Now that the season is finally over, here is our list of last years 20 best performances. This past year, we truly expanded, with reviewing over 100 concerts, meeting some of our favorite artists, and having some new talented photographers on our team. We are looking forward to 2026, but in the mean time, here are the best shows of 2025 we've reviewed.
1) My Morning Jacket Presents Z at Red Rocks Amp in August 2025
While there other amazing shows of the year, nothing beats Jim James and his band when they performed one of their first albums in its entirety on a Friday night at Red Rocks. Everything about the show was fantastic, including superb lighting, sound, and professionalism from every member of the band. It was also a unique show to see one of our favorite all time albums live.
2) Pixie & The Partygrass Boys-night 2 in Telluride, December 2025
Pixie always brings out emotional shows every time she performs live, and Telluride was no exception. It was truly an exceptional 4-hour long bluegrass concert that made this show the best out of the eight times we've seen and reviewed the band this year, not to mention this show being in a small club where everyone got nice and cozy and up close and personal with the band.
3) Larkin Poe live at the Sheridan Opera House, December 2025
The blues sisters really brought their special southern style energy to a small 200 seat historic theater in downtown Telluride for a New Years Eve show. The result was an incredible and magical performance that became one of the best shows we've witnessed this year. The acoustics and sound in the small theater was amazing, and with Larkin Poe's career exploding, it's very special to see a band like that at such a small venue, and the group performed a solid two hour performance.
4) Shelby Means with Kyle Tuttle and Molly Tuttle at Rockygrass 2025
Even though the concert was only 50 minutes long (we've seen Shelby and her band perform over an hour in half at other shows this year), this concert was truly exceptional, and the best moment of Rockygrass because Shelby brought on her friends on stage with her to support her solo career and album, which both Molly Tuttle & Kyle Tuttle performed on. It was a great show in a small barn that sounded terriffic.
5) Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats-special Holiday show in Denver, 2025
Nathanial Rateliff is one of the best performers you can see in the music business today, and whenever he's with his group The Nightsweats it is always a special time. However, this time around was truly unique. A 3 hour plus show at the Mission Ballroom lead the group to perform their debut album in its entirety and mostly all their old classic songs, and they were joined by the legendary Mavis Staples on stage.
6) Pixie and the Partygrass Boys plus special guests-Rhythms on the Rio-2025
The best festival of the year brought one of the better overall performances when Pixie & The Partygrass Boys performed at an afternoon time slot. It was a very emotional show-Pixie even cried on stage-and there was a very awesome moment when Amanda even had another fiddle performer on stage to duel her in 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia'.
7) Sierra Hull with Infamous Stringdusters at Mission Ballroom in Denver, January 2025
This year kicked off with an incredible show in Denver with Sierra Hull opening up for the Infamous Stringdusters at Denver's Mission Ballroom. This was our second night in a row seeing Sierra, and both times were absolutely incredible. This however, was the better out of the two shows because she was opening for one of the best bluegrass groups in the music industry today, and the amount of talent on the stage that night was beyond incredible.
8) Maggie Rose, The Amp, Vail, June 2025
Maggie Rose sure knows how to sing, and the Nashville singer song writer did exactly that with two free sets early this summer in Vail. The Vail Amp is known for it's unique sound and settings, and everything was crystal clear and perfect that afternoon when Maggie graced the stage. She had a great back up band as well, and it was a very special show overall with incredible sound and background settings of lovely pines behind the venue.
9) Old Crow Medicine Show-Vilar Performing Arts Center-February 2025
Old Crow Medicine Show is always a super fun and fantastic performance live. The lead singer truly brings great energy to every one, and when they performed at the smaller 500 seat venue Vilar Performing Arts Center earlier in 2025, it was exactly that. Another place where the sound is truly incredible, the group performed without an opener and over a two hour long show, making it one of the better shows of 2025.
10) Yonder Mountain String Band After Party-Winter Wondergrass 2025-March 2025
Another extremely long concert, Yonder Mountain performed a four hour plus concert Saturday night of Winter Wondergrass on top the Gondola in Steamboat Springs. It was a truly special performance and even better than their main stage set the following day because everyone had a chance to get nice and cozy with the group all night long-when the show finally ended around 2am. It was well worth the late night for that show.
