(DENVER, COLORADO) - Over a dozen Audio Engineers at three of Denver’s most prominent Independent Music Venues have voted overwhelmingly to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7.

Workers at The Oriental Theater, The Federal Theatre and HQ Denver each cast their ballots separately, delivering decisive majorities across all three venues.

The results were: The Federal Theatre: 11 Yes, 2 No; The Oriental Theater: 5 Yes, 1 No; and HQ Denver: 5 Yes, 1 No (Some Workers were eligible to vote in more than one election).

The three venues share common ownership and together represent a significant presence in Denver’s Independent Rock and Roll Market, operating outside the Live Nation and AEG Ecosystem that dominates much of the City’s entertainment landscape.

The Federal Theatre, which had sat vacant for several years, reopened last year as a music venue, making this Organizing victory part of its new chapter.

Workers first reached out to a Local 7 Organizer about Unionizing the venues following staffing changes at the properties.

A majority of Authorization Cards were collected in early May 2026 and the successful votes followed on June 30th.

“The Live Music Industry has long left its Crews behind. Unstable conditions, little to no benefits, and wages that fall well short of what a skilled workforce deserves,” Local 7 President Bryant Preston said. “We look forward to sitting down with the employer and getting to work on the issues these Workers face every day on the job.”

IATSE represents more than 170,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons employed in the Entertainment Industry, including Live Events, Motion Picture and Television Production, Broadcast and Trade Shows in the United States and Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Audio Engineers at Three Denver Music Venues Vote to Join IATSE Local 7 - IATSE