The Return of Live Music

Donavon Frankenreiter plays on the Strings Music Festival outdoor stage.

Strings Music Festival's outdoor stage

| By Denton Turner

Denton Turner is the upright bass player for the Steamboat Springs soul grass band Buffalo Commons.

COURTESY STRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL

It feels good to be back. To say last year has been an incredibly tough year for live music lovers, artists, and the people who make their living in the industry is a huge understatement. Overnight everything was either postponed or cancelled altogether. Long running reoccurring festivals and events were forced to halt all plans. The stress, financial burden, and emotional toll were immense. At a certain point it felt like live music was cancelled forever.

Just as quickly as everything stopped, live music has come roaring back. Bars and local venues are hosting musicians, and local events are making a comeback as well. Strings Music Festival is hosting concerts several nights a week, both inside the pavilion and on an outdoor stage. The beloved Free Summer Concert Series is slated to return on Friday, Aug. 27, at the base

As things return to how they were before COVID, there is an overwhelming sense of gratitude, appreciation and relief on everyone’s faces, on and off stage.

of Howelsen Hill with Buffalo Commons, Jon Stickley Trio and the Lil Smokies; the End of Summer Jam is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 5. Events like Art In the Park featured local musicians showcasing their talent throughout the event. Take a stroll through the Yampa River Botanic Park and you may hear the sweet sounds of the Steamboat Symphony, or the unified choruses of Opera Steamboat, or a local favorite playing for the Music on the Green Concert Series.

As things return to how they were before COVID, there is an overwhelming sense of gratitude, appreciation and relief on everyone’s faces, on and off stage. Just go to any live concert in town and you can feel the energy in the air. A renewed feeling of unity amongst the fans, artists and venue staff is more present than ever before. A feeling that we have all overcome a huge obstacle together as one big team. For many of us, this feeling of unity is a big part of why we love live music. You go into a concert alone or with friends, filled with anticipation and excitement. Last year, we all were forced to listen alone in our rooms. You can call it the longest set break in history. For now, it seems we have all made it to the other side, the music is back on and everyone is ecstatic. Let's just hope this feeling never ends, and the music never stops.

New Gallery Reflects Valley’s Beauty

Zanobia paints images that only existed at this exact moment in time.

ZANOBIA SHALKS STUDIO/GALLERY 424 Lincoln Avenue 970-871-8000 ZanobiaShalks.com zanobiashalks@gmail.com Instagram: @zanobiashalks Facebook: Zanobia Shalks Fine Art