21 APRIL 18-24, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Bentley hitting the stage this summer. “We’ve got a lot of classic artists, as well,” Kitts adds, “where you get people who have been around for decades: James Taylor, John Fogerty, Heart. Bands and acts that were huge in the ’70s are still around, and that’s kind of cool this year.” Diana Ross holds the record for the longest span between concerts: She fi rst performed at the venue in 1969 and will be back 55 years later, on June 27. “There are a lot of folks like that who can come back years later,” Kitts continues. “But then you look at somebody like Mitski, whose show here sold out in a second…and you’re glad for those artists because they’re brand-new, but you think, ‘Fifty-fi ve years from now, are they still going to be coming here?’ You look at the Hearts, the James Taylors and Diana Rosses — this is a venue that supported those artists, and those artists are still being good to Red Rocks.” The venue pays tribute to the acclaimed artists who’ve performed there in the Red Rocks Performers Hall of Fame, which opened when the Visitors Center made its debut in 2003. While the exhibit will soon receive some upgrades, including new tech- nology, band photographs and information about the surrounding park, it remains open. Musicians are added to the Hall of Fame annually, with Stevie Nicks added last year and Jimmy Buffett the year before. And musicians get to see more history for themselves, in a tunnel below the stage that’s coated with signatures left by artists since the ’90s. Bowman remembers taking Yo-Yo Ma on a tour there years ago, before the world-renowned cellist was slated to play a concert. It was a Sunday morning, and tour- ists were ambling around the amphitheater when Ma decided to take out his cello and play a couple of songs on stage. “He just played with a handful of tourists around,” Bowman recalls, “and then there were a couple of young guys that recognized him, and they started talking to him, and he was just chatting with them like they were old friends. It was just so cool.” Whether they’re music or nature lovers or both, fans can always expect an unforgettable time when they visit Red Rocks. So can the musicians. “We were doing some stuff for the 75th anniversary, and we were recording some of the artists that came through,” Bowman recalls. “Michael Franti said that the fi rst time he came here, he said, ‘This place is so beautiful. I can’t believe they built a music venue here.’ And then he said to himself, ‘This place is so beautiful. Thank God they built a music venue here!’” Email the author at emily.ferguson@westword. com. ROSS JONES The Beatles were one of the fi rst rock bands to play Red Rocks, which has become the number-one tourist destination in Colorado. DENVER ARTS & VENUES Saturday, June 8 11:30 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. | YORK STREET YARDS Unlimited SAMPLES FROM THE HOTTEST BRUNCH SPOTS WESTWORDOUTTOBRUNCH.COM to SCAN FOR TICKETS ON SALE NOW BENEFITING: BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 21+ ONLY | RAIN OR SHINE BOULDERTHEATER.COM FOXTHEATRE.COM KGNU PRESENTS YELLOWMAN MONO VERDE COLLECTIVE THE ROAD TO RHYTHMS SHADOWGRASS MAGOO SHAKEDOWN PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS SORTOF VAGUE WITH ENTANGLED MIND, BREAD WINNER, EOS, PHLO, GRAYMATTER FT. VISUAL SUPPORT BY ANTI-ALIAS CONSCIOUS ROOTS & BOULDER ECSTATIC DANCE PRESENT THE PSYCHEDELIC HOEDOWN FT. DAVID SATORI (OF BEATS ANTIQUE & DIRTWIRE) MAH ZE TAR, COOP MAHNDALA FLYING SOLO TOUR: SEASON 2 HUNTER HAYES BLÜ EYES 2000’S PARTY BY SLACKER UNIVERSITY INDIE 102.3 & ROOSTER PRESENT CAROLINE ROSE IAN SWEET KGNU, ROOSTER & PARADISE FOUND PRESENT CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM ARTUR MENEZES ROOSTER, PARTY GURU & AVERY BREWING PRESENT: BICYCLE DAY PAPADOSIO DOS (RANDOM RAB X LAPA) UPSLOPE PRESENTS SILVERSUN PICKUPS ROCKET LIVE IN THE STICKS TOUR JESSIE MURPH SHABOOZEY RECIPROCITY MUSIC PRESENTS CULTURA: A WORLD MUSIC SHOWCASE & FUNDRAISER FEAT. PORANGUÍ, SNOW RAVEN, YOUSSOUPHA SIDIBE, ALIXA GARCÍA KBCO & NEW TERRAIN PRESENT SAM BUSH FOGGY MOUNTAIN SPACESHIP KBCO & ODELL BREWING PRESENT BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB GENGAHR SKA BREWING PRESENTS STEEL PULSE CHALA APR 18 APR 20 APR 25 APR 19 APR 24 APR 26 APR 27 APR 18 APR 19 APR 20 APR 22 APR 25 MAY 3 MAY 8 MAY 9 JUST ANNOUNCED MAY 31 ...........................................GIMME GIMME DISCO JUN 14 ..........................................................PHOEBE NIX JUL 13 .......COLORADO’S FINEST UNDERGROUND HIP HOP JUL 20 ...........................................................EASY HONEY OCT 6 ....................................................PARRA FOR CUVA JUST ANNOUNCED JUN 5 .............YWCA’S DANCING WITH BOULDER STARS
