Denver already has a glut of concert venues, and yet another one will open next
week.
The Colorado Convention Center Indoor Amphitheatre, the city-owned venue inside
the new complex, will fill a void in concert promotions with its unusual 5,000-
person capacity. But it also has industry followers wondering if it’s a tad
excessive in this market.
“It would be the perfect venue for an accomplished vocalist, because that
upscale crowd will like the amenities that we have there and the setting — we
can do valet parking in that front parkway — but any crowd can and will use the
venue,” said Ann Williams of the city’s division of theaters and arenas.Promoters have holds on certain dates, though no shows have yet been announced.
But the indoor amphitheater expands the choices in a market that already has too
many options, according to legendary promoter Barry Fey.
“In the old days, we didn’t have enough venues, but we had too many acts,” Fey
said. “Now we have the venues but not enough acts.”
The amphitheater’s main draw for fans, bands and promoters is its versatility.
Whereas shows at the Fillmore Auditorium or the Pepsi Center are subject to the
rooms’ set space, this venue can easily be modified to fit crowds from 3,680 to
5,000. It will have its own entrance and drop-off area off Speer Boulevard and a
separate box office off Stout Street. And during conventions, it will serve as a
multipurpose space for lectures and other events.
But the biggest news for promoters: The room gives House of Blues and Nobody in
Particular Presents an indoor, downtown venue to compete with the Fillmore, the
3,600-capacity Colfax Avenue stage owned by Chuck Morris Presents/Bill Graham
Presents, which recently changed its name from Clear Channel Entertainment.
“There are certain acts, what agents call ‘venue plays,’ and if they’re too big
to play the Paramount and not big enough for the bigger arena, then they play
the Fillmore,” said Fey. “Clear Channel doesn’t rent that room out often, so
those always went to them, but now those acts can play (at the indoor
amphitheater), and other promoters can bid on them.”
The kind of performers Fey is talking about include David Bowie, R.E.M., Sting
and Bob Dylan, all of whom have played — and sold out — the Fillmore in the past few
years.
Doug Kauffman, one of the principals at Nobody in Particular Presents, sees the
value.
“It’s the perfect-size room,” said Kauffman. “It’s right between the
arena level and the smaller theater level, and we’re planning on putting as many
things there as make sense.
“Brent Fedrizzi, a booker with Chuck Morris Presents/Bill Graham Presents, said
the Fillmore, which is an open-floored auditorium, and the new amphitheater,
which has unremovable seats, aren’t comparable.
“The rooms offer different vibes in different situations,” said Fedrizzi, who
pointed out that the new room will help when the Temple Buell Theatre is
occupied.
“The Buell is busy a lot of the time with touring Broadway shows, so
this space will give us another avenue to explore.”
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-820-1394 or
rbaca@denverpost.com.
