History of Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Timeline
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, located near Denver, Colorado, is a renowned open-air venue owned by the city. Distinctive for its massive sandstone formations, including Ship Rock, Creation Rock, and Stage Rock, which naturally frame the amphitheater, it seats up to 9,525 people. Primarily known for concerts and music festivals, Red Rocks also hosts diverse events year-round, making it a significant cultural and entertainment landmark.
5 hours ago : Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube to Headline 420 On The Rocks at Red Rocks!
Snoop Dogg is joining Ice Cube for "420 On The Rocks" at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The concert promises to be a lit performance. The event is scheduled for 2026.
May 31, 1906: Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans
On May 31, 1906, the Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans, put on by publisher John Brisben Walker, was held featuring Pietro Satriano and his 25-piece brass band.
1906: Walker Purchases Red Rocks
In 1906, magazine editor John Brisben Walker purchased Red Rocks.
September 5, 1908: Feast of Lanterns
On September 5, 1908, the Feast of Lanterns commemorated the opening of the scenic road up nearby Mt. Falcon. It featured four military bands and fireworks.
1909: Mount Morrison Cable Incline railway Opening
In 1909, the Mount Morrison Cable Incline funicular railway was opened, carrying tourists from the lower area of the park up to the top of Mount Morrison.
May 10, 1911: Mary Garden Performance
On May 10, 1911, opera singer Mary Garden performed at Red Rocks.
1927: Denver Purchases Red Rocks
In 1927, the City of Denver purchased the Red Rocks area, officially adopting the name "Red Rocks" Amphitheatre.
1936: Amphitheater Construction Begins
In 1936, construction of the amphitheater began with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as part of the New Deal program.
June 15, 1941: Formal Dedication of Red Rocks Amphitheater
On June 15, 1941, Red Rocks Amphitheater was formally dedicated with a performance by Helen Jepson.
1947: Regular Concert Seasons Begin
In 1947, Red Rocks began hosting regular concert seasons almost every year.
July 23, 1948: Igor Stravinsky Conducts Denver Symphony
On July 23, 1948, Igor Stravinsky conducted the Denver Symphony at Red Rocks.
1957: Red Rocks Selected for AIA Centennial Exhibition
In 1957, the American Institute of Architects chose Red Rocks as Colorado's entry for the AIA's Centennial Exhibition at the National Gallery of Art.
1958: Van Cliburn Performance
In 1958, Van Cliburn played at Red Rocks to a sold-out crowd.
August 26, 1964: The Beatles Performance
On August 26, 1964, The Beatles performed at Red Rocks, the only concert not sold out during their US tour.
August 29, 1965: Johnny Cash Performance
On August 29, 1965, Johnny Cash headlined the first country and western show at Red Rocks.
September 1, 1968: Jimi Hendrix Performance
On September 1, 1968, Jimi Hendrix performed at Red Rocks, along with Vanilla Fudge and Soft Machine.
August 14, 1969: Diana Ross & the Supremes Performance
On August 14, 1969, Diana Ross & the Supremes performed at Red Rocks.
June 10, 1971: Riot at Red Rocks
On June 10, 1971, an incident during a performance by Jethro Tull led to a five-year ban of rock concerts at Red Rocks after people without tickets tried to enter and clashed with police.
1975: Lawsuit to Lift Rock Ban
In 1975, Barry Fey took the city to court after being denied a permit for America, challenging the ban on rock concerts at Red Rocks.
1976: Rock Concert Ban Lifted
Starting in the summer of 1976, rock bands were once again welcomed at Red Rocks after the court ruled that the city had acted "arbitrarily and capricious[ly]" in banning rock concerts.
July 7, 1978: Grateful Dead Performance
On July 7, 1978, The Grateful Dead performed at Red Rocks. This performance was released as part of the July 1978: The Complete Recordings box set.
July 8, 1978: Grateful Dead Performance and Album Release
On July 8, 1978, The Grateful Dead performed at Red Rocks. The performance was later released as a stand-alone album, Red Rocks: 7/8/78.
