Not that South Broadway has ever needed an excuse to get loud, but this July, it has a new one. Blucifer’s First Rodeo, a four-day music festival taking place July 23–26, is bringing more than 200 Colorado acts to the strip’s beloved venues.
For lead organizers Gillian Pasley and Mike Young, the festival grew from both a love letter and a rally cry. When Underground Music Showcase, the neighborhood’s long-running summer tradition, appeared to be moving to RiNo, a loose coalition of locals started asking themselves, could we just do this ourselves? “Every venue on Broadway is independently owned,” Mike said. “And a lot are owned by musicians.”
For Gillian, the idea gained momentum after she helped organize The Last Minute Last Waltz, a tribute show that brought together members from 25 local bands and raised around $3,000 for Kaizen Food Rescue, a nonprofit supporting Denverites experiencing food insecurity. “It was an inspiring moment,” Gillian said. “This is an enthusiastic community that loves to say yes to a crazy idea.”
Built entirely by volunteers, Blucifer’s First Rodeo puts creative labor at the center. After expenses, proceeds go toward paying the performers. “We want artists to have more power in this ecosystem,” Mike explains.
That mission shaped the lineup. Rather than leaning on followers or streaming numbers, the booking team focused on sound and community connection. “Why they wanted to be a part of it was a large part of the selection process too,” Gillian said. The result is a lineup spanning cumbia, hip-hop, soul, punk, jazz, indie, metal, and bluegrass. “The actual names on the marquee are important,” Gillian says, “but they’re also just a part of the overall vibe.”
Sunday leans fully into the festival’s DIY roots, with around 16 house shows hosted by community volunteers, each setting its own rules and personality. Expect backyard skate ramps, rooftop performances, and the kind of only-in-Denver oddities that make the concept feel alive.
And yes, there will be another rodeo. Whether it becomes Blucifer’s Second Rodeo or Blucifer’s First Rodeo 2027 is still up for debate. What is not is the mission. “It’s not just one weekend in July,” Gillian says. It’s a year-round effort to keep Denver’s local music scene loud, collaborative, and proudly its own.
In the Hood
Just a few of Baker’s beloved neighborhood haunts.
Start with a pre-show espresso at Corvus Coffee Roasters, a Denver staple since 2010 with an industrial-chic room on South Broadway and rotating seasonal drinks worth arriving early for. The Bardo Coffee House stays open until midnight if you need a caffeine reset between sets.
For dinner, MAKfam’s elevated fast-casual Chinese has a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation and the flavors to prove it. Adrift Tiki Bar, one of the festival’s performance locations, is also the move for a handcrafted cocktail before the night gets loud.
And Wax Trax Records, the iconic record shop where Blucifer’s First Rodeo co-organizer Gillian works, is reason enough to show up an hour early and peruse the extensive vinyl collection.
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