As Red Rocks Celebrates 85 Great Years – A Look Back At The 5 Biggest Shows Of 1985

By the end of 1941, the U.S. would declare war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor and enter WWII. It was in the middle of '41 that Colorado's famous concert southwest of Denver venue was officially dedicated.

Who Was First to Play at Red Rocks?

While the venue was dedicated in 1941, the first real event didn't take place until 1947 when classical pianist Leonard Pennario took the stage on June 27. Opera singer Jennie Tourel was the final show that year on July 25. The year only saw five acts total; and, of course, Easter Sunrise Service.

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1985 Was a Great Year for Shows at Red Rocks

I thought since 2026 marks 85 years of Red Rocks, I'd take a look back at the shows of 1985. About 40 acts hit the stage that year, as well as graduations and Easter Service.

When you take a look at the list, you see some big hitters (Don Henley, STING, Night Ranger, Iron Maiden, Bryan Adams, Jimmy Buffet, to name a few,) but only five acts had multiple nights.

• Dire Straits - 2 Nights (September 3, 4.) The band's huge "Brothers In Arms" album came out in May of 1985. Seeing "Money for Nothing" live had to be amazing.
• Eric Clapton - 2 Nights (July 10, 11.) 'Slowhand' was out on tour in support of his "Behind the Sun" album. Clapton, on a summer night at Red Rocks? Yes, let's do that twice.
• George Thorogood & The Destroyers - 2 Nights (August 16 17.) George and the guys were very hot after the "Bad to the Bone" album in 1982, and with the 1985 release "Maverick" which had the hit "I Drink Alone."
• Grateful Dead - 3 Nights (September 5,6,7.) Bob, Jerry and the guys were out on their "Twenty Years so Far" tour. The amount of pot in the amphitheater throughout those three nights (among other things) had to be staggering.
• Huey Lewis & The News - 4 Nights (August 9,10,11,12.) "Back to the Future" came out in July of 1985, but they had to have been booked for four nights before 1985 even began. That's how big the band's "Sports" album (1983) was, garnering the band four sold-out nights.

A fun fact from 1985 is that Ratt (w/Bon Jovi as the opening band) were supposed to play Red Rocks in September, but the weather was so bad they were forced to do the show at McNichols Arena. Bon Jovi would finally play Red Rocks for the first time, 10 years later, in 1995.