I am a person that runs on music, fresh air, and green spaces. Nature is my passion, and music fuels my life. This was one of the most soul-touching, uplifting, spiritual, and joyful moments of my life.
How I Met Propeller
It had been about a week and a half since I had checked Instagram. I was there to see what my brother just posted to his story, and to check out new content on Kaleo's page. The 2nd thing that came across my view was "Win a Trip to See Kaleo Live at Red Rocks" - Propeller. Eyeballs HUGE! What is this? Looks legit…Click! Scan, read, read…oh my jeez! This is GENIUS! Entries into the sweepstakes involve action on Climate Change! YES! I'm ALL IN! Everything I'm passionate about is all in one place!!! The environment, natural resources, action on climate change, human rights, voting rights, Blackline, mental health, and music all rolled into one powerful and enjoyable platform. I donated to numerous organizations, signed a slew of petitions, and watched informative/educational videos. I checked in and completed actions whenever I had a few spare minutes. Working on the different causes filled me with hope. Propeller gave me an accessible connection to engage in what I feel strongly about.
Kaleo at Red Rocks
Hannah with Propeller put together a fantastic experience. The airline and flight departure times were great. Once landing in Denver, my sister and I took the A train from the Denver airport to the front door of The Crawford Hotel that Propeller had booked for us. The Crawford Hotel is part of the Union Station building and central to transit around Denver. There are numerous dining options and amenities both on the hotel property and on the surrounding blocks of the hotel. On the first evening, we dined, visited, and watched the Blood Moon total lunar eclipse through the window at The Terminal Bar in Union Station.
With half a day of free time and some Uber rides, we enjoyed visiting Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. Around 4pm, we headed to the Red Rocks Box Office to grab our tickets at Will Call, and then took a short hike up the hill to visit the Red Rocks Trading Post before they closed. I had RSVP'd the week prior for a 5:30 p.m. spot at Ship Rock Grill for dinner the evening of the concert. So glad I did. It was perfect.
Kaleo's music is soulful, dynamic, full-bodied, and all-together absolute perfection. You pair their music with the most glorious, natural venue on Earth, and you are left with a near-out-of-body experience. The sound and acoustics at Red Rocks was unlike anything I've ever experienced before. You feel the music and the natural world so fully that the sense of overwhelm brought me to that bizarre juxtaposition of tears and elation.
I very literally did not want to leave when the show ended. If allowed, I would have brought a sleeping bag or picked up trash just to stay a little longer. It is such a wonderful spot on Earth. Eventually, we made our way up the stairs to the top concourse where I met up with Maddie from Propeller. Maddie greeted me with a Gibson guitar case containing the most prized possession of my life. A gorgeous, heavyweight, SG 61', ebony Gibson guitar signed by JJ, David, Danny, and Rubin. To say it is a treasure is an understatement. The Red Rocks' Kaleo concert poster signed by the band members will be framed, hung, and cherished always as one of the happiest moments of my life. It was the experience of a lifetime complete with making new friends while traveling and a tattoo to bookmark the journey.
After a brief break, I am getting back to daily activity on Propeller's website and working however I can to promote positive change in the world. I appreciate everything about this organization and engage in it fully.
"Propeller: Working at the intersection of music and social impact! What are YOU Propelling?"
- Liz
