Red Rocks

I should've brought my guitar.

The opening reception for the NASIG meeting in Denver was at Red Rocks.  Back at the hotel, Tom Noel (aka Dr. Colorado) gave a great kick-off speech on the history of the place, several times mentioned the wonderful acoustics, and talked about the many, many people who had performed there.  My guitar was up in my room, and I thought about bringing it along. 

But I didn't want to hassle with it -- getting it on the bus, figuring out where to stash it during the reception, etc., etc...  So I left the thing behind.   And then, when we got there, and wandered around and stood on the stage, looking up, I thought how marvelous it would've been to have played just one song standing there, where so many classic performances have taken place.

So it goes...  We had a fine time anyway.  The visitor's center is well designed and nicely laid out.  There were many food and drink stations, and the food was quite good.  TG and I agreed that it was one of the best conference receptions we've been to (and we've been to a lot!).

This was my 3rd trip to Denver.  My first MLA was there, and I went back for the MCMLA meeting in 2000.  That last time I went to the art museum and was tremendously impressed with how the collections were laid out.  I even wrote a fan-email and got a couple of notes back from some of the curators.  They're in the process of expanding right now, so the collections are all closed, but we went and wandered around the site anyway.  The new building is spectacular.  I hope it doesn't take me another six years to get back and see what they've done with it.

I did get to play guitar at the Tattered Cover bookstore.  Katy had arranged to do an open mike session there and asked me to bring my guitar so that I could fill up the time in case nobody showed.  As it turned out, she got a very good turnout and quite a few people got up to sing a song or read a poem or short story.  I did 3 short sets (and told the Melbourne conference story) and we all had a fine time. 

But if I ever get another chance, I'll bring my guitar to Red Rocks.

Comments

[TomCat]

Red Rocks is indeed an amazing place. It took me a few tries to actually make it there.

I was supposed to go there for the first time to see the Allman Brothers on August 4, 1979. Yes, I looked up the exact date. I was supposed to arrive in Denver by bus (from Massachusetts) in time to see the show - my sister had tickets for a group of us to go. I'll spare you the "gory" details for now, but the bus ride ending up being 12 hours longer than expected and I missed the show.

Take two. I then was supposed to see Bonnie Raitt and John Prine there in 1980. By then, I was living in Boulder. Unfortunately, it rained, and the concert was moved indoors to McNichols Arena in Denver. Great show, but a bit of a letdown with it indoors.

Then I had tickets to see Santana - I think it was 1982. It rained during the day and I was afraid I was yet again out of luck. But the music gods finally took pity on me, and the rain stopped. It was a fantastic show, and the damp air with the spotlights added to the ambiance of the night.

I have hiked around Red Rocks on an off day, standing on the stage and also thinking I should have brought a guitar with me.

My mother ended up spending the last year of her life in a nursing home right down the street from Red Rocks in Morrison, CO. She was totally out of it by then, and received no fringe benefit from the Red Rocks concerts, not that she would have liked many of the bands there anyway.

TomCat