As I sit here on steps of Red Rocks Amphitheater, I cannot help but feel in awe at how magnificent the place truly is. To think that this where almost every major music act of the last 65 years has preformed. Everyone from The Beatles to U2 have dawn this red flagstone covered stage, and can you blame them? The place is simply amazing, with it's incredible rock formations and majestic views of the Denver cityscape and of The Rocky Mountains; the place is simply sublime!
For many locals and visitors to Denver, Red Rocks is a must see. It lays at the base of Mt. Morrison in the foot hills only minutes from downtown and offers a plethora of reasons to check it out. As you enter the park, these natural rock formations will immediately grab your attention. They are absolutely, legendary. These red and orange sandstone monoliths were created during the Jurassic period, about a 150 million years ago and are still breath taking. From the main entrance you begin to transverse the mountain and zig zag through jaggedy cliffs and eroded clumps of orange stone that are reminiscent of Arizona. As you reach the summit, you see the amphitheater emerge from the stones. This theater was created by The Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930's and took five years to complete. The place is strategically surrounded by rock formations, which provides incredible acoustics for its performers. You can try them out for yourself, since the theater is open year round and completely accessible to the public. What could be better than to stand in the exact same place as Jimi Hendrix or Tom Petty did as they wowed tens of thousands of eager on lookers.
When you get to Red Rocks, make sure to swing by it's Visitor Center. The place has several fascinating exhibits on the formation of the site, the fossils discovered while it was under construction and an interactive Rock-N-Roll museum. They have several TV monitors running footage of past performances from the last 65 years as well as an extensive collection of memorabilia ranging from James Taylor's guitar to original play bill by The Police to a t-shirt from Ozzy Osbourne. It has sometime for everyone who enjoys music.
The best part of Red Rocks and it's amphitheater is that it is completely free! That is if they don't have a show playing. So you can head to this Denver landmark anytime and see it for yourself. Many people come for it's roughed hiking trails or to simply run up and down it's many flights of stairs, at 6,400 feet above Sea Level, it is a great place to get in a good work out. Or you could simply bring a sack lunch and enjoy some fresh mountain air. Either way, a great time is easily had. Of course, there is nothing like seeing a concert here in this epic setting, which I highly recommend. It will be one of those truly unforgettable memories that you can pass on to your grand kids. Oh, and for those film buffs out there, they offer there "Film On The Rocks" series. Once a week, during the summer, they show a classic movie on the big screen. In past years, they have had such flicks as "Dirty Dancing", "When Harry Met Sally", "Ghost Busters" and "Monty Python and The Holy Grail", just to name a few. What a great way to spend some quality family fun time with the kids! So the next time you come to Denver, take a small side trip to Red Rocks and experience a true American icon!
The official website and for tickets:
http://www.redrocksonline.com/
Live concert footage from Red Rocks Amphitheater:
U2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv51LO7NOTo
Mumford and Sons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UeMt4Pyuz4
Backstage of Red Rocks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvX4hZHxvgU
Images of Red Rocks:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Red+Rocks+Colorado&FORM=RESTAB
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