As Denver musician Wes Watkins spring shows booked for Another Black gospel band, a date in the calendar had priority.
"I decided I had to play 4/20," Watkins, the stoner holiday known as 4/20 or April 20 said. "We played last 4/20 at 11 hours, and it was a relaxed and silly show because everyone was so tired and stoned.
"This 4/20 we are playing a show at the brunch Larimer Lounge because it is Easter . And as Easter, 4/20 is a date that speaks for itself. "
Especially in Denver with nearly four months of legal recreational marijuana sales under its belt, 4/20 - 16:20 equivalent calendar times marijuana smokers would historically toke up - do not speak for themselves. And speaking in a language of music festivals, shows unusually early Red Rocks sold a month in advance and thematic concerts sponsored by the largest companies of marijuana in the state.
April 20th is now a holiday full entertainment in Colorado with developers and entrepreneurs looking to capture a slice of the mass audiences in the same way you would on Halloween or New Year's Eve - and music fans are winners with an amazing variety of music across the city.
" We live in the sculpture park , shows at Red Rocks and if you look at any of the clubs oriented music and even dance clubs that have a theme for your nights this weekend ," said Brian Kitts, spokesman Arts & Venues Denver , the division of the city managed venues like the Denver Performing Arts Complex and Red Rocks. “4/20 has become another form of music market.”
How in -the-know is Denver 4 /20 with national trends? Current High Times magazine cover Kushmore Mount offers a picture of Mount Rushmore style of Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill frontman B- Real, Method Man & Redman - "four groomsmen weed culture," said editor in chief Chris Simunek magazine.
The four MCs are playing unrelated 4.20 shows in Colorado this year, and Snoop and Method & Red are each doubling with two shows in one day.
And do not stop there.
In the last week, rappers Ice Cube and Too $ hort , comedians Cheech and Chong and Andy Haynes and actor who played McLovin in "Superbad" (Christopher Mintz- Plasse ) have played shows in Denver 4.20 . The list of remaining to be played this weekend is better than any line of the New Year's Eve in the recent history of Colorado reads:
That list includes Snoop, Wiz Khalifa , Wyclef Jean , Slightly Stoopid , Matisyahu , Mac Miller, Karl Denson Tiny Universe , Talib Kweli , Leftover Salmon, BoB , Method & Red, Julian Marley , Paper Diamond, Nappy Roots , Collie Buddz and Pato Banton .
“Culture Weed "
It's a lot of hip- hop, but rap and weed music culture will have long walked hand in hand.
“The hip- hop community is where you are seeing 4/20 thrive more because it has been part of the culture of weeds for a long time," said Robert Castro, founder and editor of the music blog based in Colorado Ultra5280.
“The weekend around 4/20 has become a center, and (4 /20) really started picking up steam in Colorado two or three years ago, and that all dispensaries were taking root.”
A very local example 4/20 ' s growing presence : At least four brand new music festivals will take care of the parks and clubs in Denver this weekend - from Daze Festival on the Green at 64, Dabroots to Waldos Music Festival - that debuted this year in hopes of capturing an audience and potentially return next year.
Another example: In 2013, Red Rocks was the venue for the first time 4/20 concert with Cypress Hill and Slightly Stoopid. They called it “Hotbox at Red Rocks, “co-opting a term popular stoner to lock in an enclosed space, and the show was sold out.
This year the mountain amphitheater host two sold-out shows, on April 19 and 20 - not to mention annual Easter Sunrise Service on the morning of day 20.
"There is an underlying theme going on (in those concerts) , but for us it is another couple of concerts ," said Tad Bowman, local director Red Rocks' . "I am very happy that we have a show on Saturday night, Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday morning and another show on Sunday night - . Regardless of the subject of the shows ' "
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