There is no shortage of great places to catch a concert in Colorado. In all seasons, in most weather, the majority of venues in the state are boasting a robust lineup of shows. Partly due to its location — touring artists are passing through Colorado anyway, so they may as well make a date of it — and partly due to the music culture that phenomenon has helped create — a wide range of tastes defines the versatility of Colorado’s live music scene — it’s a smaller market with a top shelf selection of concerts on the calendar. Think of live music here, and everyone’s first thought is the mecca that is Red Rocks. Beyond that, it’s the classics that are all the venues down Colfax, the intimacy of Cervantes and the modernity of Mission Ballroom, but Colorado’s live music mosaic expands well beyond Denver and the Front Range altogether. Through expanded efforts by mountain towns and the music industry, there are more opportunities than ever before to experience everything from free concert series to some of music’s biggest names with a Rocky Mountain backdrop and a stroll through a ski town.
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At the front of that charge is Vail Valley where the Vail Valley Foundation has helped build an astounding calendar of concert experiences this summer. In Vail, The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater has been its own mini–Red Rocks since opening in 1987. With both covered pavilion seating and an expansive lawn behind it, the venue vaunts sweeping views of Golden Peak beyond the stage. A short walk from the heart of Vail Village, it also tees up a concertgoer to make a perfect weekend out of the experience. Grab dinner in the village, wander down Gore Creek and past the Betty Ford Botanic Gardens, lay out a blanket and a bottle of Prosecco on the venue’s grassy knoll and listen to the music under the cool skies with the majesty of Vail Mountain fading into alpenglow.
No matter your taste in music and entertainment, The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater likely has something for you on the calendar this summer. Several of the world’s premiere ensembles – including the New York Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra – have a residency on the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater’s Summer books for ‘Bravo! Vail Music Festival.’ The Vail Dance Festival, which has hosted numerous performances from world-renowned dancers and companies for nearly four decades, takes place from late July to early August. Continuing a 37-year tradition, The Amp will also play host to the Bulleit Hot Summer Nights Free Concert Series, where a smattering of names will grace the stage on select Tuesday nights from June 17 through September 16. Maggie Rose, A Tribute to Johnny Cash and Andy Frasco & the UN are just a few of the shows that will be included in what was named USA Today’s 2024 best outdoor concert series. Beyond that, Leon Bridges, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Trombone Shorty, Trevor Hall, The String Cheese Incident, Melissa Ethridge, Jon Batiste and The Black Crowes only begin to fill out the much deeper calendar of ticketed concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater this summer. And that’s only half the story.
Just down the road in the middle of Beaver Creek, the Vilar Performing Arts Center is offering its own unique experience while also playing host to many big names in music, comedy and performing arts. A testament to artistic diversity, community commitment and Vail Valley’s continued effort to expand as a sought-after destination beyond the outdoor adventure experiences its location naturally fosters, The Vilar is one of the most intimate venues to catch some of the most unique shows anywhere in the state this summer.
Acoustically eclectic legend Elvis Costello, Ukelele marvel Jake Shimabukuro, folk singer and songwriter Rhiannon Giddens, indefinable wunderkind Jacob Collier and famed instrumentalist and vocalist Keb’ Mo’ are a mere sample of the musical acts on the Vilar’s calendar in the next few months that act as a microcosm of the immense stylistic breadth and caliber of name recognition for the venue’s larger lineup. Beyond those names, the Vilar is also experimenting with immersive jazz experiences where concertgoers are encouraged to share the stage with the artists, along with comedy shows like Paula Poundstone and David Cross and musicals like the Addams Family.
Undergoing a comprehensive renovation that touches everything from acoustic upgrades and lighting to green rooms, the coat check and a completely reimagined Upper Lobby Bar, the Vilar Performing Arts Center’s continued efforts benefit both the guests and the artists, further strengthening and expanding its reach for bigger and better shows without sacrificing the intimate nature of the 530-seat theatre.
It’s that same intimacy that makes a night at the Vilar a reflection of the village it calls home. Navigating the walkways and the staircases of Beaver Creek’s elegant Alpine nuance, grab a world class bite at any number of restaurants tucked into the twists and turns, explore the galleries and shops or the mountain itself by trail or by chairlift and then find your way to the Vilar for a pre-show cocktail in a cool, classy escape from the Summer heat before being treated to your flavor of performance.
Whatever it is that you’re looking for in concert experience this summer, get out of the city, get into the mountains and check out what the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and the Vilar Performing Arts Center have on the calendar. Outdoors or in, whatever your taste, the Vail Valley Foundation is continuing to make efforts and subsequent inroads into the larger live music culture that Colorado has always had in spades.
The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is located at 530 S Frontage Rd E, Vail.
The Vilar Performing Arts Center is located at 68 Avondale Ln, Beaver Creek.
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