Your Guide To Everything Grandoozy

September 6, 2018

The biggest weekend in music is about to invade Denver next weekend and we want to make sure you are prepared for all that is Grandoozy. The inaugural event is set to take place on the grounds of the Overland Golf Course on September 14, 15, and 16th. We want to provide you with a guide to help you get familiar with all that is being offered.

The Lineup:

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As you can see the lineup boasts some of the best acts in music today, from the reigning king of hip hop Kendrick Lamar to Indie Rock Goddess Florence and The Machine and lastly the legendary Mr. Stevie Wonder. Throw in some of the best local acts and dj's and you have yourself the best selection of music a festival has to offer.

Devour Denver:

Devour the best of Denver at - well - Devour Denver (see, we can name things with regular words). Grandoozy’s food & drink program features the best bites from the high plains to the front range, led by a fearless team of Culinary Ambassadors - Adam Schlegel, Biju Thomas, Dana Faulk Query, Jeff Suskin, Justin Cucci, Carrie Baird, Jen Jasinski and Tommy Lee. Vegan or carnivore, sweet tooth or fry fanatic - tuck that napkin in and prepare for a fantastic culinary voyage.

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Arts & Crafts

May we interest you in a whimsical, abstract sour? Perhaps you'd prefer the sharp, hoppy futurism of an IPA? Whatever your tastes, you'll find a delicious masterpiece at Arts & Crafts - Grandoozy's craft beer experience. Curated by Steve Kurowski of the Colorado Brewers Guild, it's the perfect place to sample some of the region’s finest breweries (plus plenty of variety from beyond the plains) while surrounded by beautiful local art.

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Flight School:

Fasten your seatbelts and get in the spirit to be schooled by some of the best craft distillers from Colorado and beyond. With Denver’s Chad Michael George as our captain, we’ll be serving up flights ranging from smoky and barrel-aged to juniper and vanilla-baring, featuring bourbon, mezcal, gin and more. Afraid of flying? A first-class selection of cocktails will be on deck. Over and out!

Flights: Smoky Spirits | R(HUMS) of The World | Agave Tour | CO Whiskey Flight | Amaro Digestif Flight

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The Backyard:

Friday September 14

CONSERVATION CONVERSATIONS: HOLDING ON TO OUR PUBLIC PLACES
From climate change to our current administration's position on environmental policy, our national parks and lands are undeniably in danger. Join our panelists in discussing the challenges, long-term implications and opportunities our country faces in ensuring the conservation of these cherished spaces.

Saturday September 15

BUSINESS AS ACTIVISM: HOW THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY IS BECOMING A POLITICAL FORCE
Patagonia called out President Trump when he shrunk Bears Ears. Yeti denounced the NRA after a school shooting. Brands are taking big stands on big issues as they begin to realize that they—and their customers—want to do more than have nice gear.

Sunday September 16

OFF-SEASON: TALKING TO GREAT ATHLETES ABOUT THEIR LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS
Being outside isn't just fun—there are documented health benefits. From being in a pine forest to pushing yourself in the mountains, we'll discuss how the outdoors can change your life.

EXPERIENCE YOUR FAVORITE OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE BRANDS IN A WHOLE NEW WAY AT THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND CURATED MARKETPLACE, FEATURING LIMITED-EDITION GRANDOOZY COLLAB ITEMS AND MORE.

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80's Ski Lodge

Go back from the future and relive the iconic ski aesthetic of yore (OK, guess it's not all that long ago) with a party so hot, it'll fog your goggles. The 80s Ski Lodge will be rockin' all weekend long with totally tubular DJ sets, a hair metal cover band and more. Radical!

Check out the lineup here

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The Break Room:

Break it down at The Break Room, Grandoozy’s all-day dance area. Be transported from the discotheques of Berlin to the warehouses of Detroit, onwards across the space-time continuum of dance music then land back home with your favorite local DJ collectives. With an eclectic lineup of established and emerging artists, this open-air space will welcome all, casual fan and aficionado alike.

Check out the lineup here.

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GRANDOOZY Announces Initial Lineup

March 20, 2018

The initial lineup for this years Grandoozy lineup has been announced and it's a doozy (we had to). Headlining the three day event is Kendrick Lamar, Florence & The Machine, and the legendary Stevie Wonder. The festival is set to take place September 14-16 on the grounds of Overland Park. We will be your go to source for all the latest info so stay tuned. Tickets go on sale this Friday.