July 1978: July 1978: The Complete Recordings box set Release
In July 1978, performances by The Grateful Dead were released as part of the July 1978: The Complete Recordings box set.
July 1978: Grateful Dead Performances Released
Performances by the Grateful Dead on 7/7/78 and 7/8/78 at Red Rocks were released in their entirety on July 1978: The Complete Recordings and Red Rocks: 7/8/78.
1978: Bruce Springsteen's First Outdoor Concert
In 1978, Red Rocks was the site of Bruce Springsteen's first outdoor concert.
June 5, 1983: U2 Performs During War Tour
On June 5, 1983, U2 performed during their War Tour in front of a small crowd due to inclement weather, resulting in the concert film U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky and the music video for "Sunday Bloody Sunday".
1983: U2 Concert Video Release
In 1983, U2's concert video, Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky, was released. The performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was frequently played on MTV, and the video became a bestseller.
1984: Dan Fogelberg Performance
In 1984, Colorado musician Dan Fogelberg performed at Red Rocks.
July 1, 1986: Depeche Mode Performance
On July 1, 1986, Depeche Mode performed at the amphitheater.
August 1986: Stevie Nicks Concert DVD Release
In August 1986, Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks released a 60-minute DVD of her concert at Red Rocks, near the end of her Rock a Little tour.
1987: End of Grateful Dead's Regular Performances
By 1987, the Grateful Dead had played Red Rocks 20 times between 1978 and 1987.
1987: Gary Hart Presidential Campaign Announcement
In 1987, former Colorado Senator Gary Hart announced his campaign for president with a press conference at Red Rocks.
June 7, 1988: Jethro Tull Returns to Red Rocks
On June 7, 1988, Jethro Tull played Red Rocks again after the five-year ban.
1990: Depeche Mode World Violation Tour
In 1990, Depeche Mode performed at Red Rocks on July 11 and 12 during their World Violation Tour.
1990: The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Filmed at Red Rocks
In 1990, part of the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane was filmed at Red Rocks, featuring the fictional rock band "Black Plague" playing at the amphitheatre.
1992: The Moody Blues Perform with Symphony Orchestra
In 1992, The Moody Blues performed live with a symphony orchestra for the first time for the PBS special "A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra". The concert was also released on CD and DVD, along with a companion DVD, The Other Side of Red Rocks.
1993: Blues Traveler's Fourth of July Tradition Begins
Since 1993, Blues Traveler has played at Red Rocks every Fourth of July, with one exception.
1994: Big Head Todd and the Monsters Performance
In 1994, Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters performed at Red Rocks.
1995: Big Head Todd and the Monsters Performance
In 1995, Local Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters recorded a performance at Red Rocks.
1996: Phish Banned After Concerts
In August 1996, Phish was banned from performing at Red Rocks after a riot outside the amphitheater.
1999: John Popper's Absence
In 1999, Blues Traveler did not play at Red Rocks on the Fourth of July because lead singer John Popper was recovering from heart surgery.
1999: Red Rocks Award
In 1999, after Pollstar magazine awarded Red Rocks the best small outdoor venue award for the eleventh time, they renamed the award to the "Red Rocks Award" and removed Red Rocks from the competition.
June 28, 2000: Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band Returns
On June 28, 2000, Ringo Starr returned to Red Rocks with his All-Starr Band.
August 7, 2000: Film on the Rocks Series Started
On August 7, 2000, the "Film on the Rocks" series started with a screening of Casablanca.
2000: Neil Young's Road Rock Vol. 1 Filmed and Recorded
In 2000, the live Neil Young album Road Rock Vol. 1 and its accompanying DVD, Red Rocks Live, were filmed and recorded at Red Rocks during the "Silver and Gold" tour.
2003: Big Head Todd and the Monsters Release Performance
In 2003, Big Head Todd and the Monsters released a DVD and live album of their 1995 performance, capturing what has become a local annual early season tradition.
