Colorado
Here’s what Colorado concert season holds for music fans in 2025
There’s plenty in store for the Front Range concert scene in 2025, from a jam-packed Red Rocks Amphitheatre calendar to higher ticket prices and massive tours at Colorado’s biggest venues.
Here’s a handy preview.
Higher ticket prices
The average ticket price is expected to rise again in 2025, with promoters blaming ballooning costs on unprecedented demand. In addition to inflation, digital scalpers are gumming up the works, prompting false sell-outs the minute many shows go on sale and sending some fans to the secondary market, where prices usually skyrocket. And if you’re able to snag them, solid seats at Ball Arena, Red Rocks or Dick’s Sporting Good Park will rarely dip below the $50 mark, with many tickets topping $100 (or much, much more).
In 2024, the average price of a ticket for one of the top 100 tours was $127.38, which was 9.4% higher than in 2019, and an all-time high, according to Pollstar. Even before the pandemic, prices were creeping skyward: Boulder Weekly reported that Red Rocks tickets jumped more than 60% between 2018 and 2024. Concerts look to increasingly become a luxury item for a society whose wealth gap is growing at an alarming rate.
Tours and cost-reckoning
Canceled shows due to low ticket sales dotted 2024, with embarrassing about faces from The Black Keys, Jennifer Lopez and others angling for full-scale arena comebacks. This year looks to be more measured in its tour launching, with proven acts slotting comfortably into the biggest venues and mid-sized and smaller acts owning the city’s historic theaters and indie clubs.
On the bright side, Colorado consumers can now see the full list of taxes and other fees before buying their tickets, thanks to recent legislation. That helps in the decision-making process and offers more transparency on the true cost of your purchase.
Huge shows are not going anywhere
Taylor Swift dominated the national music sphere in 2024 with an “Eras” tour that sold out a pair of shows at Empower Field at Mile High. Slightly less top-of-mind but still huge acts Coldplay (June 10), Post Malone (June 15), and Metallica (June 27-29) are hitting Invesco Field in 2025. Coors Field is also likely to unveil more concerts on the level of 2024’s Billy Joel, Green Day, Kane Brown and Journey/Def Leppard shows.
At Ball Arena, which remains the metro area’s dominant arena, already-announced shows feature Rod Wave, Sebastian Maniscalco, Justin Timberlake and a multi-night run from Billy Strings — and that’s just in January. More notables include Tyler, the Creator (Feb. 11); Mary J. Blige (Feb. 25); Kylie Minogue (April 29), Andrea Bocelli (June 17); Linkin Park (Sept. 3), and comic Nate Bargatze (Sept. 12-13).
Venues — and their neighbors
As Broomfield’s FirstBank Center has fallen to the wrecking ball, there are glimmers of new venues along the Front Range. What that means for fans is that certain shows may be much closer to home. Colorado Springs music lovers no longer need to drive to Denver to see some Red Rocks headliners thanks to the city’s new Ford Amphitheater. That controversial outdoor venue continues to rankle some neighbors over noise issues, which have prompted critics to take their case to local politicians and the news media. (Venu, the owner of the amphitheater, recently launched a defiant marketing campaign that dubbed itself “Fan Founded. Fan Owned,” and claimed that the AEG Presents-booked amphitheater was a disrupter in the industry.)
In Loveland, the home of Blue Arena, Larimer County in December finalized a 70-acre purchase on which the Ranch Events Complex plans to grow — including building yet another new venue. We’ll see what kind of capacity and booking it has when it’s finished (likely not this year, since it hasn’t even broken ground) but it promises even less of a reason for people who live in the head into metro Denver.
Whither the weather?
Extreme weather will continue to poke holes in the calendar, as it has over the last couple years due to wind, hail and other safety-prompting concerns. Certainly, unpredictable weather has long been a factor at Colorado’s hundreds of annual outdoor concerts, from early-season snow to summer hail and fall/winter ice. And yet, seemingly unprecedented events continue to occur, potentially giving pause to fans who were excited about open-air music. Meteorologists have said climate change in 2024 was largely to blame for the rising number of storms and long bouts of extreme heat.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s Louis Tomlinson concert in 2023 turned into a wailing mess as nearly 100 concertgoers were treated for bloody lacerations, broken bones and other injuries due to a solstice-coinciding hail storm (seven people required hospitalization). That year also saw tours in which heat, dust and wildfire smoke affected Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder’s voice in Paris; “Jason Aldean collapsed onstage from heat stroke during a performance in Hartford, Conn.; and Disturbed canceled a Phoenix gig because their equipment wouldn’t turn on in the 117-degree heat,” Billboard reported.
