This was one I agonized over for quite a while. Keep in mind while reading it that the intent of the paper, according to the assignmnet, was to describe a scene or place, not to tell a story. Despite my loathing for this type of assignment, I think it turned out quite well.
Red Rocks Amphitheater rests on the border between nature and civilization. Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 15 miles west of Denver, this concert goer's paradise gives the best of both worlds, offering the beauty of natural formations as well as the sophistication of man-made architecture and technology. While being located in the country, it is a short drive from the big city.
Giant boulders, slabs of rock as tall as houses, surround the concert site, towering over the audience. A gentle summer breeze ripples through, dissipating the tobacco smoke which drifts up from the seating area, and replacing it with a fresh pine aroma. The sun, no longer visible behind the mountains, still shines to the east, lighting the blue sky, which gradually grows darker each minute. Scattered clouds take on shades of orange, signaling the oncoming night in this gathering of around 9000 people.
From the audience, which faces east toward Denver and its suburbs, one can gain a magnificent view of the countryside, the city, and the surrounding hills. To the south, pine trees carpet the foothills, growing more sparse as the terrain flattens out, where wild yellow grass mixed with green covers the landscape. Roads in the distance look like lines on a map.
As well as natural beauty and one of the best views of the area, Red Rocks possesses architectural splendor to make the Babylonians cringe with envy. From the road to the parking area, a long, wide stairway leads west up the hillside to the monument. Sixty-nine rows of red stone benches cover this portion of the mountain, with stairs and neatly planted rows of pine trees flanking them.
The stage, also constructed of stone, stands out as the center of interest within the panoramic view. Stone pillars, about 10 meters high, suspend two arrays of 30 loud speakers each in midair on either side of the stage. The speakers, operating at a small fraction of their capacity, dutifully pump thundering rock music into the reveling crowd of fans.
At the rear of the stage sits the backdrop for tonight's concert. On the left side, a picture of a wood outline forms a window into a white screen to be used for visual presentations. To the right of it, a gigantic cartoon representation of a pink ear lies on its side, with the center opening into a second screen. In front of the elaborately decorated screens sit microphones, monitor speakers, a drum set, and several guitars, all waiting patiently to be put to use.
About thirty meters from the stage, in a booth centered between the aisles, lies the control area, which contains the brains behind the technological wizardry. Mixing boards, computer monitors, and lighting controls stand ready, at the touch of a button, to mount an all-out assault on the senses of the people surrounding them.
Darkness approaches on the mountains, the city lights begin to decorate the plains, and Red Rocks pulses with energy. Situated outside the city, away from other human constructions, this is a great place to unwind, relax, and absorb both the splendor of the natural world and experience the intensity of a modern rock concert.
In case anyone is wondering which band I saw, I'll give you a clue. The concert took place on July 5, 1997. Happy surfing!