music in the air

We love music, good food and nature. What better way to combine them than to go to an open air concert? We thought you'd agree.

Many of the world's most memorable concerts take place in venues  with backdrops painted by Mother Nature herself, providing a feast for ears and eyes. Some have wonderful expansive lawn areas where you can provide your own picnic, whether a simple basket of homemade eats or a lavish buffet set out for a grand feast.

Because there are so many wonderful places, we thought we'd start out with a few of our favorites around the U.S. We'll follow up in a later story with other great venues around the world.

This is just a list of highlights. There are innumerable other worthy outdoor concert venues worth exploring, maybe even some in your own hometown.

The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

One of the venerable outside venues that has stood the test of time, The Hollywood Bowl, which frequently tops lists for the best in outdoor experiences is a natural  amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills. Known for its exclusive "boxes," many of which have been passed down from family member to family member for generations, one of the most wonderful ways to experience the Bowl is by bringing a picnic and sprawling out on the lawn. Being in Los Angeles, the idea of a picnic can span from bringing a few goodies purchased at Gelson's supermarket to extraordinary displays of catering-quality dishes served with crystal and silver. The music has a vast range as well, starting with being the home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the summer digs of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Bowl plays host to a wonderful Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks, an evening of the movie music of John Williams as well as the Playboy Jazz Festival. Concerts range from popular artists like Harry Connick, Jr., John Mayer and the Dave Matthews Band to cultural musical events such as Viva Mexico and Reggae Night. For more information you can visit the Hollywood Bowl website.

Wolf Trap, Vienna, Virginia

A majestic amphitheater located in America's National Park for the Performing Arts, Wolf Trap offers world-class performances  overing every possible genre. The Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and offers over 90 performances a year as well as a variety of education programs, artist master classes, special events and a holiday sing-along. About half of the seating is covered with open sides with a view of the trees and hills. The rest of the seating is on a sloping lawn where those bringing picnics can spread out and enjoy. Recent concerts have ranged from the Music of James Bond, Bugs Bunny at the Symphony and Legally Blonde, The Musical, to An Evening with Tony Bennett, Donna Summer, Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Rebel Baroque and the Cypress String Quartet. For opera lovers, there is also the Wolf Trap Opera Company. Visit Wolf Trap for more.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado

_{photo: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau}

For sheer majesty of nature, it's hard to beat the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater in Colorado. The amphitheater, nestled in the Colorado mountains hosts concerts, films and pleasurable events of all types. Recent events included Blues Traveler with Rebelution, Colorado Symphony Orchestra - Symphony On The Rocks, Film On the Rocks - Raising Arizona, An Evening with the Gipsy Kings and the Global DanceFestival Colorado. The park is at 6,450 feet above sea level and provides a gorgeous view of the area where the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains meet. The Amphitheater is the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world. This is one venue that might warrant taking a day trip to see the surrounding locale as well as to enjoy whatever entertainment is being presented at the venue. It's a wonderful way to enjoy the wonder of nature and the talents of performers from all over the world at the same place. For a fun peek into what's happening there right now, you can have a look at the Red Rocks Webcam.

Ravinia, Highland Park, Illinois

Though the season for enjoying outdoor entertainment in and around the Chicago area may not be as long as it is in Los Angeles or other warmer climates, that doesn't stop the Ravinia Festival from blowing out one spectacular season after another for the folks in the midwest. The venue offers covered seating as well as a huge lawn, that is often packed with picnickers, who come hours before the entertainment begins to relax and enjoy great food and great friends. It's even a place to make new friends as the crowd is generally friendly and sharing. More than one occasion we've heard of champagne-sharing among the crowd. Again, the offerings here are incredibly diverse. This season for instance,  includes performances from Cheryl Crow and Colbie Callai, Counting Crows' Traveling Circus & Medicine Show, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Chanticleer, Sting, The B-52s and Earth, Wind & Fire to Dave Brubeck Quartet, Buena Vista Social Club, Jethro Tull, Renee Fleming, and Kiri Te Kanawa. The breadth of offerings ensures that there is sure to be something for everyone. The venue also offers a "Classical Grass Pass" that provides a savings off lawn admission for any 10 of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts during the season. Ravinia also has its own online radio station, which you can find here. For more on the venue and concerts visit the Ravinia Festival.

The Gorge, George, Washington

Like Red Rocks in Colorado, the Gorge Amphiteatre in Central Washington provides a scenic environment for taking in music and a spectacular view. The outdoor area seats 25,000 in a picturesque venue above the Columbia River Gorge. The venue was originally opened by winemakers  and was intended to be an area to grow grapes, but was later sold to a promoter and is now run by Live Nation for musical events. The music tends toward the contemporary, with artists such as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Joe Cocker, Kings of Leon, Van Morrison, Brad Paisley with Darius Rucker and Justin Moore and Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band just to name a few. For more on the Gorge and its concerts you can look here. 

Diana Laskaris