Denver Event & Entertainment Guide
Get Down
Bluebird. Red Rocks. Ogden. No, we're not talking about the outdoors or Utah - just a few of the longest established and most popular music venues in Denver. The Mile High City punches way above its weight when it comes to live entertainment, and honestly, the scenery doesn't hurt either.
Let's start with the obvious: Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It's the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world. The Beatles, U2, Jimi Hendrix - you name 'em, they've played here. If it's on your bucket list, good. If it's not, add it. Shows run all summer, and there's nothing quite like watching the sun set behind the rocks while your favorite band plays. Just bring a jacket - it gets cold up there after dark.
The real magic happens on the smaller stages. The RiNo arts district is where The Lumineers got their start (in the basement of the old Meadowlark, if you want to brag about knowing that). Gothic Theatre, Bluebird Theater, Ogden Theatre, Cervantes, and Mission Ballroom host touring acts nightly across everything from indie rock to heavy bass. You could see a different show every night for a month and never repeat a venue.
Game Day
Downtown, Ball Arena is where the Nuggets and Avalanche hold it down, and Empower Field is where Broncos fans lose their minds every Sunday - seriously, ski traffic on I-70 drops noticeably when there's a home game. The Rockies play at Coors Field in LoDo, where the ball flies nine percent farther thanks to the altitude. Grab a Rooftop ticket for cheap - you get the massive outdoor bar and a view of the mountains.
Eat Up
You're going to need to eat. Downtown, hit Ian's Pizza for a $4 mac-and-cheese slice at 1 AM, or grab the Pilgrim sandwich at Backcountry Deli before a show. For date night, ChoLon's sweet onion dumplings will ruin all other dumplings for you forever. And if you're feeling fancy, Acorn was voted best restaurant in Denver - get the bone marrow and watch the bartender hand-carve your ice cube. Stoic & Genuine in Union Station does seafood that'll make you forget you're in a landlocked state - Jen Jasinski (ahem, James Beard nominee) runs the kitchen and it shows.
Drink Up
You must find The Green Russell: walk through a bookshelf in Larimer Square to reach an underground speakeasy where the bartender makes you a custom cocktail based on your mood. And breweries - Denver has over 100, and they're all good. Denver Beer Co for the patio, Ratio for the weekend yoga sessions (yes, really), Great Divide if you want to see the big operation. You honestly can't go wrong.
Whether you're here for a concert at Red Rocks, a Broncos tailgate, or just a long weekend of eating your way through RiNo, Denver's got it. Welcome to the Mile High City. Evil Tickets has you covered for all of it.
