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An orchestra pit built of stone fronted the stage; behind it, in full view of the audience, the lights of Denver would mark the horizon. 20
GROWING BOLDER / WINTER 20
I was hooked. And soon I was booked on a flight from Tampa to Denver. I made reservations for a twonight stay in Golden, Colorado, and purchased a concert ticket for a middle seat, about a third of the way up from the stage. Red Rocks is located in Morrison, Colorado, and is owned by the City of Denver. Golden offers an appealing selection of moderately priced hotels and restaurants; the neighboring, sprawling Colorado Mills outlet mall in Lakewood and proximity to the National Historic Landmark Red Rocks Park made it an ideal base for me. That was about all the planning I intended to do. After arriving on a weekday afternoon, I gauged what the weather would allow to set an agenda for that day. Early the next morning, I hoped to head for the hills to visit the venue during the morning and then embark on a hike from a nearby trailhead. That evening was reserved for the concert and the following day I anticipated exploring a little more before returning to Florida. The primary reason for going was simple: I wanted to hear for myself the renowned sound that has made this landmark such a popular tour stop, from rock stars to opera singers, and see for myself what it is like to look directly upon what has been described as “one of the world’s natural wonders.” It’s no fluke that Red Rocks has such a revered reputation. “Pollstar Magazine,” a leading live music trade publication, recognized Red Rocks Amphitheatre as the country’s Best Outdoor Concert Venue at its 2019 30th Annual Pollstar Awards. Winners are voted on by a panel of more than 2,000 agents, managers, venue operators and other professionals.