With the summer announcement that this year’s annual Underground Music Showcase would be the last one ever, the Denver music community was faced with uncertainty about the future of its music scene. After 25 years of success, the abrupt closing of the iconic festival left Denver musicians and concertgoers in shock, wondering what was next for our city. However, this fall brought new beginnings for Denver music lovers with the opening of two new promising venues right under our feet.
Colorado music fans had the opportunity to see two bands this fall at Denver’s most unique venue yet. The popup venue “Project 70,” located under the I-70 bridge next to the Denver Coliseum, currently boasts a capacity of 10,000, and exclusively sells general admission tickets. Performances from Turnstile on September 30th, and Chase & Status on October 4th kicked off the venue’s opening, with fans from all over the state gathering under the interstate bridge.
Project 70 offers an outdoor music experience that is safe from rain or snow, with the bridge covering all concert attendees and musicians. Owned and operated by AEG, the venue aims to provide community to the city of Denver after the recent loss of the Underground Music Showcase and Five Points Jazz Fest. While Project 70 isn’t a permanent solution for the Denver Music Scene, the pop-up venue will provide seasonal opportunities for music lovers, with plans to have a few shows a year. After two successful performances from Turnstile and Chase and Status, new shows have yet to be announced, and the venue likely won’t return with new performers until 2026.
To combat Denver’s current lack of a music scene, the Auraria Campus’ Tivoli Underground announced its opening this fall. An influx of student bands in recent years has resulted in a lack of performance and rehearsal spaces for MEIS (Music and Entertainment Industry Studies) students, prompting the opening of this new venue. Created by MEIS students and staff, the Tivoli Underground provides a new space on campus for student and local Denver bands to book rehearsals, performances, and events. Venue Manager Pyper Tiffany hopes that the new space will teach students how to book shows and give them the skills and confidence to book larger shows at other local venues, as well as adding another venue to the mix for Denver’s indie music scene.
In addition to creating performance opportunities for students, the Tivoli Underground will allow students interested in live sound, venue management, and show booking to gain hands-on experience. Students will be able to sign up as volunteer staff for events at the Tivoli Underground, and will receive mentorship from experts on running sound, managing and hosting live events, and selecting talent to perform. So far, the Tivoli Underground has hosted events for the Nashville Songwriters Association International, Singer Songwriter Ensembles, and the CU Denver LatinX Student Alliance.
While the venue has had a slow start, it officially kicked things off with a grand opening on October 23rd in collaboration with CU Denver’s Music Industry Student Association. The event featured two hours of live music from local and student bands, networking, and free food.
Students interested in booking an event or getting involved with the Tivoli Underground can email tivoliunderground@ucdenver.edu for more information.
