Top 10: Music in Boulder

Our Local Expert Says:

This is arguably the most beautiful venue in Boulder, so be sure to check out the calendar while you're in town to find something to your liking.

Description:

Macky Auditorium is the venue of choice for many orchestras. One of the most popular groups to perform here is the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. Guided by internationally acclaimed director, Theodore Kuchar, who leads the prestigious Australian Festival of chamber music, this philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the finest in the country. Guest appearances have featured the likes of Itzhak Perlman, Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo Yo Ma and Sarah Chang. For details check the website.

Our Local Expert Says:

Chautauqua Park is the best place to get a stunning view of the Flatirons. Take a picnic and enjoy the park, or explore the Chautauqua Community; eat at the community dining hall and catch a concert at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium.

Description:

This picturesque park located at the base of the Flatirons has many trailheads that are the gateways to the Rocky Mountains. The park is a wonderful place for walking, picnicking, and people-watching. The park is part of the Chautauqua community, an idea built from the Chautauqua movement popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that was based around adult education that attempted to provide entertainment and culture for the whole community. The Boulder Chautauqua community opened in 1898 and contains a public dining hall, lodging, a community house for local events, and the beautiful Chautauqua Auditorium, which houses the esteemed Colorado Music Festival in the summer, as well as other concerts throughout the year.

Our Local Expert Says:

This theater is one of the best in town because it offers both ample seating and ample dancing room, making it an ideal venue for everyone.

Description:

This posh venue has graced downtown Boulder since 1906. Originally opened as an opera house, the historic building underwent a massive renovation in the 1980s. Located just off the Pearl Street Mall, the complex hosts nightly concerts, film screenings and other community events. National Public Radio hosts the popular weekly environmental and musical radio show E-Town here. While it remains a popular venue for local entertainers, the theater's cabaret-style seating, preserved art deco ornamentation and state-of-the art sound and lighting system attract national and international artists. Call for a schedule, or check the Web site to order tickets online.

Our Local Expert Says:

Boulder's summer nights are one of the best things about this town, and Bands on the Brick is the perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy the cool mountain air.

Description:

Listen to a great concert as you watch the sun dip behind the Rocky Mountains at the Bands on the Brick concert. The best of Colorado's local bands play on the County Courthouse steps at this weekly summer event. Bring your lawn chair and relax, or get up and dance. Enjoy a variety of talented performers, from the bluesy sounds of Hazel Miller to the eclectic rhythms of Freddi Henchi. Catch dinner before or after the show from one of surrounding Pearl Street Mall restaurants. Admission is free.

Our Local Expert Says:

Not only does the Pearl Street Mall have the best shopping in Boulder, but you could spend all day there listening to musicians, watching street performers, and having drinks and people-watching on an outdoor patio.

Description:

This four-block pedestrian mall is a unique and essential part of Boulder. With a wide selection of shops and restaurants, this mall is sure to keep you entertained as you stroll in and out of art galleries, listen to musicians playing free live music, enjoy the shows of buskers (such as the famous Derek Derek), and have a bite to eat on one of Pearl Street's many outdoor patios. It's also a great place for kids, with water spouts that come out of the bricks by 14th street, street performers making balloon art, and big animal statues on which to climb on the east side of the walking mall. In the summer, Pearl Street is host to many events such as Band on the Bricks and the Downtown Boulder Art Fair. The stores also extend both east and west of the walking portion of the Pearl Street Mall, so be sure to continue on to find more interesting stores and restaurants.

Our Local Expert Says:

Host an event for your organization within the gallery space and help support this thriving arts community. The online calendar allows you to pick and choose events that catch your fancy.

Description:

This 40,000-square-foot performing and visual arts center is home to many of Boulder's theaters, dance and music production companies. Check out performances from the Colorado Dance Festival and Boulder Arts Academy, as well as concerts by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. The studios of Boulder's award-winning Community Access Television also occupy space in the complex. Frequent classes and exhibits are offered to the community. Ticket sales and private contributions fund the center which draws over 140,000 guests annually.

Description:

Blues & Greens serves up locally-produced ingredients in tasty dishes including vegetarian cuisine. This restaurant, located in the Boulder Outlook Hotel, creates every dish using fresh, organic vegetables and grains. True to their name, Blues & Greens offers live music featuring many local bands as well as national performers, mostly with a blues flavor. Their menu and atmosphere create a positively enjoyable dining experience and a great place to go for some exciting nightlife.

Description:

The Fox Theatre is a popular venue for live concerts on "The Hill" in Boulder. The theatre recently announced that the City of Boulder Landmark Preservation Advisory Board granted the building "landmark status."

Our Local Expert Says:

Located just off the walking section of the Pearl Street Mall, the Mountain Sun is a real local gem.

Description:

This quintessential Boulder restaurant is almost always bustling with Boulderites who love to frequent this brewery/restaurant and enjoy their variety of beers brewed on site. The walls are painted with suns and moons and are covered in tapestries - and if you look up, you can see a Jerry Garcia doll sitting in a hammock. The Mountain Sun is a pub, but it doesn't have any TVs because the owners want to encourage people to meet each other and "discuss the world in which we live". If that sounds a bit too heavy, you can always grab ones of their board games and lose yourself in a nice game of Scrabble!