R.E.M. at Red Rocks Last Night

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend my first (yes, my first) concert at Red Rocks for the R.E.M. concert with Modest Mouse and The National. And yes, I cannot count on one hand how many people were shocked that it was my first concert. Don’t ask me how that happened, I guess my days in the mountains were just too booked. However I was still a slacker for putting this event off for so long. Red Rocks is an amazing place and it was an amazing show. And with the news about Obama winning the Democratic Presidential Nomination the show had a special energy for R.E.M. Michael Stipe began an earlier set announcing that Obama would be our next President and went through a number of songs that have had special meaning for the band based upon actions of the current administration.

The energy of the musicians on stage along with the crowd were through the roof. Michael Stipe also shared that this was the first concert they have played at Red Rocks that the weather was not difficult. And it most certainly wasn’t. Outside of a few stray raindrops in an early set the night was beautiful. Warm early breezes, a beautiful sunset, and a cool night. R.E.M. played a solid two hours and only during the encore did I notice the additional layers going on throughout the crowd as the temperatures dropped just a bit.

R.E.M. played a true bit of history spanning their many decades of music. Many of the old favorites were paired with the new. One politically focused 5 song set (can you guess what 5?) followed Michael’s celebratory Obama announcement as he walked through the band’s response to the Iraq invasion, the actions of the administration, and their sense of frustration. During the encore Michael shared his affection with several fan’s in the audience sporting Pro Obama and Democratic campaign T-shirts. A few made them to the jumbo electronic screens for us to see and there was a memorable and to the man without his shirt… “put it back on” comment to bring laughter from the crowd.

The show was great, and fan’s of R.E.M. should know it was a special night for them because of the news and it added a special energy to their performance.

But what I really wanted to share with you is one great tip to add to your night out at a Red Rocks concert. The friends I was with really know how to have a great time and this one simple thing is all they did.

Rent a Limo

Granted, we had enough people to make it cost effective. So if you can rally the troops for a concert it is wonderful to kick back and enjoy laughter, music and beverages both to and from the concert. First of all, you don’t have to worry about driving which huge for safety, but also for adding a couple hours of fun to your night out. One person mixed up a CD for the trip, another brought the beverages. The only thing we might do next time is throw in some more snacks. You get to chill out the whole ride home. Let someone else fight the traffic.

Limo’s can pull all the way up to the top and let you roll right into the concert space. And that is right where they will be waiting for you to take you home. It was great.

One other little tip for those of you in the CPV or the Highlands looking for some late night dining. There is an often overlooked place to eat in the wee hours at My Brother’s Bar. They serve their full menu through 1:30 A.M. and it is GOOD! I have done posts about the burgers at My Brother’s Bar, specifically the JCB which I love. But in this post I am giving them some Kudo’s for their late night dedication to Denver. It was a Tuesday and we got to roll up in our limo for some burgers an Guinness. Now that is a nice memory.

Which brings me to the next forum discussion if anyone can share. What are Denver’s best late night places to eat and when do the close. Let’s hear it Denver!

Discuss it here

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