“Fans, meanwhile, have been forced to evacuate to tents, cars and bathrooms amidst storms, and risked overheating both at Ed Sheeran’s Pittsburgh show in July and Las Vegas concert in September,” according to the report. We also saw Burning Man take a major hit from extreme weather in August, from dust storms to mud, which has hurt ongoing ticket sales for the desert festival in Nevada.
In 2024, shows from Foo Fighters, Hozier, Pink, AJR and others were canceled internationally due to extreme weather, Rolling Stone reported, including a May 4 show from Hippo Campus at Red Rocks that was scuttled due to dangerous winds.
Colorado’s outdoor venues, from Red Rocks and Levitt Pavilion Denver to the 18,000-seat Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, are all vulnerable to extreme weather. At all of them, consider bringing seats or something sturdy to shelter under, in addition to the usual ponchos and cold-weather gear, and carefully watch weather reports on your phone.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.
Let local governments rule on rent control
I’m writing this letter to urge our candidates for governor to take a stand to repeal the 1981 law prohibiting local control of rents. Local communities are the best locus to determine affordability for their residents. The conditions in Denver are different from places such as Fruita, Aspen, Durango or Lamar. Stripping municipal and county governments of the ability to assess the needs of their communities is fundamentally anti-democratic.
I have lived in Denver for 30 years and have always been a renter. I retired as a state employee over eight years ago. Currently, I pay approximately 45% of my net income for my housing. Recently, my rent was increased 17%, where I have resided for 10 years. Inflation at that time was 3%. I believe that with reasonable rent control by the city of Denver, such an increase would never have been allowed. At this rate, I will soon be forced to leave the city I love.
Increasing the housing stock is one step, but it is not a solution, especially if new rental units are unaffordable. There needs to be a limit on the amount a landlord can increase the rent, and a fair and easy mechanism for enforcement. We need our elected officials, and our candidates running for governor and other offices, to commit to working with us to overturn this unjust law that favors corporate landlords over residents.
Jeff Schweinfest, Denver
What is causing overpayments in the first place?
Re: “Unemployment: Overpayment appeals, probes under scrutiny,” May 31 news story
The Sunday article on people’s inability to challenge claw-backs of their unemployment benefits was very interesting! Thanks for doing it.
But I was left totally confused by the whole process. The reason money is clawed back presumably is because the agency determined that they had been given too much money. But that is the same agency that determined how much to give them in the first place.
So why didn’t they use the proper process (that determined how much they got in excess) right off? This is crazy! Something is really wrong here.
Steve Pomerance, Boulder
Details, please, candidates
Re: “So you’ll fight Trump; what else?” May 30 letter to the editor
Responding to the letter about the Democratic candidates for governor and running their campaigns on fighting Trump, I can only say, “Here! Here!” I am also independent and am no fan of President Donald Trump.
But it should just be assumed that any Democrat running for any office is planning to fight Trump (I wish the same could be said for the other side, but that’s an argument for another time). You would better serve your constituents by telling us how you’re going to make life better for us in this state. What is your plan? Fighting Trump should be a given. Stop wasting most of your 30-second ads on Trump and what the other candidate did or did not do. Tell us your plan. And that goes for you as well, Congressional District 8 Democratic candidates!
Andrea Llamzon, Thornton
Marx sounds a lot like Santos
Re: “Marx draws rivals’ criticism,” May 26 commentary
The achievements Victor Marx highlights as a self-proclaimed minister, such as having traveled the globe to help thousands of people victimized by trafficking and persecution . . . as well as ministries in Haiti and the Middle East where he personally battled with ISIS, sound awfully outlandish and familiar.
I’m thinking of the former Republican from New York, George Santos, who made up all kinds of wild stories about his past, which eventually got exposed — but, of course, the GOP didn’t care. Just needed his seat in Congress despite his lying and cheating, kind of like the guy sitting in the White House.
