All we have to say is: Gregory Alan Isakov, everybody! He played an amazing show at Red Rocks on September 4, 2023. Supporting him was Jeremiah Fraites from The Lumineers.

Jeremiah Fraites

As we entered Red Rocks, the ethereal sound of a piano reverberating off of the red sandstone filled our senses. Jeremiah truly set the stage for a September evening to transcend the most creative imagination. Throughout his entire set, we felt like a part of the music.

His album, Piano Piano, was the title chosen by Jeremiah’s wife, Francesca, who is Italian. In Italian it translates to “little by little”, which he loves because this project really has come along little by little. He pays tribute and thanks to his wife, who inspired this album project during the pandemic.

In his final song, he stood up from the piano and began conducting the 3-string orchestra, finalizing the evening with a group bow to the crowd. The crowd shared their excitement with a standing ovation.

And yes, of course he played a few classic Lumineers songs throughout the show. What a dream.

Written by Alisha Nabours

Gregory Alan Isakov

The big screens were only in black and white, and the set began in the dark. Gregory slowly gave life to the stage, and quickly gave the anticipatory and attentive fans exactly what they’d been waiting for since his tickets sold out months ago. The long-awaited new album, Appaloosa Bones, was a hit to not only his longtime fans, but to many new fans. Gregory, a local Boulder artist and farmer does not disappoint in his debut of the album at a sold-out Red Rocks show.

Gregory’s first spoken words were, “It’s so damn good to be home.” A lyric from his first song, “Go it on my own..”, seems to be a theme across Isakov’s seven albums. He’s been wildly successful at embracing the lonely and bringing warmth to anyone that may feel it themselves.

Gregory’s first spoken words were, “It’s so damn good to be home.”

Getting to witness Gregory’s incredible bandmates live is another level, allowing the music to transcend you. Each musician could stand on their own, but together, just wow. If the musical talent itself wasn’t enough, Gregory’s voice takes it all to the next level.

A rare event occurred at Red Rocks as he started to sing… silence. The entire crowd had his attention. If you’ve been to many Red Rocks shows, you know the crowd can get so rowdy that it’s hard to hear the music. But on this night, everyone was captivated. Gregory also paused the music at one point to thank opener, Jeremiah Fraites. He shared how Fraites’ Piano Piano album was such an important and inspirational album for him.

A highlight from the evening was when Bonnie Paine of Elephant Revival “showed up” and the crowd lost their minds. There aren’t two singers that pair more harmoniously than these two. They both have a unique and almost otherworldly sound, and when you put the two together there’s some kind of magic made.

To top off the evening, Gregory gave the crowd a double encore…a rarity in the live music scene. Safe to say the fans loved it. What an incredible end to a fantastic evening.

Written by Alisha Nabours