Billboard Names Red Rocks Amphitheatre World’s Most-Attended Venue in 2021

Red Rocks also broke its own record.

December 6, 2021

Bob Weir & Wolf Bros played Red Rocks on June 9, 2021. Jacqueline Collins

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Billboard magazine named Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which celebrated its eightieth anniversary this year, as the most-attended concert venue of any size, anywhere in the world, in 2021. The venue also broke its own season record by hosting 233 ticketed or paid events, including 177 concerts, twenty yoga and fitness programs and 36 movies in the Film on the Rocks series.

The Red Rocks 2021 concert season began in April with Lotus and ended in November with Playboi Carti. The iconic venue's previous record for shows per season was in 2019, with 168 concerts. While a handful of concerts at the 9,500-seat venue held reduced-capacity audiences of 175 people in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, Red Rocks ramped back up to full capacity last June.

Billboard is reporting gross ticket revenue of more than $60 million on 134 concerts because of reporting-date cutoffs and promoter policy. Gross reported ticket sales are received by the show promoter — not the venue — and do not account for show expenses such as venue rental, labor, payments to artists or other costs. Eventual revenues to Red Rocks are used to maintain and enhance the venues upheld by Denver Arts & Venues, the city agency that operates Red Rocks and provides support for arts and cultural programs.

“It’s been an absolute whirlwind, and extremely gratifying, getting from a year that devastated so many in our industry to our own record-breaking season,” says Ginger White, executive director of Denver Arts & Venues, in a statement. “We’re proud to play a part in Denver’s economic and cultural recovery by providing so many Colorado residents and visitors a place to gather for the joyous return of live music.”

Red Rocks venue director Tad Bowman said in a statement, "A Red Rocks season like this is a tribute to dedicated artists, promoters, staff and fans. Red Rocks is a special place, and every person who steps on stage, serves a drink, greets a customer or buys a ticket owns a piece of this success.”

Here's a look at the Red Rocks concerts announced for 2022 so far:

Icelantic's Winter on the Rocks: Diplo, Sofi Tukker: Friday January 28
Gorgon City: Thursday, April 14
NGHTMRE: Friday, April 15
Kevin Gates and Gucci Mane: Saturday, April 16
Pepper and Method Man & Redman: Wednesday, April 20
Galantis x 3Lau: Friday, April 22
Dom Dolla: Sunday, April 24
Trevor Hall and Citizen Cope: Thursday, April 28, and Friday, April 29
Sublime with Rome: Saturday, April 30
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit: Tuesday, May 3, and Wednesday, May 4
Hippie Sabotage: Thursday, May 5
Brantley Gilbert: Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7
Russ: Monday, May 9
Turnpike Troubadours: Saturday, May 14
Kaleo: Monday, May 16
The Infamous Stringdusters and the California Honeydrops: Thursday, May 26
Ziggy Marley & Stephen Marley and Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals: Sunday, May 29
Lord Huron: Wednesday, June 1, 8 p.m. and Thursday, June 2
Michael Franti and Spearhead: Saturday, June 4
The Revivalists: Friday, Jun 10
Big Head Todd and the Monsters: Saturday, June 11
Tash Sultana: Sunday, June 12
Glass Animals: Tuesday, June 14, and Wednesday, June 15
Chicago and Brian Wilson: Thursday, June 16
Bleachers: Monday, June 20
Barenaked Ladies: Tuesday, June 21
Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine: Wednesday, June 22
Kraftwerk in 3-D: Thursday, June 30
Rainbow Kitten Surprise: Monday, July 11, and Tuesday, July 12
David Gray: Thursday July 21, and Friday, July 22
STS9: Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23
Goo Goo Dolls: Wednesday, July 27, and Thursday, July 28
Mt. Joy: Wednesday, Aug. 17
Brandi Carlile: Friday, September 9, and Saturday, September 10
The Head and the Heart: Thursday, September 15
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Monday, Oct. 10, and Tuesday, Oct. 11
Midland: Saturday, October 22

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