The phrase "it was a city unto itself" seems like a cliche until you actually see thousands of people building that city on an open piece of land.
With up to 50,000 people expected each day at the first Mile High Music Festival, thousands of workers swarmed over the grounds of Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City for the past week, setting up kitchens, booths, custom art installations, thousands of miles of cable and untold wattages of power to blast music from five different stages.
"A lot of the basic principles I learned at the Fox Theatre carry over," said Rob Thomas, general manager of the festival who years ago used to work at the small Boulder club. "At the end of the day, it's a stage with a band and guests coming out to have a good time."This, however, is a music event on a scale that Colorado has never seen. The second stage at the festival is bigger than most concert stages. The main stage where Dave Matthews, Tom Petty and even local favorite Meese will appear is simply huge.
Friday, a sea of golf carts shuttled workers doing everything from sound checks to delivering ice for the tens of thousands of bottles of liquid that fans will crave by tonight.
The 24 soccer fields surrounding the main park are dotted with everything from free drinking water kiosks to 20,000 temporary parking spots specially created to add to Dick's parking.
The catering crew, which this week has been feeding just workers, now has to gear up to feed the bands and crews as they descend upon the site. Cots have been set up at the far end of a makeshift kitchen to give workers a break between meals.
About 500 portable toilets dot the site, but the concourse of the actual stadium will be open as well, with food, concessions and permanent bathrooms available for fans. Shade tents, misting areas and other amenities are designed to help fans beat what's supposed to be near 100-degree heat.
"Almost anything can be done. It's like a mini city. The resources and the will are here to do anything it takes," said art organizer Philip Blaine of Goldenvoice/AEG Live. He was overseeing art exhibits built exclusively for the festival to give it an identity beyond just the 50 bands playing. "These things create different personalities and identities for each individual festival," he said.
Thomas had just hours to go before kickoff; gates open at 10:30 a.m. today.
"We've been wanting to do this for a really long time. The stars have finally aligned, and we're here," he said. Then he looked around. "It's gonna be a long night tonight."