THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO GREAT LIVE MUSIC IN 2024THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO GREAT LIVE MUSIC IN 2024

Maybe you're driving clear across the country to see a bucket list show, or just taking the backroads to your favorite hometown venue. Either way, we hope you’re showing up early with some friends, dropping a tailgate and sharing songs & whatever’s ice’d down in the cooler.

And if you can’t get there early then you can surely stay late. Find a scenic overlook or a friend's backyard & share your newly minted musical experience while you relive the set-list amongst the stars.

If home is a day or two away, take the scenic route and roll the windows down. Plug in a mic and let the backseat karaoke kill some time.

All in good company, these are the moments Turtlebox is built for. From the pre-show excitement and post-show hang, to long down the road somewhere when a song comes on and takes you back to a special moment in time. 

Need some inspiration for a summertime road trip with a musical destination in mind? Here’s a brief outline of what might be the itinerary you're looking for.

START HERE: Caveman Festival @Monument Lake Resort in Weston, CO August 30th-September 1st. Featuring Turtlebox artist Red Shahan amongst others including the Red Clay Strays, Jamestown Revival & Kurt Vile & The Violators. With beautiful views of the Rockies in the backdrop, pitch a tent or book a room at the lodge & take in the sights & sounds of one of the most unique live music festivals in the country.

PIT-STOP HERE: Leave Colorado & head south on Hwy 522 towards Arroyo Seco, where just a few miles East stands the tallest natural point in the state of New Mexico, Wheeler Peak. At 13,167 Ft, the high elevation air will provide a much needed cool-down after one of the hottest summers on record in the U.S. Spend a night under the stars, we recommend finding a spot in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area which is in close proximity to the artistic colony of Taos. Take in the museums, Native American history & culture on your way out. 

END UP HERE: Hit the dusty trail through West Texas & experience what it’s like to literally find yourself in the middle of nowhere. Take it from us native Texans, there may seem like a void here but there is also immense beauty in the wide open skies of the lone star state. Just keep those wheels turning between the lines & you’ll eventually find yourself in the live music capital of the world, Austin,TX.

STAY HERE: When you roll into Austin, hitch a right down S.Congress and have your pick of the litter amongst some of the nicest boutique hotels in all the land, our favorite is the Austin Motel. We know what you’re thinking, “I’ve come all this way for a motel?”. Trust us, this place is steeped in history, clean renovations and the vintage vibes make you feel like Wooderson is gonna hop the fence & join you by the pool. It’d be a lot cooler if he did.

SEE A LIVE SHOW: Our good friend & Turtlebox artist Thomas Csorba (Shor-buh) is hitting the stage at Sam’s Town Point, some 9 miles south of town. An eclectic, time-capsule jukebox joint. Complete with old sofa’s on the porch, ice cold Lone Star beer & pool cues that have been in service since 1987. Thomas & his band will fit right in with their genuine, hard earned sound. Once the show is over, make a pit-stop at the Continental Club & witness some of the greatest musicians nobody’s ever heard of doing their thing.

EAT HERE: Attached right to the Austin Motel is the diner of your dreams, Joann’s Fine Foods. Upscale Tex-Mex that feeds the soul with downhome vibes. If you stick around Austin long enough, you will eat your weight in tacos. So for lunch? Hit up Veracruz, a local favorite that sets up shop at Radio Coffee, a cafe that doubles as a watering hole for local craft beer drinkers. Once you walk off the craft beer & tacos, take a dip in Barton Springs & find a spot for dinner. For BBQ,  we recommend skipping the line at those famous spots & trying something a little different. Down Lamar Blvd lies Loro, an Asian smokehouse that serves up world class smoked meats under the supervision of BBQ legend Aaron Franklin. Not feeling the smoke? Try something fresh and potentially mind blowing at Suerte on E. 6th St. A contemporary Mexican restaurant serving up delicious cocktails and food made with local ingredients. This puts you in the heart of the East side, Mezcal bars, cumbia music & honky tonks. The perfect way to close out your stay. 

A closer look at one of the hardest working bands in country music and their frontman, Turtlebox ambassador Shane Smith.

Much like the title of their latest album, “Norther” , Shane Smith & The Saints have taken the scene by storm. A culmination of their enduring spirit, relentless effort & raw talent, listening to this record feels like you’re quite literally riding a storm cloud through the great western expanse. Pretty epic stuff. 

For whatever plans you have ahead, we highly recommend making a pit stop to see one of these live shows.

Aug 1st - Nantucket, MA: Arcy Drive @ The Gaslight 

Aug. 3rd- New Braunfels, TX: Shane Smith & The Saints take the stage at Whitewater Amphitheater, just south of Austin where the Guadalupe river flows under the cottonwoods of the hill country, take in a show under the Texas sky. 

Aug. 4th - Greenville, SC: Andrew Duhon @ Radio Room - 28 Liberty Lane 

Aug 8th - Raleigh, NC: Watchhouse @ The North Carolina Museum of Art

Aug 9th - Salt Lake City, UT: Sons of The East @ Soundwell 

Aug 16th - Houston, TX: Kings of Leon @ Toyota Center

Aug. 20th/21st - Morrison, CO: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre to showcase their newly released album “South of Here”. Warming up the crowd both nights are the critically-acclaimed band Futurebirds. 

Aug 22nd  - Missoula, MT: Pearl Jam @ Washington - Grizzly Stadium 

Aug 24th - Denver, CO: Felly @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom 

Aug 31st - Weston, CO: The Red Clay Strays @ Caveman Music Festival

Sept. 6th- Austin, TX: Thomas Csorba graces the stage at Sam’s Town Point, a time capsule from the glory days Texas Honkey Tonk dive bars. Neon light fixtures, old wood floors & the feeling that you’re right where you need to be. 

Sept. 8th - Santa Barbara, CA: Iration @ Santa Barbara Bowl 

Sept. 13th Vail, CO: Amos Lee @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre

Sept. 11th Portland, OR: John Moreland @ Wonder Ballroom

Sept. 18th - Atlanta, GA: MK.GEE @ Tabernacle 

Sept. 24th Evanston, IL: Briscoe @ SPACE

Oct 1st - Pittsburg, PA: Lake Street Dive @ Stage AE

Oct. 9th - San Francisco, CA: Lily Meola opening for Wild Rivers @ Delmar Hall 

Oct 11th - Denver, CO: Goth Babe @ Mission Ballroom 

Oct. 13th - Solana Beach, CA: Wilderado @ Belly Up 

Oct 15th - St Augustine, FL: Vampire Weekend @ St Augustine Amphitheatre 

Oct. 16th - Fayetteville, AR: The Stews @ George's Majestic Lounge 

Oct. 19th - Richmond, VA: Colony House opens for Flipturn @ Browns Island 

Oct. 31th - Phoenix, AZ: Inhaler @ The Van Buren 

Nov 1st - Fredericksburg, TX: Silverada @ Luckenbach 

Nov. 2nd - Dallas, TX: 49 Winchester opens for Whiskey Myers @ Dos Equis Pavillion  

Nov 3rd - New Orleans, LA: ALEXSUCKS @ The Joy Theatre 

Nov. 9th - Stillwater, OK: Corey Kent @ Tumbleweed Dancehall & Concert Venue 

Nov 13th - Charlotte, NC: Tedeschi Trucks Band @ Ovens Auditorium 

Dec 5th - Nashville, TN: Joshua Ray Walker opening for Brent Cobb @ The Ryman Auditorium 

Dec 10th - New York, NY: Stephen Wilson Jr @ The Gramercy Theatre 

We’ve plugged all of these great tunes into a playlist just for you!