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I know what you’re thinking. Colorado doesn’t have a seashore. It’s nowhere near the ocean. Au contraire. Keep reading.
The usual summer afternoon thunderstorms were predicted along the Front Range of our Colorado Rockies this past Friday. The chance of rain, lightning, and perhaps hail was 50%. Even odds. I was a bit concerned. My nephew, Adam, was getting married in a few hours to Elena, the girl of his dreams. It was an outdoor ceremony, and reception wide open to the elements.
They met seven years ago while attending West Virginia University. The “Mountaineers”, as they are known, may have been an accidental choice for a Coloradoan but it feels deliberate. The University’s theme song after all is “Country Roads” by John Denver. Hello. Take me home, West Virginia, to the place I belong…mountain mama. Mountains, Colorado, you get it.
Anyway, the 5 o’clock ceremony was at the iconic Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater around 25 minutes west of Denver. The dramatic sandstone monoliths that dominate this area are breathtaking, and provide visual evidence of Colorado’s birth from the depths of an Inland Sea, over 250 million years ago. More on this in a moment. Walking around Red Rocks is practically a religious experience. If you have visited, you know what I mean. The actual venue is located directly behind the Red Rocks Trading Post and below the Amphitheater. This site has amazing views of the beautiful red rock formations in an intimate garden setting.
Red Rocks Amphitheater has a history dating back to 1906, when the owner of the land, John Brisben Walker, invited opera singer Mary Garden to perform, showcasing the sites “natural acoustics”. The Amphitheatre was officially designed and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the New Deal era, with construction starting in 1936 and completing in 1941. The first official concert at the newly constructed Red Rocks Amphitheatre was held on June 15, 1941, featuring the performance of Helen Jepson, a leading soprano with the Metropolitan Opera. Since then, Red Rocks has become one of the most celebrated concert venues in the world.
My sister Dawn lives 15 minutes south of Red Rocks. She and her husband Mike took us to our first Red Rocks concert in 2015. The walk in from the lower parking lot is long and steep. Coming from sea level will probably kill you. It rained lightly the entire evening. Fog hung low over the amphitheater, but you could still see the lights of Denver out in the distance. It was magical. Did I mention the main attraction? It was Steely Dan.
Well, at least 2 of the original founders, from over 40 years ago, anyway. At this point hitting the high notes was challenging, so they had an array of what I call Doo-Wop girls, to do just that. It worked just fine.
I first saw Steely Dan at the Whiskey a Go Go in West Hollywood , you know, like we all did. The Whiskey was cooler than the name implies, and nicer than it’s rather tacky, unimpressive exterior. It was 1974 and Reelin in the Years off their debut album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, was a fairly big hit. It got to # 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Dan Fragnito and I sat at a small table, grouped with an older couple. Probably in their 40’s. The guy pulled out a $100 bill and bought us drinks all evening. Turns out they were the parents of the lead guitarist, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. He left the group the following year to join the Doobie Brothers.
Tickets were $5 each. A fair price in the day. Four years earlier Dan and I paid $18 for 3 Days of Peace and Music at Woodstock. That’s a story for another day. I wasn’t really a big Steely Dan fan, but at the time they had a distinctly different sound. “Are you reelin in the yeeeers? Stowin away the tiiiime. Have you had enough of miiine? Da da tah, da da tah”. You remember.
The Whiskey, by the way, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 2006, and is still in operation.
In addition to Steely Dan, we attended two other concerts at Red Rocks. One featuring Pink Martini, a “little orchestra” that crosses several styles, such as classical, Latin, traditional pop, and jazz. The opening act featured Rufus Wainwright, a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded eleven studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical operas. A very talented artist by any definition. I suggest you give him a listen.
The last time we went to Red Rocks was to see a Boulder based A Capella group called Face. They are very popular around here and are damn good. Here is a link to two Youtube videos you may want to hear. The Parting Glass. Hallelujah.
Out of curiosity, I logged in to the Red Rocks website, to see what they are charging for concerts, these days. Imagine Dragons is performing at Red Rocks on October 17, 2024. Good seats are going for $2087 while the nose bleeds are priced at $468. Wow. I though dining out was expensive.
Back to Red Rocks
We take all our out-of-town guests to Red Rocks, often straight from the airport. Not to a concert, but for the “experience”. Early afternoon when the roadies are setting up for the evening performances and music is playing in the background. A while back, while conducting one of my tours, we were approaching the wall at the back of the Amphitheater, framed by giant rocks, the stage slowly coming into view surrounded by classical music, perhaps Vivaldi. Tears began to well as I was overwhelmed by the combined forces of imagery and sound. A quick glance left and right showed that I was not alone.
If you come to Red Rocks, I of course will provide my personal tour. If you come on your own, do not miss the Visitor Center & Museum. It is not there just for t-shirts and souvenirs. In addition to exhibits related to the Geological history of Red Rocks, it houses the Red Rocks Hall of Fame, a section dedicated to the many legendary artists who have performed at Red Rocks. This includes memorabilia, photographs, and information about notable concerts and performers who have graced the stage over the years. Virtually every musician you know has played here, including the New York Philharmonic, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, the Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, U2, Willy Nelson, Taylor Swift, James Taylor, Ed Sheran and on and on.
Upon entry you will come face to face with a 12-foot-high photograph of one of the earliest performances at Red Rocks. A formally dressed foursome. It was 1906 and there wasn’t much of a stage, just some boards on the ground, and seating was definitely a DIY affair. I can envision audience members riding up on horseback, horse drawn carriages or for those with the money, perhaps a Touring Car. Either way, visitors had to navigate the final stretch on foot.
Performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre is often a profoundly impactful experience for the artists/musicians. The venue, nestled in the natural beauty of the Colorado landscape, with its iconic red sandstone formations, creates an atmosphere that is both awe-inspiring and intimate. The maximum seating capacity is 9525 but feels much smaller when your there. For many performers, playing at Red Rocks is a career milestone, not just because of its reputation, but because of the unique acoustics and the reciprocating energy from the audience. Video after video, story after story by a variety of performers attests to this phenomenon. Most describe their experience as spiritual or transcendent.
Mother Nature was responsible for creating Red Rocks, beginning in the Pennsylvania Period, approximately 300 million years ago. This area, along with sections of 16 States, was part of an inland sea often referred to as the Western Interior Seaway. At its peak, the Western Interior Seaway was about 600 miles wide and over 2,000 miles long. It stretched from the present-day Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, effectively dividing North America into two large landmasses. The seaway was relatively shallow, with an average depth ranging from 200 to 600 feet. Who knew?
As the sea receded, vast amounts of sediment were deposited by rivers and streams. These deposits eventually became the sandstone, shale, and limestone formations found throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions today. The sediments were rich in marine fossils, including ammonites, sharks, and giant marine reptiles, providing a rich record of the ancient marine life that thrived in these waters.
During the Laramide Orogeny, a period of mountain-building that began about 70 million years ago, the region experienced significant tectonic activity. This uplift pushed the rock layers upward, tilting them at sharp angles. The once-horizontal layers of sandstone were now angled, creating the dramatic formations seen today.
Over millions of years, wind and water eroded the softer rock layers, exposing the harder, iron-rich sandstone that characterizes Red Rocks. The erosion process also sculpted the unique shapes and formations seen in the amphitheater and adjoining areas. The striking red color is due to the oxidation of iron within the rock.
Dinosaurs roamed the earth back then, making it a tad uncomfortable for concert goers in those early years. A trade off of sorts, considering there was no admission fee. I am not aware of any complaints. As a matter of fact, Dinosaur Ridge, a National Natural Landmark is located just east of Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. A panel of esteemed paleontologists ranks Dinosaur Ridge as the top dinosaur track site in North America, and one of the top such sites in the world. Well, well, well.
Until my Brother-in-law, Mike, the father of the groom informed me, I had no idea Colorado was at one point, for all intents and purposes, a sea side resort. Today, of course it is quite difficult to see the shore, let alone go surfing. He encouraged me to do this blog post. I hope he is not disappointed that I veered a bit from Red Rock’s geological history. Thank you, Mike.
I am grateful that my nephew, his bride and their families, selected this amazing venue for their wedding. What better way to begin the next chapter of their young lives. We all had a blast toasting, dancing and enjoying one another’s company. All the while sharing a connective bond not only with one another, but with the wondrous environment of Colorado’s Red Rocks.
BTW- As the ceremony began, clouds gave way to a warm embracing sunshine.
-END BLOG POST-
I left my home in the small Western New York city of Batavia in March 1977 vowing never to shovel snow again. Never say never. Settling for 38 years in what was for me the "promised land" of Santa Barbara, California. I married, helped raise a family, started a business, traveled and live a wonderful life. We spent the last 10 years of our west coast journey in the small, quiet, picturesque town of Ojai. My oldest friends call me TJ.
My wife Deborah and I moved to Colorado in 2015 to be near our daughter, her husband and 2 growing grand-boys. Add 2 bulldogs (French & English) to the mix and our hands and hearts are full. We all reside in Niwot, a small quaint town 15 minutes north of Boulder. The mighty Rocky Mountains are at our doorstep.
I am a man, son, brother, cousin, friend, husband, father, uncle, grand father, in-law and mostly retired Coloradan. You can read more about me on the About Page. If you are curious about my professional life you can visit my Career at Venture Horizon.
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Thank you Cosmic Frannie. I cannot believe we haven’t taken you to Red Rocks. Our bad. Next visit it will be the first place we go.
Paul
I love all your musings in this post — a family wedding, memorable concerts, geology, the photos and illustrations. Red Rocks looks truly awe inspiring and I’m going there next time I visit, no matter what! I’m completely open to what is “awe” inducing these days. So thank you for this lovely post and the last ones too which were in another category all together! Cosmic perhaps!
Very well written as usual, and well researched.
Peter
Thanks Gary. You too.
Our ceremony was at 5 PM, below the amphitheater. you could see people above filing it for the 7 o’clock performance of Marco Antonio Solis. A Mexican musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. An older guy but judging by the throngs going in he is quite popular. We had our own music and did not hear a peep from his concert, sound traveling up and all. Beautifully, lit from my vantage point.
TJ
Well done TJ. I agree with you on how moving, even spiritual it is. It’s truly a must see.
Stay well my friend.
My favorite blog to date. Still remember swimming home from that concert.
Me too. Thank goodness it was all down hill and no dinosaures.
Paul
As mother of the groom, I heartily agree that we all had a blast at the wedding. It was a perfect day, indeed! The special energy of The Red Rocks is palpable. ‘Tis a privilege to live in Colorado.
Amen to that little sister.
Paul
Thanks Andy. Old memories are the best aren’t they.
Paul
Paul,
I, really enjoyed reading your current blog. The history of Red Rocks is really amazing.
Awhile back I was a volunteer with the Boulder County Open Space program and I patrolled the area around NCAR. I was amazed
To find that that area, millions of years ago was lake front property.
You brought back memories of years ago the last time I was at Red Rocks. Our son who is a musician, not professionally was very much and still is into heavy metal. I caught the bug and it still remains. We went to see, The Scorpions. A German group. We did some heavy head banging and inhaled the aromas
Of then illegal pot. Had a lot of fun.
I can’t believe the prices they are now charging. Thanks for sharing
Andy