Amarillo brings live music to your ears with area outdoor concert series

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·6 min read

Amarillo kicks off true seasonal fun this week, bringing together the sounds of summer during annual outdoor concert series. These include Amarillo College's June Jazz, Center City's High Noon on the Square and the Botanical Gardens' Music in the Gardens.

AC June Jazz

Amarillo College hosts the return of its outdoor concert series, Jim Laughlin June Jazz, to be held every Tuesday evening in the month of June from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Oeschger Family Mall, located in the center of the Washington Street campus. The concert series will kick off its 28th annual series June 6.

Dr. Jim Laughlin, professor of music at AC and founder/organizer of June Jazz, spoke about the longtime tradition and what it has become to the college and the surrounding community.

"I am most proud of the exposure that this series has made to the jazz community in Amarillo. Not only do we get 1,200 people each week at June Jazz, but there has been a lot of spin-off of concert series that have begun because of the longevity and interest in June Jazz," Laughlin said.

The Martinis opens the 2022 Amarillo College annual June Jazz series to a large crowd at their Washington Street campus.
The Martinis opens the 2022 Amarillo College annual June Jazz series to a large crowd at their Washington Street campus.
Amarillo College hosts its 28th June Jazz concert series this month. The live music event is free and open to the public every Tuesday. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at AC's Washington Street campus at the Oeschger Family Mall.
Amarillo College hosts its 28th June Jazz concert series this month. The live music event is free and open to the public every Tuesday. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at AC's Washington Street campus at the Oeschger Family Mall.

The concerts are free and open to the public. In the event of rain, the program will move inside the nearby Concert Hall Theater. This year’s lineup features the following jazz musicians and groups:

  • June 6: The Martinis, celebrating Route 66

  • June 13: The June Jazz Big Band, featuring Sandy Storey

  • June 20: Esquire Jazz Band with Patrick Swindel

  • June 27: Austin Brazille and Sean Vokes, featuring original works

During the concerts, attendees are invited to bring blankets, lawn chairs, picnics and pets to enjoy the show. The Badger Central Café in the adjacent College Union Building will also be open, offering a variety of refreshments available for purchase, including a limited-edition menu created specifically for the concert series.

For those who cannot make it to June Jazz in person, the concerts will be aired each Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on 89.9 FM or online at kacvfm.org.

Looking forward, Laughlin said that he hopes to begin making preparations for the 30th anniversary of the series. The founder said that they originally had plans for the 25th concert series, but those plans were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Laughlin said that he hopes to see the series and attendance continue to grow as it continues.

High Noon

Center City of Amarillo will kick off its 28th season of High Noon on the Square on Wednesday. The series will be held each week at noon on the historic Potter County Courthouse lawn.

This year's free concert series kicks off its first concert with a hamburger lunch, provided by The Coors Cowboy Club and a performance from Ed Montana. During the event, the City of Amarillo will also be giving away free Popsicles. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or a blanket for seating. Lunch options will be available each week for $10.

Beth Duke, Center City executive director, said in a news release: “High Noon is a great way for people to experience a great outdoor concert with the background of historic Amarillo. This is one way that Center City meets its mission of bringing people downtown. We are proud that High Noon is a tradition in downtown.”

“The performers and the menu change every week. From country to jazz, we have something for everyone. The musicians and performers volunteer their time for the free entertainment,” Duke said. “This is one more way we can bring people to Center City so they can see all the great things that are happening.”

Over 400 people gathered around the Potter County Courthouse to enjoy last year's High Noon on the Square event in downtown Amarillo
Over 400 people gathered around the Potter County Courthouse to enjoy last year's High Noon on the Square event in downtown Amarillo

The schedule for the 2023 High Noon on the Square is:

  • June 7: Music from Ed Montana. Hamburgers by Coors Cowboy Club Cook Team, sponsored by Coors Cowboy Club & Rodeo.

  • June 14: Music by Andy Chase and Friends. Barbecue sandwiches from Mitch’s Barbecue. Sponsored by Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC.

  • June 21: Music by Big G & the Tradewinds. Chick-Fil-A sack lunch. Sponsored by Park Central.

  • June 28: Entertainment by the performers of “Texas.” Jalapeno turkey sandwiches from Crush. Sponsored by Xcel Energy.

  • July 5: Entertainment from the Amarillo Opera. Sack lunch from Schlotzsky’s. Sponsored by the Shops at Wolflin Square.

  • July 12: Music by Buster Bledsoe. Sausage wraps from the AQHA Cooking Team. Sponsored by AQHA.

  • July 19: Music by the Prairie Dogs. Hamburgers from Bubba’s 33. Sponsored by FirstBank Southwest.

  • July 26: Music by “Insufficient Funds.” Fajitas from Joe Taco. Sponsored by the Underwood Law firm.

For more information about High Noon on the Square, please call Center City at 372-6744 or go to www.centercity.org

Music in the Gardens

The Amarillo Botanical Gardens will host its 16th annual Music in the Gardens summer concert series each Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the gardens, located at 1400 Streit Dr.

According to the gardens, the concert series was meant to kick off June 1, but they had to cancel the first concert due to the weather. Moving forward, the director/horticulturist at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, Greg Lusk, said no matter the weather, they will host the series. Although it was created to be held outside in the gardens, should the weather disallow an outdoor concert, they have made preparations to host the concert inside at their on-site event venue.

The concert series will begin Thursday, June 8 and will run through Aug. 31 featuring artists both local and non-local performing live music from all genres.

"What I think makes this summer concert series so special is it's in the gardens. So the views, the plants, there is a dance floor. ... The amphitheater is terraced, so there is no bad seats; most of the seating is in the shade. It's family friendly. You are welcome to walk around the gardens. It's just in a beautiful setting, making it a one-of-a-kind Amarillo experience," Lusk said.

This years Music in the Gardens lineup includes:

  • June 8: Big G & The Trade Winds

  • June 15: Insufficient Funds

  • June 22: RAK-45

  • June 29: Solano Project

  • July 6: Linsey Lane

  • July 13: Sadie's Rangers

  • July 20: Cameron James Smith

  • July 27: Buster Bledsoe

  • Aug. 3: Texas Junction

  • Aug. 10: Kayla Richardson & Byron Roberts

  • Aug. 17: Touching VooDoo

  • Aug. 24: Tennessee Tuckness

  • Aug. 31: Geezers Gone Wild

The event is open to all and encourages the attendance of pets and children. Seating will be available, but "bring your own beverage" is encouraged. Food trucks will be in attendance during and after the concert.

Admission is $10 per individuals and $5 for members. According to Lusk, all of the admission costs for the concert are utilized by the gardens to maintain them throughout the year. This year's headlining sponsor is Rick Looby Homes.

"It is much more than live music; it is the gardens," Lusk said.

For more information, visit the Amarillo Botanical Gardens online at https://amarillobotanicalgardens.org/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo concert series bring music to college, courthouse, gardens