April is a beautiful month. The sights and sounds of spring are in the air, bringing with them longer and warmer days, tempting everyone to head outside from their winter shelters and start sneezing like mad because it is peak allergy season. That’s why it’s best to wait out the allergies and stay inside and enjoy some of the best concerts, sports and family events the Front Range has to offer. Check out all the Rad Things (to) Do in April!

Sports

April is one of the biggest sports months of the year for fans of the Rockies, Nuggets and Avalanche. With the Avalanche and Nuggets looking to take first seeds in their respective playoffs, this April is shaping up to be one for the books. All Mammoth, Nuggets and Avalanche home games can be accessed by the E and W lines at Elitch Gardens•Ball Arena Station.

The Colorado Avalanche has been living up to its namesake this season as the team makes it known to the rest of the National Hockey League that the road to the Stanley Cup goes through Denver by creating an avalanche of victories this season. With their playoff bid looking more obtainable by the day, each game in April is an opportunity to seal their playoff bid and prepare for the daunting task of defending their championship from the likes of Dallas, Boston, Carolina, Minnesota, Las Vegas and the rest of the league’s leaders. The Avalanche attempt to seal their fate with seven games left on the schedule, two of those being on home ice at Ball Arena (April 11 versus the Edmonton Oilers, and April 13 versus the Winnipeg Jets).

Meanwhile, the roommates of the Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets, have already clinched their playoff bid in dominant fashion, recording a 50-win season with three games to go, with one home game remaining against the Sacramento Kings this Sunday. The Nuggets are primed for a deep playoff run, with talks of them being favorites to win the NBA championship this year. Bring the noise on April 9 at Ball Arena.

Need more hard-hitting, fast-paced action? The Colorado Mammoth look to improve their chances at securing a National Lacrosse League playoff spot with three home games at the arena in April.

While basketball and hockey seasons wind down, just on the other side of downtown, the Colorado Rockies play ball for the first time at Coors Field this year against the Washington Nationals. Rockies fans all over the state will be out in force for Opening Day on April 6, praying to the baseball deities that the team gets back on the right track. Gear up, grab the glove and catch any Union Station-bound bus or train and go cheer on the Rockies as they begin their 2023 Major League Baseball campaign.

As a reminder, ongoing maintenance projects are impacting E, H and R Line services. Before heading to Ball Arena or Coors Field, please plan ahead and sign up for Service Alerts to be in the know of any disruptions that could affect your trip.

Concerts

Not counting Red Rocks, the outdoor concert season is still roughly a month away. However, for music lovers across the metro area, April is absolutely stacked with fantastic artists and bands performing at some of Denver’s finest venues. Remember, most of these venues are within walking distance from RTD services! Check out some of the highlights coming to the 303 this month.

Mission Ballroom

RiNo’s favorite music venue arguably has the most stacked lineup out of all of the metro area’s music halls. World-renowned artists are performing through the ballroom nearly nightly this month. Customers can easily get to Mission Ballroom via a short walk from the A Line’s 38th•Blake Station.

Mersiv’s (dance) “In The Round Tour” gets the party going Friday, and Vintage Culture’s “Born of Music Addiction Tour” keeps the party going on Saturday. On April 13, 100 Gecs (rap/emo) brings his “10,000 Gecs Tour 2” tour to RiNo, followed by Tennis’ (indie/alternative) “Pollen Tour” on April 14. Mission goes to the backwoods when The Wood Brothers (bluegrass) come through April 15. April 21 will be a good day when the hip-hop legend Ice Cube (hip-hop/rap) lights up the ballroom, followed by one of the hottest acts in pop music today, Lewis Capaldi (pop), who showcases his incredible musicianship to a sold-out crowd on April 22. Chart-topping indie star Goth Babe (indie/alternative) performs April 23, followed by back-to-back sets from one of the biggest names in hip-hop today, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (hip-hop/rap), April 27-28. Bomba Estéreo (alternative/Latin) closes out the month on April 30 with the final stop of their “Cities Summit of Americas” tour.

Visit the Mission Ballroom’s website for tickets.

Paramount Theatre

For those who prefer a more low-key experience in a cozy setting, the Paramount Theatre has plenty to enjoy this month, and it all kicks off when the seven-time Grammy-award-winning Empress of Soul herself, Gladys Knight, brings her incredible talents to the heart of downtown Denver on Friday night. Comedian Noel Miller rolls into town next for a Saturday night of laughs. Other notable concerts coming this month to the Paramount Theatre include guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor on April 13, comedian Samantha Bee on April 15, comedians Miranda Sings and Colleen Ballinger on April 20, guitarist John Butler on April 28 and comedian Tom Papa on April 29.

