Image via Complex Original
Summer doesn’t play fair. It gets the prime weather, the lack of school, and a majority of the best free concerts you’ll be able to attend all year. Question though: What if you’re not into the dog days of summer—the heavy sweaters among us just started nodding—but you want to enjoy a free show? Fret no more, autumn is packed with tons of great music opportunities all over America for the low price of “Free.99.”
Live On The Green Music Festival
When: August and September
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
As if you needed another excuse to head to Nashville, the city puts on a free concert series every autumn. During August and September, Music City residents can head to Public Square Park for four consecutive Thursdays to catch some of the biggest names in rock playing for free. 2015 will see performances from big names like Passion Pit, Ben Folds, Cold War Kids, Shakey Graves, and more.
Chevrolet Main Stage at the Texas State Fair
When: Sept. 25–Oct. 18
Location: Dallas
When considering the best things about a state fair, the list usually doesn’t get much further than deliciously fried items that are in no way good for you. The Texas State Fair has upped the ante with a loaded series of shows, from artists of all genres. While you’ll need to purchase an $18 ticket to the fair itself, being able to see acts like Lecrae, Lyfe Jennings, and The Beach Boys definitely makes it worth the price of admission.
Adams Avenue Street Fair
When: Sept. 26–27
Location: San Diego
It’s the perfect storm: Great weather (I mean, it’s San Diego), tons of beer, food, fun, and more than 100 acts across eight stages. This two-day festival attracts large crowds from all over the city, and it’s all free. Fun Fact: This year’s headliner—funk/R&B tenor sax player Big Jay McNeely—is 87 years old and might be funkier than everyone who has ever read this website...combined.
KRCW Twilight Concert Series
When: Now through Sept. 10
Location: Los Angeles
The venerable public radio station has been curating a free music series at the Santa Monica Pier for years. This year's series kicked off with a bang, partnering the legendary Morris Day and the Time with Snoop Dogg collaborator Dam-Funk. Expect performances from Ariel Pink, the Rebirth Brass Band, and tUnE-yArDs to round out the list of performers.
Tulsa Roots Rocks The Green
When: Sept. 6–Oct. 4
Location: Tulsa, Okla.
For five-straight weeks, Tulsa’s slept-on Arts District is putting on a free series of shows with music that runs the gamut from Afro-inspired pop by Vieux Farke Toure to a band called Shinyribs, that describes its sound as “Greazy Backwoods Americana.” Wait...why are you still reading this? Get to Tulsa!
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
When: Oct. 2–4
Location: San Francisco
You know how your friends are always saying, “You don’t listen to nearly enough bluegrass!” Turns out there’s a free festival in San Fran’s historic Golden Gate Park that has more fiddles than you know what to do with. And with more than 100 musical artists, on seven stages over three days, this fest should be the cure for the bluegrass deficient amongst us.
Rock of Vegas 2015 at Fremont Street Experience
When: TBD, dates through Sept. 6
Location: Las Vegas
While there’s no shortage of activity around Vegas, a free concert series at the Fremont Street Experience (you might know it as the location of Chris Brown’s “Loyal” video) is packing in some world-class talent with names like KC and The Sunshine Band, Dropkick Murphys, Theory of a Deadman, Spin Doctors, and Kansas & Blue Oyster Cult. Plus, many more dates and bands are set to be announced through the end of autumn.
Free Day of Music
When: Oct. 10
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
The Nashville Symphony’s annual fall concert is a celebration of all things music, with genres that extend past the usual classical tunes. The Symphony invites the community to participate, and last year over 7,000 people joined in to play everything from blues to jazz to barbershop. Of course, with it being Nashville, good money says you can also expect to hear some country.
TarFest 2015
When: Sept. 26
Location: Los Angeles
What’s better than a free concert? A free concert at the La Brea Tar Pits! Now in its third year, TarFest is an art-focused event put on by LAUNCH, an LA-based arts/culture cooperative. Catch a full day of free performances curated by LA radio station 88.5 KCSN, as well as food, drink, and some live painting demonstrations. This year’s lineup has yet to be announced but click here for details.