Tour Diaries: Wyoming
The Wyoming border sits just 45 minutes north of Fort Collins and across that line is home to many exciting musical talents. Wyoming artists have contributed to our Northern Colorado music scene, bringing fresh perspectives and a unique sound. Many play shows along the front range and our area musicians often play and tour South into all Wyoming has to offer.
In recent years, Wyoming has been making headway at carving out a music and art scene uniquely their own. Anchored by The Wyoming Arts Council that provides leadership and invests resources to champion, sustain, and cultivate community through the arts. Many Fort Collins locals take the trek up north for the beloved Cheyenne Frontier Days but there is so much more to discover and we are excited to showcase some of those venes, festivals, and artist below.
Here is a little glimpse into Wyoming music, tips for NoCo musicians to play shows/tours and a way to explore some new music from our neighbors!
Venues
To see live music or for musicians looking to book a show / tour, check out:
Melvin's Brewing - Alpine, WY
Born in the mountains and built to party, Melvin is all about flavor, hops and taking things to the next level. Located in the Jackson Hole area.
The Chinook at Terry Bison Ranch - Cheyenne, WY
The Chinook is a concert event space, and festival grounds located at The Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Chinook is right off of I-25 on the Wyoming / Colorado border.
The Lincoln - Cheyenne, WY
Located in downtown this open-floor venue with a bar hosting live music performances with amazing national and regional acts. The Lincoln has a local performer application that can be found here
Outlaw Saloon - Cheyenne, WY
A world famous bar known for its great stage, music, drinks, and dancing.
Buckhorn Bar and Parlor - Laramie, WY
The Buckhorn Bar in Laramie, Wyoming was established in 1900. It's the oldest bar in Laramie and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Featuring music and open mics regularly.
Gryphon Theatre - Laramie, WY
The Gryphon Theatre was built in 1926 as part of a major addition to the East Side School (originally constructed in 1878) which is known as the Laramie Plains Civic Center.
Ruffed Up Duck Saloon - Laramie, WY
Amazing little neighborhood pub with darts, pool, and occasional live music.
Other Notable Venues
Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts - Laramie, WY
Home to the University of Wyoming's Music, Theatre, and Dance
Cheyenne Civic Center - Cheyenne, WY
Live music, theater performances, and events are hosted at this center featuring a cedar-lined interior.
Ford Wyoming Center - Casper, WY
The Ford Wyoming Center has set the stage with a myriad of concerts and special events including Sir Elton John, Garth Brooks, Tool, the Foo Fighters, and BB King. The arena in the Ford Wyoming Center is flexible in seating capacity and can host events for 2,000 up to 8,000.
Artists
There are so many incredible bands that share members with people who live up and down the front range. The “Laramie - Casper - Cheyenne - Fort Collins” pipeline is strong with bands driving hours to rehearse and play shows together. Here are just a few to check out:
Agony By Default. Laramie, Wyoming. Extreme metal from the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S.
A guy called us camping punk once.🌲🏔️🌻🏕️🌊 Jackson Hole / Salt Lake City
A live music presentation with exciting Wyoming and Western Songs about, Cowboys, The Oregon Trail, The Transcontinental Railroad, Lewis and Clark, Stories in Traditional Native American Indian Sign Language, Cowboy Poetry and World-Class Yodeling.
There's a moment when you can't help but notice her. Her voice. Her lyrics. Just when you wonder if she'll hit that note, she doesn't just hit it -- she blows you away. To describe her voice as stunning is to sell her short. "She stops everyone" a local guitarist once noticed. He was far from the only one.
Spaghetti-Infused Western Surf Rock from the High Plains of Wyoming! Featuring Shane Wallace on guitar and vocals, Dusty Richards on bass and baritone guitars.
Based in Cheyenne Wyoming, Fell Harvest strives to inject the somberness of 90s death doom with the energy of modern melodic death and thrash.
Singer ~ Songwriter ~ Music Therapist
Hoi Ann is an indie folk duo from Sheridan, Wyoming. Comprised of singer-songwriters Jay Egan-Wright and Michael Meier, the duo draws inspiration from the rugged beauty of Wyoming’s vast landscapes, infusing their music with a unique blend of Americana and electronic influences.
