The whole stadium vibrates, people stomp their feet, and lights are flashing in many directions. The day that has been long anticipated is finally here. Thousands of people wait as their favorite artist gets ready to perform. An overall concert experience can be affected by many factors, from being outdoors, to having a larger capacity venue. There are various types of venues around Colorado that have different aspects that help create a good concert experience.
The Pepsi Center is a large, multi-purpose venue in Denver that can hold up to 20,000 people. According to the Pepsi Center, there are more than 250 events per year that take place, and it takes over 1,000 staff members to run an event. It is a popular concert venue to visit, and many well-known artists come every year to perform here because of its large capacity. The Pepsi Center also has many food options from pizza to burgers, if you are trying to get something to eat before or after the concert. There are a handful of places in the area, only a couple blocks away. When trying to park near the Pepsi Center, Parking Panda states that the rates change based on event and lot, but the prices range from twenty to thirty five dollars per car.
Summit Music Hall is a smaller venue in Denver that opened in 2006. They have an overall capacity of about 1,100 people. They feature an upstairs balcony where people can view the concert as well. According to the Summit Music Hall website, they have primarily rock and indie music performed there, with over 200 concerts a year. They host smaller shows in half of the venue, and larger ones that take up the whole venue. They have many parking spots nearby; although there is also the chance to park on the street at the meters that have up to a two hour limit. At the Summit Music Hall, there is a pizza place right inside the venue, called Marquis Pizza, where you can get beverages as well. There are also other food places nearby, one of them being an ice cream place called Little Man, which features unique ice cream flavors.
The Ogden Theater was a former movie theater and was built in 1917, which has an overall capacity of about 1,600 people. The well-known Harry Houdini performed at the Ogden shortly after it opened. This venue is pretty small and features about 150 concerts per year. A venue like this makes it easy to be close up. Although compared to Pepsi Center, the seats are primarily assigned, so at a venue like the Ogden, most seats are general admission, so getting there at an early time can help to assure a good spot. According to the Ogden Theater website, parking on the street behind the Ogden is recommended, and you can purchase first-served parking at the same time as buying your ticket. The Ogden is in close proximity to Summit Music Hall and has cheap places to eat close to the venue.
Another concert place in Colorado that creates a unique experience, set apart from other venues, is the iconic rock formations at Red Rocks. Red Rocks Amphitheater has been known to bring people from all over the country in, seating about 10,000 people. Although, due to more popular demand, Red Rocks tickets can be pricier overall. There are food stations you can go to at the venue, and Red Rocks website mentions the Ship Rock Grille, which is located in the Red Rocks visitor center. Parking lots open two hours before showtime, so it is best to get there earlier to get a good parking spot in the lots near the park.
Overall, I recommend Red Rocks because it’s an experience you won’t get anywhere else. You get the chance to be surrounded by nature and the iconic Red Rocks that are well-known. Also, the sound quality is amplified well especially for being outside, and when the stars come out at night, it makes the concert experience even better.
Hannah McKinney, Staff Reporter
