Denver’s Small Venues for Live Rock and Blues

Arenas are where bands end up; small rooms are where you find them first. Denver has an unusually healthy network of clubs and theatres where local and touring rock and blues acts play every week. Here is a starting map. Venues change owners, names and booking policies, so always check the current calendar before you go.

East Colfax

Colfax Avenue is Denver’s long, scruffy main street, and some of the city’s best-loved rooms sit along it.

• Bluebird Theater – a restored 1910s theatre with a sloped floor, so even the back of the room has a decent view. Mid-size touring acts and strong local bills.
• Ogden Theatre – bigger than the Bluebird, with a balcony; the step up for bands that have outgrown the clubs.
• Lost Lake Lounge – a small, dark room for new bands and late shows.

South Broadway

• Hi-Dive – an institution for independent and garage rock, with a crowd that comes for the music.
• Herman’s Hideaway – a long-running stage for local rock bands and multi-band bills.
• Gothic Theatre – a few miles south in Englewood, an art-deco theatre with excellent sightlines and sound.

Larimer Street and beyond

• Larimer Lounge – a cramped, loud and much-loved club in the RiNo area where many now-famous bands played early shows.
• Globe Hall – a barbecue joint and music room in Globeville with a relaxed, roots-friendly feel.

How to find the good nights

1. Follow the openers. If you like a headliner, check who they chose to support them; local openers are often the next big thing.
2. Go midweek. Tuesday and Wednesday bills are cheaper and less crowded, and bands play to win new fans.
3. Talk to the sound engineer. Nobody hears more bands than the person behind the desk.
4. Buy direct. Tickets bought from the venue box office or the band’s own link usually mean less of your money goes to fees.

Once you have done the clubs, try a summer night at Red Rocks. And if you film a song or two, read our guide to live videos first.