Red Rocks 2017 :: Primed and Ready
Summer schedule likely to bankrupt most Centennial State millennials
By Eric Frank
April 17, 2017
Here in Colorado, we're all pretty aware of both the quality and quantity of live music we get to regularly enjoy. In fact, we write about it all the time and we're no less appreciative as time goes on. Local bands are crushing it, working together to endorse one another and the larger scene in general. Then, there are the scores of high-caliber national touring acts who—whether by reputation or simple geography— regularly include Colorado cities into their schedules. And let's not forget about our state's marvelous festival season. Locally grown festivals such as LoHi Music Festival, Spread The Word Festival and The Big Wonderful have given way to sizable attractions such as BeanStalk, Arise Music Festival and Sonic Bloom; not to mention the multitude of festivals down in Telluride, among others.
But the crown jewel of Colorado is, almost without question, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. From The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead to Phish, Pearl Jam to Radiohead, Daft Punk, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, Elton John, Neil Young, Talking Heads.... the list goes on and on. But back in the day, Red Rocks' summer concert schedule was rather limited - at least by today's standards.
A single concert occurred during the park's inaugural year of 1908. When Benny Goodman visited on July 27, 1951, his was one of seven shows that year. By the time The Beatles arrived during the height of Beatlemania on August 26th, 1964—a time when the youth was beginning to dominate musical trends—the Fab Four were part of a 23-show summer schedule. Shows in the 1970's grew rapidly from five in 1970 to sixteen in 1972 and up to forty-four by 1977, a year that included B.B. King (June 10), Herbie Hancock (July 15, 16) and Bob Marley (July 26).
But that was then, and this is now. In 2017, Red Rocks is slated to host more than 110 shows. And that's only including shows that have thus far been announced . More are sure to come. Fans of jam, rock, bluegrass, classic rock, R&B and even comedy will find something to their liking in 2017.
Some of the most highly anticipated acts this year include Snoop Dog (April 23), Joe Russo's Almost Dead with Medeski, Martin & Wood (April 29), Primus and The Claypool/Lennon Delirium (May 16), Jethro Tull (May 26), Trey Anastasio Band (May 31), Norah Jones (June 14), Widespread Panic (June 23-25), Paul Simon (June 28), Umphrey's McGee (June 30-July 2), Santana (July 10), Beck (July 11), Ween (July 12), Dave Chappelle (July 15), String Cheese Incident (July 21-23), Gov't Mule with Yonder Mountain String Band (August 19), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (August 28), Greensky Bluegrass (September 23), the just announced reunion of Gorillaz (September 26) and Big Gigantic's annual Rowdytown (September 29, 30).
If none of that does it for ya, then A.) you might be in the wrong state, B.) you hate music and might as well schedule a lobotomy, or C.) you can still catch Nickelback on the Rocks on September 12 (which may also require a lobotomy).
We can’t wait to get out on the Rocks in 2017 and we’re guessing you can’t either. The concert season begins on Wednesday, April 19 with Method Man and Redman (just in time for 420!). So take out a loan or get a second job if you have to, but you’ll want to start purchasing tickets now before your show sells out (as some already have!). It sure is good to be a music fan in Colorado.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s 2017 concert schedule:
April 19 – Method Man, Redman & Flatbush Zombies
April 20 – Flosstradamus
April 22 – Red Rocks Brewfest and BBQ
April 23 – Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
April 29 – Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
May 2 – Chance The Rapper
May 3 – Chance The Rapper
May 5 – Dada Life
May 6 – Papadosio
May 11 – Opeth & Gojira
May 12 – Bonobo & Nick Murphy
May 13 – Lettuce, Ghostface Killah & George Porter Jr.
