Dierks Bentley Brings Country to Red Rocks: Exclusive Photos
"Red Rocks is one of the most epic venues in the entire country," Dierks Bentley tells Rolling Stone Country of the majestic amphitheater just outside Denver. "I'm not sure what made someone think it was a good idea to build a music venue right in a canyon, but I can confidently speak for every artist who's played there and will someday play there… I'm so glad they did. It's one of those places where you can almost feel the artists who have played it before you. It's like they are in the rocks with you."
Rolling Stone Country was invited backstage and on stage to capture exclusive photos of the Dierks Bentley Riser Tour stop at Red Rocks.
All photographs by Joseph Llanes
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Canyon of Fans
More than 9,500 fans packed the Red Rocks Amphitheatre to watch sets by Jon Pardi, Chase Rice and Chris Young before Bentley and his band took the stage.
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Rare Silence
Among Bentley's pre-show rituals are a pre-show prayer and duct-taping his favorite, worn-out pair of boots. He's pictured here in a rare moment of silence in his dressing room — a.k.a. the men's bathroom (glamorous!) — before the show.
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Power Walk
Steve Misamore (drums, percussion) and Tim Sergent (steel guitar, dobro, banjo) follow Bentley to the stage.
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Family Prayer
"[My bandmates] are my brothers," says Bentley, pictured here saying a pre-show prayer before the show. "These guys devote their lives to making this dream of mine a reality."
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Country Rocks
Bentley plays songs from his current album, Riser, including the fan-favorite "Drunk on a Plane," along with older hits that span almost a dozen years.
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Feeling the Love
"I'm one of the lucky few who gets to do this for a living," says Bentley. "It's all just so fun, man."
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Early Riser
Fans of all ages packed Red Rocks for the show, including this first-timer. Bentley's own kids were there, as well. He and wife Cassidy have a 5-year-old daughter, 3-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son.
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Double Fisting
Bentley has just announced the second leg of his 2014 Riser Tour. The 20-city run begins October 2nd in Stockton, California, and runs through the end of the year. Randy Houser and Eric Paslay will be the new opening acts on the U.S. dates, with Houser and Tim Hicks on the Canadian stops. Click here for tickets and a full list of cities and dates.
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Front Row Friends
Bentley shakes hands with fans during one of his many trips off the stage and into the audience.
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The Night Is Young
Chris Young, Jon Pardi and Chase Rice all join Bentley for his ode to over-serving, "Sideways."
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Red Rockin’
The D-28 Martin strapped to Bentley's back has been a staple in his live shows for years. "It's been all over the world with me," he reports, "and has even collected a few of my hero's autographs — George Jones, George Strait and, most recently, Garth Brooks and Merle Haggard."
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Road Trippin’
Bentley, Brian Layson and Steve Misamore hitch a van ride back to the tour bus after their high-energy show.