Welcome to the It List Summer Guide edition, where we share staff picks for the best in entertainment as the weather gets warmer. Catch the weekly It List here for the latest releases that we can’t wait to watch, stream, listen to, read and binge.
It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff to summer, which brings with it barbecues, beach excursions and, of course, live music outdoors.
From Red Rocks in Colorado to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont, here’s a guide to eight of the absolute best places in America to see outdoor concerts, including who’s playing, where to get tickets, insider tips and more.
Red Rocks
Perhaps the most iconic open-air amphitheater in America, Red Rocks is a bucket-list venue for many bands and their fans. And with good reason — just look at it. This year’s lineup includes Maggie Rogers, Lord Huron, Diana Ross, Nas featuring the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and many more.
🌎 Where: Morrison, Colo.
🎟️ Capacity: 9,545
🎸 Who’s playing: Maggie Rogers, Lord Huron, Nas feat. the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Widespread Panic, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Denver
🕶️ Pro tip: It’s only 10 miles southwest of Denver, but concert traffic means you should give yourself plenty of time to get out there.
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Shelburne Museum
On a rolling hillside overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains and beginning around sunset, concerts at the Shelburne Museum take on a magical quality. Also, they hand out free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Not kidding.
🌎 Where: Shelburne, Vt.
🎟️ Capacity: 2,000
🎸 Who’s playing: Guster, Train, Lake Street Dive, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Burlington, Vt.
🕶️ Pro tip: There’s no re-entry, so bring everything you need (blankets, beach chairs, refillable water bottles) when you enter.
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
The Gorge
Like Red Rocks, the Gorge is a must for live music fans who get to soak in the gorgeous backdrop of the Columbia River valley while listening to their favorite bands. And this year’s lineup includes Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Odesza, the Dave Matthews Band, Noah Kahan, Luke Bryan and plenty more.
🌎 Where: George, Wash.
🎟️ Capacity: 27,500
🎸 Who’s playing: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Odesza, the Dave Matthews Band, Noah Kahan, Luke Bryan and more
🛏️ Where to stay: George, Quincy or Wenatchee, Wash.
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Hollywood Bowl
It doesn’t get much better than seeing a summer concert at the Hollywood Bowl, the 102-year-old iconic Hollywood Hills bandshell and amphitheater. And this summer’s slate at the Bowl is beyond eclectic.
🌎 Where: Hollywood Hills, Calif.
🎟️ Capacity: 17,500
🎸 Who’s playing: The Roots, Vampire Weekend, Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Beck with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Herbie Hancock and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Los Angeles
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Central Park
In recent years New Yorkers have gravitated to new outdoor music venues like Forest Hills Stadium in Queens and Pier 17 in lower Manhattan, but truly nothing beats seeing a concert in New York City’s Central Park. This year’s SummerStage series features a mix of free and ticketed benefit shows with an eclectic mix of artists (Robert Glasper! The Roots! Boy George!) and comedians, including David Cross, Bob Odenkirk and Sarah Silverman.
🌎 Where: New York, N.Y.
🎟️ Capacity: 5,500
🎸 Who’s playing: The Roots, Robert Glasper, Kim Gordon, Counting Crows, Boy George, Brittany Howard, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Silverman and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Manhattan
🕶️ Pro tip: Don’t bother bringing your own libations as they aren’t allowed, but you can buy beer and wine inside the gates.
⚡Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Tanglewood
The open-air bandshell in the Berkshires used to be the place your parents would go with picnic blankets to hear the Boston Pops. And it still is, but Tanglewood has made an effort in recent years to book popular touring artists to perform with the famed symphony orchestra. Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, Beck, Brandi Carlile and Boyz II Men are among the musicians on BSO’s summer calendar this year.
🌎 Where: Lenox, Mass.
🎟️ Capacity: 5,700
🎸 Who’s playing: Trey Anastasio, Beck, Brandi Carlile, Boyz II Men and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Lenox or Stockbridge, Mass.
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Asbury Park
No list of summer music venues is complete without the Jersey Shore, and the Stone Pony summer stage in Asbury Park, N.J., fits the bill.
🌎 Where: Asbury Park, N.J.
🎟️ Capacity: 4,500
🎸 Who’s playing: Band of Horses, Gary Clark Jr., Waxahatchee and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Anywhere from Red Bank, N.J., to Point Pleasant
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Northerly Island
With a capacity of 30,000, the Northerly Island Amphitheater in Chicago is the largest venue on our list, and it gets some of the biggest artists as a result. Among those coming through the Windy City this summer are Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Vampire Weekend, Bush, the Pixies and Avril Lavigne.
🌎 Where: Chicago, Ill.
🎟️ Capacity: 30,000
🎸 Who’s playing: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Vampire Weekend, Bush, the Pixies, Avril Lavigne and more
🛏️ Where to stay: Chicago
⚡ Tickets and more info: Click here 👈
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
