Marveling at the history, geology and music of Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Wandering up the winding road from Denver, you first catch a glimpse of the deep red sandstone rock formations  in the distance.   This is an awesome sight in its own right, but when you drive under a sandstone arch and arrive at the geologically formed amphitheatre, unique in all the world, you are spellbound by the grandeur of it.

The amphitheatre, now known as Red Rocks and originally called the Garden of Angels, and no wonder, consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) and man-made seating that extends between them swooping down to the stage with a drop-dead gorgeous view of the City of Denver below.

It was in the early 1900's, that “Renaissance Man,” John Brisben Walker(1), journalist, owner/editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine, automobile manufacturer, land developer, hotelier, and owner of property that included what is now Red Rocks, dreamed of having a performing venue at the natural amphitheatre with such perfect acoustics. He arranged for a famous opera singer(2) of the day to perform there, and when she pronounced it the best concert hall she had ever sang in, attention was drawn to what Walker labeled “The Garden of Titans.”

 Walker went on to produce a number of concerts between 1906 and 1910(3) on a temporary platform, but it wasn’t until much later than plans for a formal concert venue took hold.  The City of Denver purchased the area of Red Rocks from Walker for the price of $54,133 in 1927 during the depression. Timing was right. Work programs created to get the economy back on its feet at the time provided the labor for the project. The federally sponsored Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Work Projects Administration (WPA), were engaged to construct the amphitheatre based on Denver architect Burnham Hoyt’s design, maintaining the beauty of the original natural theatre. It was finally dedicated in 1941.

Since then outstanding performers from every era of music have performed here. The earliest notable rock and roll performance at Red Rocks was by The Beatles  in August, 1964 (some clips). During a five-year ban of rock music from the venue after 1000 unticketed fans, many unruly,  showed up at a Jethro Tull concert, Red Rocks focussed on easier listening  from John Denver, Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters, Pat Boone, Seals & Crofts, and Carole King. But over the years since Sting, Santana, Joe Cocker, U2 among other have had concerts at Red Rocks. More recently Barenaked Ladies, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Zac Brown's Band and John Mayer have performed there.

The thought of going to a concert or an Easter morning service(4) here is mind-blowing. (Twitter friend Jason talks about this in one of his blogs: http://www.jasons-travels.com/my-colorado/red-rocks-amphitheatre.) But there’s more to Red Rocks than its concerts making it worth going there even in the off-season – for the gorgeous setting, to hike around and enjoy the magnificent vistas, to marvel at the incredible human engineering feat, to consider the geologic, entrepreneurial and musical history of the place. The Visitor Center features interactive educational displays, a short film documentary on the geologic and musical history, and a Performer's Hall of Fame.

(1) Ironically after years of investing in countless ventures, many of which earned him millions, Walker died penniless in 1931 at the age of 83.The ruins of Walker’s magnificent house are still visible along Walker’s Dream Trail on Mount Falcon.  More on Walker.
(2) Mary Garden was known as the Sarah Bernhardt of Opera.  She was a household name in the US in the early 1900s.  More information and photos. 
(3) The earliest documented performance at the amphitheater was the Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans, on May 31, 1906. featuring Pietro Satriano and his 25-piece brass band.
(4) The first event at Red Rocks Amphitheatre was the Easter sunrise service in 1947.  The Easter Sunrise service is now the opening event every year. 

Brown Palace Hotel -- a Presidential Experience in Denver

My first solo hotel stay as a working young adult was at an historic hotel --Brown's in London. This marvelous hotel set the bar for what I would expect from accommodations far higher than what could reasonably be required for  a business hotel. Brown's was not just a hotel -- it was an experience, a time tunnel back to another more gracious era. From that all too brief stay, I learned to look for more from each and every hotel encounter from the little motel on the prairie, to the B&B by the sea, to the convention hotel in Chicago, to the grand hotel in Paris or Monaco. There had to be something out of the ordinary--whether it was a journey back to another time, a trip into exciting new living features that weren't yet the standard for ordinary homes, a full immersion into the culture of the city or town I was visiting, or even just something quirky that would give me a story to tell.


Tall order, but having the bellman tell me as he pushed our luggage towards reception that every President with the exception of Coolidge from Theodore Roosevelt through to George W. Bush had stayed in the hotel got my attention. Then as we walked into the lobby of the Brown Palace (no relation to Brown's in London) as high tea was being served in the atrium and the sounds of 30s style piano music wafted through the air, my eyes swept upward capturing almost instantaneously the cast-iron balconies, stained glass ceiling, huge American Flag, and remnants of a massive fireplace.  It was then that I felt that tumbling back in time sense that only an assiduously maintained historic hotel can deliver.  I knew this was going to be an experience.

Competing now with a number of stylish, boutique hotels that have opened in recent years in Denver, the Brown Palace still manages to set a contemporary standard (including an excellent spa) while maintaining it's elegant and historic charm.   From its dramatic eight-story atrium lobby adorned with Mexican onyx to clubby restaurants and quaint, comfortable bars to its high ceiling guest rooms with attractively remodeled bathrooms, lovely furnishings and finishes, and slanted windows that let the sun stream in, the Brown Palace exceeds expectations.

While gradually modernizing, the Brown Palace has retained the feel of an historic Denver and American West. The triangular Colorado red granite and sandstone building has been continuously operational since opening in late in the 19th century.   And as you walk into Churchill's Bar, opened in 1996, you can easily imagine turn-of-the-century gentlemen drawing on their cigars while discussing the politics and business of the day in such an establishment. And more of that somewhere-in-time feeling has been created by the historic artifacts and paintings that adorn the public rooms. The windows near the entrance to the Palace Arms and Churchill Bar, for instance, contain French military band figures carved by a French doll maker imprisoned during the Napoleonic wars. Replicas of flags prominent during the exploration of the American continent and dueling pistols said to have belonged to Napoleon can be observed while dining in the Palace Arms Restaurant. An incredible painting, "The Sultan's Dream, a part of the hotel since it's opening in 1892, can be viewed in the Churchill Bar. Touches throughout like an antique black phone, an historic postal box, and changing displays of memorabilia such as old guest registers, menus and brochures in the entry lobby further sustain the historic character and feel of this grand old hotel.  

And beyond the building, service is as gracious as you would expect from a hotel that has catered to Presidents and other world dignitaries.  If Mr. Obama chooses to keep their record of Presidential stays going, I am sure the Brown Palace will not disappoint.

And just to demonstrate how an older lady can keep up with the times, there is a tweeter for the hotel, with whom I made the arrangements for my stay:  BrownPalace. After I tweeted my compliments, BrownPalace tweeted: @thetraveltweet So glad to see you enjoyed your time here. Hope to welcome you back. Please let us know if you need anything in the future!  To be sure @BrownPalace thetraveltweet will be back.  

I love Twitter.