5280 Magazine – August 2019

AUGUST 2019 | 5280 | (^91)
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low the Armstrong Hotel), where
the cocktails are inventive and the
atmosphere is elegant. 239 S. Col-
lege Ave.; acegillets.com
THE CLASSIC NOCO
MUSIC EXPERIENCE
Go to: Mishawaka Amphitheatre
It doesn’t really matter who’s
playing: Just get yourself up the
canyon to this one-of-a-kind out-
door amphitheater nestled on
the bank of the Poudre River. The
starry skies and elbow-to-elbow
camaraderie are the stuff nostal-
gia is made of, but you won’t be
disappointed in the music, either.
The Mish hosts marquee names,
like Ziggy Marley, Jenny Lewis,
and Built to Spill, all summer long.
13714 Poudre Canyon Road,
Bellvue; themishawaka.com
SINGER-SONGWRITERS
Go to: The Armory
This 225-seat listening room
delivers intimate evenings with
musical legends; Arlo Guthrie,
Rickie Lee Jones, and Iris DeMent
have all played here in just the
past few months. 314 E. Mountain
Ave.; armoryfoco.com
PUNK
Go to: Surfside 7
Fort Collins is something of a punk
magnet, a draw that can likely be
attributed to the Blasting Room,
a recording studio owned by Bill
Stevenson, of the Descendants
fame. The well-regarded facility
feeds the robust live punk scene at
Surfside 7, which reopened in new,
smallish digs with an industrial look
and a counterculture vibe on Lin-
den Street in late 2015. 238 Linden
St.; surfsideseven.com
The Fort Collins music scene has always been better than it’s
received credit for, but as the town has boomed over the past
decade or so, the available tunage has been mushrooming right
along with it. Venues both classic and new are attracting big-
name touring acts as well as Colorado artists; beloved festivals like
FoCoMX in the spring and Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest
(see “Fun For The Whole Family” on page 94) in August turn the
city into one big stage; and the Music District, a three-year-old
creative hub dedicated to supporting musicians, is bringing a spe-
cial vibrancy to the community. “We’re intentionally developing
our music city,” says Alysia Kraft, part of the artist development
team at the Music District and a vocalist for local bands Whip-
poorwill and the Pattie Fiasco. “It’s managed to maintain some of
its organic character as it’s grown. Culturally, our city is becoming
richer, and that’s most noticeable in the music scene.” So, where
can you find your particular jam? We play Pandora for you.
CENTER STAGE
From indie to punk to jazz,
quality live tunes have long
been part of FoCo’s DNA.
ELECTRONIC
Go to: The Aggie Theatre
EDM is hot right now in Fort Col-
lins (and everywhere else), and this
100-plus-year-old former movie
theater in Old Town is the epicen-
ter of the action. 204 S. College
Ave.; aggietheatre.com
JAZZ
Go to: Ace Gillett’s Lounge
The University of Northern
Colorado’s renowned jazz pro-
gram—located 30 miles away in
Greeley—brings plenty of talent
to town. Take advantage at this
underground retreat (tucked be-
MUSIC
The Armory
The Mish
INSIDER’S GUIDE TO
FORT COLLINS