The Denver Botanic Gardens' summer concert series has become much more than a bunch of afternoons in the park with live music. The series — presented by Swallow Hill Music — has grown into an almost universally sold-out affair featuring legends like Tony Bennett alongside contemporary heroes like St. Vincent.
This year's lineup is now out, and thankfully it features more of the same, at least in terms of name recognition. This year's crop does seem to lean slightly more toward acoustic genres than in the past, though that reflects some of the movement in music generally. Highlights for this year include Colorado bluegrass progenitor Hot Rize, folk geniuses Shovels & Rope and the farewell tour of the great Buena Vista Social Club.
The full series line-up is below. Tickets go on-sale to the general public April 21 at 10 a.m. But members have access to a pre-sale from April 13 to 20. Unless otherwise noted, all shows start at 6:30 p.m.; gates open at 5:45 p.m.
2015 Denver Botanic Gardens Concert Series
Hot Rize w/ Aoife O'Donovan
Tuesday, June 16 - York Street
Shovels & Rope w/ John Fullbright
Wednesday, June 17 - York Street
Cooder - White - Skaggs
Monday, June 22 - York Street
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Tuesday, July 7 - York Street
Boz Scaggs
Tuesday, July 14 - York Street
Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
Wednesday, July 15 - York Street
Culture Club
Monday, July 20 - Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield; gates open at 4:30pm
Keb' Mo'
Wednesday, July 22 - York Street
Under The Sun - Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, Uncle Kracker, Eve 6
Tuesday, July 28 - Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield; 6:00pm, gates open at 4:30pm
Melissa Etheridge - This is M.E. Solo
Monday, August 3 - York Street
Ziggy Marley: The Fly Rasta Tour
Tuesday, August 4 - York Street
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Sunday, August 9 - York Street
Chris Botti
Tuesday, August 11 - York Street
Gipsy Kings - Acoustic: Featuring Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo
Tuesday, August 18 - York Street
Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club Adios Tour
featuring Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa, Guajiro Mirabal, Barbarito Torres, Jesus "Aguaje" Ramos
Saturday, August 22 - York Street
Yes + Toto
Sunday, August 30 - Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield; 5:30pm, gates open at 4pm