Over two sold-out nights on Labor Day weekend, Gregory Alan Isakov, his band, and the Colorado Symphony performed at Morrison, Colorado’s venerable Red Rocks. The venue belongs on every avid concertgoer’s bucket list. From the parking lots, the venue practically requires a hike to reach. Then the first glimpse of the massive stone faces abutting the seating area (shaped out of the rock itself) can leave one awestruck. On the evening of 6th September, concertgoers were blessed to hear Isakov’s intricate arrangements in an amazing setting, with lovely weather.
In 2016, Isakov released a live album with the Symphony. Since 2024, he’s made Labor Day weekend with the Symphony a fixture of his touring, a fitting venue for the Boulder, Colorado-based musician. The two-hour 2026 iteration leaned into songs from his more recent albums, 2023’s Appaloosa Bones and 2018’s Evening Machines, but also tapped the fan favorites from his earlier three records.
Isakov and his banjo began the first set with the introspective “Before the Sun” before moving on to “Amsterdam”, where the music flowed gently down the canals, concluding with the band’s voices joining Isakov’s in a rich embrace. In comparison, the hushed instrumentation on “Appaloosa Bones” drew the audience into the intimacy.
After a short break, the musicians returned for a second set, kicking off with “Terlingua” and “The Fall” before Isakov paused to “introduce [the audience] to my favorite people”, his backing band, which includes Steve Varney (piano), Max Barcelow (drums), Jeb Bows (violin), Danny Black (pedal steel) and John Grigsby (bass). He went on to shower praise on the orchestra: “There’s all these incredible musicians playing. I’m still the worst musician on the entire stage,” and, to show appreciation for the audience, “Thank you again for being here.”
“A Stable Song”, the track that introduced Isakov to many a listener, followed not long after, eliciting a positive, spine-tingling sensation along with the swell of the orchestra. “Caves” was another highlight as the rocky outcrop seemed to reverberate with the orchestra’s percussion and the sweeping lights.
For the encore, Gregory Alan Isakov and band gathered around a single mic for an acoustic take of “Feed Your Horses”. Then Isakov had a little surprise for the audience. The crowd screamed with delight as he welcomed fellow Colorado local Nathaniel Rateliff to perform the live debut of their collaboration, “Flowers,” with their deep voices in harmony over acoustic guitars.
Saying farewell to Rateliff, Isakov’s band returned to close out the night with “Saint Valentine”, a delightful, upbeat tune that sent the audience out on a high note. Isakov’s show at Red Rocks was simply amazing. Hopefully he’ll release an updated recording with the symphony.
