Last Friday, November 3, was the one-year anniversary of Zach Bryan's first-ever show at the iconic outdoor amphitheater, Red Rocks. There are many reasons why this show was one of the most memorable concert experiences I've ever had. For one, it snowed. A lot. So much so that many of us, including Zach himself, refer to this show as 'Snow Rocks'. Snow Rocks was an amazing time in itself but what made my experience even better was that my best friend, Katie Bartnick, was there with me.
Katie and I arrived in Denver the day before the show and met up at the airport. Less than 15 minutes after checking into our hotel, we were in an Uber, headed to Sacred Soul Tattoo. Katie and I had been planning to get tattoos together on this trip ever since we had bought the tickets months prior. We ended up getting matching tattoos that were inspired by both Red Rocks and Zach's song, 'Heavy Eyes'.
The following day, Katie and I got to Red Rocks around 3 p.m. so that we could enjoy the fan-organized tailgate before the show. While it hadn't begun snowing yet, we knew it was coming. Earlier that day, Zach had announced on social media that, due to the impending weather, Charles Wesley Godwin and Jonathan & Abigail Peyton's sets had to be canceled.
Katie and I had an amazing time at the tailgate. If you ever have the chance, come to the tailgates before Zach's shows. It's a great way to meet new people and it's always a fun time, even in freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. At the Red Rocks tailgate, I noticed that everyone was looking out for each other and making sure everyone stayed warm.
While some shared their hand warmers and blankets, my friend, Brice Chambers, had an alternative method of warming people up: Fireball. Not only was he sharing Fireball shots and carrying around a handle of it, but he was also wearing a Fireball costume. So, if you were there and saw someone running around dressed like a bottle of Fireball, there's an extremely high chance it was Brice.
As I previously mentioned, the opener's sets had been canceled but that didn't stop Jonathan & Abigail Peyton from playing a few songs for those of us at the tailgate. I went into greater detail about their parking lot performance in a recent blog which you can read here!
Not only did the fans take care of each other, Zach took care of us too. Once inside the amphitheater, fans were able to get free hot chocolate and free hand warmers, courtesy of Zach. When Katie and I finally went in, we went straight to the hot chocolate and hand warmer area.
Since Katie and I had waited to enter the venue until the line died down, we couldn't get seats anywhere close to the stage. Even with the unfavorable weather conditions, Red Rocks was still packed to the top. Despite the fact that Katie and I were almost at the top of the amphitheater, neither of us minded being so far from the stage. We had an amazing time; wishing the entire time that it would never end.
Despite the frigid cold temperatures and heavy snow, Zach and his entire band still played beautifully. You can actually hear for yourself if you listen to All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks). When you listen, you'll also hear the fans screaming and singing along to every single song. Not only did the Highway Boys come to prove it, but so did the fans.
Snow Rocks was an amazing experience that I will never forget, or shut up about. Through this concert, I made so many new, lifelong friends and made the best memories. I didn't take many photos or videos while at this show for a couple of reasons: One, my hands were numb which made it increasingly difficult to use a phone and, two, I was trying to be present and live in the moment.
If you'd like to hear even more about Snow Rocks, Katie Bartnick shares her experience on her podcast, The Buzz with Katie B. Click here to listen to the episode! In this episode, she is joined by Brice Chambers, also known as the Fireball man.
If you would like a glimpse into what it was like at Snow Rocks, check out this video that my friend, Savannah Peck, made using fan footage.
If you’re interested in discovering more about the artists discussed in this article you can check them out on Instagram: Zach Bryan / Charles Wesley Godwin / Jonathan Peyton / Abigail Peyton.
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