The mercury is rising, the sun is setting after 8, and the dreaded miller moths are fluttering about—which can only mean one thing: Concert season is back, baby. This year’s lineup abounds with tour stops, festivals, and one-off shows, so whether you’re itching to hoedown in your finest cowboy boots or hoping to headbang to bass drops, we’ve got you covered with 10 can’t-miss music events this summer.

50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Why you should get tickets:

Ever since the festival’s founding in 1973, Telluride Bluegrass has bored into Colorado history, granting even one-time concertgoers a certain locals’ cred. Acts like Johnny Cash, Kacey Musgraves, and the String Cheese Incident have all graced the stage at the outdoor bash, which now draws more than 48,000 folks for the four-day fest. This year marks the festival’s 50th anniversary, and with acts like Greensky Bluegrass, Gregory Alan Isakov, and Nickel Creek, the fete promises to be a memorable affair. Note: Since native tickets are sold out, you’re on your own for secondhand and resale options for this one.

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Sonic Bloom

Why you should get tickets:

Held in Rye, Colorado, Sonic Bloom is one of the year’s most highly anticipated electronic music festivals. This year, catch headliners like Clozee, SunSquabi, and A Hundred Drums. With more than 100 sets spread across five different stages, as well as performance and visual art, yoga, speakers, and workshops, the weekend promises to be anything but boring. And if what’s holding you back from camping at an electronic music festival is thoughts of dust-filled camping tents a la Burning Man, don’t worry: The fest even offers glamping tickets so you can return to an actual bed after a day of headbanging.

Illenium

Why you should get tickets:

Producer and DJ Illenium, who often creates future bass and dubstep tracks, brings an eagerly anticipated second chapter of his show, Trilogy, to Denver this June. Building upon the success of last year’s debut in Las Vegas, Illenium will showcase his first three albums—otherworldly melodies and expansive bass drops—in a set that lasts all night (he took the stage for nearly four hours during his Vegas performance). Plus, local businesses will offer discounts and specials for the week leading up to the show: Shop 15 percent off at local clothing brand Be a Good Person and get 20 percent off all drinks at Zero Degrees in Lakewood.

Country Jam Colorado

Why you should get tickets:

Hold onto your ten-gallon hat: This year’s Country Jam is supposed to be extra spectacular. Held near the unincorporated community of Mack, just outside Grand Junction, Colorado’s largest country music festival draws line dance lovers from all over. This year, the lineup is especially enticing with headliners like Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and Cody Johnson. The three-day camping festival features more than 20 acts across two stages and endless food and drink options. Plus, activities like mechanical bull riding are sure to knock your cowboy boots off.

Fall Out Boy

Why you should get tickets:

Bring Me The Horizon, Royal and the Serpent, and Daisy Grenade prep punk lovers for Fall Out Boy at Fiddler’s Green this July. This past March, the band released its latest album, So Much (for) Stardust, in anticipation of its first tour since 2019. The So Much for (Tour) Dust tour promises those newest hits, along with classics like “Centuries” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs” to Greenwood Village’s sunny outdoor amphitheater.

Taylor Swift

Why you should get tickets:

If you managed to outwit Ticketmaster and secured a ticket to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (the platform crashed on presale day but ultimately led to the most concert tickets ever sold by an artist in a single day), then consider us officially jealous. Swift brings her sixth headlining tour to Denver this July, featuring hits from all of her albums to date. The marathon of a show is just over three hours long, making it the longest live show Swift has ever performed and perhaps her magnum opus of performances. Also neat: At each tour stop, Swift performs two surprise extra songs, meaning Denverites get four unique performances over her two shows. If it wasn’t obvious: Good luck scoring secondhand tickets.

Portugal. The Man with the Colorado Symphony

Why you should get tickets:

Prepare for a collision of musical talent as rock band Portugal. The Man, known for hits like “Feel It Still” and “Live in the Moment,” teams up with the Colorado Symphony for an epic summer show. Portugal. The Man will fuse its electric guitars with the symphony’s ethereal strings, resulting in an extraordinary open-air performance. The symphony has partnered with similar acts in the past (think: electronic jazz duo Big Gigantic this past March), but taking the stage at Red Rocks makes this show all the more special.

3 Doors Down

Why you should get tickets:

Channel that 2000’s nostalgia to sing along to “Kryptonite” and “Here Without You” as 3 Doors Down takes the Fillmore stage this July. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of its multi platinum album Away from the Sun, the band (which is still led by original frontman Brad Arnold) plans to perform all of its essential tracks along with the entirety of the album. Opened by Washington-based band Candlebox, the night has been highly anticipated among the post-grunge alternative community.

Greta Van Fleet

Why you should get tickets:

Greta Van Fleet, a rock band from Michigan, topped Billboard charts after its first debut album was released in 2018. Since then, the band has had a few viral hits, like “Light My Love,” and the hype isn’t undeserved: With songs that feature angelic sounds blended with hard rock, Greta Van Fleet can be closely compared to iconic bands like Led Zeppelin. This July, the group releases its third studio album, Starcatcher, and its accompanying tour stops by Denver just eight days later.

Peso Pluma

Why you should get tickets:

If you’re asking yourself “Who?,” we don’t necessarily blame you. Twenty-three-year-old Mexican artist Peso Pluma rose to fame only recently (Google Trends shows searches for his name skyrocketed this past April, largely due to his hit “Ella Baila Sola” which went viral on social media apps like TikTok). Still, the rapper and singer has a talent for turning his Mexican corrido ballads into chart-topping hits. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking to listen to something new, we recommend buying tickets for Peso Pluma’s Doble P tour.

Barbara O'Neil
Barbara O'Neil
Barbara is one of 5280's assistant editors and writes stories for 5280 and 5280.com.