11) The Wood Brothers with Saint Paul & The Broken Bones at Dillon Amp-June 2025
The Wood Brothers, not to be confused with the Avett Brothers, are another great band you can see live nowadays who always brings tremendous energy to their shows. This time around was a superb two group act with them opening up for Saint Paul & The Broken Bones on their 2025 tour. The combination brought extremely talented musicians together on stage, including the highlight of the show when everyone came together near the end to sing one of The Band's most iconic songs.
12) Paul Cauthen at Belly Up-December 2025
Country western singer Paul Cauthen has performed at Belly Up several times before, but this was our first time reviewing him there. The small venue proves to be the perfect place to see him, and the combined energy with the band and the crowd was a resulting great, dance friendly time that was one of the more funner shows to attend of the year.
13) Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway farewell show-Rockygrass 2025
2025 was a sad year for The Golden Highway as it marked the ending of the band-but at the same time, new beginnings for all of its member. Their final show at Rockygrass was one of their better performances we've reviewed (over five times in other years), and the band even brought the White Rabbit on stage which only happens once in a while. It was one of the reasons Rockygrass sold out this year, and hopefully won't be the last we'll see the band perform together on stage.
14) Kelsey Waldon-Big B's in Paonia, CO July 2025
Kentucky singer western country star Kelsey Waldon performed for two sets at the historic Big B's Orchard in Paonia, Colorado for a free show. The result was a fantastic show with her backing up band, and it was a perfect western setting-an apple orchard-to see Kelsey. While her Denver show was also great, there is always something special about seeing a concert at Big B's in Paonia who have truly expanded over the past two years.
15) The Disco Biscuits-The Lawn-Surf Hotel-Summer 2025
The Disco Biscuits are a jam band that are truly fun to see live for several reasons, but the best one is to see their laser show. Even if your not familiar with their music, their lights and lasers are worth it alone as it's one of the best out there to see live in the concert industry today. Of course, as a jam band, you have to also witness 30-minute-long songs, but it comes with the territory-everything sounded great that summer night on the lawn in front of the Surf Hotel for their special outdoor concerts.
16) Lindsay Lou-Small Town For The Cause-September 2025
Lindsay Lou is an incredible bluegrass singer and performer-and to see her at the revived Small Town For the Cause opening up for Elephant Revival in Salida was a special moment. The small venue and small town vibes was a great setting to see her at, where she performed several times throughout that day including her own unique set with her two other female band members.
17) Larkin Poe-Ogden Theater-Denver-2025
Larkin Poe also performed at Denver's Ogden Theater earlier this year as part of their Bloom tour. This was the sisters only third show of the tour, and they were nice and fresh, bringing their southern blues once again to the Ogden. However, Rebecca was pregnant at the time, and the group only performed for a little over an hour, making it not as remarkable as their Telluride performance. Yet despite being pregnant, the blues sisters put on another incredible show highlighting their new record at the Ogden.
18) Bronwyn Keith Heinyes-The Lariat-Beuna Vista-September 2025
Another member of Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway going out on her own is fiddle player Bronwyn Keith Heinyes. She performed with her new male group at the small and super fun Lariat bar in Beuna Vista. One of the highlights of the show was then she performed 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac, and Bronwyn is an incredible fiddle player and singer to see on her own.
19) Daniel Davoto & The Cosmic Country-Rhythms on the Rio 2025
Daniel Davoto is another guitar prodigy who is becoming bigger and bigger every year. It was incredible seeing him perform live at such a small venue like Rythyms on the Rio-and the best part was the band performing for two sets the closing night of the festival. While not big on vocals, Daniel's incredible guitar playing makes up for it in every way.
20) East Grass Nash-Rockygrass 2025
Another Nashville bluegrass band that made waves this past year was East Grass Nash. They brought unique energy highlighted by fiddle player Maddie Denton. The group performed on the first day of the summer festival, giving concert goers a taste of what Rockygrass is all about: extremely talented bluegrass musicians.
No comments:
Post a Comment