre, are Creation Rock to the north, Ship Rock to the south, and Stage Rock to the east.
Other examples of the Fountain Formation geology include nearby Roxborough State Park, Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs and the Flatirons near Boulder. The rocks were formed about 290 to 296 million years ago when the Ancestral Rocky Mountains were eroded during the Pennsylvanian epoch. Later, uplift during the Laramide orogeny caused by the uplift of the Pikes Peak massif tilted the rocks to the angle at which they sit today.
Photo MrTrailer.com
Photo Punchstock.com
The park which boasts a 200-mile panoramic view of Denver and the plains was in times far past a favored campsite of the Ute tribe.
Among the outstanding geologic features of the Garden of the Gods park — located in Colorado Springs — are the ancient sedimentary beds of red and white sandstones, conglomerates and limestone.
The Red Rock State Park property was acquired by the Arizona State Parks Board in 1986 — originally part of the Smoke Trail Ranch, owned by Jack and Helen Frye — and opened to the public in 1991.
A row of hogbacks. The Kissing Camels formation is the nearest hogback on the right. The “camels’ heads” are above the hole in the rock through which sky can be seen.
View of Cathedral Valley showing some of its unusual hogback formations.
Trail System
Extensive hiking trails and natural areas surround the geological formations. The 5-mile (8 kilometer) family-oriented trail system consists of interconnecting loops, which lead you to vistas of red rock or along the lush greenery of Oak Creek. The Eagle’s Nest Loop and the Apache Fire Loop are joined together by the Coyote Ridge Trail. Eagle’s Nest is the highest point in the park with an elevation gain of 300 feet (91 meters).
These 3 major loops are connected along the riparian corridor by the Kisva Trail, which also leads up to the short loop of the Yavapai Ridge Trail. The Javelina Trail takes you into the pinyon/juniper woodlands and back to the other loops. Rattlesnake Ridge rises just above the Twin Cypress Picnic area.
Under A Blood Red Sky Tribute – U2 at Red Rocks
One of my favorite bands, U2. While it may not be their best hit,
it provides a panoramic view of the amphitheatre.
October – New Year’s Day (U2 Live ‘83)
A special treat for U2 fans — a pairing of the 2 songs.
Sources: RedRocksOnline, Arizona State Parks and Wikipedia
Tags:bizarre Colorado concerts Denver music nature odd Red Rocks Amphitheatre Red Rocks Park travel unusual
Wow that is such a great collection of photos of Red Rocks. I live in California, but hopefully will go to a concert there one day!
I can’t think of a better setting for an arena to watch a concert myself, Adam. I would have loved to have been there for U2
I think 311 played red rocks once.
These pictures are beautiful, I have never been to a concert there and imagine its just breath taking. The cathedral valley is so remote and the sandstone monoliths are simply amazing.
311 Cohnsey? That’s a new one on me.
Definitely breathtaking, Lee
I wonder what the acoustics are like in that type of setting. But with the audience so small and close to the stage, I wouldn’t think it’s a major issue.
Fantastic posting. Thanks for putting up “New Years Day”, my favorite from that concert.
While I didn’t get to see the concert, I certainly would have loved to. They’re one of my favorite bands
Thanks for the photo credit on the Red Rocks shot.
Well it’s very generous of you to make your wonderful photo available for Creative Commons, and the least that I could do for being able to use it, Dave. So thank YOU
Absolutely incredible shot Dave^ Keep it up!