Greensky Bluegrass celebrated its 20th headlining performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre just outside of Morrison, CO, last Saturday with a concentrated showcase of what makes the band truly special. Though Greensky brought an opening act, Margo Price, the band eschewed tradition and kept the focus on its own sound and show. Instead of bringing Price or any number of potential Denver-area special guests out for collaboration, Greensky Bluegrass marked this milestone as the core band of five.
Though the evening marked Greensky’s 20th headlining appearance at Red Rocks, that wasn’t the only anniversary the band was celebrating. This year is also Greensky Bluegrass’ 25th anniversary, and its upcoming disc, October 31st’s XXV, punctuates the year-long jubilation with a series of song remakes with a cavalcade of special guests, including Billy Strings, Sam Bush, Lindsay Lou, Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman, and many more.
Mandolinist/lead singer/frontman Paul Hoffman, one of the finer singing voices in modern jamgrass, used his pipes and the powerfully sorrowful lyrics of the “All Four” opener to launch the show to great heights from the very first notes. The entire evening was a remarkable balancing act of restraint and musically expansive jams. None of the songs shared over the course of the show were the longest or deepest they’ve ever gone, not by far. But the focus and constraint shown in the opening “All Four” established an overall sense of urgency that persisted through the night.
Greensky Bluegrass — “All Four” > “Little Maggie” (Traditional) — 9/13/25
Whether it was a more rough and ready song from guitarist Dave Bruzza, like ”Little Maggie” or “Radio Blues”, or one of Hoffman’s gut-wrenching tracks, like “Living Over” or “In Control”, the love that resonated through each vocalist for the material was undeniable. When the two partnered on vocal duty, as they did on a cover of Traveling Wilburys‘ “Handle With Care”, the dichotomy of their voices showcased the strength of a band whose sum of its parts is greater than the individuals alone.
Beyond the notable vocal abilities on display, the level of musicianship at any Greensky show is never anything but transcendent. Banjo player Michael Bont has a seemingly endless set of rolls, fills, and dramatic trills in his repertoire. Bassist Mike Devol adds a punchy, pitch-perfect heartbeat that allows his more melodic bandmates the space to shoot off their fireworks. Couple all that with the expressive, captivating dobro work by Anders Beck, and the reasons for the fan adulation become all too apparent.
At one point early in the first set, Beck took the mic and addressed the magic in the air, and made sure the crowd was having as good a time as they were. Following that speech with a resonant “Grow Together” was a perfect example of stagecraft, making the song’s sweet sentiment, one that only improves with age, all the more impressive.
You don’t make it to 25 years as a band without assembling a rock-solid crew to help you deliver your best, night in and night out. Greensky’s sound is always locked in, and longtime lighting director Andrew Lincoln paints every stage, and in this case, rock formation, with pulses of color and washes of light that complement but never distract from the music.
Greensky Bluegrass — “Screams” — 9/13/25
Sadly, a tragic event had recently rocked the Colorado community and could not go unaddressed. On September 10th, another senseless high school shooting occurred in nearby Evergreen, CO, where a teenage gunman critically injured two other students before turning the gun on himself—later dying from his injuries. Denver area resident Paul Hoffman, who himself has a child in the local school system, expressed love for his community, clearly pained and strained by the most recent round of violence visited upon the most innocent of all.
Though Hoffman professed not to have a solution to offer, he did have some words of peace and love that could certainly help the matters at hand. He expressed his love for all and implored the audience to hug a stranger. Hoffman’s moving message echoed a similar sentiment in the second set’s “Leap Year”, particularly the line “How can one more day make a year so long?” Some days are harder and longer than others, but all can be survived if we work together.
That epic “Leap Year” was split up by Pink Floyd‘s “Time” and Breathe (Reprise)”, before surging back into “Leap Year”. The integration of GSBG’s own work and the more psychedelic tunes from Floyd’s iconic The Dark Side Of The Moon was the high point of the night. The jam was dramatic yet playful, and the emotional journey in that mash-up, as it went from darkness to jubilation, was as cathartic a sonic voyage as can be undertaken by any band. After such a profound statement, Greensky closed the second set with a simple wave and retreated offstage.
As the band returned for the encore, Anders empathetically reiterated what is more than obvious to anyone who pays attention, saying plainly, “We love you. Greensky Bluegrass love you! Don’t forget that!” Beck noted how lucky the band felt to get to do what they do, and that they were well aware that the reason for their good fortune was those who were there in person and around the world who love and support them. After such an earnest and heartfelt ode, the faithful let the Greensky Bluegrass know the feeling was decidedly mutual.
Launching into the encore, a pressure cooker run through of “Kerosene”, the urgency of the entire show crystallized, and the energy coalesced beautifully. If the whole of the show, and the members’ careers, had led to this one last tune, they could surely walk away pleased at how it went. As the crowd’s serenade slowly faded and the exhausted fans dispersed into the cool night, Greensky Bluegrass finally caught its collective breath.
Though it’s a year of anniversaries and special shows, the band didn’t reach this point by pondering its own potential and longevity. The five men who comprise Greensky Bluegrass built their legacy by sacrificing stability in order to relentlessly tour, spending countless hours honing their respective and collaborative skills, powered by sheer love of music itself. That sort of passion and dedication got Greensky Bluegrass through 25 years as a band and earned the group its 20th headlining appearance at Red Rocks, and it’s what is going to carry the band through the next 25 years, universe willing.
Check out a collection of videos of Greensky Bluegrass at Red Rocks by Max Berde. Up next for the band is a string of Northeast tour dates, with a two-night hometown Halloween run in Kalamazoo, MI, with Sam Bush, Holly Bowling, and Lindsay Lou looming next month. Find tickets and tour dates here and on the band’s website.
nugs All Access subscribers can rewatch Greensky Bluegrass’ full Red Rocks show on demand here. Not subscribed yet? Start a seven-day free trial here. [Editor’s note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your subscription via the links on this page helps to support our work covering the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]
Greensky Bluegrass — “Change” — 9/13/25
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Setlist: Greensky Bluegrass | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 9/13/25
Set One: All Four > Little Maggie (Traditional), Change [1], New Barns, Grow Together, Streetlight > Handle with Care (Travelling Wilburys), Run or Die
Set Two: Radio Blues, Living Over, Screams, Past My Prime, Cold Feet, In Control > Can’t Stop Now (Gary Nicholson, Wendy Waldman), Leap Year > Time (Pink Floyd) > Breathe Reprise (Pink Floyd) > Leap Year
Encore: Kerosene
[1] FTP