Chuck Morris dives into next year's Mile High Music Festival. No Tom or Dave -- but wetter, better

July 22, 7:01 PMDenver People ExaminerErnie Tucker

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Promoter Chuck Morris and Gov. Bill Ritter
Photo: Soren McCarty/ http://www.musicimagery.com

The dust had hardly settled on the last weekend’s inaugural Mile High Music Festival in Commerce City when its visionary, Chuck Morris, dove headlong into several days of intense meetings here with company peers about --- festivals!

Foremost on his mind is fine-tuning the planned annual event which drew 90,000 fans to hear Tom Petty, Dave Mathews, John Mayer and some 40 other acts at Dick’s Sporting Goods fields.

“We’ve heard that the band experience and the fan experience was incredible,” says the 63-year-old or "-young" president and CEO of AEG Live Rocky Mountain region. However, he quickly adds that after 37 years in the promotion business “you live and learn from experiences. We will make things better. Nothing drastic, but tweaks.”

On his shortlist of more than 30 improvements: Increased water fountains, better cooling areas and sprayers, additional beer vendors, added toilets, sit-down restaurants and an enhanced VIP experience. The timing of the event – which was baptized in scorching 100 degree July sun -- is also open to discussion, though Morris, who has lived in Colorado since college, knows that moving such an outdoor happening to June or September runs the risk of snow.

Still, the man who asked for patience in interviews leading up to the kickoff (and who was reportedly called a "hero" by Gov. Bill Ritter at the press conference in March announcing the festival) feels it was an unqualified success.

“I’ve been told that besides the first year of Bonnaroo [music and arts festival which debuted in June, 2002, in Manchester, Tenn.] this is the most successful first year of any festival in the United States,” he says. The concept was huge. “This was massive. Building a city-within-a-city. I’m very proud of my staff and everyone who worked on it,” he says.

As for the scope of future events – that too is being discussed. There are areas -- fields and parking -- on the site that weren’t used, and it’s possible that given the proper preparation, the Mile High Festival could handle 60,000 to 75,000 music loving visitors per day, he speculates. Ticket prices, too, he hopes will stay around $85, though with some flex to include a possible $5-$10 increase, given the economic uncertainties and the size of the acts they land for next year.

One thing he already knows: Headliners Petty and Mathews won’t be back next year. “I’ve done a lot of small festivals,” he says,“we’ve always had the idea that you don’t repeat the same acts, especially the headliners. But I’d love to see Dave and Tom back here in two to three years. You like to be varied in your musical line-up.”

However, those who found the middle acts stellar – whether Josh Ritter, Lupe Fiasco, Steve Winwood, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Michael Franti & Spearhead or others – might be in luck next year.

Overall, Morris pledges to get better. “We feel like the festival experience is part of our game plan. It has nothing but an upside as long as you keep taking care of business and put in improvements every year.”