Red Rocks came in outside of the top five for best venues in the country.
released its ranking of the 100 greatest music venues in America on Friday, counting two Colorado venues in the top fifty.
Denver’s Bluebird Theater came in at a respectable number 36, with writer Allison Shoemaker citing its excellent sight-lines (true), varied booking (yep) and “madly grinning wall sconces” (how have I missed ?) as distinguishing factors.
More controversial: Red Rocks isn’t in the top one, three or five. Morrison’s massive natural amphitheatre, a place essentially , was rated just seventh best in the country.
Any other venue would probably be happy to crack the top ten. But Red Rocks isn’t any other venue. It’s the crown jewel of Colorado, a musical alter that the music world’s rock faithful come to kneel at year-in and year-out. Sure, , but we’ll take a handful of vengeful skunks if it means seeing shows of caliber at a postcard-worthy national park. To compare it to rooms like Boston’s Great Scott (8) and Stubb’s (6) in Austin just feels wrong.
Rolling Stone rated Red Rocks as the best amphitheatre in the country. The Bluebird Theater on the magazine’s best clubs list, which ranked Boulder’s Fox Theatre ranked fourth in the country.
Check out Consequence of Sound’s top 100 music venues in the country , and take a look at the top ten below.
10. Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, Tenn.)
9. The Gorge (George, Wash.)
8. Great Scott (Boston, Mass.)
7. Red Rocks (Morrison, Colo.)
6. Stubb’s (Austin, Texas)
5. 9:30 Club (Washington D.C.)
4. Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles, Calif.)
3. Metro Chicago (Chicago, Ill.)
2. Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)
1. The Fillmore (San Francisco, Calif.)
