As a Colorado music fan, it’s easy to feel like Red Rocks should represent each of our tastes in music. It’s the state’s de facto shrine for live music, so naturally, it’s held to each of our impossibly high standards.
But, like any politician, Red Rocks can’t be all things to all people.
For example, nearly half of the 60 shows announced for Red Rocks 2018 season could be categorized as EDM (11) or jam band (16) concerts. Whether that’s thrilling or chilling, it’s likely representative of tastes. AEG Presents has been the dominant promoter at Red Rocks in recent years — it promoted or co-promoted 52 of the 60 shows announced so far this year — and as a result, it’s gotten to know what sells there.
And if you aren’t into psychedelic party music, there are 33 other shows to keep an eye on. We’ve highlighted our five stand-outs in bold. And if none of them are doing it for you, sit tight: These 60 are less than half of the 143 shows announced at the venue last year.
April
4/20 Eve On The Rocks (311 and Method Man & Redman with Collie Buddz, PROF, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Chali 2na); hip-hop. April 19. $55-$150.
Opiuo and Sunsquabi with Flamingosis and Anomalie; EDM. April 21. $30-$75.
Vulfpeck with Kamasi Washington and Knower; funk and jazz. April 27. $45-$75. Vulfpeck returns to Red Rocks for its first headlining show after opening for Trey Anastasio Band there last year and for The Motet in 2016. The band has earned it: Its mix of self-aware goofs and virtuosic funking around will put a smile on your face and, if you’re anything like the band, a weird costume on your body. The sweetener here is Kamasi Washington, who’s quietly become the leader of a new generation of political and hard-to-parse jazz musicians. Catch him whenever you can.
May
X Ambassadors with Misterwives and Allan Rayman; alt-rock. May 3. $25-$45.
Twiddle and Stick Figure with The Hip Abduction; jam. May 4. $31.50-$75.
Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band and Leftover Salmon; Americana jam. May 5. $55-$99.50.
The Purple Xperience; Prince tribute band. May 10. $45.50.
Global Dub Festival (Ganja White Night and Zomboy with Boogie T b2b Squnto, Eptic, AFK and Spock); EDM. May 12. $39.95-$100.
Modest Mouse with TBA support; alt-rock. May 13. $45.50-$79.50.
Khalid with TBA support; hip-hop. May 14. $69.95-$75.
Above and Beyond with TBA support; trance. May 19. $42.50-$110.
Elephant Revival with Blind Pilot; avant-folk. May 20. $40-$50.
Phantogram and Tycho with Poolside; electronic. May 21. $42-$87.
The Decemberists and Whitney; indie rock. May 22. $45-$75.
Louis The Child and Big Wild with Quinn XCII and Phantoms; EDM. May 24. $42.50-$75.
The Devil Makes Three with The Wood Brothers and Murder By Death; Americana rock. May 25. $42-$55.
The Disco Biscuits with Spafford and Organ Freeman; jam. May 27. $46-$89.50.
Haim with Maggie Rogers and Lizzo; indie rock. May 28. $44.50-$68.50. Catching Este, Danielle and Alana Haim’s shimmering pop-rock band at their first Red Rocks show would almost be enough to recommend this one. But it’s the openers that really seal the deal. On the strength of her song “Alaska” (and a viral video with producer Pharell Williams) Maggie Rogers turned an NYU class into a Capitol Records recording contract almost overnight. Lizzo is the next great thing in pop music, a pep-in-your-step singer/rapper that’s the musical equivalent of a compliment from a beautiful stranger. Just go.
June
The Motet and Boombox with The New Mastersounds; jam-dance. June 2. $35-$68.50.
Marshmello with TBA support; EDM. June 3. $45-$100.
Brit Floyd; Pink Floyd tribute band. June 7. $56.50.
Big Head Todd & the Monsters with TBA support; alt-rock. June 9. $54.50-$74.50.
Bryan Adams with TBA support; rock. June 12. $39.50-$99.50.
Turnpike Troubadours with Randy Rogers Band, Old 97’s and Charley Crockett; country rock. June 13. $25-$35.
Odesza with TBA support; EDM. June 15-16. $54.99.
Barenaked Ladies with Better Than Ezra and KT Tunstall; pop rock. June 19. $43.50-$85.
Chromeo and The Glitch Mob with Elohim and Kittens; funk. June 28. $42.95-$90.
The Avett Bros. with David Crosby and Friends (6/29), Mandolin Orange (6/30) and TBA support (7/1); roots rock. June 29-July 1. $55.00-$89.50. It’s no mistake that the folk-punk Avett Bros. have been able to headline Red Rocks for each of the past eight years (and usually multiple nights). With a catalog of acoustic barn-burners that grows by the year, the band has the right energy for Red Rocks. They also attract some bonafide legends to take the stage with them. John Prine and Dr. John have joined them in the past; this year, they netted David Crosby.
July
Zed’s Dead; EDM. July 2-3. $42.50-$100.
Umphrey’s McGee; jam. July 5-7. $42.50-$119.
Dark Star Orchestra with Keller Williams; jam. July 8. $32-$55.
Moe; jam. July 12. $39.95-$75.
Sylvan Esso with TBA support; indie electronic. July 18. $43.75-$75.
The String Cheese Incident with JJ Grey & Mofro (7/20), The Main Squeeze (7/21) and Rising Appalachia (7/22); jam. July 20-22. $49.95-$85.
Beats Antique and The Polish Ambassador & The Diplomatic Scandal with Clozee; EDM. July 27. $42-$85.
Tedeschi Trucks Band with Drive-By Truckers and The Marcus King Band; blues rock. July 28-29. $46.75-$110.
August
Steve Martin and Martin Short with The Steep Canyon Rangers and Jeff Babko; musical comedy. Aug. 6. $59.50-$179.50. Come for the comedians’ banter, stay for the music. The Steep Canyon Rangers is a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass band (Steve Martin played banjo on its 2010 album “Rare Bird Alert”) and pianist Jeff Babko has tickled the ivories on everything from Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” to “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” where he’s currently an arranger, composer and player.
Brandi Carlile with Shovels & Rope and The Secret Sisters; Americana. Aug. 12. $48.50-$88.50.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead; jam. Aug. 16. $43.50-$79.50.
Railroad Earth with Fruition; jam. Aug. 18. $35-$75.
Niall Horan with Maren Morris; pop. Aug. 20. $47-$120.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with Tank and the Bangas; rhythm and soul. Aug. 22. $46.75-$86.50.
David Byrne; alt-rock. Aug. 27-28. $50-$94.50. The Talking Heads frontman is back with a new album and a live show he’s said will rival “Stop Making Sense,” his old band’s famously good concert film. He’ll wrap his latest tour at Red Rocks on Aug. 28. That show sold out so fast they added a second date. Let that be a lesson: We’re not the only ones who know this one is a can’t-miss.
Shakey Graves and José González & The Bright Lights with Twin Peaks; Americana rock. Aug. 30. $39.95-$60.
September
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit with Aimee Mann and Amanda Shires; Americana rock. Sept. 3. $39.75-$60.75.
Trapfest Ft. Nghtmre and Slander with Joyryde; EDM. Sept. 16. $30-$80.
Punch Brothers and Gillian Welch; bluegrass. Sept. 17. $46-.50-$79.95.
Greensky Bluegrass with The California Honey Drops (9/22) and Turkuaz (9/23); folk jam. Sept 22-23. $44.50-$85.
October
Snails with TBA support; EDM. $39-$75. Oct. 5.
