RED ROCKS 8 O' CLOCK HOWL to Open 80th Anniversary Season

Colorado's iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre will open its 80th Anniversary season April 21, not with one of the venue's usual platinum-selling headliners, but with a roster of acts that have performed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for those in nursing homes, intensive care units, churches or front yards.

Among those scheduled to perform, an 85-year-old Boulder pianist who entertained residents of a nursing home, police and firefighters whose bagpipes played for communities across the state, and an ICU nurse whose voice was the sound of caring during the pandemic.

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock will welcome the crowd in recognition of the 80th anniversary - the first crowd of more than 175 fans since COVID-19 closed the venue last year. Bret Saunders from 97.3 KBCO will emcee the event.

A special part of the event will feature an "8 o'clock howl," a literal howl from 2,500 people in the venue. The howl will be led by the Denver couple who spurred the vocal thank-you to frontline workers last year with a Facebook group that now numbers more than 600,000 from 100 countries.

80-cent tickets will go on sale to the public at 10 am, Saturday April 17 at AXS.com. The 80-cent ticket price is in honor of the venue's 80th anniversary, but also would've been the cost of a show at Red Rocks in 1941.

"Over eight decades, Red Rocks has hosted the biggest acts in music history, but there may not be more heart on-stage than what we'll see Wednesday night," said Ginger White, executive director of Denver Arts & Venues, the City agency that operates the venue. "There are so many caring musicians who lifted our spirits in surprising ways through the past months and we hope to thank all of them with the representatives in this show."

A number of seats will be filled by frontline workers including those who worked in grocery stores, public safety and COVID-prevention services.

Artists were selected based on the recommendations of music and news journalists, whose coverage of these musician put a spotlight on these musical notes from across Colorado. Among those scheduled to play (and subject to additions, changes):

• Colorado Emerald Society Pipes - First responders who performed nightly across Colorado communities
• "Rad" Muljadi - The 10-year-old fifth-grader from Parker dazzled online fans with his concerts for charity.
• Emily Worthem - The Denver ICU nurse sang to her patients and hospital staff throughout the pandemic
• Longmont High School Drumline - The nationally-ranked group was forced to compete at Nationals online
• D'Evelyn Jr-Sr High School Marching Band - Substituted an online Presidential Inauguration performance for online
• JoFoKe, Shane Endsley, Adam Waite - The trio's online performances showcased a star-studded career in jazz, sacred music and Dove Award-winning vocals
• Rico Jones - The saxophonist's front porch concerts are like many who soon turned into joyous neighborhood concerts
• Colorado Conservancy for the Jazz Arts - Joining Jones, the kids of the CCJA went from front porches to a Red Rocks stage
• Brice Maiurro/Shelsea O'Choa - This couple's Facebook group popularized the howl and grew to 600,000 members

The Red Rocks 8 o'clock Howl will be livestreamed. For more information, visit redrocksonline.com.

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