Filled with amazing music, free henna and the most refreshing frozen rosé wine courtesy of 14 Hands Winery, Grandoozy proved to be an absolute hit in Denver this September.
Grandoozy, started by the same creators of Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, is a three-day music festival that is meant to “celebrate the culture and spirit of Denver and the greater Colorado region,” according to denver.org. This reviewer would whole-heartedly agree with that testament. From amber craft beers, to The Breakroom, which had a professionally led yoga session, Grandoozy was the perfect Coloradan weekend get-away.
Headlining the festival were Kendrick Lamar on Sept. 14, Florence + the Machine on Sept. 15 and Stevie Wonder on Sept. 16. While three-day passes were available, this reviewer only purchased the one-day pass for Saturday.
Arriving at 1:30 p.m. at the start of the festival, this reviewer first partook in the free henna offered by Destination Venture by Capital One and then headed to the first performance of the day by the up-and-coming band, Wilderado. The band was a perfect first performance of the day, with their rich harmonies and melodies that reminded you of driving through the mountains.
Next up on the agenda was picking up the four pack Bud Light beers offered by Bud Light as we headed to the the totally tubular ‘80s Ski Lodge. Not only were we able to cool off from the 90+ degree heat, but we also were able to jam out to the different DJs available.
We then went to get delicious little burgers from the STK Denver vendor and head over to the Young the Giant show. Only an hour long, Sameer Gadhia and the rest of the band gave an electric performance with amazing backdrops and breathtaking vocals.
Followed closely after Young the Giant was the headliner for the day, Florence + the Machine. When Florence Welch entered the stage, the audience was immediately energized by the red-headed lead singer. Dressed in flowing white skirts, she started out her magical performance with one of their newest songs, “June.”
The band didn’t only perform songs from their newest album “High as Hope,” however. They also performed fan favorites from their other three albums, “Lungs,” “Ceremonials” and “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” The favorite song of the night was clearly “Dog Days Are Over,” when the singer asked the audience to put their phones away, raise both hands to the sky and throw away all their worries.
With good vibes and wonderful head-banging provided by Ms. Welch, if you weren’t a fan of Florence + the Machine before Grandoozy, you definitely were after the stupendous performance.
Needless to say, Colorado’s newest music festival was a success. With a 10/10 rating from this reviewer, hopefully Grandoozy will continue to come to Denver in the future.
