Yampa Valley residents and visitors are in for a special — and free — musical treat this summer.
The 2024 Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series lineup was announced Friday night at Old Town Pub amid high levels of anticipation. The Little Moon Travelers, who are based in Steamboat, provided entertainment as the bands were unveiled.
The lineup features The Kitchen Dwellers on June 22, The Machine Plays Pink Floyd on July 20, Fruition on July 27, ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) on Aug. 9 and Keller Williams’s Grateful Grass featuring The Hillbenders on Sept. 1.
Fruition, Keller Williams and the Hillbenders have played the Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series before.
Jeremy Campbell of The Little Moon Travelers said the group was “honored” to take part in the reveal. He explained that the rapid rise in ticket prices nationally has made free community music events even more important.
“There’s no better vibe in Steamboat than the free summer concert series,” Campbell said. “It’s the family vibe. It’s the community vibe. It’s everything that Steamboat is about.”
Organizer and promoter John Waldman of Great Knight Productions said this year’s lineup continues the energy and spirit of the last 31 years of the Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series bringing the best possible free music to the Yampa Valley.
The series is a board-run nonprofit organization. Donors, sponsorships and philanthropic efforts have been instrumental to past success in bringing in a wide range of music groups for Yampa Valley music lovers to enjoy.
The Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series board currently consists of Elliot Lawrence, Coleman Cook, Andrew Zaback, Scott Fox, Larry Young, Dan Tullos, Brian Smith, Ted Carey, Mindy Marriott, Chuck Cerasoli, Ben Stroock and Joe Kboudi.
The mission of the series is “to plan and produce an annual summer music series of broad appeal that is free to the public and provides enjoyment for both local residents and visitors.”
The venue, situated at the base of Emerald Mountain, features a diverse range of seating and standing options and includes a family-friendly and VIP area as well.
The first free summer concert was held in 1993 on the lawn of the Routt County Courthouse. Since then, it has grown to provide performance opportunities for both mainstream artists and emerging bands. The series also strives to provide a diversity of musical genres as well.
“Steamboat has always been accepting of all styles of music,” Waldman said.
Waldman hopes that sentiment will continue this summer and for the foreseeable future. He gave credit to the massive amount of support that has come from donors, sponsors and philanthropists while also nodding to the continued support of the city of Steamboat Springs as well.
The first 2024 summer concert will feature The Kitchen Dwellers on June 22. The Montana-based group consists of Shawn Swain on mandolin, Torrin Daniels on banjo, Joe Funk on the standing bass and Max Davies on the acoustic guitar. Their unique psychedelic and upbeat take on bluegrass and folk results in a one-of-a-kind sound that is hard to describe or to recreate.
The Machine, which formed more than 30 years ago, is known for performing popular and lesser known classics from the extensive canon of Pink Floyd. The group is composed of founding member Tahrah Cohen on percussion, Scott Chasolen on the keyboard, Ryan Ball on guitar and Chris DeAngelis on bass. They have played at major music events including Bonnaroo, The Gathering Of The Vibes and Riverbend as well as alongside major symphony orchestras throughout the United States. They will play on July 20.
On July 27, Pacific Northwest-based Fruition will play renditions of classics by bands like the Beatles and CSNY while also performing original works that channel folk, roots and rock and roll. Fruition features Mimi Naja on guitar and mandolin, Jay Cobb Anderson on harmonica and lead guitar, Kellen Asebroek on guitar and piano, Jeff Leonard on bass and Tyler Thompson on percussion and banjo.
Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) is made up of Zach Gill on keyboard, Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz on guitar, Steve Adams on bass and new arrival Ezra Lipp on percussion. The group is slated to play on Aug. 9 and has previously collaborated with musical legends including members of The Grateful Dead as well as Jack Johnson.
Their music, which is self-described as “jam-pop,” involves improvisations that seamlessly blend together different genres and musical styles. Their 25 years together since forming in Saratoga, California, has resulted in a jam-based energy that leaves audiences speechless.
Concluding the free summer concert series on Sept. 1 will be the legendary Keller Williams. Williams is known for his independent takes and creative covers of some of the greatest bands in history.
Joining Williams will be the Hillbenders with Nolan Lawrence on mandolin, Jimmy Rea on guitar, Chad Groves on dobro, Mark Cassidy on banjo and Gary Rea on bass. Their fusion-based approach to both bluegrass and rock and roll will blend with Williams’s bluegrass-based renditions of Grateful Dead classics, bringing Steamboat Springs a night to remember.
Waldman and the board members are excited for this year’s series. He said that without the continued support of the Yampa Valley, including donations that are made through the organization’s website, the concerts would not be as successful as they have been in bringing the community together. For more, KeepinItFree.com/.
