Update 6/12/2017: Pony League from Atlanta has won the Artist on the Rise competition; check them out here.


If you’ve ever been to an artist’s first concert at Red Rocks, you’ve heard the outpouring of emotion as they dictate what a dream come true it is to play at the famous amphitheater. Now, six up-and-coming acts are competing for a chance to perform on the Rocks on June 26, opening for Denver-raised band, The Fray. Oh and did we mention the concert is free?

Earlier this year, six artists were selected to participate in Southwest Airlines’ Live at 35, a concert series at 35,000 feet onboard Southwest flights (Call it altitude training for Red Rocks Amphitheater’s 6,400-foot elevation). The finalists hail from across the country: Edan Archer, an alt-country artist from Fort Lauderdale; Sundressed, an indie-rock band from Phoenix; Pom Poms, a retro-groove band from Los Angeles; The Daybreaks, a pop group out of Nashville; Atlanta-based Americana band Pony League; and the pop-leaning Broke Royals from Washington D.C.

Their videos are now available online, and the winner will be selected based on voting and views on their Southwest page.

As a part of this promotion, Southwest is giving one out-of-state fan (and three friends) a chance to win roundtrip airfare to Denver, two nights in a hotel, and tickets to the concert. (Hopefuls need only enter the sweepstakes by Thursday, June 8). Locals can also enter the Get Amped Sweepstakes and win air travel for two to any Southwest destination, two tickets to ten 2017 Red Rocks shows, dinner for two at Ship Rock Grille, and a one-night stay at a Denver hotel. Not bad, right?

Tickets for The Fray’s June 26 show are up for grabs June 2 at 8 a.m.—and seeing as it’s free, they’ll probably go quick.

If you go: June 26, doors open 6 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m.; Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison