Lately, the world around us has been heavy. There’s no denying we’re all struggling, one way or another — our grievances overlap, intersect, and are occasionally very isolating. In all of that, music is an escape. More importantly, the shows we attend and the community we build give us a moment’s peace.
That is Mt. Joy’s mission.
Nearly every year since 2021 (excluding 2025), Mt. Joy has played a headline show at Red Rocks, for a total of 8 shows so far. And every time, it’s a section of time and space carved out to find a sense of happiness – or silver linings – through personal and political sufferings.
On August 13th on a stormy evening, they opened with Lemon Tree. How easy it was to forget the qualms of being soaking wet (for the first time in a long time for Colorado) and fearing of lightning’s return with an immediate reminder of how lucky we are to be here, together.
Mt. Joy is often playing their best of the best, which spans across all four of their albums Mt. Joy, Rearrange Us, Orange Blood, and most recently, Hope We Have Fun. Mt. Joy continues to reverberate positive energy across Red Rocks into Jenny Jenkins, Orange Blood, and Let Loose — reminding us to find peace in present moments, that there is comfort in being understood in all the anxiety-inducing complexities of life, and remaining humble.
Mt. Joy emerges again with a newer song, Coyote, off of their new album. This particular song has a Radiohead sound to it, which is quite different from Mt. Joy’s usual instrumentals; however, the lyrics are a bit of a mismatch from the tune, emphasizing community and adventure. They then shift the energy back into one of their classics, Dirty Love.
Through Mt. Joy’s albums, I found Rearrange Us to be my personal favorite. Quinn then moves into this album with Strangers, a song that is one of their least positive, yet most healing, and transitions beautifully into I’m Your Wreck, a song Matt Quinn had written for his grandmother and a nod that there is always a light somewhere, even when your head is dark.
This theme continues on throughout their show. Talks about love and anxiety in relationships, adventure and restless spirits, and critiques on our political environment echo through Red Rocks with a chorus of 10,000 people. Mt. Joy ends the set with Astrovan, a feel-good anthem with the reminder that no matter what you pursue, you’re gonna be okay.
The band has wrapped up their three night run in Colorado, finishing off at Fiddler’s Green. However, I don’t doubt they’ll be back again next August around the same time. Don’t miss out on a moment’s peace; the joy is worth it.
