Cannabis-Friendly Concerts Put Colorado Symphony on a High Note

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Ten miles west of Denver, the Red Rocks Amphitheater will host the final performance in the Colorado Symphony Orchestra's "cannabis-friendly" concert series -- "Classically Cannabis: The High Note Series."

By Alex Magdaleno2014-04-30 23:20:32 UTC

Smoking marijuana just got a little classier in Colorado.

The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is holding a concert series consisting of four shows where patrons can toke up to their hearts' content, called "Classically Cannabis: The High Note Series."

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The cannabis-friendly concert series aims to boost attendance in the wake of dwindling ticket sales, according to the Associated Press. "The cannabis industry obviously opens the door even further to a younger, more diverse audience," Colorado Symphony Orchestra CEO Jerome Kern told the AP.

Kern views the relationship as a mutually beneficial one. Hosting a cannabis-friendly concert brings in a more diverse crowd for the orchestra, he says, and companies within the cannabis industry get to attach their name to something prestigious — Colorado's only full-time, professional state orchestra.

On Jan. 1, Colorado became the first state to allow the sale of "retail marijuana" after approving Amendment 64 which legalized the sale of the drug on Nov. 6, 2012. Despite concerns surrounding the safety and packaging of edible pot products, polls show that 52 percent of Coloradans think legalization has been beneficial. Some 67 percent disagree with the statement that "it has eroded the moral fiber of people in the state."

The concerts are a part of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra's summer series. Tickets cost $75 and guests must be over 21 to attend. The first three shows will feature small ensembles of symphony players at a gallery in downtown Denver, and the final show will be played at Red Rocks, an amphitheater outside of Denver.

There won't be any smoking in the seats, however. At the gallery, concert goers must bring their own marijuana, which they can smoke at a separate area of the gallery. At the Red Rocks amphitheater, smoking marijuana is officially banned. We've reached out to the Colorado Symphony to find out how a cannabis-friendly concert intends to get around this rule — and to find out just what classical music they intend to play for a cannabis-friendly crowd.

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Topics: Cannabis, classical music, colorado, concert series, marijuana, Music, U.S., US & World