Paramount Theatre — Attraction in Denver

The worst concert experience of our lives.

I've organized shows, big and small, in the USA and abroad, and it was clear as we arrived that the Paramount Theatre staff and Dimitri Martin were so indifferent to the experiences of guests that I will never forgive Martin and will hate the Paramount staff indefinitely.

Martin scheduled two shows on the same night at this 1,800+ seat capacity venue. The show information only listed basic descriptions of show times (first show, 6:30, second show 9:30). No mention of times that doors were open, the duration of the show, the start of the show, which would've greatly helped people plan.

Both shows were sold out. Martin, possibly, wanted to schedule both shows on the same night because he was trying to cut costs by filming his two shows concurrently, and then editing them together to be televised. His team should have split the shows over two nights, given how much it takes to organize 1,800 people, and give a door time and strict show time.

So when we showed up for the second show, well in advance, we encountered a line encircling the four blocks around the theatre of 1,000 people waiting for the first show to exit. The first show wasn't even over.

We were promptly lied to by an employee: "He (Dimitri Martin) is just having a snack, taking a quick break, we'll get this crowd inside soon."

An hour later, the first show starts exiting. Another hour passes and they start allowing people in the venue. I leave my place in line and go check out the front entrance.

Two dozen Paramount employees are standing in the street in front of the venue entrance doing nothing. A couple of employees diverting people into two lines to enter, one of which is a metal detector.

An elderly man and a man in his early twenties are checking bags. They introduce themselves to each other, clearly this is their first night working for the Paramount.

They carefully search the tiny purse of a woman in her sixties "She's clear" says the elderly man, then he reconsiders "Wait, let me check your bag again." He then smiles and motions her towards a walk-through metal detector.

An employee with a walkie talkie approaches me, and he immediately registers the look of disapproval and astonishment on my face.

"You're working, yeah?" he says, thinking I'm doing so as some supervisor.

I return to my friends holding our place in line, and I see the line has now stretched for an additional two blocks behind us. Close to all 1,800 people are on the street, waiting to get in.

Another 45 minutes passes as we talk to the people directly ahead of us in line to get in.

"We're giving up." They say.

One looks at the ground in disgust "A hundred bucks down the drain." They walk in the direction of the parking garage. People exiting the first show are still trickling into the street.

Another hour passes and we've moved about twenty feet.

The line still encircles the four blocks around the venue and two blocks behind us.

"This ain't worth it." A friend in the party says. "I got to let my dog out soon." Someone in line behind us says.

We give up too, stopping by the entrance to the venue to get parking validated. The Paramount website claims that a concert ticket will make it so you don't have to pay for parking, but we want to be sure.

An employee at the front entrance standing around not doing anything other than supervising tells us just to wave the ticket in the garage, and it'll get us out without charging us. Another lie, but we just want to get out of downtown Denver at this point.

Sure enough, were charged an exorbitant amount when leaving the parking garage, no attendant present, and scanning the ticket doesn't work of course.

Getting burned by the Paramount and their impossibly dumb management and clearly underpaid staff is equally as bad as Martin and his team not being able to organize a show.

Worst venue in America I've ever been to, and I'll never give Dimitri Martin another dime or...

Stars for my appreciation of their diligence in vaccination and mask requirements. Kind of next level seriousness though. They even provide N95 masks to those that only have cloth masks. Stars because the venue is beautiful. May go again utilizing my own tips if the show is worth it. In sum, this was my first show at the Paramount and it was a bad first impression. PRO-TIP: DO  NOT pay a lot for a seat where people will sit in front of you. I had to lean far left and right to see a small snipit of the stage because a person 1 foot taller and 1 foot wider than me sat in front of me. I could literally not see past his head and shoulders without contorting myself uncomfortably and kept having to shift every time he did. ANOTHER TIP TO WOMEN: Buried in the Paramount website and no other reference otherwise is a no self-defense tool policy. They will confiscate AND THROW AWAY your sharp key chain, pepper spray, and all other common tools we have to use to defend ourselves. So if you are downtown alone and walking back to your car or the lightrail late - walk fast! The pros - beautiful, intimate venue and "decent" prices. The cons - There. Are. So. Many. For starters cattle herding of people and rude ushers that treat you like you're a child. As a 5'1" small-framed person I felt cramped and the small seats hurt my back after a little while. Can't imagine being any taller and sitting there for 90 minutes. Seats are not well staggered so people are seated directly in front and behind you. No coat check or lockers to temporarily store your self defense tools or large winter coat (good luck holding that big coat in your tiny, cramped seat the entire show), yet they have plenty of staffed, over-priced snack stations. The staff berate you for finding your seat on your own and blind you with their bright flashlight in your eyes to ask you if you are using your cellphone (she wasn't) or if you are in the correct seat (they were), BUT THEY IGNORE A BELLIGERENT DRUNK yelling, starting fights, and disrupting the majority of the show for an entire section of...

I will never accept someone telling me that a venue is too old to be accessible again. This is a beautiful venue and the accessible features in no way took away from the experience. Entry was super easy for me as a wheelchair user, and there was no fuss about my small medical bag, unlike other venues I've been to. I accidentally booked inaccessible seats and the staff were SO kind and got me reseated before my partner was even out of the merch line. To my fellow disabled folks that want to buy tickets for a show, you will not be disappointed. A few notes so you can plan ahead! The orchestra seating is VERY steep to get to. I struggled a bit to make it up at the very end, but I'm stubborn and refused all help. I had my partner there with me and multiple staff members offered to help me, even though it is in no way their responsibility. The accessible bathroom had grab bars and enough space for two people if you need assistance, and I could actually reach everything. Literally the only thing I want to nitpick at, there was a "bouncer" at the door to the accessible bathroom turning people without mobility aids away. To the venue, PLEASE remind your staff that not all disabilities are visible. For example, there are people with catheters or ostomy bags that need the privacy or space of that bathroom, despite the fact that they might not look like it. I love the idea of a bouncer at the door just because it does prevent an unnecessary line forming, but a simple "do you need the features of this bathroom?" would be enough to remind most people that can walk up the stairs/stand in line for the bathroom the space is reserved for those of us who don't have another option. I really think other theaters should take notes about how to accommodate, at no point did I feel like I had to fight the space or staff at any point. It was an amazing night, thank you to all...