Once synonymous with jam bands and granola trailheads — has quietly evolved into a high-altitude epicenter for heavy music. Punk and metal aren’t just subcultures here; they’re civic culture. And this summer, that spirit gets its defining stage with the launch of Unhinged Festival, a two-day, no-holds-barred collision of sound, ink, beer, and community — curated by AEG Presents Rocky Mountains and Brew Haha Productions.
AEG, long known for promoting blockbuster tours and high-production spectacles, is now playing a more nuanced role in shaping the local identity of heavy music in the region. With Unhinged, they’re not just hosting a festival — they’re championing a scene that’s rooted in DIY ethics, tattoo ink, microbrews, and mile-high mosh pits.
Unhinged’s lineup reads like a heavy music manifesto: Lamb of God, Knocked Loose, Dillinger Escape Plan, In This Moment, Body Count, and dozens more will flatten the National Western Stockyards across two stages with no overlapping set times. But beneath the surface-level chaos is a deep thread of local influence.
Take Wayfarer, opening for Emperor‘s rare Denver appearance this May — a band led by a bartender at TRVE Brewing, the city’s notorious metal-themed taproom. Or look to Khemmis, Palehorse/Palerider, and In The Company of Serpents — all Unhinged acts that cut their teeth in the city’s basements and DIY spaces like Seventh Circle.
The local support infrastructure is unlike anywhere else. Bars like The Crypt, and The Brutal Poodle pair horror aesthetics with high-decibel playlists and late-night trivia. Meanwhile, spots like Black Sky Brewery and Black Shirt Brewing Co. double as venues, community hubs, and heavy-music sanctuaries. This is where tour routing decisions are made over beer flights — and where fanbases are forged.
The scene’s beer culture bleeds into the fest itself. During Unhinged, attendees can sip from a curated beer tasting featuring over 25 regional craft breweries — including scene staples like Ratio Beerworks and Renegade Brewing — during a dedicated tasting session each day.
In a city already home to iconic parlors and inked-up creatives, Unhinged’s Tattoo Experience adds a subcultural layer no other festival can match. Presented by Ink’d and Amp’d, this full-scale tattoo convention brings over 100 artists, including Chris Nuñez, Oliver Peck, Nikko Hurtado, and local legend Scott Ferguson straight into the festival fold. Festivalgoers can schedule sessions onsite or in advance — ensuring the music isn’t just heard, but marked in memory.
What makes Unhinged special isn’t just its lineup — it’s the way it reflects the ecosystem that made it possible. AEG Presents RM could’ve taken a plug-and-play approach. Instead, they’ve chosen to partner with the scene, not co-opt it.
From featuring local bands and breweries to booking national acts that align with the city’s gritty ethos, Unhinged is a love letter to Denver’s loudest voices — past, present, and future.
- This spring and summer, Denver’s event calendar reads like a dark hymnbook:
- Ministry, Pig Destroyer, Devin Townsend, and Wardruna, hit stages like Mission Ballroom, Ogden Theatre, Gothic Theatre and Bluebird Theater.
- TRVE Brewing’s 13th Bacchanal (birthday party), featuring Wolves in the Throne Room, returns June 20th
- Unhinged anchors it all on July 26–27, drawing the faithful from across the country.
Whether you’re chasing riffs, rare beers, or a custom tattoo under the Denver skyline, this isn’t just a moment — it’s a movement. And it’s loud.
Get your tickets here.
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