The Red Rocks Amphitheatre (yes, English spelling) near Denver, Colorado is quite an impressive venue. It is designed by Burnham Hoyt in the Thirties, and built between 1935 and 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of Roosevelt’s initiative to put unemployed to work in government projects. The famous Hoover Dam was another example.
At Red Rocks Park they converted the space between three rock formations that together kind of form a giant circle into a sloping theater, ending in a stage. The slope had to be created with sandstone, and the rock that was where the stage was planned had to be removed with loads of dynamite. Over the years, some changes were done, but basically the place is like it is at its opening in 1941. A staggering 9225 people can enjoy the concerts there.
On a cold night in 1983, not even half of them turned up for the show U2 was performing there. Most people that had bought a ticket supposed the concert was cancelled because of the rain. The story goes Bono personally asked his visitors in the parking lot to go sit in the front, to look for the best places, so that the film that was to be made that night was still looking crowded.
This record has only two of the songs that were filmed that dreadful rainy night. Most of the rest was recorded in Germany. It did get its name from the movie though.