Having just completed its second annual installment, Regenerate Festival stands testament to how much Denver’s house and techno scene has grown.
A couple years ago, it was hard to make a case that the Denver market could support its own large-scale house and techno gathering. But by the end of Regenerate Festival 2024, which ran on June 7-8 at Civic Center Park, you couldn’t help but wonder why it hadn’t happened sooner.
The gathering, which expanded from one day to two this year, seems purpose built for its site in the heart of downtown. The main City Hall stage sits at the foot of the Denver City Council building — and although its bass could be felt all the way on Lincoln Street, the Secret Garden stage was cleverly shielded by the McNichols Civic Center building to prevent sound bleed. Opposite Secret Garden was the Greek Theatre stage, which sits in the park’s bowl-like Greek Amphitheatre area.
Gracing City Hall and Greek Theatre were some of the most recognizable names in house and techno, including Eric Prydz, John Summit, Eli & Fur, Kasablanca, Ben Bohmër, and Layton Giordani. Meanwhile, locals like Lorely Mur, Bodega Cats, Josh Fedz, and Amba performed at Secret Garden, which was curated in part by Koja Sound.
Each night, as the sun disappeared behind the cityscape, revelers were dazzled by animations projected across the City Council building, with the Denver Capitol visible in the distance to their rear. It’s an experience only the Mile High City could offer — but not without the help of thousands of dance music lovers.
“I think the brand has been established at this point,” said Rob West of event organizer 128 Productions on site. “Last year, we had no content. We had nothing to promo other than, ‘Hey, we’re gonna do house and techno only.'”
After West and company delivered on the experience they promised in 2023, house and techno fans around the US added Regenerate Festival to their bucket list. “I got a message today,” he said that Friday. “This guy was like, ‘I drove here from Chicago today to come to this festival.’ Like, wow. You guys have house music in Chicago, and my god, you’re coming to the Bass Capital for a house and techno festival.”
That’s not to say the whole weekend was sunshine and roses for the 128 team. On Friday afternoon, heavy winds swept through the Denver area, sending patio furniture and tree branches flying. West recounted that it was enough to trigger flashback’s of last year’s weather-related setbacks.
By the time gates opened at 5pm, though, the entrants already lined up along Broadway would have welcomed a breeze, at least. The heat didn’t stop them from showing up in force, and in a short period of time, festivalgoers in outfits ranging from sexy to casual to absurd had collected in front of each of the three stages.
“Look at how full this place is,” West gushed an hour into Regenerate Festival’s runtime. “I just feel like the vibes are immaculate. Last year, we didn’t have people running up to the gate like this.”
It’s all the more impressive when you consider that festivals are folding en masse. West speculates that Regenerate owes its comparative success to its distinctive identity and focus on a specific niche within the dance music spectrum. While it’s not the first in Denver to focus on house and techno (the underground-leaning Great American Techno Festival ran from 2011-2015), it’s more focused than Global Dance Festival, whose 2024 lineup looks notably smaller than in previous years.
But to West, that identity runs deeper than market trends, headliners, or a sum of production niceties. He says Regenerate Festival symbolizes Denver house and techno — specifically where it sits in the context of the national scene.
“This festival is for Denver,” West emphasized. “It is Denver’s festival. It is not ours. We want the city to be able to embrace and have something of their own house in techno.”
Indeed, the festival being nestled between skyscrapers calls to mind house and techno meccas like Movement Detroit and Chicago’s ARC Music Festival. It’s smaller than the two, to be sure, but it has room to grow as well as a budding community of passionate supporters.
“Why not here?” West asked. “The music scene here is so deep, and we’re just so damn thankful for everyone who has come out and supported the vision. We thank everybody here from the bottom of our hearts.“
At the figurative curtain call of Regenerate Festival 2024, fireworks shot into the sky above the City Council building, underscoring the momentous celebration that unfolded. Watching revelers pour onto the streets from the event grounds, you couldn’t help but feel optimistic for the future of the Denver scene.