Yet, Marx is the frontrunner in the primary campaign for governor against two far more qualified candidates with genuine experience in government, whom he declines to debate. Can’t see him winning in blue state Colorado. I guess they’re more concerned about MAGA bona fides than winning.
Jeannie Dunham, Denver
Amanda Gonzalez for Secretary of State
Re: “State Sen. Jessie Danielson for secretary of state,” May 31 endorsement editorial
I was disappointed to read of your endorsement of state Sen. Jessie Danielson for Colorado Secretary of State. While she has been active in election law, she has not, as you pointed out, ever run an election.
Amanda Gonzalez has extensive election experience in Jefferson County, one of the largest counties in Colorado. In these troubled times, we need someone with nuts and bolts experience of the process, not just the laws. I hope the people of Colorado will think seriously about the qualifications of the two and vote for Amanda Gonzalez.
Kathleen N. Jones, Centennial
Michael Dougherty for Attorney General
When my husband, Kevin Mahoney, and nine other victims were killed at King Soopers in 2021, District Attorney Michael Dougherty showed up tirelessly for all of us from day one. His empathy, integrity, and years of legal expertise mattered.
It’s no surprise a guilty verdict was reached.
Now Michael is running for attorney general where he would take on the role as top lawyer for our state — a role he would excel at. I’m confident Michael will work hard for all of us in Colorado to protect our communities and natural resources. With nearly 30 years as a prosecutor, Michael knows how to tackle the toughest legal battles. He has prosecuted violent crimes, protected consumers, and defended civil rights. He continually fights for the rights and safety of our families, our children, and grandchildren. It’s a powerful fight for justice because he truly cares about people. This is a time in our country when our very democracy is at stake.
We need an experienced, hardworking, and courageous individual like Michael to take on the relentless chaos and corruption through our legal system. This is the exact expertise he brings to the table. Colorado primary day is Tuesday, June 30. Let’s elect Michael Dougherty as Colorado’s next attorney general.
Ellen Mahoney, Boulder
Sue Flageolle for Jefferson County Assessor
When it comes to the Jefferson County assessor’s race, the choice is straightforward: experience, integrity, and a genuine commitment to this community. Sue Flageolle is that choice, and she has earned my enthusiastic support.
Sue is not a political newcomer looking to use the assessor’s office as a stepping stone. She is the current deputy assessor for Jefferson County, with more than 28 years of service in our own office. Her career in real estate appraisal spans over four decades, and she has held a Certified General Appraiser License since 1989. This is not a résumé built for a campaign — it’s a career built in service to Colorado property owners.
What sets Sue apart is her understanding that the assessor’s office must work for everyone. Property owners — homeowners, small business owners and renters — all feel the downstream effects of how assessments are conducted. When valuations are inaccurate or inconsistent, the consequences ripple through our entire community: inflated tax bills, strained household budgets, and inequitable burdens on those least able to absorb them.
Sue’s commitment to fair, transparent, and market-reflective property values is not a talking point; it’s the philosophy she has practiced throughout her entire career.
Sue is also leading Jefferson County’s transition to a modern, cloud-based mass appraisal platform launching this year. We need someone at the helm who understands both the technology and the appraisal principles behind it. Sue does.
Jefferson County deserves an assessor who walks in on day one knowing exactly what the job requires. That person is Sue Flageolle.
Jamie Eickhoff, Littleton
Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.
-
Technology6 minutes agoWWDC protesters want Apple to ban Elon Musk’s apps
-
World9 minutes ago‘You’re destroying your countries’: Is Europe finally heeding Trump’s warning on illegal immigration?
-
Politics14 minutes agoPlatner calls Fetterman ‘a–hole’ at town hall as Democratic feud heats up
-
Health21 minutes agoStudy reveals hidden gut factor that may make some people more susceptible to sepsis
-
Sports24 minutes ago2025-26 NBA Finals MVP Odds: KAT Chasing Brunson Atop Board
-
Technology29 minutes agoWhy your VPN keeps getting blocked and the simple fix
-
Business36 minutes agoTrump signs an executive order to vet top AI models for national security risks
-
Entertainment39 minutes ago‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ reveals its mystery-solving pup, and he’s a very good boy
