A welcome mat for a big party

The first Mile High Music Festival kicked off this past weekend in Denver, the biggest music event Colorado has seen, and a sort of coming out party for Denver as a national music destination.

As far as debutante balls go, this one, featuring State Radio, Spoon, moe., Lupe Fiasco, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, was casual but ecstatic. Saturday, even as temperatures neared 101 degrees and the sun beat down on the closely cropped soccer fields of Dick's Sporting Goods Park, festivalgoers sipped beers, tossed frisbees, and danced at any of the five stages, spread wide apart at the sports complex.

"This is an amazing thing," said Richard Valentine, as he left the tented stage where singer Josh Ritter had just given one of the breakout performances of the day. "I saw Billy Idol play the Red Rocks," Valentine, who was wearing a ponytail and chain necklace, said. "But we've never had anything this big, with this kind of backing. I mean, Tom Petty? These guys are heavyweights."

The mass migration of bodies from stage to stage hit a sluggish pace near midafternoon, as attendees dealt with the survival aspect of a summer festival: being outside in the heat and having nowhere to go. The grounds turned into a suburban jungle as people took whatever shade they could, napping on the perimeters of vendors' tents and curling up in the slender shadows of trash cans and lampposts.

Trish Smith of Denver said she is a regular on the livemusic circuit in Denver.

"I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's great so far. I like the intimacy of the smaller venues, but this gives bands from out of town a chance to build their base here. Hopefully, now they'll add Denver to their regular tours."

Sarah Brown, who flew in from Manitoba, Canada, said she and her husband had decided to take a vacation, typed in "Jason Mraz," their favorite singer into a search engine, and the Mile High came up. Sitting in a lawn chair on the green between the two festival areas, Brown was one of the few to choose full-on sun over shade.

"I decided I couldn't walk any longer, so I just set up here," she said. As for the heat, "it's worth it. Martin Sexton, Tom Petty, John Mayer, we get them in Canada, but not all in one shot."

Mark Racich, a Denver resident, said there weren't enough headliners. As O.A.R. wrapped up their set, Racich and his friends stood around deciding whether to camp out a good spot for Tom Petty, later at that same stage, or trek across the fields to Lupe Fiasco.

"I went to Woodstock in 1994," Racich said, referring to the 25th anniversary of the famous concert. Gesturing to the sea of bodies and beer cups that stretched into the distance, he said, "See this? It was like this, but for three miles. And there were 10 times the number of bands. "The advantage of the Mile High, he said, was in the people. "Everyone here is in a good mood," he said. "I haven't seen one fight yet."

While Racich opted for Lupe Fiasco, the Main Stage packed with fans waiting for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sue and Bruce Otte admired the clean organization of the festival, which featured tents for shade, ample bathrooms, and few traffic and crowd issues - better, they said, than past concerts. "We're old geezers and we enjoy concerts," Sue Otte said. "It's relaxing, it makes us feel younger."

As for braving the heat, grime, and masses of bodies, to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live, Bruce Otte said it was worth it. More than just popping in a CD at home, there's something about being surrounded by thousands of other fans. "The enthusiasm is infectious," he said.

As the sun went down, Tom Petty, dressed flamboyantly and looking every bit the centerpiece of an American rock moment, took the stage. "Are we having fun yet?" he yelled, spinning on his heels and raising his arms. The response was nearly deafening, as Petty jumped back in mock surprise. Soon, with glow sticks and pumping fists, thousands sang the lyrics, in near-perfect unison, to "Mary Jane's Last Dance."