Legendary Live Music Scene

Boulder's music scene has a long history and a national reputation. In the summer, there is live music almost every day of the week. The live music venues run the gamut — from a beautifully restored art deco theater to a hundred year old barn to open-air stages on Pearl Street — and make Boulder's live music scene very accessible. Because of the town's rich music history, the music series are soulful and well established and bring in top-notch musicians. 

The Fox Theater 

Rolling Stone magazine named the Fox Theatre the 4th best place in the country to see live music. We'd have to agree. With unbeatable acoustics, The Fox has live music in all genres 5-6 times a week and is located on The Hill, an area where the college students hang out. It's a standing-room-only theater that holds about 600 people, which means it's a high-energy kind of place. 

Boulder Theater 

The art deco marquee on the outside of the historic building is the first suggestion of an exceptional experience. Located in downtown Boulder, just steps from the Pearl Street Mall, the Boulder Theater is beautifully restored with art deco ornamentation, including hand-painted murals and a fresco ceiling. The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Madeleine Peyroux, Branford Marsalis and Johnny Cash have all performed here. 

Chautauqua Summer Music Series 

Shawn Colvin said that playing in the Chautauqua Auditorium was like playing inside a guitar.  That's how good the acoustics are in this barn-like structure built in 1898. Each summer the Auditorium hosts musicians such as Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, John Hiatt, Cake, and The Neville Brothers during the Chautauqua Summer Music Series.  Additionally, the Colorado Music Festival orchestra takes up residency in the Auditorium each summer.  June - Sept dates to be announced.  http://www.chautauqua.com/

Summer Outdoor Concerts

Mondays
It's an old fashioned sing along! Hundreds of children and parents gather in Boulder's most scenic and beloved park to listen to acoustic guitars for an evening of children's music and nature. The outdoor series is called Meadow Music and is appropriate for children ages 3-8 but all ages are welcome. Feel free to bring a picnic and blanket. It's the stuff that summer vacation memories are made. 5:30-7pm.  May-August dates to be announced. 

Wednesdays 
Every summer, thousands of people head to downtown Boulder every Wednesday evening to dance, picnic and listen to the best local bands along the Front Range. Bands on the Bricks features tunes that will make you want to move and groove. On the 1300 block of Pearl Street 7-9pm. 

Thursdays
When the sun dips below the Flatirons, the lights go up at Twenty Ninth Street. The Twenty Ninth Street Live concert series features plenty of free parking, lots of great restaurants and shopping, and the best sunset in Boulder. 

eTown 

eTown is a weekly radio broadcast heard on NPR, public and commercial stations. The shows are taped in front of a live audience mostly at the Boulder Theater and features performances from musicians as well as conversations about the world. Musicians like Warren Haynes, Martin Sexton and David Gray coupled with interviewees like Jimmy Carter create a one of a kind, live radio show. It is a fun evening of music and inspiration. 

Triple A Radio Conference  

For more than two decades, radio programmers from around the country have traveled to Boulder to attend this conference to hear both up-and-coming and high-profile music acts. Previous performers have included Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Grace Potter and John Mayer. A limited number of tickets are put on sale to lucky Boulder music fans. Triple A radio stations play Adult Album Alternative music.

Caribou Ranch 

Caribou Ranch was a recording studio built in 1972 in a converted barn in the mountains outside of Boulder. It is a key character in Boulder's (and Colorado's) storied music history. Elton John's 1974 Caribou album was recorded there that included the hits "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "Pinball Wizard." Some of the artists who recorded at Caribou are Elton John, John Lennon, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Supertramp, Michael Jackson, Stephen Stills, Jeff Beck and Joe Walsh. The studio closed after a 1985 fire and did not reopen as a recording studio. Caribou Ranch left an indelible mark on Colorado and Colorado left an indelible mark on the musicians.

Boulder Musicians 

• The Fray — Each of the band members of this Grammy Award winning band grew up in Denver/Boulder. Ben Wysocki, the drummer, grew up in Boulder.
• The String Cheese Incident — The bluegrass-based jam band is based in Boulder.
• 3oh!3 started in Boulder and is named after Boulder's area code 303. They are an electro-hop duo and the album Want reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Rose Hill Drive started in Boulder and is named for the street of their boyhood home. They were named one of the "10 New Artists to Watch" in 2007 by Rolling Stone magazine. 
• Gregory Alan Isakov is an indie folk rock artist from Boulder. His most popular songs include "The Stable Song," "Big Black Car," and "Raising Cain."
• Firefall formed in 1974 in Boulder. Their most famous songs are "You Are the Woman," "Just Remember I Love You" and "Cinderella." The band still performs to crowds of baby boomers in Boulder County occasionally.

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