Rock & Rails' electric opening night

This year Rock & Rails' big opening night May 30 started out with a beautiful summer evening and ended with an electric bang as a lightning storm rolled in towards the end of the concert.

There was a large turnout for the opening night this year, with a wide array of foldable chairs set up in front of the twirling people on the dance floor, as well as a variety of chairs set up in the Children's Park immediately next to the concert so kids could play and watch the concert.

The two bands performing were Delta Sonics and Deborah Stafford & the Night Stalkers.

The opening band, Delta Sonics, is a local blues band that also adds swing, delta, and rock into their music. They played several original songs for the exuberant crowd. In the last eight years, Delta Sonics has been awarded Denver's Westword magazine's Best Blues Band six times. They were also awarded the International Blues Challenge Semi Finalist in Memphis in 2012.

"We've opened up with the Delta Sonics, who are often headliners in their own right," Rock & Rails' booking manager Satir DeMarco said. "They're an authentic blues band with energetic harmonica and are an award winning six-time favorite of Westword. They kicked off the night. We also had a joyful, fun-loving audience who were happy to be there and celebrate the coming of summer after the long winter."

The headlining band for the season opener, Deborah Stafford & the Night Stalkers, played blues with interesting hints of soul and roots rock. Stafford grew up in Niwot and has played at Rock & Rails for several seasons. In 2022 the group made the semi-finals in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and also won the CBS Blues Challenge two years in a row.

Rock & Rails is a free event but patrons are encouraged to show their appreciation at the tip jars, which are available at the gate and at the Depot building where adult beverages are sold. The opening night tip jar recipients were Boy Scouts of America (transitioning to its new name Scouting America), including local co-ed scout and cub scout troops, and the Niwot Children's Park which is immediately next to the Rock & Rails venue.

"We are proud of how many people get benefits from the tip jars," DeMarco said about the charities that the concerts support every week, "People's generosity makes a big difference each week for each tip jar recipient. It's split between two each week. We're proud to be able to provide that opportunity for the good of the community. We all benefit from everyone's generosity." Tip jar receipts for opening night totaled over $2,300.

"We had to cut this concert a little short because of the lightning," DeMarco explained. "Our brave gargoyles and volunteers helped in the mad dash to help cover the sound equipment, [and] the band was stranded on stage for an hour until the rain lightened up."

The huge storm that swept over Rock & Rails was a meteorological oddity that resulted in hail in nearby areas with pieces of ice up to two inches in size, according to the Denver Post. But the weather did not stop concert goers from enjoying great music at the opening night of the 2024 Rock & Rails season.

The opening act on June 6 will be George Street Duo with The Hot Lunch Band headlining.