Sometimes you just need a break — to take some time and simply reflect. That was Global Dance Festival’s exact move as organizers reevaluated what the future of the gathering looked like.
After moving from the expansive outdoor grounds outside of Mile High Stadium, the festival relocated to the National Western Complex. At first glance, the tucked-away rodeo stadium simply wasn’t a sustainable home for a modern music festival.
But beyond the public’s line of sight, there was an massive expansion in the works.
As Global Dance waited for these projects to be completed, their namesake festival took a year off. Organizers sat back, planning and preparing for a gargantuan return that would leverage this new playground to the fullest extent.
Walking into this year’s festival grounds, I was immediately blown away by the use of the space. The footprint included a four-stage layout — including what I believe will become Denver’s next hidden gem venue — a vendor and food truck alley, water stations, and an indoor/outdoor VIP lounge area.
With two main stages, Global Dance was able to spread its visitors across the new venue campus with ease. The Hangar stage acted as the home for more house-focused acts, with an open warehouse-style setup lined with VIP platforms along its sides. Hosting acts like Tiësto, Chris Lake, Kygo, and Subtronics, it acted as the venue’s pseudo-main stage for the weekend, providing the most dancing room for crowds.
The festival spared no expense in the sound and lighting department. From the front of the crowd to the very back, the bass could be felt rumbling through your chest as you gazed up at the firestorm of lasers overhead. Each stage packed its own punch, both audibly and visually, fully immersing you in each set throughout the weekend.
Just around the corner from the Hangar sat what I believe will be Denver’s next new favorite venue, CoBank Arena. The space provided a platform for the weekend’s heaviest hitters and some of the most over-the-top lighting the venue can hold. Trusses spanned from the stage to the exits, dispersing an array of colors and strobes around the bowl of seats surrounding the Arena.
With GA seating stretching from the floor to the bar rails above the stadium seats, there was a space for everyone to either chill or rage to the weekend’s heaviest bass music. The venue will continue to house shows well into the future, and Global Dance did its best to put CoBank Arena on the map with the production it delivered throughout the weekend.
Global Dance Festival partnered with ENCORR Cards to release its own line of trading cards featuring the festival’s artists, with hidden signed variants tucked inside select packs. With varied drop times throughout the weekend, troves of festivalgoers lined up to get their hands on this unique trading card experience.
This weekend, Global Dance ushered in a whole new era for the festival. After taking a step back, reimagining its future, and patiently waiting for the pieces to fall into place, the promoter finally had the canvas it needed to create something new.
And it took full advantage of it.
Exceeding the preconceived expectations surrounding both the festival and its new home, Global Dance did what it does best: putting on Colorado’s premier dance music festival. The new grounds may have changed, but there was a return to the heart of Global Dance.
After a year away, Global Dance didn’t simply return. It came back bigger, louder, and ready for the next era.
All photos by Michael Giles
