by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Two-day festival will feature more than 450 Colorado performances across Downtown Fort Collins
Fort Collins’ largest celebration of Colorado music is returning this spring as organizers announce the lineup for the 18th Annual Fort Collins Music eXperiment, better known as FoCoMX.
Presented by the Fort Collins Musicians Association (FoCoMA) in partnership with Fort Collins Connexion and founding supporter Odell Brewing Company, the two-day festival will bring more than 450 live performances to 40 stages across Downtown Fort Collins on April 24 and 25.
The event, widely recognized as the largest showcase of Colorado music, highlights artists from across the state while giving Northern Colorado audiences a chance to discover emerging talent and experience a wide range of genres—from indie rock and funk to bluegrass, hip-hop, and metal.
Performances will take place throughout downtown venues, including Aggie Theatre, Avogadro’s Number, Washington’s, The Magic Rat, Sound Bar, The Neighbor, and Odell Brewing Company. The festival kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and continues through Saturday night.
Organizers say this year’s lineup includes both established Colorado acts and rising performers, with more than a quarter of the artists appearing at FoCoMX for the first time. Featured performances include the energetic soul of The Burroughs, alt-country from Gasoline Lollipops, and a special throwback show by Fort Collins band Fierce Bad Rabbit.
Additional artists scheduled to perform include Frail Talk, Erica Brown, Jesus Christ Taxi Driver, DOGTAGS, Slow Caves, Los Toms, The Patti Fiasco, Graham Good and the Painters, Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille, and Beasts of No Nation.
Fans will also discover newer and emerging artists such as Alexa Wildish, May Be Fern, Sunstoney, Eve Coffman, Downey Chase, Alejandra Meza, neoma, Blankslate, and All My Senses.
Festival organizers say the goal is to give audiences a chance to hear familiar bands while also connecting with new voices in the Colorado music scene.
FoCoMX also includes a number of special experiences across downtown venues. The popular Silent Disco will return to the Exchange, featuring Colorado DJs performing head-to-head sets. Several venues will host multiple stages, including Avogadro’s Number, Odell Brewing Company, The Lyric, New Belgium Brewing, Equinox Brewing, and Wolverine Farm.
On Saturday, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery will host youth music stages showcasing young performers from across the region. The Launch Pad Stage will be curated and run entirely by young people in the community, and the museum will offer free admission that day, allowing visitors to explore exhibits and enjoy live performances throughout the building.
Additional unique performances will take place across downtown spaces, including CSU’s UpBeats drum circle at Oak Street Plaza, the Bourbon Brass Band, and a performance by the Fort Collins Symphony Wind Quintet at the Museum of Art Fort Collins.
FoCoMX began as a grassroots effort to support local musicians and has grown into a major cultural event for Northern Colorado. The nonprofit festival is volunteer-powered and reinvests proceeds into the local music community through FoCoMA programs such as Music Trivia, the FoCoMA Peer Awards, and the 53:14 Music Video Experiment.
Organizers say the festival continues to build a sustainable infrastructure for Northern Colorado’s music scene by connecting artists, venues, businesses, and audiences.
Tickets are available now, with advance two-day passes priced at $60 and day-of tickets at $75. A full schedule, artist lineup, and volunteer opportunities are available at https://www.focomx.org.
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Attribution: Information provided by the Fort Collins Musicians Association (FoCoMA).