2003: Carved In Stone– Volume 1 Album Release
In 2003, the two-volume album Carved In Stone– Volume 1 was released. It 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".
August 26, 2004: 1964: The Beatles Tribute Band Performance
On August 26, 2004, the Beatles-tribute band 1964 was flown to Denver to re-enact the Beatles concert held at Red Rocks exactly forty years earlier.
August 22, 2005: The White Stripes Performance
On August 22, 2005, The White Stripes performed at the amphitheater. Jack White has performed solo a number of times.
2005: Dave Matthews Band's Weekend on the Rocks
In 2005, Dave Matthews Band recorded Weekend on the Rocks, a compilation of their four-night run, marking their last performances at the venue.
2005: Trey Anastasio DVD Release
In 2005, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio included excerpts from his performance at Red Rocks on the DVD accompanying his album Shine.
2006: The Fray Performance
In 2006, Colorado band The Fray performed at Red Rocks.
August 2007: Gary Allan Filmed Music Video
In August 2007, Country musician Gary Allan filmed the music video for his song "Watching Airplanes" during a live, sold-out concert at Red Rocks.
October 2007: Carved In Stone – Volume 2 Album Release
In October 2007, Carved In Stone – Volume 2, Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre was released. 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.
May 2008: Insane Clown Posse Hatchet Attacks Super Show
In May 2008, Insane Clown Posse played with Twiztid, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Boondox, the Axe Murder Boyz, Grave Plott, The ROC, and Motown Rage at Red Rocks and performed the 'first annual' Hatchet Attacks Super Show, for which they released a video later that year.
June 2008: Big Head Todd and the Monsters Performance
In June 2008, Big Head Todd and the Monsters performed at Red Rocks.
August 12, 2008: Jethro Tull Returns to Red Rocks
On August 12, 2008, Jethro Tull played Red Rocks again.
2008: DeVotchKa Performance
In 2008, Colorado band DeVotchKa performed at Red Rocks.
July 2009: Phish Returns to Red Rocks
In July 2009, Phish returned to perform at Red Rocks after being banned since 1996.
August 27, 2009: Depeche Mode Tour of the Universe
On August 27, 2009, Depeche Mode performed at Red Rocks during their Tour of the Universe, with the show being recorded for the group's live album Recording the Universe.
August 29, 2009: Depeche Mode Recording the Universe
On August 29, 2009, Depeche Mode recorded their show at the amphitheatre for their live album project, Recording the Universe.
2009: Big Head Todd and the Monsters 2-CD/1DVD Set Release
In 2009, Big Head Todd and the Monsters followed the original recording with a two-CD/1DVD set from their June 2008 performance.
June 8, 2011: Jethro Tull Returns to Red Rocks
On June 8, 2011, Jethro Tull played Red Rocks again.
August 2, 2011: A Perfect Circle Live Recording
On August 2, 2011, A Perfect Circle recorded the DVD portion of their A Perfect Circle Live: Featuring Stone and Echo box set. Also included in the box set is a CD of the audio from the show.
August 29, 2012: Mumford & Sons Live Performance Recording
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.
September 9, 2012: Mumford & Sons "I Will Wait" Video Release
On September 9, 2012, Mumford & Sons released the performance recorded on August 29, 2012, as the band's official video for the song "I Will Wait".
2012: 3OH!3 and Pretty Lights Performances
In 2012, Colorado musicians 3OH!3 and Pretty Lights performed at Red Rocks.
2013: OneRepublic and The Lumineers Performances
In 2013, Colorado bands OneRepublic and The Lumineers performed at Red Rocks.
September 1, 2014: OneRepublic Announces Red Rocks Performance
On September 1, 2014, OneRepublic 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.
September 25, 2014: OneRepublic Releases "I Lived" Music Video
On September 25, 2014, OneRepublic released the "I Lived" music video, which featured footage of the band, audience, and a fan (Bryan Warnecke) recorded at Red Rocks. The performance helped spread awareness for cystic fibrosis and shared Bryan's journey with the disease.
