A Jam Band Summer In Denver

If you’re a jam band fanatic, Denver is the place to be this summer with must-see concerts from Phish, Dave Matthew's Band, Greensky Bluegrass and more. 

Of course, the scene is nothing new here. Ever since The Grateful Dead (the original jam band) started playing the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the late 1970s, the Denver area has been a hotspot for great music and great times. This summer in The Mile High City is shaping up to be one long, strange — and fun — trip. 

SUMMER CONCERTS

North Mississippi AllStars

WHEN: Sept. 16, 2021
WHERE: Levitt Pavilion

Greensky Bluegrass with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Circles Around the Sun, and Railroad Earth

WHEN: Sept. 17–19, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Khruangbin

WHEN: Sept. 20–21, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Get the Led Out

WHEN: Sept. 23, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Rowdytown IX: Big Gigantic with Peekaboo, slenderbodies and Dreamers Delight

WHEN: Sept. 25, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Dave Matthews Band

WHEN: Oct. 8–9, 2021
WHERE: Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre 

Dead & Company

WHEN: Oct. 22–23, 2021
WHERE: Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre 

Blackberry Smoke with The Allman Betts Band and The Wild Feathers

WHEN: Oct. 28, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

ALL SUMMER LONG

SHAKEDOWN STREET

WHERE: Various locations
Not the real thing — but close! Shakedown Street is one of the world's best and longest-running Grateful Dead tribute bands and they call the Rocky Mountain Front Range home. You can find them jamming the night away at various venues throughout the area all summer long.

JAM BAND HOT SPOTS TO VISIT WHILE YOU'RE IN TOWN

If you're visiting Denver for shows this summer, don't miss out on these places to eat, drink and jam out.

QUIXOTE'S TRUE BLUE & SANCHO'S BROKEN ARROW

Quixote's True Blue and Sancho's Broken Arrow, two sister clubs, are ground zero for the city's jam band scene — warm, friendly spots that feature great live music virtually every night of the week. Check their respective calendars for more info. 

VINE STREET PUB & BREWERY

Vine Street Pub & Brewery, one of the grooviest additions to Denver's microbrewery scene, is all about the Grateful Dead on the sound system, juicy burgers (or veggie burgers) and a dedication to lovingly crafted beer.

MY BROTHER'S BAR

The forefathers of the jam band movement were the Beat Generation, and My Brother's Bar is a Mile High City institution known for its Beat Generation clientele. This watering hole was the bar of choice for renowned Beats like Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady in the 1950s. Today, not much has changed at My Brother's — you can still get a pint and a burger for under $10 and enjoy one of the city's coolest spots.