Denver’s biggest concerts of 2022: From Olivia Rodrigo to Foo Fighters, here’s what we’re looking forward to

As the new year dawns, so does another uncertain concert calendar.

The good news is that despite dozens of recent cancellations and postponements, 2022 will likely resemble a better version of 2021. That is to say: unsettled, but roaring forward with new-show announcements, multi-day outdoor events and rescheduled tours.

And last year was a massive improvement over 2020. Billboard rated Red Rocks Amphitheatre as the world’s (yes, the world’s) most attended concert venue, with its 9,500-person capacity and highly competitive calendar. Warm weather allowed festivals such as The UMS, Westword Music Showcase and Sunnyside to return. You can bet on those again in 2022.

Outbreaks were generally uncommon at concerts, and artists became quick to cancel or postpone due to positive tests among band members and crew. By early fall, every major promoter — including Denver’s AEG Presents Rocky Mountains and Live Nation — had enacted notably stricter COVID-19 protocols to get ahead of fall and winter.

Whether or not you feel comfortable attending is another matter. Buying a ticket this far out has proven to be an act of faith (see the major holiday and New Year’s Eve shows that were canceled last-minute, from My Morning Jacket’s run at Mission Ballroom to many of “The Lion King’s” Denver tour dates).

Refunds and credits have also become routine. Despite rising vaccination rates, indoor events are inherently subject to change, so carefully reading that fine print before buying is a must. Some sellers only offer limited or 30-day windows to request refunds, while others come automatically via email.

The biggest ticket-sellers for the metro area are AXS and Ticketmaster, both of which have relatively straightforward refund rules. Check their policies and terms at support.axs.com and help.ticketmaster.com, respectively.

Note: Proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID test within a day or two of the show will likely remain the standard through 2022. Visit the sellers’ websites for safety protocols and denvergov.org/government/covid-19-information for the latest city mandates. And don’t forget your vax card — or your mask.

Jan. 8 — Charley Crockett; Mission Ballroom
Jan. 14 — Hot Water Music; Bluebird Theater
Jan. 15 — Carlos Vives; Bellco Theatre
Jan. 15 — Aziz Ansari; Paramount Theatre
Jan. 15-16 — Lucero; Ogden Theatre
Jan. 21 — Colter Wall; Mission Ballroom
Jan. 21-23 — Murder by Death; Stanley Hotel
Jan. 22 — Goth Babe; Ogden Theatre
Jan. 27 — Tool, Blonde Redhead; Ball Arena
Jan. 28 — Winter on the Rocks with Diplo, Sofi Tukker, Talib Kweli; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Feb. 1 — Jacob Banks; Summit
Feb. 2 — Volbeat, Ghost; Ball Arena
Feb. 6 — Wale; Ogden Theatre
Feb. 9 — Bad Bunny; Ball Arena
Feb. 9 — Il Divo; Bellco Theatre
Feb. 9 — Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt; Mission Ballroom
Feb. 12 — Josh Ritter; Boulder Theater

Feb. 16 — Kacey Musgraves; Ball Arena
Feb. 18 — Taylor Tomlinson; Paramount Theatre
Feb. 18 — Erasure; Bellco Theatre
Feb. 19-20 — Zomboy; Mission Ballroom
Feb. 25 — Lee Brice; Budweiser Events Center
Feb. 25 — Drive-By Truckers, Ryley Walker; Ogden Theatre
Feb. 27 — Ana Gabriel; Bellco Theatre
Feb. 27 — The Weeknd; Ball Arena
March 3 — Cordae; Ogden Theatre
March 3-4 — Boris Brejcha; Mission Ballroom
March 4 — Cannibal Corpse; Gothic Theatre
March 5 — Lil Tecca; Fillmore Auditorium
March 5 — Yungblud; Mission Ballroom
March 6 — Papa Roach, Hollywood Undead; Fillmore Auditorium
March 9 — Celine Dion; Ball Arena
March 11 — Fortune Feimster; Paramount Theatre
March 12 — Mitski; Mission Ballroom
March 15 — Dua Lipa; Ball Arena
March 16 — Justin Bieber; Ball Arena
March 17 — Bonobo; Mission Ballroom
March 18 — Excision with Ghastly, Kai Wachi, G-Rex, YDG, Fransis Derelle; FirstBank Center
March 18 — Elle King; Gothic Theatre
March 19 — Billie Eilish; Ball Arena
March 19 — Excision with Barely Alive, Dion Timmer, Kompany, Calcium, Sippy, Versa; FirstBank Center
March 20 — Sarah Jarosz; Boulder Theater
March 20 — Franc Moody; Gothic Theatre
March 21 — Colbie Caillat; Boulder Theater
March 22 — Yves Tumor; Boulder Theater
March 23 — Alt-J, Portugal. The Man; FirstBank Center
March 23 — Trixie & Katya, Live!; Paramount Theatre
March 25 — Demetri Martin; Paramount Theatre
March 27 — John Mayer; Ball Arena
March 29 — Tyler, The Creator; Ball Arena
March 30 — Latto; Ogden Theatre
March 31-April 1 — Hippo Campus; Gothic Theatre
April 6 — Charli XCX; Ogden Theatre
April 10 — Ministry; Mission Ballroom
April 10 — Chelsea Cutler, Adam Melchor; Ogden Theatre
April 11 — Journey, with Toto; Ball Arena
April 11-12 — Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams; Mission Ballroom
April 12 — 2Cellos; FirstBank Center
April 14 — Gorgon City; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 16 — Anjelah Johnson-Reyes; Paramount Theatre