2014: Colorado Symphony's Cannabis-Themed Show
In 2014, after voters in Colorado legalized marijuana, the Colorado Symphony played a cannabis-themed "Red Rocks on a High Note" show at Red Rocks.
June 10, 2015: Barenaked Ladies Performance
On June 10, 2015, Barenaked Ladies performed at Red Rocks on their Last Summer on Earth 2015 tour.
June 2015: Colorado Music Hall of Fame Opens
In June 2015, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame opened its doors in the Trading Post at Red Rocks.
2015: Grateful Dead's Record Broken
In 2015, The Grateful Dead lost their record for most sold out performances at Red Rocks.
May 20, 2016: Barenaked Ladies Live Album Release
On May 20, 2016, the Barenaked Ladies released the live album of their performance on June 10, 2015, titled BNL Rocks Red Rocks.
2016: Strawberry Runners Performance
In 2016, Colorado band Strawberry Runners performed at Red Rocks.
May 11, 2017: Opeth and Gojira Performance
On May 11, 2017, Opeth and Gojira performed at Red Rocks.
2017: Bad Company Performed
In 2017, the English hard rock supergroup Bad Company performed at Red Rocks.
May 30, 2018: Vance Joy Performance
On May 30, 2018, Singer-songwriter Vance Joy recorded his performance at Red Rocks during his Nation of Two World Tour.
November 2, 2018: Opeth Live DVD and Blu-ray Release
On November 2, 2018, Opeth released a live DVD and Blu-ray of their May 11, 2017, performance at Red Rocks.
November 16, 2018: Vance Joy Live Album Release
On November 16, 2018, Vance Joy released a live recording of his performance at Red Rocks recorded on May 30, 2018, entitled Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
2018: Yo-Yo Ma's Tour Begins
In 2018, Yo-Yo Ma began his tour of Bach's Cello Suites at Red Rocks.
October 5, 2019: AJR Sold-Out Show
On October 5, 2019, AJR played a sold-out show at Red Rocks for their Neotheater World Tour.
2019: Nofx Performance
In 2019, the American pop-punk band Nofx released a live recording of their full 18-minute song "The Decline (EP)" featuring Baz's orchestra in a performance at Red Rocks.
May 20, 2020: Gojira Full Concert Release
On May 20, 2020, Gojira released the full concert, titled Live At Red Rocks, on YouTube from their performance on May 11, 2017.
September 2020: Virtual and In-Person Shows
In September 2020, virtual shows were streamed live. Despite Denver Arts & Venues announcing the closure of all its venues (including Red Rocks), in-person shows did occur. Other events included drive-in movies and film festivals.
October 2020: Stage Roof Replacement
In October 2020, construction commenced to replace the existing stage roof and expand the structure's rigging capacity at Red Rocks.
2020: Acoustic on the Rocks
During 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.
2020: Shutdown due to COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2020, Red Rocks was temporarily shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 2021: Bill Burr Comedy Special Filmed
In September 2021, Comedian Bill Burr filmed a comedy special at Red Rocks.
2021: Top-Grossing Concert Venue
In 2021, Red Rocks Amphitheatre was named the top-grossing and most-attended concert venue of any size, anywhere in the world.
2021: Shutdown due to COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2021, Red Rocks was temporarily shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022: South Park 25th Anniversary Concert
In 2022, on August 9 and 10, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone held a live concert with Primus, Ween, and Rush at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, celebrating South Park's 25th anniversary. The concert featured music from the series.
June 21, 2023: Hailstorm Injury Event
On June 21, 2023, before a scheduled performance by Louis Tomlinson, a hailstorm with apple-sized hail injured over 90 people at Red Rocks, with 7 hospitalized.
2023: The String Cheese Incident's Milestone
As of 2023, Colorado band The String Cheese Incident has played at Red Rocks over 50 times.
June 2024: Widespread Panic's Record
As of June 2024, Widespread Panic holds the record for the most sold-out performances at Red Rocks, with 72.
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