The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is gearing up for one of its most eclectic and exciting summers yet, with a string of newly announced Amp Summer Concerts spanning jam band royalty, progressive bluegrass, New Orleans funk, and mainstream country. Summer concertgoers will experience The Amp in a whole new light, with brand new pavilion seating as part of a sweeping $19 million capital transformation.
Trey Anastasio returns to The Amp
A highlight of the summer season will be a solo acoustic performance from Phish frontman Trey Anastasio on June 3.
Anastasio has a deep connection to The Amp and the Vail Valley. He first performed at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in 1992, when Phish opened for Santana during a memorable freak snowstorm. That night, Trey sat in with Santana in a moment that would later be immortalized in the Phish song “Walfredo.”
More than a quarter-century later, Trey returned to The Amp with the Trey Anastasio Band (TAB) for two sold-out performances in 2019. TAB returned again in 2022, sharing stories from that legendary 1992 show with fans. This time, Anastasio will be taking the stage on his own, allowing fans to form an even deeper connection with him.
“Trey Anastasio has been a fan favorite in Vail since Phish’s legendary 1992 performance, and we can’t wait to welcome him back,” said Dave Dressman, VP of the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. “Trey is part of the fabric of our history at The Amp. The energy and connection he has with our community is special. To have Trey perform a solo acoustic show at The Amp will be a very special memory for everyone lucky enough to be in attendance.”
While not officially part of the GoPro Mountain Games Mountains of Music concert series, Trey Anastasio’s performance on June 3 will mark an exciting kickoff to the four-day festival taking place in Vail June 4-7. The full Mountains of Music lineup will be revealed tomorrow, March 17.
Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday, March 20 at 10:00am at grfavail.com.
Greensky Bluegrass, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and more
Greensky Bluegrass is coming to The Amp for a two-night run on August 14 and 15. The five-piece Michigan-born band has built one of the most devoted followings in the jam and bluegrass world, and their reputation for extended, improvisational live sets makes two nights at The Amp a rare opportunity for fans to experience the full scope of what they do.
On August 13, the night before Greensky Bluegrass, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will return to the Amphitheater stage, this time alongside co-headliner St. Paul & The Broken Bones. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue have played at The Amp several times. Most recently, they performed last summer as part of the Mountains of Music concert series and left an impression that demanded an encore. Hailing from New Orleans, their blend of funk, soul, rock and hip-hop will fuse seamlessly with the Birmingham-based soul powerhouse of St. Paul & The Broken Bones, transporting audiences directly from Vail to the American South.
Country fans will have their moment on September 10 when Georgia-born singer-songwriter Cole Swindell brings his high-energy show to The Amp. Fresh off his fifth studio album, Spanish Moss, the set list is guaranteed to be fresh while including many of his chart-topping hits, including “You Should Be Here” and “She Had Me at Heads Carolina.”
In addition to the newly announced shows, The Amp’s Summer Concert Series already includes:
- June 19 — O.A.R.
- August 16 — Alison Krauss & Union Station
- August 18 — The Australian Pink Floyd Show
- August 21 — Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
- August 25 — Ray LaMontagne
“We’ve already got a stacked lineup at The Amp for summer 2026, and we’re not done yet,” Dressman said. “From Trey Anastasio to Greensky Bluegrass, Trombone Shorty to Cole Swindell, and more shows still to be announced, we are building an artist roster that reflects the extraordinary range of talent we are able to bring to the Colorado mountains. To top it off, our guests will get to experience all of it in a beautifully renovated venue. It’s going to be a summer to remember.”
Tickets are on sale now at grfavail.com.
A new chapter for The Amp: $19 million renovation underway
This summer’s concerts will mark the debut of a dramatically refreshed Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. The venue is currently wrapping up the first phase of a $19 million renovation project, and audience members this summer will get to test out the venue’s new myrtle green seats, with upholstered cushions and cup holders.
The new seating is expected to be in place by Après at The Amp (April 10–11), the venue’s first major event of 2026 and the first opportunity for audiences to experience the renovation firsthand.
The seating overhaul is just the beginning. The $19 million, three-year renovation is the most significant in the venue’s nearly 40-year history. Future phases will bring expanded and remodeled concessions, green room and dressing room improvements, box office upgrades, a new flexible multi-use studio and event space, improved lighting and acoustics, and expanded storage. All work is planned for off-season winter months, with a target completion date of May 2028.
The renovation is part of the Vail Valley Foundation’s $72 million Empowering Possibility Capital Campaign, a multi-year initiative designed to transform arts, athletics, education, and community support services throughout the Eagle River Valley for the next generation.
Learn more at empower.vvf.org.