Page 52 - ION Indie Magazine NovDec 2018

Nearly 300 million years ago, sandstone was compacted to form bedrock later known as the Fountain Formation, colored
in rich red tones due to high levels of iron oxide. 100 million years later during the Laramide orogeny, all around North
America, rock below the surface was being pushed upwards to construct mountains and other formations. This sandstone
forced its way to the light of day just 10 miles West of present-day Denver. The native Ute people lived among these majestic
outcrops for 100s of years, admiring their form and deeming them to be sacred.

These rocks were discovered by Westerners in 1820 and originally called the Garden of Angels, but eventually the folk name
of “Red Rocks” was made official. Among the 868 acres that make up the Red Rocks Park, a natural amphitheater was
recognized early, with music performances dating back to 1906. Resting at 6,450 ft. above sea level, a performance venue
was built in this spot in 1941. Rising 300 ft. above either side are the monoliths known as Creation Rock and Ship Rock,
with seating for over 9,500 listeners in between.

Red Rocks was put on the map by its first major rock ‘n roll concert – a performance by The Beatles on the first US tour in
1964. The slightly obscure acoustical haven in the mountains wasn’t well-known yet. In fact, it was the only stop on the
Beatles inaugural tour that did not have a sell-out. The rich history of concerts since, ranging from Jimi Hendrix to a filmed
concert by U2, put it on the map in performance history as one of the most famous venues in the world. To date, over 2,800
concerts have taken place at Red Rocks.