Colorado is home to numerous summer music festivals, but here are the five making the most noise.
Telluride Bluegrass Festival: The granddaddy of Colorado music festivals is still focused on expanding the definition of bluegrass while also including other genres. Artists playing this year include: Emmylou Harris, Counting Crows and the Avett Brothers on June 21; Los Lobos, Béla Fleck and Guster on June 22; New Orleans Social Club and the Sam Bush Band on June 23; and Alison Krauss & Union Station and Chick Corea June 24. June 21-24, Telluride Town Park, bluegrass.com, $60 per day.
Trancegression Festival: Jam bands and hip-hop groups converge in a small mountain community with the Trancegression Festival. Bands playing include the Disco Biscuits, Umphrey’s McGee, the Pharcyde, Lotus, JJ Grey & Mofro, Blackalicious, Zilla, Hot Buttered Rum, the Greyboy Allstars and Galactic. July 14-15, Copper Mountain Resort, trancegressionfest.com, $20-$65.
Jazz Aspen: The festival’s June celebration will be fun with the Black Crowes, Herbie Hancock and Madeleine Peyroux, but the Labor Day festival in Snowmass Town Park skews a bit younger with Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals and Nickel Creek on Aug. 31; Joss Stone and an unannounced headliner on Sept. 1; the Allman Brothers Band and an unannounced opener on Sept. 2; and Gov’t Mule and the Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi on Sept. 3. Aug. 31-Sept. 3, Snowmass Village Town Park, jazzaspen.org, $40-$55.
RockyGrass: This year’s RockyGrass lineup is as strong as it’s ever been with the Del McCoury Band and David Grisman Bluegrass Experience playing July 27; the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band and the Claire Lynch Band playing July 28; and Nickel Creek and Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives playing July 29. July 27-29, Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, bluegrass.com, $45-$50 per day.
Monolith Festival: This is the newbie in the group, and while the two-day indie rock festival at Red Rocks has no acts to announce yet, expectations are high. Organizers have inked a deal with AEG Live, and they’re going for a Coachella or Sasquatch! aesthetic. Sept 14-15, Red Rocks in Morrison, monolithfestival.com, ticket prices undecided.