Jason Buchanan & The Short Timers
Jason Buchanan is an introspective singer-songwriter from Cheyenne via Southeast Texas whose music delves into the depths of human emotions and spirituality. Growing up in small towns surrounded by the beauty of nature, Jason's upbringing instilled in him a deep appreciation for the arts and a strong connection to his faith.
His catawampus songwriting explores roots & traditional music filtered through a contemporary dissonant transmitter: “Americana at its best”
The Libby Creek Original is a mainstay of the Wyoming music scene. Singer/songwriter Patrick Harrington and mandolinist Jackson Clarendon met in a basement in early 2012, and haven't quit singing together since.
Merskabah's musical journey began in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he developed a passion for guitar and a desire to be in a band. Growing up, he was inspired by art and spent his adolescence painting murals and immersing himself in the graffiti culture.
Singer/Songwriter, Recording/Performing Artist, Audio Engineer/Producer
The musical project of Seadar Rose and Aaron Davis, this duo “lends an easy Western flair to their more prominent native influences of North Carolina and Kentucky, a combination that goes down as smoothly as top-shelf bourbon.”
Speed the Pilgrim is: Josh Wolfson, John Posten, Travis Winchell. We're once again planning to work through our unresolved existential dread by performing a series of 3-4 minute songs, mostly in 4/4 time.
Ted LaRocca and the Creole Gentlemen
Ted LaRocca is a 3rd generation trumpet player hailing from and deeply entrenched in New Orleans music and culture. He is the grandson of Nick LaRocca, a Jazz Pioneer and developed his chops and a lot of his repertoire playing jazz and Mardi Gras music with a sprinkling of ballads attributed to his first favorite singer… his mother.
Teenage Bottlerocket is an American rock band formed in Laramie, Wyoming in 2000. The rock band was formed by twin brothers Ray and Brandon Carlisle, following the dissolution of their previous band, Homeless Wonders.
The Mashup is a dynamic Reggae band based in Colorado, led by guitarist and singer Gene Clemetson, a seasoned musician with roots in the NJ/NYC reggae scene since 1987. Gene has toured and recorded with legends like Burning Spear, Easy Star All-Stars, The Meditations, The Congos, and Wyclef Jean.
YOTP (Year Of The Pig) is a rock and roll band birthed from the subterranean underbelly of Cheyenne, Wyoming around 2003. The moniker originated from the initial four members sharing one commonality: we were all born in 1971.
Winct is an artist hailing from Cheyenne Wyoming who has pioneered his own musical flair, visual style and captivating storyline. Winct’s beat selection, introspection, and effortless flows create an aura of melancholic self awareness shrouded in occasionally upbeat production.
Rooted in Laramie, Wyoming, Wynona has been bringing their melodic indie rock to the Mountain West for over 10 years.
Music Friendly Festivals in Wyoming
Cheyenne Frontier Days, also known as the "Daddy of 'em All," is the oldest and largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration, having been held annually since 1897. A 10-day festival featuring national music acts and so much more.
They get high on bringing artists-on-the-rise (with unmatched energy and tremendous talent) to Cheyenne, and listening to their music reverberate through the West Edge neighborhood. Before Edge Fest, many of these artists had never performed in Wyoming before, and some had never toured in the Front Range region. But that’s what we love: bringing top performers and international superstars to a city that wants more music! And doing it for free!
Features orchestral, chamber, and solo performances of primarily classical music by world-class artists, and we foster a culture that draws outstanding musicians to Jackson Hole in support of this mission.
The Oyster Ridge Music Festival brings art to our community, enhances the quality of life through educational and cultural experiences, builds partnerships with other entities, and generates a substantial economic impact each year.
Targhee Bluegrass Music Festival
Returns for its 35th year with a 3-day lineup of music sure to bring down the house.
Snow King Mountain Resort presents King Concerts
Located at the summit stage, atop Snow King Mountain. Snow King Mountain is located within walking distance of Mountain Modern in downtown Jackson, WY.
DIY Concert Promoters
The Greenhouse Collective - Laramie
A team of community members committed to providing a safe all-ages space for artistic expression, with an emphasis on DIY productions and a penchant for the weird. They hope to strengthen the Laramie community’s social and cultural bonds by bringing it a wider variety of performances than it might have otherwise. Their core values include diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; we intend to promote those values at all events in which we are involved.
