[UPDATE 1/15/23]: Thank you to everyone who came out and tuned in to Denver Comes Alive 2023 at the Mission Ballroom! You can read a full recap, check out photos from the event, and watch full-set videos of the performances here. See you next year!
Denver Comes Alive has announced its return to Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom for an expanded, two-day event on Friday, January 13th and Saturday, January 14th, 2023. Presented by Live For Live Music in partnership with AEG Rocky Mountains, the marathon live music event will include one bluegrass- and Americana-focused night (1/13) and one funk-heavy night (1/14). The third annual Denver Comes Alive, hosted once again by SiriusXM‘s Ari Fink, will donate a portion of the proceeds to Backline. Get tickets here.
The party will get started on Friday, January 13th with Colorado-native progressive bluegrass stalwarts Yonder Mountain String Band, hard-touring “galaxy grass” quartet Kitchen Dwellers, and Nashville-based country-soul maven Maggie Rose and her talented band. The Friday night picking party will also feature a number of artists-at-large including Jason Carter, Billy Failing (Billy Strings), and Tyree Woods.
On Saturday, January 14th, Denver Comes Alive will field a lineup of heavy-hitting funky acts including a headlining appearance by Grammy-nominated future-funk sextet Lettuce, a rare performance by sacred steel-soul supergroup The Word (featuring Robert Randolph, John Medeski, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, and Kevin Lloyd), and a set by funk-rock outfit The Main Squeeze with a very special auxiliary backing ensemble Pulp Friction (featuring Will Phillips, Adryon de León, Shira Elias, Tiffany Johns, and Nick Gerlach).
Related: 21st Century Bluegrass Band: Torrin Daniels On The Rise Of Kitchen Dwellers [Interview]
Each night of Denver Comes Alive 2023 will also feature a special appearance by an all-woman supergroup. On Friday, Bridget Law (Elephant Revival), Lindsay Lou, Mimi Naja (Fruition), Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia), Emma Rose (Big Richard), and Michelle Pietrafitta (Banshee Tree) will join forces for the latest iteration of bluegrass combo WinterWonderWomen. On Saturday, Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power), Katty Rodriguez (Beyoncé), Tonya Sweets (Klymaxx/Lizzo), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Ella Feingold (Silk Sonic), Amy Bellamy (G. Love), Shirazette Tinnin (Dee Dee Bridgewater), and Lenesha Randolph (Lauryn Hill, Robert Randolph and the Family Band) will pool their extensive funk credentials for a performance as Super Sonic Shorties.
Denver Comes Alive will donate a portion of proceeds to Backline, a vital 501(c)(3) non-profit connecting music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources.
“Denver Comes Alive is the perfect cross-section of music, collaboration, community, and philanthropy,” says festival and Live For Live Music founder Kunj Shah. “By expanding to two days this year—with one night focused on bluegrass and Americana and another on funk and soul—we hope to celebrate the sounds at the heart of the Denver live music scene and put a spotlight on the musicianship that makes it great.”
Tickets for Denver Comes Alive 2023 are on sale now. Fans can elevate their Denver Comes Alive experience with VIP packages that offer exclusive access to a private lounge with food provided by Lou’s Italian Specialties in the West Balcony as well as a private viewing area with seats. For full ticketing details, head here.
Related: Maggie Rose Talks Walking Genre Divides Ahead Of Denver Comes Alive [Interview]
Get excited for the expanded, two-day 2023 edition of Denver Comes Alive on January 13th and 14th with a full rundown of last year’s event featuring photos and an official recap video here. Click below to view the complete Denver Comes Alive 2023 lineup and scroll down to check out the complete set of DCA 2023 Artist Baseball Cards.
[Originally published 10/25/22]
