Ultra5280's Best Of 2018: Top Shows

2018 brought us some amazing shows. From comebacks to the unexpected to the rebirth of a local festival. Denver finally got it’s own big festival after months of rumors with Grandoozy. Red Rocks continued to impress with probably its best lineup in years. It’s hard task when asked to name your Top 5, but we sat down with some of our friends and finalized our lists. The consensus from our panel would be that David Byrne returned in 2018 with the best show of the year, landing number one on many lists. Taylor Swift toured with her amazing production landing a few spots on the list. Other notable shows were Janelle Monae, Childish Gambino and a few new faces such as CupcakKe and Jungle. With 2019 announcements already starting to roll in we expect it to be bigger and better. Thank you to our amazing friends at Live Nation, AEG Presents, Illegal Pete’s, Do303, The UMS, Levitt Pavillion, Open Air, Behind The Scene Podcast, without you we wouldn’t be able to attend so many amazing shows. Until next year…..

Robert Castro / Editor In Chief Ultra5280

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  1. Janelle Monae- Austin City Limits Music Festival

  2. Travis Scott- Pepsi Center

  3. David Byrne- Austin City Limits Music Festival

  4. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

  5. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

Amy Osgood / Certified Peace Sign Thrower

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  1. SZA- Coachella

  2. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

  3. Beyonce- Coachella

  4. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  5. Florence and The Machine- Grandoozy

Bruce Trujillo / Programming Assistant at Open Air

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  1. Los Mocochetes/Pink Hawks/Vic N The Narwhals- Hi Dive

  2. Tammy Shine (of Dressy Bessy)- Sally Centigrade

  3. Ms. Lauryn Hill- Red Rocks

  4. Paul Simon- Fiddler’s Green

  5. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

Tobias Krause / Event Director at Underground Music Showcase

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  1. DUCKWRTH- Underground Music Showcase

  2. PPL MVR- Underground Music Showcase

  3. Dragondeer (as Bowie)- Globe Hall

  4. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

  5. Madge- Underground Music Showcase

Zoe Lanterman / Marketing Manager at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. Jungle- The Gothic Theater

  2. Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever- Larimer Lounge

  3. Cold Cave- Marquis Theatre

  4. Sylvan Esso- Red Rocks

  5. BROCKHAMPTON- The Ogden Theatre

Peter Wallace / General Manager at Do303

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Big Gigantic (Rowdytown 3D)- Red Rocks

  3. PHISH- MGM Las Vegas

  4. Travis Scott- Life Is Beautiful Music Festival

  5. Dave Chapelle- Summit

Joel Rekiel / Levitt Pavillion Denver

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats- Levitt Pavillion Denver

  3. Godspeed You Black Emperor-The Ogden Theatre

  4. MGMT- The Fillmore

  5. Rainbow Kitten Surprise- Velorama Music Festival

Shon Cobbs / Host of Behind The Podcast

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  1. The National/Sharon Van Etten- Red Rocks

  2. Jesus and Mary Chain/NIN- Red Rocks

  3. Ghostpulse-Syntax Opera House

  4. The Milk Blossoms- Lost Lake

  5. Beach House/Sound of Ceres- The Ogden Theatre

Virgil Dickerson / Fun Pusher at Illegal Pete’s

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Lizzo with Maggie Rogers and Haim- Red Rocks

  3. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  4. Cupcakke- Marquis Theater

  5. Shannon and The Clams- Crescent Ballroom

Ryan Garbarino- Marketing Manager at AEG Presents

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Khraungbin- The Bluebird Theater

  3. The War on Drugs- Grandoozy

  4. John Prine with Nathaniel Rateliff- Buell Theatre

  5. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

Rikki Aston / Talent Buyer at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Pearl Jam- Safeco Field

  3. Against Me!- Summit

  4. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  5. Sofi Tukker- Gothic Theater (can I have 5 more!!!)

Lina Skrzypczak / Lifestyle and Music Writer at Ultra5280

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  1. Black Moth Super Rainbow- The Bluebird

  2. Washed Out- 420 Block Party

  3. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

  4. Mac Demarco- Red Rocks

  5. Tycho- Summit

Danny Sax / Talent Buyer at AEG Presents

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  1. Bouncing Souls- The Bluebird Theater

  2. Highly Suspect- The Ogden Theatre

  3. Dropkick Murphy’s/Flogging Molly- Fox Street Compound

  4. Mac Demarco- Red Rocks

  5. Rancid/Bad Religion/Pennywise/The Interrupters/Mad Caddies/Potato Pirates - Fiddlers Green

Geoff Brent / Talent Buyer at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. Itchy-O Hallowmass- Summit

  2. Against Me!- Summit

  3. Turnstile & Culture Abuse- Marquis Theater

  4. BROCKHAMPTON- The Fillmore

  5. The Frights- The Bluebird

Grandoozy Emerges A Winner In Its Inaugural Year.

