Nothing says summer like a hot outdoor concert. In my opinion, summer is the best season for live music due to the longer days and sunny weather. This summer, there are a variety of artists performing at venues in and around Bloomington, so for the music lovers, here are ten Indiana concerts to attend in the coming months.
Soul trio Thee Sacred Souls will perform at the annual Granfalloon festival, a celebration of music and literary arts. The band is performing June 7 at The Granfalloon Main Stage Concert on East Kirkwood Avenue. Mavis Staples, Tortilla Jackson and Murder by Death will perform on the Main Stage that day, as well. This outdoor concert is free to attend.
Town Mountain performs June 14 at the Bluebird Nightclub on 216 N. Walnut St. in Bloomington as part of their North American tour. The North Carolina band is heavily influenced by the “alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude,” their website says. Tickets are $22.78 and entry is 21+ only.
The Gipsy Kings perform June 15 at the Brown County Music Center, which is a 30-minute drive from IU’s campus. This band is a group of flamenco, salsa and pop musicians from Southern France. Balcony tickets start at $50.65 and can be purchased on the Bloomington Theater website.
Mt. Joy is an indie-rock band performing June 17 at the Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, about an hour’s drive from IU’s campus. General admission lawn tickets are $67.65 and pit tickets start at $89.45 on Ticketmaster.
On June 28, the Greensky Bluegrass band will be performing at the Brown County Music Center. Greensky Bluegrass is a bluegrass band composed of five members that have sold out three nights at Red Rocks and toured North America multiple times. Balcony tickets start at $65.60 on the Bloomington Theater Website.
Teddy Swims will take to the stage July 9 at the Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park for his “I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy” tour. Swims is known for his genre-blending songs where he sings a mix of soul, country and pop. General admission lawn tickets are $141.61 and pit tickets are $366 on Ticketmaster.
This all-girl indie rock trio will be performing July 11 at the Switchyard Park Pavilion Lawn in Bloomington. The band was formed by campers of Girls Rock Bloomington, a nonprofit organization that provides programs like music lessons and summer camp to build community through music. The concert is free to attend.
Formed in Bloomington, Six Foot Blonde is a band that blends indie soul and retro pop. They released their first EP, “Tino’s Place,” in April 2023 and are currently touring across the country. They will be performing a free show August 15 at the Switchyard Park Main Stage in Bloomington.
Rappers Wiz Khalifa and Sean Paul are touring with special guest, fellow rapper DaBaby, and will perform July 13 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville — an hour and twenty-minute drive from IU’s campus. A standard lawn ticket costs $40.50 and pit tickets cost $122.
Indie-folk singer Claire Pendreigh performs Aug. 21 at People’s Park in Bloomington. She is a Bloomington local and has performed at various sets, including a themed event at the IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology this past Feb. The concert is free.
Even if you have never heard of these artists before, I recommend checking them out or looking out for other concerts near you. It can be intimidating to attend a concert if you aren’t a huge fan of the artist, but seeing a new artist perform live can be a great way to get out of your comfort zone and discover your next favorite musician. Check out this list of free concerts in Bloomington to discover even more local talent.
