So there I was....last night at the Blues Traveler annual 4th of July celebration at Red Rocks in Colorado. Fifteen years and counting. It was absolutely amazing, although not completely filled. Strange that was. Totally shocked because I did not know who the opening acts were. They were great. First, the dance music DJ from PA. Started in a suit..ended leaving the stage in a fans Pittsburgh Steelers jersey thrown onstage. Then the finale, in my eyes, The Violent Femmes. That's right...they are still ticking and sounding just as great. The wild craziness of past concerts a by gone era for them, they still made my night. Then there was Blues Traveler. Popper, great job on the weight loss, and his crew jammed out remixed versions of their originals which made them feel unique and current, but the Femmes stole the show for me. BT even did a small tribute in their set. It rocked.
With all being fabulous......something was missing....perhaps its these "green" colored glasses I'm now wearing. Perhaps, not, yet the fact remains that I could not get solar power out of my mind. What could make this event better, I thought. Not just for the fans, but for Red Rocks itself. By far the nations #1 outdoor concert venue, playing at Red Rocks, is, or should be, every artists dream gig. Sitting in an outdoor amphitheater surrounded by out crops of towering natural magnificent rock structures of behemoth proportions and with night sky glistening above your head, Red Rocks, is the leader in outdoor gigs. Something was missing though. Such a beautiful night, music, our independence, fireworks, beer, the ubiquitous nature of "green" at concerts, it all sounds fabulous. Yet, something was missing. I'd like to say I didn't know, but I do. It was SOLAR.
Why wouldn't such a positive and natural influence of Red Rocks use solar. Even partial solar. Why aren't the administers of Red Rocks realizing their saving and using solar to power their events. Imagine the possibilities. Marketing the ultimate gig as participating in a local/global effort to reduce our carbon emissions. Musicians line up for a Red Rocks gig. Imagine if that gig had a cause. A foundation. A premise. Something behind the magic of nature and the onstage antics.
I envision Red Rocks powered by Solar. Powered by our natural process. It flows with the outdoor theme and ambiance of the amphitheater itself. Red Rocks needs solar.Placed on their new visitor center or on the top of the staging lights. Wherever it is, Red Rocks should continue to lead. Whether it be music concerts, Easter Sunday Mass, the symphony...it doesn't matter. Red Rocks, this is a call to you. Invest in solar power. Help give back, support yourself. Don't waste away what makes Red Rocks unique. Invest in our futures. Do smart business, increase your equity, decrease your power consumption.
Support our environment. Become the leader for environmentally conscious venues. Go Solar for your customers, your clients, your state. Go solar for US.
