How Washington’s will further transform the growing Fort Collins music scene
It was a bold undertaking to shut down Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill and turn it into a music venue. With the location being only blocks away from the current largest venue in the city, the Aggie Theatre, you had to wonder if this was an essential addition to Fort Collins.
As the venue prepares to open its doors this weekend (February 3 to be exact), there is no reason to be anything but excited for what Washington’s has to offer the Fort Collins music scene. I expect the venue to be successful not just because it’s bigger than anything Fort Collins has had before, but because the town has clearly committed itself to supporting the music scene.
Fort Collins’ dedication to a thriving local music scene can be seen in the success of the Downtown Artery, an art space that experienced several setbacks in their early years, but eventually re-opened in 2015 as a full coffee shop and concert venue. The Artery now hosts several monthly events for artists around the community, as well as performances from national touring acts such as Built to Spill and The Mountain Goats.
The opening of The Music District further displayed the intention of the city to support local music. A hub for Fort Collins musicians to come and share their ideas, The Music District provides a space for local artists to practice their craft and grow as musicians.
Give a lot of credit to The Bohemian Foundation. The group, focused on creating a stronger community, was responsible for the creation of The Music District. After realizing the extent to which Fort Collins’ music scene was growing, they turned their sights to an old bar that seemed like a perfect spot for a new concert venue.
The 900-capacity room makes Washington’s the largest music venue in Fort Collins. While that might pale in comparison to something like the 4000-capacity Fillmore Auditorium down in Denver, it still marks a very important moment in the Fort Collins music scene, as the venue offers a space for larger national touring bands to play in this smaller Northern Colorado city.
It’s no secret that Denver is the hot stop for touring musicians, but Washington’s gives Fort Collins an optimism that more artists will consider playing shows here. The venue features state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, and the interior decor rivals some of the nicest venues in Colorado.
The Aggie and the Artery have had their share of success in bringing larger acts to Fort Collins, but both venues are limited by their size and equipment. The hope for Washington’s is that it begins to attract larger bands that may not usually consider Fort Collins on their tour schedule, and gives the town more of a reputation in Colorado as a top city for live music.
Washington’s will kick off their concert tenure with a show from Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, but that isn’t the only big name on the calendar. Devotchka, The Oh Hellos, Lucius, Pedro the Lion, Anderson East, and SHEL are among the many artists that have already announced performances at the venue.
The venue is built. The talent is coming. If this starting lineup is any indication, 2018 will be a big year for the Fort Collins music scene.