2026 concerts

[clonedude]

You’re right, I always thought it was an outdoor venue but looks like it is in a barn.

Codfish Hollow is great! Saw Wilderado there a couple years ago. Such a different experience... but awesome! It is in a really cool barn, but they leave the one end nearly entirely open.



There's usually plenty of room inside the barn for everyone that wants to be in there, but some people just hang out outside, relax on the hillside, and just listen to the music from there.

Inside...

 

[JM4CY]

Codfish Hollow is great! Saw Wilderado there a couple years ago. Such a different experience... but awesome! It is in a really cool barn, but they leave the one end nearly entirely open.

View attachment 150140

There's usually plenty of room inside the barn for everyone that wants to be in there, but some people just hang out outside, relax on the hillside, and just listen to the music from there.

Inside...

View attachment 150141

I’m jealous. I think Wilderado is super underrated

 

[clonedude]

I’m jealous. I think Wilderado is super underrated

Seen them 3 times now. Always been good.

 

[Frak]

I have a hankering for an outdoor show this summer. Question for you concert junkies: What are the best outdoor venues in the Midwest?

We’ve been going to stir concert cove in Council Bluffs a few years now. It’s just a big berm on the backside of the casino where you can bring lawn chairs. But they get some smaller or older acts.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Just got back from seeing the Black Keys at Red Rocks. Just an awe inspiring venue for a concert. It was about 56 with light rain, we didn’t dress for getting wet, and there was quite a breeze at times, so we were pretty damn cold but once it started, didn’t matter a bit. The Black Keys were everything I expected too. I loved everything about the whole thing.

 

[CascadeClone]

Just saw dubFX in Denver, small venue maybe 150 ppl. Gf is a HUGE fan. Great show, really enjoyed it, highly recommend.

 

[Frak]

Cake at the Astro Amphitheater in La Vista last night. They were really good! There were maybe 3 songs all night that I didn’t recognize. Guess I didn’t expect them to be so old just because they were popular in the 2000’s. But the lead singer is 60. Venue is brand new and a good place to see a concert. Maybe seats 500 at most. Thinking about going back in July to catch Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors.

 

[drlove]

Just saw dubFX in Denver, small venue maybe 150 ppl. Gf is a HUGE fan. Great show, really enjoyed it, highly recommend.

Cervantes is a lot of fun!

 

[CascadeClone]

Cervantes is a lot of fun!

Agree. Small venue, my kind of atmosphere. Much better than a stadium show.

Were you there??

 

[drlove]

Agree. Small venue, my kind of atmosphere. Much better than a stadium show.

Were you there??

Not this time. ophelias is another good little place

 

[Cyclonepride]

Just got back from Blackberry Smoke at Val Air. Good show, as good in person as they are recorded. Was very loud, would have been better turned down just a bit, particularly as they sing well and don't need the music to cover it up. At any rate, great to see them in person!

 

[JP4CY]

Fun drum solo by 311 last night in Waukee.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Goose is playing a free show in Iowa City on 8/28 at Hancher Green if you are in to jam bands. These guys are legit and just sold out Madison Square Garden.

 

[Clonefan32]

This guy went to a 2025 concert and probably wishes he didn't:



CEO of a big tech company and his HR Director. Whoopsie.

 

[KnappShack]

This guy went to a 2025 concert and probably wishes he didn't:



CEO of a big tech company and his HR Director. Whoopsie.

 

[Nothingman]

Beck was great last night at Water Works. It was so hot and humid to start but by 7:30 it turned out to be a fairly nice evening. The Des Moines symphony killed it. While there were some small areas to avoid, it was a lot less muddy than I was expecting.

Looking forward to Spike and the Gimme Gimmes at Wooly’s tonight. I’ve been listening to them since my ISU days 25 years ago but have never caught a show.

 

[Clonefan32]

Got a free pass so braved Hinterland again on Saturday. I'll give them credit, they took last year's disaster and made some awesome changes. So much more room and so much better prepared. The transportation logistics will always be a mess with one way in and one way out, but that was worlds better this year.

 

[AirWalke]

Got a free pass so braved Hinterland again on Saturday. I'll give them credit, they took last year's disaster and made some awesome changes. So much more room and so much better prepared. The transportation logistics will always be a mess with one way in and one way out, but that was worlds better this year.

Agreed. Last year the walk from the 1-Day GA parking to the amphitheater was BRUTAL. I didn't realize they had chosen a completely new spot for the main stage this year, so I was getting ready for the long walk again when suddenly the entrance showed up. The new spot allows for a HUGE concourse, and while it was crowded again this year, it didn't feel nearly as suffocating. (The temps helped.)

We went yesterday for Day 3. I only went because my wife wanted to see Bleachers and Lana del Ray, but my expectations for Bleachers was way to low, they knocked their set out of the park! They were so fun. Lana was good too, made for a nice nightcap. We didn't stay for the whole thing, we wanted to get ahead of traffic, which sounds like it sucked leaving again. (Some people couldn't get out of the lots until 2-3am.)

 

[cycloneman003]

Saw Ghost at Fiserv in Milwaukee last week. First show I've been to that phones were banned. They all had to be placed in Yondr pouches at entry. So you scanned your tickets, they printed a "receipt" of sorts with your seat location and then they placed your phone in a pouch that was locked and could only be unlocked at specific locations in the arena if needed and/or upon exit after the show.

Resulted in me having no pictures/videos of what was an AMAZING live show, but was a really cool/unique experience. The crowd seemed infinitely more engaged with the music/performance than normal. Anyone else have similar experiences with phone-free events? I really enjoyed it.

 

[Clonefan32]

Agreed. Last year the walk from the 1-Day GA parking to the amphitheater was BRUTAL. I didn't realize they had chosen a completely new spot for the main stage this year, so I was getting ready for the long walk again when suddenly the entrance showed up. The new spot allows for a HUGE concourse, and while it was crowded again this year, it didn't feel nearly as suffocating. (The temps helped.)

We went yesterday for Day 3. I only went because my wife wanted to see Bleachers and Lana del Ray, but my expectations for Bleachers was way to low, they knocked their set out of the park! They were so fun. Lana was good too, made for a nice nightcap. We didn't stay for the whole thing, we wanted to get ahead of traffic, which sounds like it sucked leaving again. (Some people couldn't get out of the lots until 2-3am.)

I think the parking is an issue you just can't solve. There is one, two-lane highway. I'm not sure what more could be done.