Denver Live Music

I’ve been to Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom more than any other venue in Denver. It is usually open till 2 A.M., but I have been there a few times for late night shows. For some of these I would first see a show at the Fillmore and then stay at Cervantes until 4 or 5 in the morning. It’s somewhat in a sketchy area so I wouldn’t wander too far outside.

Cervantes Other Side recently went through some renovations inside. It’s connected to the original Cervantes’ through a door inside. Most shows that I’ve seen allow for you to come and go as you please through the connecting door. Be aware that for some shows this door may not open until later during the night or possibly not at all.

The Fillmore, located right off of Colfax Avenue, holds good memories for me since it was the first venue that I visited outside of Fort Collins. My first show was to see Sound Tribe Sector 9 in February 2005. I am always happy to find out that a show I want to see is being held there. It holds a comfortable 3,700 people.

The first thing that pops into my head when I hear the name is the ceiling, decorated with huge chandeliers that illuminate purple. Some of the other bands that I’ve seen at the Fillmore are Yonder Mountain String Band, the String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, moe, Disco Biscuits, and LCD Soundsystem. If you make it to the Fillmore, be sure to go to Sancho’s Broken Arrow, the Grateful Dead bar. It’s just one building over and is a popular hang out spot before going to the Fillmore. Sometimes they even have smaller name bands perform.

Just a block or two from the Fillmore is where you will find the Ogden Theater with a capacity of 750. I’ve only been inside once and that was for Ghostland Observatory in 2009. I thought it was a nice place, but I wasn't really in-sync with the crowd. Other than that is was great, and I will go back.

Dulcinea’s 100th Monkey is a couple doors from Sancho’s. So they can be found in the order of Dulcinea’s, Sancho’s Fillmore, and then Ogden… all within 1 block. Ducinea’s is a bar, but it is still known to host great bands. One time I saw Yamn play after a show at the Fillmore. I’ve seen that band five or six times and the show at Dulcinea’s was by far the best.

Quixote’s True Blue, formerly Owsley’s Golden Road, is another great venue in Denver. I went once to root for Yamn during a "Battle of the Bands" to see who would get to play at Wakarusa Music Festival. This must have been sometime in the Spring of 2009. At that time the back patio was getting redone, so I’d like to see how it looks now. It’s located at 2152 Lawrence Street. I parked in the assigned lot and even though it was after hours, I got a ticket for not paying. I guess you are required to pay to park no matter what time it is.

The Paramount Theatre is a beautiful theatre that was built in 1930. I’ve driven past it, but haven't been inside. Big name acts perform there regularly, but none yet that I want to see. Last summer Adam Lambert and Carole King - James Taylor were there. Besides music, this is a place for comedy, lectures, and movies. It is at 1621 Glenarm Place.

Pepsi Center is a huge arena with a capacity of 19,000 for concerts. It’s easy to find -- it’s right off the interstate, but I’m not a huge fan of it’s size. I’ve been there several times so it holds some familiarity, but I prefer to be in a smaller venue when seeing my favorite bands. So far I’ve seen Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Roger Waters at the Pepsi Center. Parking has been $20 each time I’ve been.

My first show at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield (just outside Denver) was for the Fourmile Canyon Benefit Concert which was held on Saturday October 9th, 2010. I loved everything about the place and the show except for the parking. There were a few free parking spots, but all of those filled up an hour before show time. Be prepared to pay $15 for parking. At the show that I attended the String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt from Leftover Salmon, and the guys from Phish all played to raise money for the victims of the Fourmile Fire near Boulder.

Less than 30 minutes from Denver is Morrison, where the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheater is located. This is the one venue where if you get a chance to go, then you need to make it happen. I am there every year to see my favorite band, Widespread Panic. The venue itself can seat 9,450 people. I think it’s a nice size; Big enough to bring in the big acts, but still small enough to run into friends.

The Oriental Theater is located at 4335 West 44th Avenue. I think it is on the smaller side, because I don’t hear of much going on that would interest me. From their website it looks like the majority of the shows occur on the weekends.

The Bluebird Theater is another venue that I haven’t been to. I think the bands that play there are categorized as mostly contemporary rock. I like how each venue is associated with different styles of music. Maybe one day they’ll have a rock band that I’m dying to see. The Bluebird can be found at 3317 East Colfax Avenue.

The Gothic Theater is located in Englewood, about 10 miles south of Denver. Occasionally I’ll hear of a good show going on there, but I’ve still never made it to one. From the pictures that I’ve seen, it looks like a nicely restored old theater. It’s definitely on my list of places I need to go.

I’ve never been to Beta, but from what I understand it’s more geared towards electronica music with DJs. In my opinion, it’s more of a dance club rather than a live music venue. Even with that information I still feel like I should go at least once and check it out. Maybe when a DJ that I’m familiar with is playing, I'll check it out.

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