The Paramount Theatre can be accessed via the Free MallRide at 17th Street and Glenarm Place. Visit the Paramount Theatre’s website for the full schedule of performances this month, as well as ticket information.   

Ogden Theatre and Fillmore Auditorium

The best entertainment block on Colfax is going to get rowdy this month, as both the Ogden Theatre and Fillmore Auditorium will play host to some of the hottest acts in hard rock, metal, rap, alternative, dance and more. Both the Fillmore Auditorium and Ogden Theatre sit just steps away from Route 15’s Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street stop. Visit their respective websites for a full schedule of events and ticket information.

Starting with the Ogden, underground sensation Mac Ayres (R&B/soul) gets things going this Saturday. Next up, Theo Katzman (folk) rolls through April 12, followed by Snow Tha Product (rap) getting the Colfax faithful hyped up on April 13. Audien (dance) brings his eclectic sounds to the Ogden on April 14. April 17, things get loud and chaotic when Nothing More (hard rock), Crown the Empire (metalcore) and Thousand Below (metalcore) bring down the house. The chaos doesn’t stop there, as three days later City Morgue (metal) rolls through the Ogden with Vein.FM (metalcore). Snakehips (dance) celebrates their new album with a Colfax party on April 28. Wrapping up an incredible month of live music at the Ogden is Avatar (hard rock), Veil of Maya (metal) and Sweden’s Orbit Culture (metal) on April 29.

While the Fillmore Auditorium may not have the same volume of acts as the Ogden Theatre this month, there are still some great artists passing through. Pouya (rap) performs on April 26, followed up by alternative greats OneRepublic (alternative/pop), American Authors (indie/alternative) and Dean Lewis (indie) closing out the month at the Fillmore.

Summit Music Hall and Marquis Theatre

LoDo’s favorite music venues will have no shortage of incredible live performances by some of the best up-and-coming names in pop, rock, hip-hop and metal. Summit Music Hall and Marquis Theatre are serviced by Route 52. Visit Live Nation for a full list of concerts at both venues.

On Friday, Barely Alive (dance) brings their “Feel the Panic” tour to Summit, followed up by Static-X’s (metal) “Rise of the Machine” tour on April 11, and VV’s (rock) “Neon Noir” tour on April 13. One of the hottest bands in the metal scene, Spiritbox (metalcore), rocks a sold-out Summit on April 19 with After The Burial (metal) and Intervals (metal) as support. Wage War (metalcore) puts the bow on an action-packed month of music on April 29 with their “Manic” tour.

Just two blocks to the southwest at the Marquis Theatre, Andi (pop) gets this month going on April 7. Just one day later, headbangers converge for a night with Vader (metal) on April 8. Rising star MAVI (rap) performs on April 9, completing a trifecta of different genres. Shayfer James (rock) performs April 11, followed by ToonMac (rap) on April 14 and Screaming Females (rock) on April 15. Daisy the Great (alternative/indie) rolls through April 18, followed by Shadow of Intent (metal) on April 19. Other notable acts performing this month at the Marquis Theatre include Meg Myers (rock) on April 20, Unotheactivist (rap) on April 22, Until I Wake (metalcore) on April 23, Every Avenue (pop punk) on April 24 and The Beaches on April 28.

Theatre

For all the theatergoer out there, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts has several great productions to check out. . All Denver Center for the Performing Arts theatres can be accessed via the Free MallRide just a block away at 15th and Curtis streets.

From now through April 9 at the Garner Galleria Theatre, enjoy a production of “Three Man – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” presented by the Heavyweights. This production is performed by just three men who play every single role in their rambunctious and rowdy play that promotes body positivity and good self-esteem.

Swing by the Wolf Theatre to view a production of “The Color Purple,” an empowering tale of being proud of oneself. “The Color Purple” has won a Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, 11 Academy Award nominations, four Golden Globe nominations and three Tony Awards. Be sure to catch on this production before it leaves May 7.

“Anastasia,” one of the most anticipated productions of the year, finally arrives in Denver April 14-16. This live reimagining of the classic animated 1997 movie transports the audience back to the 1920s Soviet Union, where a young woman is determined to figure out the mystery of her past.

After 13 years, “The 39 Steps” returns to Denver at the Singleton Theatre April 14-June 18. This production fuses the styles of Alfred Hitchcock and Monty Python into a comedy-filled murder mystery. “The 39 Steps” takes attendees back to London in the 1930s, when a man named Richard finds himself as the subject of a manhunt followed by a mysterious organization.

To get tickets for all the aforementioned productions, visit denvercenter.org