The Mile High City has been hungry for a big time music festival and Grandoozy delivered in it’s first year this past weekend. Feeling the void of failed music festivals in the past (with all due respect for reasons unknown to us) such as Mile High Music Festival, Monolith and just recent Riot Fest, Denver music fans would often have to travel to experience the big time feeling of such a large fest. The festival itself has been years in the making and finally got the green light this year to bring it to Overland Golf Course. Superfly the promoters responsible for bringing the fest managed to play it safe with the lineup and scheduling this year. Initial thoughts of having too many EDM and jam-band artist weighed heavily on concertgoers amongst the first announcement of the fest. Once the lineup was announced it did settle a lot of nerves as the first wave of acts were to everybody’s liking. Headliners this year included Kendrick Lamar, Florence and The Machine and Stevie Wonder, not a bad trio to kick off your first festival.

The burnt end sandwich from Sugarfire. (Photo Credit: Bridget Burnett)

With lush green lawns and plenty of shade, patrons had all the amenities of a big festival in the comfort of a golf course. Three main stages were all within reach as well as many other side stages the provided for some amazing smaller acts. Food and beer were easily accessible although by late afternoon and early evening lines did become a bit congested. Vendors such as Illegal Pete’s, Habit Doughnut Dispensary, and our new favorite bbq joint Sugarfire provided for some amazing culinary delights. What better way to wash down all the amazing food than by some amazing beers. Aside from Bud Light (whoever thought of those 4-packs is a genius) the festival had a craft beer tent to showcase some of the finer adult beverages. From Oskar Blue’s to Breckenridge Brewery there wasn’t an IPA not to like. If you wanted some of the harder stuff our friends at Deep Eddy Vodka had a beautiful oasis setup with enough activities to keep you busy between sets. An Area rightfully named The Flight Club provided flights of everything from Whisky and Rum to delicious Tequilas.

Other fun activities included a replica of South Park that had an array of different challenging games including ring toss, skee ball, nerf darts, and more. One of the busier areas of the festival all three days from what it seemed. An area labeled the Break Room was an all-day dance area that provided for some rad dance moves as well as some not so rad dance moments. DJ’s took their turn spinning everything from house to disco. Noteworthy sets by Soul Clap and Weird Touch were the highlight of the festival. Art installations by some of the best muralist such as Detour303 and DINKC were busy throwing up amazing pieces during the day. Festival coverage is by far one of our favorite things to cover here at Ultra5280 and having Grandoozy right in our own backyard this year was amazing. The festival has a five year contract and we can only hope they return next year for another amazing weekend. We would love to see this festival grow and make Denver a prime destination for all music lovers to attend.

Day one of the festivities had us racing between stages to catch Denver locals AMZY and Flaural both worthy enough of representing our city on the big stage. Flaural entertained with their psych rock sound while AMZY provided for the first wtf moment of the festivals history as lead singer Brennan Johnson climbed the stage thruss in typical rock star fashion. (see below) Other highlights of day one included performances by Tennis (another local five), Bishop Briggs (possibly the happiest musician in the world) Miguel, Phoenix, The War on Drugs and last but not least the reigning champion of hip hop Kendrick Lamar. Day two was headlined by the angelic and majestic Florence and The machine who had the crowd tuned in as she danced all across the stage with her red locks flowing making for an truly magical performance. Day two also included amazing sets by Snow Tha Product, Young The Giant, and Sturgill Simpson. Day three began with a rousing set by locals Dragondeer. Other notable sets included amazing r&B artist Daniel Caesar and Kelela. Mavis Staples held her own on the main stage while De La Soul took us down memory lane with their legendary hits. St Vincent had all the indie kids going wild while The Chainsmokers packed in one of the larger crowds of the weekend. Hip hop artist Logic preached his message of unity to a rather low energy crowd (according to him). The perfect ending to an amazing festival ended as Mr. Stevie Wonder got behind the piano to show us that music is a universal language as many in attendance sang word for word all of his amazing hits that reached far into his catalog. We enjoyed every aspect of the festival and will be looking forward to next year. Check out our extensive photo gallery below.

Day One Photos: Bridget Burnett (Instagram)

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Day One Photos: Robert Castro

Day Two Photos: Robert Castro

Day Three Photos: Robert Castro

Your Guide To Everything Grandoozy

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:

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.

Breweries: 10 Barrel Brewing Co. | 4 Noses Brewing | Breckenridge Brewery | Crazy Mountain Brewing Company | Elysian Brewing Company | Four Peaks Brewing Company | Golden Road Brewing | Left Hand Brewing | Lone Tree Brewing |O'dell Brewing Company | Oskar Blues Brewery | Platt Park Brewery | Ratio Beer Works | Ska Brewing | Spaten Oktoberfest | Stella Artois | Stem Ciders | Telluride Brewing Company | Wicked Weed Brewing

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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.

Eno | Grassroots | Icelantic | Klean Kanteen | Never Summer | Rumpl | Topo Designs | Zeal Optics

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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

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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.