COACHELLA 2015 | LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

January 6, 2015

The desert is calling us back. Today marks the beginning of festival season to me, as the Coachella lineup was officially announced this afternoon. Every year, this day is what gives fans permission to finally start daydreaming and planning for the return of outdoor festivals, palm trees, and summertime once again...and after these past two weeks of ice, slush and snow? I couldn't be more ready. I haven't seen a lineup this eclectic from Coachella for a few years, and it's got me pretty excited.

What name did you scream out loud as you read it off the list? What names can you not believe aren't there? Share with us in the comments section below, and we can all start daydreaming together.

Tickets for the festival become available tomorrow (1/7/15) at 12pm PST/1pm MST, and as usual, they will go fast. Don't sit on this and wait, friends! Coachella is one of those things that you've got to experience at least once. Grab your flower headband, your swim trunks, and your earplugs, and brace yourselves.

The desert is calling, are you ready?

-Maddie

Austin City Limits | Zilker Park | Austin, Texas

October 15, 2012

Austin City Limits Music Festival | Zilker Park | October 12-14 | Austin, Texas

The Black Keys from up above (Photo Credit: Ashley Garmon)

The 11th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival took place this past weekend on the beautiful grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. With a majestic backdrop of the Austin skyline, the festival played host to well over 130 bands and 75,000+ music loving fans each day of the event. Looking at the lineup this year there seemed to be something for everybody, whether it was the blues rocking Gary Clark Jr., or the bass pounding sounds of electronic artist Bassnectar, ACL had it all. Not to mention the abundance of different food and various works of art festival attendees had to choose from.

Day 1 Friday: We arrived on the festival grounds on Friday just in time to see the lovely duo of Tegan and Sara (will be here in Denver opening for The Killers next month). I always make an effort to get myself familiar with the festival grounds in anticipation of the running back and forth of trying to catch artist on different stages. We managed to drop by and say hi to one of our favorite DJ’s A-Trak, he had the Honda stage pretty packed for a late afternoon set playing his usual party anthems. Just across the lawn Weezer put on one of the festival’s best sets, with their all to familiar catalog of sing a long hits, the crowd belted out every word of their set. A band I continue to always be one step behind is Alabama Shakes, i made sure I arrived early enough to catch their set and was glad I did. Brittany Howard commands the stage with such respect exuding her soulful lyrics, a throwback to the glory retro-soul era of music. We also managed to grab a great spot to see one of the nights main attractions and most colorful performers the beautiful Florence Welsh and her band Florence and The Machine. Her elaborate stage setup complimented her performance to exact perfection in all aspects. Our night ended flip-flopping between Avicii and The Black Keys who closed out their respected stages in grand fashion.

Rivers Cuomo of Weezer (Photo Credit: David Mead)

Friday Highlights:

Best performance: Avicii: the electronic artist was only one of a few representing the rapid expanding genre of electronic music this weekend, but it is apparent that his headlining slot Friday night was well deserved. Already climbing the ranks of headlining status, the 23 year old Swedish DJ has had the dance floors buzzing with his blazing tracks and remixes all year long.

Wish I had waken up earlier to catch set: First Aid Kit: last time we saw them was when they opened up for Lykke Li in Denver a few months ago. One of the more buzzed early set performances, we wont hesitate to catch them next time in Denver.

Trends spotted: Boxed water, lace tops, TOMS shoes, flags of all shapes and sizes.

Day 2 Saturday: The weather took a turn with scattered showers hitting the festival. One of the more talked about performances would have to be the back to back sets from Colorado's own Big Gigantic and Bassnectar's set on the Honda Stage. A younger demographic packed the stage to listen to the hottest electronic acts in the business today. Combine the hard beats and loud bass with rain pouring, it was a wet and muddy dance party. On the opposite side off the festival a rather calmer crowd got to enjoy a more subdued set from Andrew Bird on The Bud Light Stage. The Shins and Roots played at the same time making for an all out sprint from one end of the park to the other. Both veteran bands seemed to attract huge crowds on their respective stages. The rain gods seemed to show mercy for the night's heavyweight headliners of Jack White and Neil Young and Crazy Horse, both putting on epic sets to close out night two.

Saturday Highlights:

Best performance: The Roots: the talented supergroup has come a long way, they manage to add a new component to their ever growing live sets year after year, anchored by Questlove on drums and Black Thought handling emcee duties their live element creates a sound infusing jazz, hip hop and soul unparalled by any other band.

Wish I had waken up earlier to catch set: Oberhofer: takes a penchant for showmanship to a new level, it is always awesome to see musicians come into the crowd and perform (moreso during a packed festival), such was the case for Oberhofer giving the spectator a unique chance to get up close and personal with the band.

Trends spotted: Corporate sponsored ponchos, galoshes and boat shoes, bikinis; I even saw a guy wearing pants made out of beanie babies, Texas Longhorn t-shirts (Red River Rivalry Weekend)

Rainy conditions didn't stop the crowds on day two (Photo Credit: Jack Edinger)

A packed side stage raging to Bassnectar (Photo Credit: Matt Ellis)

Jack White closing out the main stage on the second night of the fest (Photo Credit: Matt Ellis)

Day 3 Sunday: The final day of the festival turned out to be the nicest in terms of weather. Our day started with the man who has played every festival on earth it seems, Mr. Gary Clark Jr. With his honky tonk blues, it was a perfect marriage for those die-hard Texans who have adopted the genre as the official music for the state. His talented guitar play is becoming legendary every time he plays and is garnering quite the fan base. Sunday gave us a chance to take in some of the homegrown talent based out of Denver including the talented Tennis who played to a huge crowd spilling into the main stage area. Also playing was overnight sensations, The Lumineers. Riding the wave of a hit single and underrated album, they managed to further expand their fan base with a great performance. Other notable performances included Childish Gambino, Iggy and The Stooges, and Crystal Castles. A perfect day to setup for the night's headliners and festival favorites, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, ended the three day festival on a high note. Next year the festival will expand to a two-weekend format giving fans other viable options to check out some of their favorite bands.

The crowd for Red Hot Chili Peppers (Photo Credit: Ashley Gorman)

Alice Glass of Crystal Castles giving fans an intimate experience (Photo Credit: Dave Mead)

Iggy and The Stooges (Photo Credit: Matt Ellis)

Sunday Highlights:

Best performance: Gary Clark Jr., He continues to amaze with every performance and is establishing himself as a notable artist on the festival circuit; it wont be long before he is main stage material and giving hometown fans something to cheer about.

Wish I had waken up earlier to catch set: Kimbra: played a rather early set on Sunday. With an infectious smile and great crowd presence it's no wonder she has become a favorite amongst her loyal following.

Trends spotted: Red Hot Chili Peppers t-shirts, those weird toe shoes, festival programs turned into fans.

Castro

Florence and The Machine w/ The Walkmen | Wells Fargo Theatre | July 26

July 27, 2012

This past week Denver was treated to one of the most anticipated concerts of the summer. With a sold out show at Red Rocks and a second show at The Wells Fargo Theatre, Florence and The Machine brought their amazing live show to fruition. I by no means consider myself the biggest Florence fan; yes her songs are catchy and I am a sucker for some of the dance-friendly remixes of her catalog, but I have heard she puts on a fierce and lively live show so I made it a point to be present.

With a strong performance by openers The Walkmen, the crowd had a glimpse of some of the early pioneers of the indie-garage movement. They managed to extend their set with hits off of Bows and Arrows, You & Me, and the latest gem Heaven. The dapper gentlemen from New York won over a few fans who had never heard of them before and set the mood for the nights headliner.

After the house lights dimmed, an angelic figure appeared behind the centerpiece of the stage background. Florence Welch controlled the stage from beginning to end; dressed in her flowing wardrobe, she paced up and down the stage reaching into her catalog of hits spanning each of her albums. Welch has one of the most unique voices in music today and is able to hit each of her notes with simplicity. The talented members of the “Machine” compliment Welch with some of the most dynamic live sounds of any band today. The laser show,individually paired with each song, made for a visual spectacle. As the case with most artist who visit Denver, she jokingly made light of the altitude and said she even had issues with her strong lungs. She closed out her set with two of her more radio friendly hits “Shake It Out” and “Dog Days Are Over”. After a brief break she came back out for an encore but not before asking everybody to take a moment of silence in remebrance of the victims of the Aurora shootings. She ended the night with “Never Let Me Go” dedicated to the victims and “No Light, No Light”.

Castro

Setlist: