Colorado’s Vail Valley has earned a reputation as one of the country’s top live music destinations thanks in large part to Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, a.k.a. “The Amp,” and its steady supply of high-quality shows.
Located in Vail, CO, which offers bountiful hotel options with access to scenic hiking trails, fly-fishing, and other travel-worthy mountain activities, The Amp provides a balance between the intimate community atmosphere of a local venue and the draw of bigger acts worthy of a weekend trip.
The nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation opened the venue in 1987 and continues to operate and program it today. It’s named after former president Gerald R. Ford, who dedicated the amphitheater at its June 27th opening. The following month, on July 16th, 1987, The Amp was christened by country music legend Willie Nelson.
Over the past 35+ years, the venue has hosted many significant events, including a memorable show by Santana in 1992 that featured a then-burgeoning jam band called Phish as support. That night, Carlos Santana brought out rising star Trey Anastasio for a sit-in. The collaboration also featured an appearance by drummer Jon Fishman, who stepped out for a vacuum solo later immortalized in the uber-rare Phish song “Walfredo”, dedicated to Santana’s former drummer, Walfredo Reyes Jr.: “The snow fell in Vail Colorado / When Fish played the vacuum and ruined your set.”
Photo: ShowLove Media – Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater 5/31/24
In addition to its wide range of nationally touring acts and comedy shows, The Amp also hosts the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and the Vail Dance Festival each year as well as free weekly concerts during the Hot Summer Nights series. The Amp’s covered pavilion protects attendees from the elements, while the lawn allows audiences to experience their favorite artists while taking in breathtaking views of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. There’s not a bad seat in the venue between the two.
“It’s like playing a show inside a Bob Ross painting. ‘Let’s put some happy trees above the crowd,’” quipped Tom Hamilton Jr. of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, who recently performed at The Amp.
Another highlight of visiting The Amp is the excellent selection of food and drinks. Unlike the lackluster concession stands at your standard venue, The Amp offers quality cuisine courtesy of Big Delicious Catering—whose Owner and Executive Chef Hunter Smith was featured on Iron Chef America. Vail Village also offers pre-and post-show drinks and snacks at Slope Room, Chasing Rabbits, the Fitz or Shakedown Bar. The venue has also partnered with several local hotels to provide discounted rates to visitors, and all paid tickets to The Amp can receive a discounted gondola ride on Vail Mountain Ski Resort.
With its packed schedule of extended season programming, The Amp should be high on any serious music fan’s destination venue bucket list. Upcoming shows include Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, The Beach Boys, Slightly Stoopid, Portugal. The Man, Ziggy Marley with special guest Lettuce, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and more. View the venue’s full calendar here, read more about the venue’s storied history here, and check out photos from this season’s shows at The Amp here.
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