Where the Stars Align: A Tour of Denver's Green Rooms

Monday, February 17, 2020 at 8:35 a.m.

Lauren Antonoff The Fillmore Auditorium opened in 1907 as the Mammoth Roller Skating Rink. After a three-year run, the rink closed in the spring of 1910.

Following the roller rink, the Fillmore housed the Fritchle Automobile & Battery Company., and the city's first recreational center.

In 1960, the venue hosted its first concert by soul singer James Brown.

In 1968, concert promoter Stuart Green purchased the property and turned it into a nightclub that he hoped would compete with Bill Graham's Fillmore franchise.

Finally, after a few more changing hands, the building sold to Bill Graham Presents, which partnered with Live Nation, and in 1999 the venue re-opened as the Fillmore Auditorium. The inaugural concert was performed by the Trey Anastasio Band on May 19 of that year. 1/44

Lauren Antonoff At the back of the Fillmore, there's a VIP bar and lounge where guests of the band, the crew and managers can gather to relax. 2/44

Lauren Antonoff In the VIP lounge, framed characters from the original walls of the Mammoth Roller Skating Rink are on display. 3/44

Lauren Antonoff Backstage, there are three dressing rooms surrounding a ping-pong table. On this wall, all of the artists who played the Fillmore in 2019 –– the 20th anniversary year of the venue and the year following its extensive remodel –– signed their names. 4/44

Lauren Antonoff The opposite wall bears the names of all of the bands who have played the Fillmore over the past twenty years. 5/44

Lauren Antonoff As artists walk out on stage, they're greeted by the venue's iconic chandeliers. 6/44

Lauren Antonoff The Mission Ballroom, Denver's newest venue, opened its doors in 2019. 7/44

Lauren Antonoff Backstage, artists are greeted by this mural toasting friends and family. 8/44

Lauren Antonoff At the Mission Ballroom, many of the green rooms and dressing rooms are actually painted green. 9/44

Lauren Antonoff The dressing rooms are stocked with mini-fridges, beanbag chairs and records for the artists to enjoy. 10/44

Lauren Antonoff The murals that cover the backstage hallway were painted by @hennessytattoo and @peachiexkeen. 11/44

Lauren Antonoff One of the lounges is even stocked with a Primus pinball machine. 12/44

Lauren Antonoff Globe Hall has one of Denver's unique green rooms. 13/44

Lauren Antonoff It's an old airstream trailer, retrofitted for bands' use. 14/44

Lauren Antonoff Couches and a small food and beverage table decorate the interior. 15/44

Lauren Antonoff When supporting artists leave the green rooms in the tower to stage right at Red Rocks, this is their view of the stands. 16/44

Lauren Antonoff The headliners' green rooms are back behind the stage, using the iconic red rock as a well. 17/44

Lauren Antonoff Artists pass this mural as they're heading from the green room to the stage, giving them a taste of what's to come. Many of them stop here for a photo. 18/44

Lauren Antonoff All around the backstage area, there are framed pictures of concerts throughout Red Rocks history. Each frame is a unique shape and size, made from the old wooden benches in the ampitheatre. 19/44

Lauren Antonoff Beneath the stage is a tunnel where thousands of performers and crew members have signed their names. 20/44

Lauren Antonoff The Paramount Theatre opened in 1930 as a movie theater associated with Paramount Pictures.

For several decades, the Paramount was one of the premier movie houses in the Rocky Mountain region. But as patronage declined, the venue evolved to accommodate the changing tides.

Now the theater hosts everything from concerts to comedians. 21/44

Lauren Antonoff In 2020, the venue finished a remodel of its green rooms. 22/44

Lauren Antonoff New additions include a fresh coat of deep turquoise and bubblegum pink paint, as well as sleek light fixtures and new furniture. 23/44

Lauren Antonoff Entertainment such as a dartboard, a record player and a selection of records are available for the artists. 24/44

Lauren Antonoff Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, originally founded as the Casino Cabaret in the 1930s, and Cervantes' Other Side, are located in Denver's historically black Five Points neighborhood. 25/44

Lauren Antonoff Both sides of the venue have separate basement green rooms. On the Masterpiece Ballroom side, there's a mural by John Bukaty commemorating historic African-American artists who performed at the club during its jazz heyday.

Greats such as James Brown, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, BB King and Ike & Tina Turner have taken the stage here.

Today, Cervantes' and the Other Side are known as Denver’s home for hip-hop, jam and electronic acts. 26/44

Lauren Antonoff The green room beneath the Other Side was recently expanded, and one of the walls bears floor-to-ceiling record sleeves collected by one of the venue's owners. 27/44

Lauren Antonoff The hi-dive is one of Denver's remaining independent venues, located on Broadway. 28/44

Lauren Antonoff In the basement, the green room is covered in writing. But it's not average signatures on the wall. 29/44

Lauren Antonoff The hi-dive is known for food-related band name puns. 30/44

Lauren Antonoff Owner Curt Wallach's personal favorite is "Pjörk." 31/44

Lauren Antonoff The Ogden Theatre opened in 1919, hosting an array of live performances including recitals, dances, lectures and vaudeville acts — including a performance by legendary illusionist Harry Houdini.

From 1937 until 1990, the Ogden served as a movie theater. Then, in 1992, though slated for demolition, the venue was saved by Doug Kauffman.

In 1993, it reopened as the music venue that still stands today. 32/44

Lauren Antonoff At the Ogden, supporting artists have small green rooms that snake around a spiral staircase in back of the stage. The headliners have more space in the venue's basement, found behind this door. 33/44

Lauren Antonoff On the way downstairs, there's s small Backstage Swap Library — though it doesn't look like it gets a lot of love... 34/44

Lauren Antonoff In the green room, there are snacks, drinks and places to lounge. 35/44

Lauren Antonoff There's also a newly remodeled bathroom, complete with small chandeliers. 36/44

Lauren Antonoff Soda Jerk Presents, a Boulder-based independent booking company, opened Summit Music Hall in the former Club Bash space in 2010. 37/44

Lauren Antonoff In 2018, Live Nation acquired the venue and did an extensive remodel, including the green rooms. 38/44

Lauren Antonoff A rare luxury, all of Summit Music Hall's green rooms are aboveground. 39/44

Lauren Antonoff The venue also has nice, newly renovated bathrooms. 40/44

Lauren Antonoff The Marquis Theater, formerly home to a pawn shop and Brendan's Pub, opened as a Soda Jerk Presents venue in 2006.

In 2018, the Marquis, alongside Summit Music Hall, was acquired by Live Nation. 41/44

Lauren Antonoff The green rooms at the Marquis were recently redone, including an abundance of skull murals by New Orleans artist Holly Mandot. 42/44

Lauren Antonoff Like many other venues in town, the green room has an old arcade game donated by the local 1up arcade bar. 43/44

Lauren Antonoff Details such as velvet furniture and intricate wooden tables make these small dressing rooms luxurious nonetheless. 44/44

Where the Stars Align: A Tour of Denver's Green Rooms

Do you ever wonder what life is like backstage?

This tour of Denver's green rooms takes a peek behind the curtain to see where the stars kick back, dress up and hang out when they're not performing.

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Do you ever wonder what life is like backstage?

This tour of Denver's green rooms takes a peek behind the curtain to see where the stars kick back, dress up and hang out when they're not performing.