April 16 — Bob Moses; Ogden Theatre
April 16 — Kevin Gates, Gucci Mane; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 17 — Snail Mail, with Joy Again; Ogden Theatre
April 16-17 — Pinegrove; Gothic Theatre
April 20 — Parquet Courts; Ogden Theatre
April 20 — Pepper, Method Man & Redman, with Prof, Collie Buddz, DENM, The Underachievers, Keznamdi; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 20 — Conan Gray; Mission Ballroom
April 21 — Mura Masa; Ogden Theatre
April 23 — Ben Folds with the Colorado Symphony; Boettcher Concert Hall
April 23 — Lotus, Cut Copy, STRFKR (DJ set); Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 24 — Dom Dolla; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 24 — The Dip, Kiltro; Gothic Theatre
April 25 — Deftones; Ball Arena
April 26 — Hot Chip; Mission Ballroom
April 28 — St. Paul & the Broken Bones; Mission Ballroom
April 28-29 — Trevor Hall, Citizen Cope; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
April 29 — Big Thief; Ogden Theatre
April 30 — Gary Allan; Mission Ballroom
April 30 — Sublime with Rome; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 3-4 — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with Waxahatchee; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 7 — Sir Mix-a-Lot, Stevie B, Jody Watley; Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
May 12 — Morgan Wallen; Ball Arena
May 13 — Tai Verdes; Summit
May 14-15 — Turnpike Troubadors; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 21 — Luke Combs; Empower Field at Mile High
May 21 — Rupi Kaur; Paramount Theatre
May 21 — Global Dub Festival with Peekaboo, Dirty Monkey, ATliens, Buku B2B Esseks, Space Wizard, Zia; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 28 — Chromeo, with Purple Disco Machine, Blue DeTiger, Jim-E Stack; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 29 — Tears for Fears, Garbage; Levitt Pavilion
June 3 — Joe Russo’s Almost Dead; Red Rocks Amphitheatre

June 3-4 — “Weird” Al Yankovic, with Emo Philips; Ellie Caulkins Opera House
June 7 — Matchbox Twenty; Ball Arena
June 10 — New Kids on the Block; Ball Arena
June 10 — AJR; Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
June 11 — Jack White; FirstBank Center
June 12 — Tash Sultana; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 12 — Purity Ring; Boulder Theater
June 16 — Chicago, Brian Wilson; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 20 — Bleachers; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 22 — Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird and Neko Case; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 24-25 — Chris Stapleton; Ball Arena
June 28 — Trombone Shorty, with Tank and the Bangas, Big Freedia, Cyril Neville, George Porter Jr. and Dumstaphunk and the Soul Rebels; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 29 — Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire; Ball Arena
June 30 — Kraftwerk 3-D; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 4 — Ty Segall & Freedom Band; Mission Ballroom
July 8 — Styx, REO Speedwagon, Loverboy; Ball Arena
July 9 — Kenny G, Chautauqua Auditorium
July 11-12 — Rainbow Kitten Surprise; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 14 — Trampled by Turtles; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 19 — Killer Queen (Queen tribute); Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 21 — Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; Coors Field
July 23 — Red Hot Chili Peppers, with Haim, Thundercat; Empower Field at Mile High
July 22-23 — STS9; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 24 — STS9; Levitt Pavilion
July 29 — Little Feat, with Hot Tuna (acoustic); Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
July 29-30 — Tedeschi Trucks Band, with Los Lobos; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 30 — Dispatch, O.A.R., with Robert Randolph Band and G. Love; Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
July 30 — Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay; Empower Field at Mile High
Aug. 6 — Foo Fighters; Empower Field at Mile High
Aug. 17 — Mt. Joy; Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Aug. 25 — Alicia Keys; Bellco Theatre
Aug. 31 — The Killers; Ball Arena
Aug. 31 — Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley; Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre