16 of the Best Venues for Live Music in Denver

From state-of-the-art stages to quintessential dives, here are our favorite venues for every kind of experience in the Mile High City.

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox. Photo by Sam Silkworth

For an affordable, family-friendly outing:

Levitt Pavilion. Photo by Alive Coverage

Levitt Pavilion

This Ruby Hill nonprofit offers 50 free outdoor concerts a year and is committed to accessible cultural experiences. With an expansive lawn and open seating, Levitt serves 375,000 potential patrons annually, and claims to pay local artists 40 percent more than other venues on the Front Range. To get the full experience, bring your own blankets, lawn chairs, and soft-sided coolers with the family, and be sure to RSVP online to guarantee entry. The 2022 season offered non-ticketed events such as the high-energy, bilingual rock group iZCALLi from Denver, Georgia-based Southern rockers Drive-By Truckers, and the Viva Southwest Mariachi Festival featuring the Grammy-nominated mariachi singer and songwriter, Lupita Infante. The 2023 schedule will be announced as early as the end of February, and the concert season begins in early May. 1380 W Florida Ave.

Capacity: 7,500 for paid shows and nearly 20,000 for free shows
Past Notable Acts: Calexico, Y La Bamba, the Band of Heathens, Pink Martini, Coheed and Cambria, Melissa Etheridge, Tower of Power, Esmé Patterson, Robert Earl Keen, UB40