Category Archives: Hot Summer Nights
One of the great things about Vail is a consistent presence of music. Last night, a handful of my co-workers and I got down on the dance floor, jamming out to the local Colorado band, Frogs Gone Fishin. Due to losing about $3,000 worth of equipment after their van was broken into in Denver, the band put on a show at Samana Lounge, costing no more than a suggested $5 to help them get back on their feet.
I haven’t danced like that in a while. Frogs Gone Fishin plays music that I personally would call “jammy-funky.” The guys – Trevor, Andrew, Mark, and Steve – originally started to play music in middle school and high school together outside of Denver, and since graduating from different colleges in 2008, they have continued to kill it in venues around Colorado and beyond. Vail is one place that they continue to come back to.
One of the Vail free concert series that Frogs Gone Fishin performed at was Hot Summer Nights in 2009. That same summer, the band organized an event “Mardi Gras on the Rocks,” which was a day festival at Red Rocks, featuring jazz and brass musicians like Dr. John, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band to name a few. I went to Tulane like Trevor (hence the New Orleans inspiration), and I was at Mardi Gras on the Rocks. It was a pretty impressive event. I didn’t make it to their Hot Summer Nights show in Vail last year, but according to this article posted in the Vail Daily last October, the band’s free show in Vail was a close rival to the fully-lined up New Orleans music festival that they hosted.
In addition to the Underground Sound Concert Series going on now at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek, more concert series are to come in Vail – and more of them will be free. With Street Beat Concert Series, Snowdaze, and CarniVail coming up this winter, there will be plenty of awesome live music to go around.
Start making your ski vacation plans, and take part in the free shows that are always going on in Vail. Book your lodging with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and get all the scoop you need from our live agents that know this scene from the inside out! Call 1-888-866-2305.
This morning, the Vail Valley Partnership put on a breakfast scrambler at the Vail Chophouse for local businesses to meet and greet. Being a Connecticut native and a new intern onboard with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, I enjoyed having the unique opportunity to interact with fellow business people in the Vail Valley so soon.
A common thread of the conversations I had has stuck with me throughout the day: a lot of the people that migrate to Vail have a past story, a hometown that is probably not close by, and a common interest for adventure and natural beauty. It’s easy for those of us who are new to the area to quickly feel at home; many of us are making new friends, new business contacts, and establishing a comfort level with the unparalleled setting of Vail.
Although I’m new to the Valley, I have been living in Boulder for over a year. No, I wasn’t a CU student like most 20-something-year-old people living in Boulder. I was one of the drifters that packed up my car after college, and… drove. Having a fellow Tulane friend that relocated to Boulder allowed the move to be a smoother transition, but I really had no idea what would come my way. To be honest, I had imagined that I would be moving back to where I thought my heart remained, in New Orleans. However, since the epic road trip out here, I haven’t been able to consider the thought of parting with Colorado. Not yet. It’s difficult to pinpoint why, but I think it has a lot to do with the humility that comes along with the awe-inspiring Rockies.
Relocating to the Vail/Beaver Creek area has already been an exciting last three days (I told you I’m brand new). My first few days on the job couldn’t have been more informative in a comfortable, yet enthusiastic and professional atmosphere. So far with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, it’s become apparent that I will be embarking on a journey with a talented group of young, innovative, and enthusiastic individuals. On my first lunch break, we ventured into the village to enjoy some local, casual dining at the Tap Room. Naturally, I ordered a sandwich called the “hippie wrap” – a fine vegetarian option that other hippies coming up from Boulder might appreciate. The menu also included a wide variety of pub fare for all you meat eaters, and a decent beer selection, hence the name of the establishment. I was also pleased to attend the last Hot Summer Nights concert at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater with co-workers, followed by some quality time on the town in Vail Village.
I look forward to the next few months that await me with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals and being further immersed in the serenity of Colorado. We are a team of friendly, knowledgeable, locals, and are eager to assist those of you with that itch to venture out here too. We provide a variety of lodging and concierge services, such as lift tickets, local advice, and adventure packages. Check out our website for upcoming events and more information, or give us a call at 1-888-866-2305.
Vail’s popular Bud Light Hot Summer Nights free summer concert series is coming to an end tonight at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. This nine-week series has been going on all summer and has brought numerous genres of music to the mountain stage for vacationers and locals alike to enjoy. Soul, jazz, funk, reggae, folk, dance, and rock ‘n’ roll have all been a part of the schedule and tonight Hot Summer Nights is ending with a Police tribute band. Named after the famous Police song “Message in a Bottle”, this tribute band has been around since 1992, playing at music festivals, concert series, and private events, collecting a loyal fan base over the years.
Don’t be discouraged that tonight is the last night of the free summer concert series, because come this winter, the Vail Valley Foundation will be entertaining again with its winter concert series Street Beats. Similar to the Hot Summer Nights series Street Beats is designed for the winter enthusiast who is begging for more fun as the lifts come to a close in the afternoon. Here in Vail, there is no time to sit around, so come out and enjoy a great summer night tonight and finish off your summer right!
There is a lot more to Vail than just free concerts, so give us a call at 1-888-866-2305 with any inquiries on anything vacation-related. We at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals do a lot more than just give you a great place to stay in beautiful Colorado: We love it here, we know you will too. Don’t miss out.
As the sun sets in the beautiful Vail Valley on a perfect summer night, the only place you need to be is at the Gerald R. Ford Ampitheater listening to free music, hanging with your friends, and enjoying some great people watching. Tonight Toad the Wet Sprocket is on stage as part of their summer tour for everybody in The Valley to enjoy. Dancing is encouraged, but not necessary. Food can be brought in, blankets are always a good idea, and with all these combined, your fun-meter is guaranteed to be overflowing.
If you enjoy any of the following: fun, friends, food, sunshine, mountains, the 90’s, dancing, laughing, music, meeting new people, getting out of your house, or enjoying some local mountain culture, then I should see you at the amphitheater tonight in East Vail. I’ll be there tonight with my friends from here at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and you owe it to yourself to come and enjoy some free music as well. I see only positives coming from an evening of fun at the Hot Summer Nights concert series this evening.
Toad the Wet Sprocket is one of the most popular alternative rock/folk bands of the early 90’s, with two platinum albums and multiple chart topping hits, and you can see them FREE tonight.
For more information regarding the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the Vail Valley or on finding lodging in Colorado, contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals at 1-888-866-2305. See you there. You owe it to yourself.
