How Visitors and Denver New Comers Can Explore and Experience Denver's Music Scene
It is indisputable that Denver is one of the most rapidly growing cities in The United States. The rapid growth Denver has experienced has created a melting pot of cultures that have enhanced and expanded Denver in the areas of music, food, and entertainment. Being born in Colorado, I have been able to grow up and watch Denver’s music scene form into what it is today. This has given me the ability to form an appreciation for of a lot of different music styles.
On any given night in Denver (During the Pre-COVID era) you could walk down Colfax and see a Hip-Hop/Rap show going on at The Fillmore, an EDM show at The Ogden, and a rock show at The Bluebird. The variety of choices in the music that Denver provides can be overwhelming and intimidating to newcomers and visitors. Living in Colorado since I was born, I have been able to experience many parts of the vast variety the Denver music scene has to offer. I’ve come up with a list of 5 ways newcomers and visitors can explore and experience the music scene in Colorado to the fullest.
Rufus Du Sol @ The Fillmore, 2018 (Photo Courtesy of Ultra5280.com)
1. Explore The Different Genres of Music Colorado Offers
Denver’s expansion has led it to become a city where anybody can experience a different genre of music every weekend. Being open minded is the first step in experiencing everything that Colorado has to offer in live music. Being limited to one or two genres of music will make it much harder to really explore and experience the music scene of Colorado.
Once live shows make a comeback, visitors and newcomers should try to get out and experience different genres of music. This step is so important because it can expand the horizons of music listeners and allow artists to make lifelong fans out of people who were once opposed listening to their type of music. Exploring different genres will allow concert-goers to experience a concert vibe different then what they are used to, expand their knowledge of other cultures, and discover new music to appreciate and make memories with. Getting out of your comfort zone is never a bad thing, especially when it comes to music.
One group in particular that understands the importance of giving different genres a chance is Chicago’s Louis The Child. I was able to experience this at their show at Red Rocks in 2019.
Louis The Child @ Red Rocks 2019 (Photo Courtesy of Consciouselectronic.com)
At this show, Louis The Child acquired pop artists Evan Giia and Chelsea Cutler to open for them. These artists made different music in comparison to Louis The Child which made me feel a bit skeptical about how they would be. Per usual, I showed up when the doors opened to get a good seat, and was not disappointed in the slightest. Both artists set a great vibe and expectation for the night. Evan Giia and Chelsea Cutler made an instant fan out of me, and I would have never listened to their music on my own time. Seeing an artist’s passion and stage energy in person can completely change the way you listen to music. This is why it is so important to experience different genres live when trying to soak up all that Colorados music scene offers.
2. Attend Big and Small Shows When They Return
While Colorado has some amazing large capacity venues (Red Rocks, The Ball Arena, The 1st Bank Center), it is also important to spend time at smaller venues to support local artists and smaller artists. Some of my best concert memories have taken place in smaller intimate venues.
Similar to experiencing different genres, going to small shows is all about support, discovery, as well as intimacy. If newcomers and visitors really want to experience what the Colorado music scene is all about, they should go to venues like the Bluebird, Ogden, Gothic, and Larimer Lounge. Going to these smaller venues will allow them to experience new music from local bands and smaller artists. This is important because Denver’s music scene has more to offer than the A-List musicians that perform at the larger venues year after year. Local and smaller artists keep the Colorado music scene great by creating intimate concert experiences. These experiences give concert-goers the chance to see what Colorados music scene culture is really like up-close. Not only does this allow concert goers to experience new music, but it also allows them to help pave the way for smaller artists to reach the next level.
An example of why going to smaller concerts is so important to experience Colorado’s music scene is Detroit’s Mikael Temrowski, known best by his stage name Quinn XCII. I was at his show at the when headlined the 550-person capacity Bluebird Theater in September of 2017. During this time he was gaining a lot of traction and popularity which led him to be able to open up for Louis The Child at Red Rocks in 2018. Just two years later in 2020, he was set to headline Red Rocks Amphitheater along side Chelsea Cutler, Jeremy Zucker, and Ayokay. This show was cancelled due to COVID-19 but has since been rescheduled for 2021.
Colorado gives locals the chance to experience intimate shows with smaller artists before they have their big break. Concert goers who supported Quinn XCII and attended his local shows from 2015-2020 were able to witness a formative time in Quinn XCII’s career and and watch him turn into the world-renowned performer he is today. Attending smaller shows gives Colorado’s new-comers a chance to experience and watch as local artists grow the music scene and themselves.
3. Get to Shows Early and Support Openers
Quinn XCII @ Red Rocks 2018, Photo Courtesy of SHWHY
Getting to shows early is another great way to discover new music and support local artists. The sole purpose of opening acts is to draw in a bigger crowd and help smaller artists get exposure and new fans. People trying to experience the Denver music scene (And concert goers in general) should always try to show up early and support the openers because they can see a lot of local bands and musicians live in concert that they may not have discovered otherwise. Showing up early to shows is equally important for the fans as it is the artists.
Said The Sky @ Skyway Theater 2019, Photo Courtesy of Andrew Dobin
Some of the best musicians local to Denver that I’ve discovered over the last few years have been the openers for bigger artists that I enjoy. Over the last couple of years I have seen Said The Sky, Dabin, and William Black open for Illenium at various shows, and I have become a fan of each of them. All three of these artists reside in Denver and heavily contribute to the growing electronic music scene in Colorado. By getting to shows early I was able to discover and experience more music coming from Coloradan’s who are actively expanding the music scene here and making it more well-known.
Whether it’s getting to the show when doors open or getting there for the last opening act, either way is a great way to discover local music and expand your horizons.
4.Check Out Local Music Festivals
Colorado has no shortage of music festivals to choose from, as there is something for everybody’s music taste. From big festivals like Decadence NYE, Global Dance Festival, Grandoozy, and Jazz Aspen Snowmass, to smaller festivals like The Westword Music Showcase, and Underground Music Showcase, there is an option for everybody.
Colorado has no shortage of music festivals to choose from, as there is something for everybody’s music taste. From big festivals like Decadence NYE, Global Dance Festival, Grandoozy, and Jazz Aspen Snowmass, to smaller festivals like The Westword Music Showcase, and Underground Music Showcase, there is an option for everybody.
Sonder Music Management’s own Float Like A Buffalo has played at many of the music festivals mentioned above. These festivals gives talented local artists an opportunity for exposure and festival goers the chance to discover some amazing local music.
Although the bigger festivals are great, to really experience the Denver music scene visitors and newcomers should check out the smaller ones that Colorado has to offer. The best part about the smaller festivals is that a larger percentage of the artists live in Colorado and contribute to the music scene here. Without the chaos that ensues at massive music festivals, the smaller festivals are able to offer an experience of intimate performance, discovery, and appreciation for local music because you aren’t jumbled up in a crowd of thousands or hundreds of thousands of other people.
5. Follow Venues and Local Artists On Social Media
The simplest way to get into the Colorado Music Scene and discover great music is to follow venues and artists on their socials. This allows you to keep up to date with releases from local artists, socially-distanced shows, and locally-produced livestream concerts.
Getting into the music scene in Colorado is all about discovery, and thankfully social media makes it extremely easy to to discover new music. Following venues is a great way to find new local music too since many artists follow and interact with them. To help we even have an article with links to the majority of Colorado venues’ social media accounts. So next time you have a minute to spare go follow some local artists and support them.
Float Like A Buffalo, Photo by Sarah Shuel
