Red Butte Concert Series Jams 22 Shows Into Two Months

Red Butte Garden announced the lineup of its 2021 Outdoor Concert Series Tuesday and, on the same day, one of the headlining acts was already sold out on the Garden’s website. Don’t let that deter you. There are still 21 more concerts scheduled for the endlessly popular Red Butte Garden Concert Series.

With the backdrop of a 21-acre botanical garden, thousands of music lovers will lay out blankets on the grass to settle in for the return of a summer staple. Last year’s concert series never happened, thanks to the pandemic, and, this year, organizers seem to be making up for the deficit of good tunes with at least two shows every week through September.

This year’s Red Butte Garden Concert Series kicks off July 30 with Nashville-based Jason Isbell, one of the best-known singer-songwriters in the country right now (tickets on the Red Butte Garden website are already sold out). The theme of Americana continues with the band Drive-By Truckers playing Aug. 1, Mat Kearney, another Nashville-based musician, on Aug. 4 and country singer Travis Tritt on Aug. 6.

If that’s not your jam, never fear, rock band Wilco will perform with mavens of riot grrrl Sleater-Kinney on Aug. 8. The rest of the lineup includes more rock—from alt to classic to contemporary—pop, funk, folk and soul. 

Individual concert tickets go on sale online first to Red Butte Garden members on Monday, June 21. Tickets then open to the general public on Monday, June 28, and tickets will sell out fast. Before you go, double check the venue’s restrictions on the size of chair you can bring as well as outside food and drink (and make the most out of your experience with Salt Lake‘s tips on how to Red Butte.) 

Full Red Butte Concert Series Lineup

• Friday, July 30: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit with Lucinda Williams 
• Sunday, Aug. 1: Drive-By Truckers with Cha Wa
• Wednesday, Aug. 4: Mat Kearney
• Friday, Aug. 6: Travis Tritt
• Sunday, Aug. 8: Wilco and Sleater-Kinney with Nnamdï
• Tuesday, Aug. 10: 38 Special
• Sunday, Aug. 15: Dee Dee Bridgewater and Meshell Ndegeocello
• Monday, Aug. 16: Galactic with Dumpstaphunk
• Thursday, Aug. 19: Watchhouse
• Sunday, Aug. 22: Blind Boys of Alabama and North Mississippi Allstars
• Thursday, Aug. 26: Counting Crows
• Sunday, Aug. 29: Neko Case
• Thursday, Sept. 2: Squeeze with Colin Hay
• Sunday, Sept. 5: Rodrigo y Gabriela with David Keenan
• Wednesday, Sept. 8: Roger Daltrey with Dan Bern
• Sunday, Sept. 12: Kenny Loggins
• Tuesday, Sept. 14: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
• Thursday, Sept. 16: Michael Franti & Spearhead
• Wednesday, Sept. 22: Billy Strings
• Thursday, Sept. 23: Khruangbin
• Wednesday, Sept. 29: JJ Grey & Mofro
• Thursday, Sept. 30: Emmylou Harris

While you’re here, check out our Art & Entertainment section for more music and the latest issue of Salt Lake magazine.