A Two-Day Denver Getaway and Balu Brigada Concert

Since we live about an hour away from Denver, it’s usually our go-to spot for a quick getaway. We left our home early in the morning and decided to park at the hotel parking lot. After parking, we ventured out for breakfast/brunch. We chose to explore the menu at The Cheesecake Factory, and I’m glad we did. They offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays until 2:00 p.m. My husband ordered the Bruleed French Toast from the brunch menu, while I opted for the Create Your Own Omelet, which came with my choice of toppings, alongside a side of potatoes and an English muffin. I also enjoyed a caramel macchiato. The girls ordered from the lunch menu and enjoyed spicy chicken sandwiches.

During our time in Denver, we did a lot of walking, which we are quite accustomed to. It was wonderful to explore the area and admire the beautiful changes in the trees. While we were there, we also visited the sculpture park located at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The park features the iconic sculpture known as "Dancers." It's a lovely area to stroll through, and many people enjoy taking their dogs for a walk there as well.

While strolling, we stopped at the Dairy Block, where they were preparing for a live performance. Unfortunately, we didn’t stay for it because we wanted to check into our room soon. Along the block, there was art on display, as well as vinyl records, posters, and much more. This area is vibrant with events and fun happenings that you might want to explore if you’re ever in the vicinity.

Before heading to our room, we visited Union Station. Inside, you can shop, dine, and stay. Maybe when we return for another event, we will explore it a little better.

During our getaway, we had some wonderful meals. We went to the Yardhouse, and my husband tried a cider and ordered carnitas, while I chose Korean fried chicken along with my own serving of carnitas. It was absolutely delicious! The girls wanted to share a pizza, and we all enjoyed a dragonfruit lemonade that was so refreshing. 

On our last day, my husband and I had a lovely breakfast together at the restaurant downstairs. I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee with my meal, while he ordered chicken and waffles. Later, we took the girls to Starbucks for some pastries and hot drinks.

During our exploration, we discovered a charming tea shop called Ku Cha House of Tea, located in the Denver Pavilions mall. They offer more than 100 varieties of tea from around the world. We ordered a pumpkin spice chai and bought a bag of tea to take home with us.

Near our hotel, they were preparing for Dia De Los Muertos at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. 

On our last day before the concert, we decided to explore the Denver Botanic Gardens. Although it was quite windy that day, we were excited to see the Gardens since we hadn't visited them before. Despite the wind, the beauty of the gardens was striking. They cover over 24 acres and showcase plants from all over the world.

Inside, you can also find art exhibits. We rested while viewing their short film titled "A Cup Named Joe," which spotlighted coffee production.

The night of the concert, after we explored the Denver Botanic Gardens, we stopped off for dinner. After dinner, we headed back to our room to get ready. My oldest always creates bracelets for each concert we attend, so this time she created Portal bracelets for The Portal Tour. We had worked on sweaters a few days before we headed to Denver. Each sweater read, Balu Brigada, The Portal Tour, and included the Balu Brigada logo. 

Before the concert, we had a mishap, and my husband thought we were late. We rushed out, and because we were walking to the venue, which was about 15 minutes from the room, we decided to take a pedicab. Once we arrived at the venue, we noticed that we were not actually late, and the doors were just opening at 7:00 p.m. We stood in line, and everything seemed to go smoothly from there.

The concert took place at the Summit Music Hall Venue. I had gotten us perfect Balcony seats! In order to sit in those seats, you need to have a special wristband before they will let you in that area. We had the perfect view of the stage. 

The two opening acts were Harper Finn, along with Tommy Newport. The show was the first time Harper Finn performed, and we think he did great. His energy was wonderful. Some songs he sang included, Satellite,  and Dance Away These Days. He also sang a song that had not been released yet. 

When Tommy Newport hit the stage, we knew a few of his songs. He sang Nancy Dancing, Tangerine, Sunset for the Dead, Sugar on my Tongue, and a few others.

We were excited to see Balu Brigada perform. They took the stage with their opening number, “The Portal,” and followed it up with one of our favorite songs, “Golden Gate Girl.” 

 

The setlist was as follows:

- Intro: The Portal

1. Golden Gate Girl

2. Sideways

3. Politix

4. Designer

5. The Question

6. 2good

7. What Do We Ever Really Know

8. 4:25

9. OH! Not Again

10. Backseat

11. Cover: Oblivion

12. Moon Man

13. But I Do

14. Butterfly Boy

15. So Cold

 

Encore:

- Find a Way / Could You Not

It was an incredible show, and we were really happy to share the night with other fans. Henry and Pierre noted that most people in the audience had probably heard of them after touring with Twenty One Pilots during The Clancy Tour. That’s exactly how we discovered them, and we’re so glad we did during that tour.

We walked back to the hotel, capturing a few pictures along the way as we strolled down Larimer Square. The night was beautiful, and we felt grateful to have enjoyed another wonderful evening, creating and cherishing these memories.