Colorado Springs has a music scene worth bragging about, and Steve Harris has spent years making sure people know it. As the longtime guy who books bands for the Meadowgrass Music Festival and one of the Springs' most plugged-in music advocates, Steve joins Carly to talk about the local venues and artists you should know, why the city might finally be having its breakthrough moment, and what it actually takes to run a beloved festival on a shoestring budget and the power of volunteers.

In This Episode

Steve and Carly dig into what makes the Colorado Springs music scene tick, the metal-punk heartbeat downtown, the rise of free summer outdoor concerts, the loss of local music media, and why Ford Amphitheater means you might never need to fight Red Rocks traffic again. Steve also shares the story behind Meadowgrass, from a scrappy 100-person debut in 2009 to the community institution it is today, including a year they built a pallet bridge over a flooded stage and a snow-blowing crew that saved the festival days before opening.

Topics Covered

How the Colorado Springs music scene has changed in the last 10–20 years and what the city lost when KRCC went all-news and The Independent shut down
The metal and punk scene: why it thrives here, and the venues driving it
The rise of free outdoor summer concerts and the unintended tension they create for working musicians trying to get paid
Local artists worth knowing right now
Why Ford Amphitheater is a legitimate Red Rocks alternative...and the parking pro tip that changes everything
Whether Colorado Springs is on the verge of a real music breakthrough
The origin story of Meadowgrass and how a conference retreat center, Bristol Brewing, and a room full of community partners launched something in 2009 that's still going strong
Why Meadowgrass is not a bluegrass festival (and what it actually is)
The volunteer army behind the scenes and the chaos that made the festival resilient
How Steve curates the lineup: the one-third local/regional/national formula and why he's especially fired up about this year
The most unforgettable Meadowgrass performance ever: the Todd Snider story
What makes Meadowgrass different from bigger Colorado festivals
What's new in 2026
Rapid fire: best Colorado Springs venue, most underrated local band, pre-show food, recovery breakfast, and the song that captures the Springs
The only-in-Colorado-Springs music moment

Artists & Venues Mentioned

Tejon Street Corner Thieves · Jeremy Facknitz · Grant Sabin · A Carpenter's Daughter · Billy Strings · Todd Snider · Kyle Hollingsworth Band · Black Sheep · Vultures · Thrashers Bar · Lulu's Downtown · Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort · Stargazers · Phantom Canyon Brewing · Ford Amphitheater · La Foret Conference & Retreat Center

Connect with Meadowgrass

🎪 Tickets & Lineup: RockyMountainHighway.org
📱 Instagram & Facebook
🗓️ Memorial Day Weekend · La Forêt, Colorado Springs

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Episode FAQs

Is Meadowgrass a bluegrass festival? Despite the name, no. Steve describes it as an Americana melting pot: expect blues, folk, funk, New Orleans jazz, country, and yes, some bluegrass. The philosophy is that you should love every day of the lineup, not just pick the one that matches your taste.

When is Meadowgrass and how do I get tickets? Meadowgrass takes place Memorial Day Weekend at La Forêt Conference and Retreat Center in Colorado Springs. Music on Friday starts around 5:30 p.m., and a beer festival featuring 8–10 local breweries is included with your Friday or weekend pass. Tickets and full lineup details are at RockyMountainHighway.org.

What is the Colorado Springs music scene actually like; is it worth exploring? Steve says the scene is more developed than most people realize, especially if you didn't grow up here. The metal and punk scene is thriving thanks in part to the city's large military population, with venues like Black Sheep, Vultures, and Thrasher's leading the charge. But there's also a rich Americana, folk, blues, and jazz undercurrent, and free outdoor summer concerts nearly every day of the week make it easy to discover something new without spending a dime.

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