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A few months back Courtney and I were looking for cheap trips using my personal favorite, Scott’s Cheap Flights. We had been hoping to find some way to Denver but then Salt Lake City popped up. I lived in Salt Lake and Park City for a while so was excited for the opportunity to show Courtney. A few weeks went by and we thought, let’s text our friends Kellen and Tyler and see if they want to come! I fired off a text from my couch in Madison to their phone somewhere in Chicago and a response came back from somewhere in the stratosphere within minutes.
“That sounds so fun! Thanks for the invite. Do you actually wana’ change your trip and go see Needtobreathe at Red Rocks instead?” Tyler counter-offered. Change our trip we did. Twenty, surprisingly painless minutes on the phone with Chase, later, and my Ultimate Rewards points had moved their way to a new ticket. We were back to the original plan, Denver.
We’ll do a full write-up on Denver and our time there but today I want to just focus on Red Rocks. If you’re a music lover, you should go here. If you’re a nature lover, you should go here. If you’re both a music and nature lover, you have to go here. What a sight to see. Living up to its name, Red Rocks Amphitheater is tucked into the side of a mountain. Towering cliffs make a crowd of 10,000 feel insignificant in this place. It was quick and easy to get into after a scenic drive.
Parking Lot Hike
I assume there is a more friendly lot for friends with different abilities. We were in a lower lot that required about a 5-minute steep incline walk up, it is Colorado after all. A last few flights of stairs and we were in. It really moved and flowed well both in and out of the show. You can tell they’re pros and have been doin’ it a while here.
Bring an Empty Water Bottle!
Red Rocks got its first massive bonus point when they let us carry in empty water bottles to be refilled inside of the venue. Drinks inside of venues can be ridiculously priced. I get it, but I also don’t, come on. Having empty water bottles allowed us to fill them at some of their water fountains for free and we love free. They’ve also got great bathrooms, indoor, super clean. If you’ve been to enough concerts let alone outdoor venues, you know this is worth noting.
The Show
The show was incredible. It was a perfectly clear night so the sky was beautiful. The sunset seemed like it lasted forever and added so much to the night. Once it was dark, the stage lit up the whole crowd. The band brought a full light show complimented by the Denver City lights miles away. It’s a beautiful and one-of-a-kind place to see the juxtaposition of the stage at a rock show and city lights peacefully hanging in the dark.
It was an incredible show. Needtobreathe played a two-hour setlist. Having released two albums during COVID lockdowns that they hadn’t toured on, their show just kept going. They played everything I could have wanted to hear. As a music and nature lover, I’ll definitely be back to check out a show here again someday even if it means taking a flight. Some of my favorite bands and artists will be worth seeing at Red Rocks.
A few tips:
- Super easy to tailgate in the lot prior to the show. Pick up some food and drinks and save yourself a little money.
- You don’t have to be first through the gate. If you’re like us and don’t necessarily care how close you are, there are no bad general admission seats. You can hang out for a bit despite the growing line at the gate and you’ll still get through with plenty of time to spare.
- Bring an empty water bottle to fill up inside!
- Go to the bathroom prior to leaving. The car lineout was maybe the first hiccup we had but I’ve definitely had worse stadium exits.