May 16 – Primus & The Claypool Lennon Delirium
May 20 – Global Dub Festival: Flux Pavilion
May 21 – Elephant Revival
May 23 – Chris Stapleton, Brothers Osborne & Lucie Silvas
May 24 – Chris Stapleton
May 26 – Jethro Tull
May 27 – Odesza
May 28 – Odesza
May 29 – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers & Joe Walsh
May 30 – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers & Joe Walsh
May 31 – Trey Anastasio
June 1 – Chromeo & Rufus Du Sol
June 2 – The Motet
June 3 – The Disco Biscuits & Shpongle
June 4 – John Prine
June 6 – Celtic Woman
June 7 – Phoenix & Miike Snow
June 8 – Brit Floyd
June 9 – Boombox & Nahko and Medicine For The People
June 10 – Big Head Todd and the Monsters & Collective Soul
June 11 – Marshmello
June 13 – Chicago – The Band & The Doobie Brothers
June 14 – Norah Jones
June 15 – Arrival From Sweden: The Music of Abba
June 16 – Dispatch
June 17 – Gramatik
June 18 – Portugal The Man & Local Natives
June 20 – Ryan Adams
June 23 – Widespread Panic
June 24 – Widespread Panic
June 25 – Widespread Panic
June 28 – Paul Simon
June 30 – Umphrey’s McGee
July 1 – Umphrey’s McGee
July 2 – Umphrey’s McGee
July 3 – Zeds Dead
July 4 – Blues Traveler, Rusted Root & Spin Doctors
July 5 – Flume
July 6 – Colorado Symphony Orchestra: Pink Martini
July 7 – The Avett Brothers
July 8 – The Avett Brothers
July 9 – The Avett Brothers
July 10 – Santana
July 11 – Beck
July 12 – Ween
July 13 – Michael Franti & Spearhead
July 14 – Railroad Earth & Leftover Salmon
July 15 – Dave Chappelle
July 16 – Amos Lee & Colorado Symphony
July 18 – Diana Krall & Colorado Symphony Orchestra
July 19 – The Dirty Heads & Soja
July 20 – Killer Queen
July 21 – String Cheese Incident
July 22 – String Cheese Incident
July 23 – String Cheese Incident
July 25 – 2Cellos
July 26 – Glass Animals
July 27 – AFI & Circa Survive
July 29 – Tedeschi Trucks Band & The Wood Brothers
July 30 – Tedeschi Trucks Band & The Wood Brothers
July 31 – Steve Miller Band & Peter Frampton
August 1 – Darius Rucker & Lauren Alaina
August 2 – The Head and The Heart
August 3 – The Head and The Heart
August 5 – Yoga On The Rocks
August 6 – Face Vocal Band
August 7 – Alt-J
August 8 – Miranda Lambert
August 9 – Miranda Lambert
August 12 – Yoga On The Rocks
August 13 – moe. & Twiddle
August 15 – Young The Giant
August 16 – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
August 17 – The Piano Guys
August 18 – Slightly Stoopid, Iration & J Boog
August 19 – Gov’t Mule & Yonder Mountain String Band
August 20 – Die Antwoord
August 21 – Sam Hunt, Maren Morris & Chris Janson
August 22 – Sam Hunt, Maren Morris & Chris Janson
August 23 – Joe Bonamassa
August 24 – 1964 The Tribute
August 25 – Father John Misty
August 26 – Reggae On The Rocks
August 27 – Emancipator Ensemble
August 28 – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats
August 30 – Trailer Park Boys
September 1 – Griz Live Band
September 2 – Griz
September 4 – Foreigner & Cheap Trick
September 7 – Jason Isbel
September 12 – Nickelback & Daughtry
September 14 – Above and Beyond
September 15 – Rebelution
September 16 – Lotus
September 18 – Muse & 30 Seconds To Mars
September 21 – Get The Led Out – Tribute Band
September 22 – JJ Grey & Mofro
September 23 – Greensky Bluegrass
September 25 – Sturgill Simpson
September 26 – Gorillaz
September 27 – Fleet Foxes
September 29 – Big Gigantic
September 30 – Big Gigantic
October 3 – Incubus & Jimmy Eat World
October 4 – Straight No Chaser & Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
October 5 – The Shins
October 6 – Snails + Nghtmre