So you want to catch a rock show?
Here's your guide

By Mark Harden, Denver Post, April, 2003


Your typical rock star has to make plans before a big show: What songs do I play? How many encores should I do? Should I smash my Strat, or just hoist it overhead as I walk offstage?

Likewise, if you're going to rock out this summer, you'll need to plan ahead: Where do I get tickets? How do I get to the show? What can I carry in?

Here's our advice, starting with a tour of the region's most commonly used pop-concert venues:

Invesco Field at Mile High

The new home of the Denver Broncos has seen only one full-scale rock concert to date: the grand-opening show by the Eagles on Aug. 11, 2001. After sitting out last year's concert season, the 76,000-seat stadium will host at least two big concerts this year: the Metallica/Limp Bizkit/Linkin Park package on Aug. 1 and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band on Sept. 25. Some 50,000 to 55,000 seats will be sold for concerts, depending on stage placement.

At least two other events - the Denver Blues & Bones Festival and the Vans Warped Tour - will be staged in the Invesco parking lot.

Invesco Field got mixed reviews after the Eagles show. The facility has many more food and beverage sales points and restrooms than the old Mile High Stadium, most seats have more legroom, the pedestrian concourses are wider, and disabled access is improved. Also, sight lines to the stage are better because the lower rows of south-stand seats are removable, so the stage can be pushed farther back.

But some Eagles fans in the upper level complained they had a hard time hearing the show.
Veteran promoter Barry Fey, who is bringing Springsteen and Metallica to Invesco Field this summer, says the problems there in 2001 don't mean it's a bad concert facility.

"It had nothing to do with the stadium," he says. "The Eagles didn't bring enough sound, that's all. The only way you won't hear Metallica is if you're locked in a hotel room in Greeley - the least of the complaints will be that you can't hear. And Bruce takes care of his fans."

Invesco Field is hard to miss: It's that saddle-shaped structure west of Interstate 25, north of West Colfax Avenue and east of Federal Boulevard.

Your best bet is to take light rail to the show (the C-Line train stops at Invesco) or an RTD bus (lines serve Colfax and Federal). Call 303-299-6000 or go online to www.rtd-denver.com for route information and schedules.

If you must drive, you can take Colfax from I-25 and follow signs to limited close-in parking. And there are more lots east of the freeway. From southbound I-25, exit at Speer Boulevard south (exit 22-A), then turn right at Auraria Parkway. From northbound I-25, exit at Auraria Parkway (exit 210-C); follow signs.
Whatever you do, don't park in the neighborhoods around Invesco without a residential sticker or you'll be towed.

Pepsi Center

The 31/2-year-old home of hockey's Colorado Avalanche and basketball's Denver Nuggets is also Denver's largest indoor concert venue, seating 15,000 to 20,000 depending on stage placement.

The Pepsi Center is situated at Auraria Parkway and Speer Boulevard at the edge of Denver's Lower Downtown; take the Auraria Parkway or southbound Speer exits from Interstate 25.

The arena has 4,500 pay parking spaces; parking fees vary widely depending on the event and proximity to the arena. The main parking entrance is off Auraria Parkway west of Speer. For parking information and fees, call 303-405-1299.

You also can park nearby at Six Flags Elitch Gardens and the Auraria college campus; fees are generally lower. Also, RTD's C-line light rail trains stop directly behind the Pepsi Center.

Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre


This 16,800-capacity fan-shaped outdoor venue in suburban Arapahoe County hosts major summer tours. It's operated by Barry Fey & House of Blues Concerts.

There are some 6,800 reserved and box seats close to the stage. Beyond is a sloping lawn with room for 10,000 spectators to sit (or, during sold-out shows, stand) on the grass.

Fiddler's is 15 miles south of downtown Denver, just west of I-25. Exit the freeway at East Orchard Road, turn left on Greenwood Plaza Boulevard and follow the signs. There are several free parking lots and garages near the site, and there are closer-in pay lots.

Gates usually open 90 minutes before the announced showtime.
Shows generally must end by 10:30 p.m. because of a noise-abatement agreement with local authorities.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Many consider 62-year-old Red Rocks, nestled between sheer cliffs in the foothills west of Denver, to be one of the most spectacular outdoor concert settings in the world. It's operated by the city and county of Denver.
Concertgoers this summer will enjoy extensive improvements at Red Rocks, including expanded rest- rooms, a new 30,000-square-foot visitor center and museum, and better food service.

The amphitheater seats about 9,000 on wooden benches. At many concerts, the middle rows are reserved seating and the lower and upper sections are general admission.

Red Rocks is about 20 miles southwest of central Denver. It's along Colorado 93, between Interstate 70 and Colorado 8, just outside the town of Morrison. From I-70, head south at the Red Rocks exit and take either of the two entrance roads. (The box office is on the road labeled entrance No.2). From the south, take Colorado 470 to the Morrison exit and head west, then turn north on Colorado 93.

Doors usually open two hours before showtime. Be prepared for climbing steep stairways and entrance ramps at Red Rocks. Several free parking lots surround the amphitheater.

Universal Lending Pavilion

Formerly known as CityLights Pavilion, this 5,000-seat tented venue in the parking lot of the Pepsi Center opened last summer. It's a joint venture of promoter Clear Channel Entertainment and Kroenke Sports Enterprises, owner of the Pepsi Center.

Directions and parking information are the same as for the Pepsi Center.

Fillmore Auditorium

The venerable Mammoth Gardens, long used for skating, boxing matches and dances, was remodeled in 1999 to resemble San Francisco's famous Fillmore rock ballroom.

The 3,600-capacity hall, operated by Clear Channel Entertainment, is one of Denver's busiest rock venues. It boasts rows of elegant chandeliers and an entire wall of concert posters and photos.

