New Venue. Who Dis?

AEG Presents Rocky Mountains, one of the world's leading producers and promoters of live entertainment, announced today The Mission Ballroom, a scalable, state-of-the art concert venue scheduled to open in summer 2019. The 60,000 square-foot ballroom will anchor North Wynkoop, a new 14-acre mixed use project by Denver-developers Westfield Company, located at the north-end of the RiNo neighborhood between 40th and 43rd Streets along Brighton Blvd.

Chuck Morris, CEO of AEG Presents Rocky Mountains, said of the new venue, “Our entire AEG Presents Rocky Mountain team spent the last 11 years searching for the perfect location and the right design to build one of the finest venues this town has ever seen. With features including a moving stage that provides The Mission flexible capacity from 2200 to 3950 guests, unrivaled sight lines and state-of-the-art sound and lights, The Mission will bring Colorado the most cutting-edge concert experience in the world.” 
 
AEG Presents Rocky Mountains, the leading promoter in Denver, CO who operate the Bluebird Theater, Gothic Theatre, Ogden Theatre, 1STBANK Center and Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, as well as book the majority of the shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, bring decades of experience to the development and design of The Mission Ballroom.  The Mission features tiered rows that provide unobscured views at every level, sight lines from every vantage point and a large dance floor that allows standing or seating. Full-service bars conveniently placed around the venue maximize flow, efficiency and patron experience.

“We blended the ballroom experience on the floor with a tiered-riser configuration similar to Red Rocks. Beyond offering incredible sight lines, this design creates the finest sonic experience that Colorado concertgoers expect and deserve,” said Don Strasburg, co-president for AEG Presents Rocky Mountains. 

AEG Presents Rocky Mountains sought the perfect location for this unique venue and ultimately ended up partnering with Westfield Company on its North Wynkoop development in Denver’s transformative RiNo neighborhood and arts district.  Encompassing three city blocks from 40th to 43rd streets along Brighton Boulevard, North Wynkoop is a five-minute walk to the 38th and Blake A Line Station (one train stop to Union Station and 30 minutes to Denver International Airport) and just minutes from the intersection of Denver’s largest vehicular arteries of I-25 and I-70. 

“We’re so excited with the vision that Westfield Company has for North Wynkoop. The Brighton Boulevard corridor and the entire River North area is exploding with vibrancy.  This location is a perfect fit for The Mission Ballroom with parking, easy access to light rail, and only a stone’s throw from downtown, it is the right place for us to be.” said, Brent Fedrizzi, co-president and COO of AEG Presents Rocky Mountains. 

Westfield and its development team; which includes leasing agents Newmark Grubb Knight Frank and Legend Partners; architect Works Progress Architecture; general contractor M.A. Mortenson; and financing provided by FirstBank, Guaranty Bank and Trust and Citywide Banks; will transform North Wynkoop into an arts and entertainment hub attracting creatives across all industries. In addition to The Mission Ballroom, a 90,000 square foot office and retail building is under construction as well as the renovation of 80,000 square feet of 1950’s-vintage warehouse buildings transforming them into synergistic restaurants, bars and retail.  Future phases of North Wynkoop include market rate and affordable housing, a hotel, as well as the potential for an additional one million square feet of residential and commercial uses. 

“We are fortunate to have the opportunity of working with AEG Presents on this innovative concept,” said Kevin McClintock, senior partner for Westfield. “The talents and experience of their team are unparalleled, and their dedication to the highest-quality musical experience aligns with our own long-term vision for North Wynkoop. The Mission Ballroom is the ideal anchor and will serve as the heartbeat for our project.”

The Mission Ballroom is not only a premiere concert facility, but also serves as a unique special event space for corporate meetings and other functions, award shows, galas, weddings, receptions, launch parties, trade shows, private events, and more.  
 
In addition to its incredible access to rail, parking options for the site will include an underground garage as well as nearby parking options. The Mission Ballroom will also offer a shared-ride pick-up and drop-off area and an abundance of bike parking.

Visit www.northwynkoop.com, www.missionballroom.com and click here for a video featuring more information and comments from Colorado Governor John W. Hickenlooper.

Do you like drugs?! MØ & Cashmere Cat probs do, too.

MØ photographed by Meesh Deyden

MØ photographed by Meesh Deyden

Cashmere Cat opened for Danish singer/songwriter Mᴓ on Tuesday, February 6th at The Ogden Theater and it was surprisingly lit for being the beginning of the week. Cashmere Cat, if you’re unfamiliar, is a DJ, record producer, musician and turntablist on Interscope Records that work with a lot of big names and has a pretty signature sound and sound bits that go along with his whole getup. In front of a setup of 8x3 lights, Magnus August Hᴓiberg of Norway, got the crowd moving with favorites like remixes of Purpz & Miguel song, “Do You Like Drugs?” and “Quit (ft. Ariana Grande)” off his new album 9 which came out in April of 2017. Parts of his set were quit dancey and even on the verge of dubstep, whereas others were very dark, housey, experimental, and reminded me of deep house master Nicolas Jarr. Cashmere Cat’s set was definitely different than the ones I’ve seen previous to this, but it was really awesome, and he set the mood for Mᴓ quite well.

Mᴓ is Karen Marie Aagaard ᴓrsted Anderson is a tiny frame, cool blonde mullet, and an undeniable rock n’ roll energy on Sony Music Entertainment. She is a singer, songwriter, and electro pop producer who is kind of taking the pop world by storm. She was vibrant, grateful to be in Denver, and a true pleasure to watch perform. The light setup that was present for Cashmere Cat split for her and her band, and if you’ve ever seen the babe perform, you know she loves to move around, and so she had to have space to do so. An electro pop sound, lyrics that seem to relate to most people, and a powerful voice have the crowd swooning, then you add her energy, and you get a pretty magical experience. She played fan favorite “Nights With You” much earlier in the set than expected, but it was fucking awesome, and had the whole crowd singing along. It’s nice to a see a pop anthem live, because the energy in the room is undeniable. New song “Bb” off her new EP is a hit , and really struck a chord with the crowd it seemed. The whole set was upbeat, well thought out, and really well executed.

Overall, this show was balanced by the acts that performed, and that reflected in the crowd. Cashmere Cat drew a younger crowd, and Mᴓ a slightly older, more versatile crowd. The energy was right, the performers were on point, interactive, obviously giving it their all and enjoying themselves, and it was a happy Tuesday indeed!

Cashmere Cat photographed by Meesh Deyden

Cashmere Cat photographed by Meesh Deyden

Music | Funk on The Rocks 2016 feat. CHROMEO, Jamie XX, Four Tet, and WhatSoNot | June 2, 2016

Chromeo during Funk On The Rocks (photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280)

Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo made a stop in Colorado last Thursday for their third installment of “Funk on the Rocks”. This year they had Jamie XX co-headlining the show along with What So Not and Four Tet. The evening kicked off with What So Not, an electronic musical production lead by DJ and producer Chris Emerson. His set had more of an exciting, hard hitting dubstep feel that injected a healthy dose of hype to what was to come for the rest of the evening. What So Not made waves in 2014 when he teamed up with RL Grimes to put together a song called “Tell Me”, and when he performed it live at Red Rocks it definitely brought out the crowds energy.

Kieran Hebden, an english electronic musician better known by the stage name Four Tet, played more of a mellow set, keeping a soft abstract beat that let everyone relax and enjoy time with friends before the two headliners. Jamie XX opened his appearance at Red Rocks with a bang! During the chorus of one of his more more popular songs “Loud Places”, his giant disco ball was hit with lights illuminating the whole stage with him as a mysterious silhouette. Well done Jamie! 

Jaime XX's disco ball lighting up the night (photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280)

When Chromeo took the stage, they were accompanied by heavy guitar riffs from lead vocalist and Dave “Dave 1” Macklovitch. Heavy white beams of light shone upon his chrome guitar reflecting the light back into the venue as he dove into the first song of their set. Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel held down the keyboards, synthesizer and talk box which he used on a few occasions to hype up the crowd. These two performers met in Montreal at the age of 15, and 10 years later they’re still touring extensively while making new music. The two jokingly consider themselves the only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture.They ran through all their hit songs with overwhelming crowd participation and it was clear to see why these guys carry such a following. We loved our evening at “Funk on The Rocks”, and are keeping fingers crossed we’ll be able to get funky next year.

-Andrew

Goo Goo Dolls | Comfort Dental Amphitheatre | Review

In 1998, “Name” graced the radio stations and the world would never be the same. The Goo Goo Dolls have been at it for 17 years now. Successful song after successful song, they have garnered a huge following. It was no surprise that Fiddler’s Green in Denver, CO was near sold out when they played alongside Matchbox 20 this week.

With a new album recently released, The Goo Goo Dolls have revived media attention. Everyone is hoping that this album has the Dolls’ next big song. Their performance on Monday night was incredible. With a mix of the old and new, they still had the entire crowd absolutely enthralled. Their sound was flawless. Lead singer  Johnny Rzeznik’s voice was just as amazing as ever. You could see the memories being re-lived by the crowd as they played classics like “Iris”, “Broadway”, “Slide” and “Black Balloon.”

Some clever fans also brought black balloons that were being tossed around in front of the stage.

The band was excellent at interacting with the crowd. There was only one disappointing aspect of their performance.

The songs on Rebel Beat are actually wonderful. However, when the guitar player was singing, you could see the disenchantment in everyone’s face. This is not the sound of the Goo Goo Dolls. John Rzeznik’s comforting voice is what differentiates the Goo Goo Dolls from other bands. The guitar player’s voice is well suited for a punk rock band, but maybe not for the music that we all know and love. There were about three songs that the crowd couldn’t stand – the three performed by the guitar player.

In general, it was a throwback night to remember. It’s good to know they’re still writing and rocking. If I didn’t know any better, I would think they were at the peak of their career. Rebel Beat has some wonderful tracks that highlight the distinct sound of Rzeznik’s voice. “Come to Me” is a beautiful ballad that most can relate to. With an optimistic story line of lovers that meet again later in life, the acoustic guitar and keyboards trickle into your mind and quickly become your new favorite love song.

“Rebel Beat” has the characteristic Goo Goo Dolls sound but comes to us in the form of a poppy, infectious summer jam. It is one of the most fun songs that the Dolls have come out with to date. I highly recommend their new album, Rebel Beat, as an addition to your summer playlist.

Goo Goo Dolls forever. Seriously. I wish I could see them perform again and again. This Summer tour is definitely one that you don’t want to miss.

-Autumn