“Denver’s Free Music Scene” – From Neighborhood Bars to the Levitt Pavilion

Estimated read time 5 min read
Photos by Johne Edge & Amelia Scholl

I don’t mind paying for good beer or music.  Both feed our emotions, evoking moods and feelings that are often times hard to express. Both can change a bad mood and make it happy or excited; both can change a light mood and make it more introspective and profound.  Beer and music are often at the heart of groups of people and the communities they are part of. They say the only thing better than good beer, is free beer. In a lot of ways that’s true for music too. Lucky for us in Denver, I have discovered there are other people who think so too.

On Friday night as I pondered my upcoming assignment at Denver’s Levitt Pavilion I walked into, but may have stumbled out of the EastFax Tap.  Music was pouring out the door of the formerly infamous Hangar Bar.  The place had been cleaned up, and was much more inviting than years past.  Pictures of Colfax past and present adorned the walls intermixed with beer and alcohol tins.  The regulars seemed friendly and interacted with the people that were exploring the bar for maybe the first time.  The beer was not free, but it was cold. They had a lot of local rotating taps and the prices were reasonable. The music with no cover charge was provided by The Rudy Grant Band. The classic Country originals and covers had folks up two stepping in between drinks of beer.  I asked the new owner, Tor Ericksen, why he had free music and he told me, “We are proud to offer a neighborhood venue for local artists to gain exposure in the industry.  EastFax Tap is a comfortable, friendly environment for patrons to enjoy free music of all genres.” After a few more beers, and a few more songs I exited back out onto Colfax.  I headed home content after finding beer and music.

The Levitt Pavilion here in Denver is part of a growing family of outdoor Levitt music venues and concert sites across America in 26 towns and cities. Each celebrates its own community and presents entertainment featuring an array of music genres. Acting as anchors of community life, families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together on Levitt lawns through the power of free, live music. 

Levitt Pavilion Denver is a non-profit established with the purpose of building community through music. They believe in embracing the local, including the musicians, architects, staff, artists and sponsors.  Located in Ruby Hill Park, Levitt Pavilion Denver features 50 free concerts annually with local, regional, national and international acts. These concerts span many music genres including R&B, Country, Rock, Latin, Blues, Jazz, and more!

On August 4th the Levitt group and the Colorado Sound 105.5 pulled together a concert showcasing sounds from the fringes of American Roots music. From the guttural blues of the one man band Lincoln Durham. To the hard rocking Delta Bombers from Las Vegas whose sound is a hybrid of 50’s rock and roll fused with swampy blues, country, and rockabilly. Think Screaming Jay Hawkins at 45 RPM. The nights headliner, the incomparable Reverend Horton Heat, is a band that mixes Country, Surf instrumentals, Punk, Honky Tonk, Swing, and Rockabilly into loud, energetic, and often humorous songs. I could not have asked for a more perfect night  to cover a show at The Levitt Pavilion.

Ruby Hill Park were the Levitt Pavilion sits is an easily accessible location near public transportation and bike paths.  Parking is free, and plentiful if you carpool in. As you make your way through the gates you are met by band merch tables,  local food trucks that fill the concourse, along with bars that served local wine, cocktails, and of course beer. The green grass of the hills surrounding the outside amphitheater provides not only free seating but an acoustic backdrop to the outside venues state-of-the-art sound system.  There is a dancefloor in front of the stage. The whole venue is a family-friendly environment that encourages kids of all ages to attend. I asked the Delta Bombers guitar player Andrew Himmler his thoughts about Denver’s Levitt Pavilion, and he said “whatever they’re doing at Levitt Pavilion that allows them to put on so many free shows is incredible! We had the absolute best experience. It allowed us to really please our hardcore fans with a free show, and rope in some new people who have been on the fence about going out and seeing us live!”  When I asked him “How is it playing in front of an all ages crowd, with kids running around and playing on the lawn?” He replied, “We have two fathers in the band, and being one of them I absolutely love seeing young kids get exposed to live music in any capacity. It’s normally a rather rare experience for the average kid so it feels very special to see the look of wonder on their faces and see them on the lawn having fun rolling down the hills.” Listen Up Denver! could not agree more with Andrew’s sentiments regarding this Colorado gem of a venue.  If you have not been to Denver’s Levitt Pavilion yet, checkout one of the more than a dozen upcoming free shows.  You can view a full list here.  If you have been there, I’m sure I will see you there again real soon.  Maybe at the upcoming Dessa with MONAKR show on 8/30, or Low Cut Connie on 9/14.  Come up and say hi, I will most likely be the mustached photographer in the photo pit.

Johne Edge http://www.stereo-phonicphotography.com/

Wherever the music is, you'll find me with my camera, shooting on street corners, from barstools at clubs, from the side of the stage at theaters, and from photo pits in places like Red Rocks. Clicking away, trying to capture the emotive essence of music, and all those moments that we forget because of one too many Pabst Blue Ribbons.

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