For most shows, the Fillmore is set up as a ballroom, with very limited seating and an open floor where patrons stand or dance. Even more limited is parking.

The Fillmore is on East Colfax Avenue at Clarkson Street, a few blocks east of Broadway. You'd be wise to take a bus, cab or carpool. There are several small lots charging various fees within several blocks of the hall (mostly to the north). Don't park in the lots of nearby businesses or churches; you'll be towed.
Most Fillmore shows are for ages 16 and over.

Paramount Theatre

The Paramount, operated by the nonprofit Historic Paramount Foundation, is a restored 1929 movie house that now serves as a 2,000-seat concert hall. It's booked by Barry Fey & House of Blues Concerts.

The Paramount is located at 1621 Glenarm Place, just east of the pedestrian 16th Street Mall. From Interstate 25, take Colfax Avenue east to Glenarm, then turn left on Glenarm. You also can reach the theater via RTD's free 16th Street Mall shuttle, which connects with light rail.

Ticketholders who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster can park in the Plaza garage on 18th Street between Welton and California streets. You'll need to show your Paramount ticket stub as you exit the garage to avoid paying a fee.

Denver Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens, at 1005 York St., offers pop, jazz, blues and light-rock concerts at its small outdoor amphitheater. Tickets to 2003 shows are on sale now only to gardens members; public sales begin May 8 through TicketWeb.

From I-25, take Sixth Avenue east for about 23/4 miles, then turn left (north) on Josephine Street and go 31/2 blocks to the parking entrance.

Theaters

Several converted movie theaters around the metro area are now busy rock venues hosting national tours and local talents. They include the Ogden Theatre (935 E. Colfax Ave.) and Bluebird Theater (3317 E. Colfax Ave.) in Denver, the Fox Theatre (1135 13th St.) and Boulder Theater (2032 14th St.) in Boulder, and the Gothic Theatre (3263 S. Broadway) in Englewood.

Most shows at these venues are ballroom-style (meaning most people stand). Also, many shows have an age restriction because liquor is served; check before you buy tickets.
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Tips
Here's how to make the most of your concert experience this summer:
Tickets
Tickets to most large concerts in the Denver area are sold through the Ticketmaster agency, www.ticketmaster.com , 303-830-8497 or, in Colorado Springs, 719-520-9090). Ticketmaster over-the-counter outlets are at Foley's, Rite Aid stores, Wherehouse Music and Tower Records.

Some rock venues - especially the Ogden, Bluebird and Gothic theaters and the Botanic Gardens - use the TicketWeb agency ( www.ticketweb.com or 866-468-7621), with outlets at Independent Records and Disc Go Round stores.

Boulder's Chautauqua Auditorium, the AT&T LoDo Music Festival and certain clubs use TicketsWest ( www.ticketswest.com or 866-464-2626), with outlets at King Soopers markets.

Many venues also sell advance tickets through their own box offices, which usually are open on nights when the venue is hosting a show. Frequently you can avoid paying ticket-agency service charges if you buy at the box office.

The Denver Post announces upcoming ticket sales in "Ticket Source," a column that appears Fridays in the Weekend Entertainment section.

Being a member of a band's fan club and regularly checking its official website may help you get good tickets. Also, some radio stations and promoters offer early tickets to concerts if you sign up ahead of time through their websites.

Even after a show is declared a sellout, extra tickets are sometimes put on the market a few days or weeks before a show. These often are seats that were initially held off the market for use by the performers, promoter, sponsors, the press or for radio contests, or are "production holds" released after the dimensions of the stage are worked out. It's worth a call to the ticket outlet or box office just before a show.

"Scalping" - selling tickets above ticket price - is illegal in Denver itself, but legal in some suburban areas. Ticket brokers are listed in the yellow pages (under "Ticket Sales-Entertainment & Sports") and advertise in the newspaper classifieds. Call several brokers and compare prices. Make sure you know where the seats you're buying are located.

You also can check Internet auction sites for tickets offered for sale by fans.

Rules
Most major concert venues will not allow you to bring in anything that is made of glass, contains alcohol or blocks someone's view.

Generally you're not allowed to bring in bottles, cans, alcohol, lawn chairs, framed backpacks, pets, weapons, laser pointers, noisemakers or signs attached to sticks. But usually you can bring seat cushions, blankets, small soft daypacks and small umbrellas to outdoor venues.

Policies on cameras vary from show to show at many venues. They're officially banned at Fiddler's Green.
Rules governing outside food and nonalcoholic beverages depend on the venue. Fiddler's Green, Pepsi Center and Universal Lending Pavilion, for example, ban any outside food or beverages. But at Red Rocks, you usually can take in small picnic baskets or coolers (no bigger than the size of a six-pack), as well as nonalcoholic beverages in factory-sealed plastic containers.

To be sure, check with the venue or promoter before you go.

Outdoor concerts
Summertime weather is often volatile in Colorado, with blazing sun one day and drenching rains the next. Bring a rain parka or poncho, along with a water-resistant cap or hat with a brim. You'll also want a sweater or jacket, because temperatures drop rapidly after dusk.

And for daylight festivals, bring sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. Outdoor concerts generally are held rain or shine.

Security, etc.
In the post-9/11 era, expect tight security, thorough searches and long waits at venue entrances. Have your daypack unzipped for inspection.

Expect a long line at any will-call window. Carry photo ID and the credit card you used to buy the ticket.
Don't overindulge; police are out in force after concerts looking for swerving cars.

And yes, it's a rock show, but be courteous to your fellow music fans. Put away your cellphone, don't try to sing louder than the band, don't poach someone else's seat, don't throw up on your neighbor, and don't bang the guy in front of you in the head when you noodle-dance.

Mountain West Music 2003