Denver Feature

Colorado's moments of pop-music history have been spectacular. Many happened at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where the Beatles performed in 1964 and U2's Bono made his famous "this song is not a rebel song—this song is 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'" speech in 1983. The Denver-Boulder area was a huge hub for country-rock in the '70s, and members of the Eagles, Poco, Firefall, and others lived here, at least briefly. Some of the most famous spots have closed, but rock fans can tour the hallowed ground—Ebbets Field, where Steve Martin and Lynyrd Skynyrd made early-career appearances in the '70s, at 15th and Curtis; and the original Auditorium Theatre, where Led Zeppelin performed its first U.S. show in 1968, at 14th and Curtis. The local scene remains strong, with the Samples, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, Apples In Stereo, and Dressy Bessy attracting audiences. Check Westword or The Denver Post for show listings.