Category: Misc.

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Standing Room Only: A Guide to Denver Concert Venues

I you are a fan of Live Music, then you'll be a fan of Denver. Here is a guide to the places in town to check out a concert.

Hey, Ho! Let's Go!

Denver sits just about half way between Chicago and Los Angeles, which means that just about any band that is on a U.S. tour has to pass through Denver. We get a lot of great music in this town. From tiny Indie Rock bands to massive stadium tours, we get to see them all. Here are the best places in Denver, arranged by size, for you to check out your favorite band.

Small Venues

200 to 500 person capacity.

Hi-Dive

7 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80209

Indie rock is what they do best at this small club. Always something new and worth checking out. I saw a band called Aqueduct here a few months back and I was instantly a fan. Fair priced drinks too.

Indie rock is what they do best at this small club. Always something new and worth checking out. I saw a band called Aqueduct here a few months back and I was instantly a fan. Fair priced drinks too.

The Hi-Dive

The Falcon

3295 S. Broadway Englewood, CO 80113

Half bowling alley, half concert club. This place was named Best New Venue by Westword this year. I saw the U.S. Bombs play here not long ago and the sound and energy of the show was incredible. They also serve food. Try the sliders!

The Falcon

Benders

Benders

Benders

314 East 13th Avenue, Denver, CO 80203

This is a really great sounding room that books mostly Alt-country, Rockabilly, and the sort of music that attracts Bettie Page looking girls with lots of tattoos. I love it. The crowd is more drunk and fighty than at most other venues, but hey, it’s all part of the rock n’ roll experience. Right?

This is a really great sounding room that books mostly Alt-country, Rockabilly, and the sort of music that attracts Bettie Page looking girls with lots of tattoos. I love it. The crowd is more drunk and fighty than at most other venues, but hey, it’s all part of the rock n’ roll experience. Right?

Benders

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3 Kings Tavern

Three Kings Tavern

60 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80209

Hard rock, punk, metal, country. It can all be found at 3 Kings, along with burleque shows and girls tending bar in their underpants. This is a fun club with great sound and the barstaff keeps the booze flowing.

Hard rock, punk, metal, country. It can all be found at 3 Kings, along with burleque shows and girls tending bar in their underpants. This is a fun club with great sound and the barstaff keeps the booze flowing.

Herman's Hideaway

1578 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80201

The first (and often last) stop of a million local bands, Herman’s keeps the music playing year after year. The drinks are cheap and the place usually has a festive, if a little too hippy, feel about it.

The first (and often last) stop of a million local bands, Herman’s keeps the music playing year after year. The drinks are cheap and the place usually has a festive, if a little too hippy, feel about it.

Mid-size Venues

500 to 1500 person capacity.

BEAUTIFUL THEATRE #125

The Ogden

Ogden Theatre

935 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80218

Once a run-down movie house, then a run-down concert hall, and now, after a big renovation in 2006, a great place to catch a show. The best seats in the house are on the arms of the balcony that extend almost far enough to overhang the stage.

Once a run-down movie house, then a run-down concert hall, and now, after a big renovation in 2006, a great place to catch a show. The best seats in the house are on the arms of the balcony that extend almost far enough to overhang the stage.

The Ogden

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The Gothic

Gothic Theatre

3263 South Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113

Beautiful art-deco theatre with state-of-the-art sound. A great place to see a show and not a bad seat in the house. Two bars dispense drinks with lightning speed. Consistantly voted Denver’s best venue.

Beautiful art-deco theatre with state-of-the-art sound. A great place to see a show and not a bad seat in the house. Two bars dispense drinks with lightning speed. Consistantly voted Denver’s best venue.

The Gothic Theatre

Bluebird 2

Bluebird 2

Bluebird Theater

3317 E. Colfax Denver, CO 80206

A really intimate and charming venue where up and coming National acts routinely break into the Denver market. A great place to see a show.

The Bluebird

Denver Venues

Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

2637 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80205

A good sized venue with a nice stage and a big bar. Lots of hippy jam bands have always come through here but lately they have broadened their repetoire to include rock, hip-hop and metal bands.

A good sized venue with a nice stage and a big bar. Lots of hippy jam bands have always come through here but lately they have broadened their repetoire to include rock, hip-hop and metal bands.

Cervantes

Supersuckers

Live at the Gothic in Denver

Large Venues

1500 to 4000 capacity.

Jewtopia??  Really??

The Paramount

Paramount Theatre

1621 Glenarm Place, Denver, CO 80202

A beautiful and historic Denver Theatre with truly great sound and lights. Assigned seating makes it a little difficult to dance or get to the bar without saying “excuse me” a thousand times, but if you are going to sit and listen to your favorite artist, you’ll hardly notice.

A beautiful and historic Denver Theatre with truly great sound and lights. Assigned seating makes it a little difficult to dance or get to the bar without saying “excuse me” a thousand times, but if you are going to sit and listen to your favorite artist, you’ll hardly notice.

YMSB

The Fillmore

Fillmore Auditorium

1510 North Clarkson, Denver, CO 80202

The Fillmore was once a large skating rink and, unfortunately still sounds a bit like one. But it is a beautiful room and they book more world-class talent to play there than nearly any other venue in town.

The Fillmore was once a large skating rink and, unfortunately still sounds a bit like one. But it is a beautiful room and they book more world-class talent to play there than nearly any other venue in town.

The Fillmore

Outdoor Venues

Summer is sweet in Denver.

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Red Rocks

Even a terrible band looks and sounds great at Red Rocks. Believe me I know, I saw “Frankie goes to Hollywood” here in 1985 and they were awesome, even though they sucked. On a warm Colorado night there is no better place to be than seeing a show on the Rocks.

Even a terrible band looks and sounds great at Red Rocks. Believe me I know, I saw “Frankie goes to Hollywood” here in 1985 and they were awesome, even though they sucked. On a warm Colorado night there is no better place to be than seeing a show on the Rocks.

Coors Amphitheatheatre Fiddlers Green

6350 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Englewood, CO 80111

Sure, it’s nice to be outside, drinking beer and listening to a band rock out. But for some reason I have never had anything but a lousy time at Fiddlers Green. Maybe it’s just me. From the parking to the seating to the crowd, it has always just seemed like an ordeal.

Sure, it’s nice to be outside, drinking beer and listening to a band rock out. But for some reason I have never had anything but a lousy time at Fiddlers Green. Maybe it’s just me. From the parking to the seating to the crowd, it has always just seemed like an ordeal.

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Universal Lending Pavilion

Universal Lending Pavilion

1700 7th Street, Denver, CO 80204

The concerts under the tent at Universal Lending Pavilion are a lot of fun. More often that not they book acts that my parents would enjoy more than me, but hey, parents need fun too.

The concerts under the tent at Universal Lending Pavilion are a lot of fun. More often that not they book acts that my parents would enjoy more than me, but hey, parents need fun too.

Lucinda Williams

Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens

909 York St, Denver, CO 80206

The summer concert series at the Botanic Gardens is great. The shows are done in-the-round and, for an outdoor gig, the sound is always top-notch. And it is a lovely place to watch a show as the sun sets on a summer evening.

The summer concert series at the Botanic Gardens is great. The shows are done in-the-round and, for an outdoor gig, the sound is always top-notch. And it is a lovely place to watch a show as the sun sets on a summer evening.

Check out these other great guides:

Poorest Tourist Guides

Denver Culture

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