Sharing Culture: Northern Colorado Music Scene
By: Chris Metz, Land Stewardship Tech II, Land Conservation, Planning, & Resource Management
Keller Williams with Tye North and Dave Watts on stage at Washington’s. Photo Chris Metz.
Sam Bush Band on stage at Planet Bluegrass in Lyons, Colorado. Photo Chris Metz.
As we are all aware, Northern Colorado is known as a popular spot for hiking and outdoor recreation with all of its public land and has long been a great place to grab a tasty craft beer at the many local breweries after a day of recreating. But, not everyone may know about the vibrant music scene that Northern Colorado has to offer.
With the start of spring, we are beginning to approach the time of year when you can find live music all over the Front Range at venues ranging from the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Mishawaka Amphitheatre to small local breweries and restaurants. Anyone who knows me outside of work knows that music is my passion and that I love to see live music, regardless of whether it is a nationally known band performing at Red Rocks or a local upstart band performing on the back patio at Jessup Farm Barrel House. I like to see at least one live performance each month, but don’t shy away from any opportunity.
Northern Colorado has long benefited from the Bohemian Foundation’s support of the local music scene. While they no longer do the New West Fest that brought 3 days of free live music to Downtown Fort Collins, they operate two excellent live music venues in Downtown Fort Collins that bring in many well known national bands and local up and comers to perform in a professional quality setting.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out a concert at either Washington’s or the smaller and more intimate, Armory, I would highly recommend finding something that sounds good to you and checking it out. You can see a good show in a high quality venue and be home in your own bed a few minutes after the show is over! They also offer a free Thursday Night Concert series in Old Town Square throughout the summer. For more information on all that they have to offer the local music scene, check out their website.
Another great resource for live music in Northern Colorado is the Fort Collins Musicians Associations’ FoCoMX on the last weekend of April. This event has over 400 Colorado bands performing on more than 30 stages throughout Fort Collins. They feature nearly every genre of music and all are available for a flat fee wristband that allows you access to all of the venues for the entire weekend. I have attended in the past and will be again this year as well. I always find a new band that I like that I had never heard of before, plus it is a great opportunity to check out bands from different genres that you might not otherwise go to see. For more information on the lineup of bands this year and how to purchase a wristband…
As for myself, I have already seen several shows this year both locally at Washington’s as well as in Denver. Keller Williams and the Infamous Stringdusters both put on excellent shows at Washington's, while Yonder Mountain String Band with The Kitchen Dwellers as well as Dark Star Orchestra did not disappoint at Denver's Mission Ballroom. I have a Jason Isbell and two Billy Strings concerts, as well as my annual anniversary celebration with my wife, Lori, at The String Cheese Incident on the schedule for Red Rocks shows this summer. Then my favorite, my family’s annual trip to the 3 day Rockygrass Bluegrass Festival located along the St Vrain River in Lyons at the end of July.
I would encourage everyone looking to expand their cultural horizon to consider taking some time to experience live music in Northern Colorado. If you are out and about listening to music, look around for me… I might just be there as well!
