As the world slowly begins to reopen, we are all starting to feel an impatience for normality. No longer do we take for granted the simple things in life: dining out with family, the camaraderie of working together, or even a hug between friends. We want to meet for coffee, we want to travel, and we definitely are ready for live music to come back into our lives! We at Empty Spaces are here to tell you that our hearts are full, and the Moab Music Festival of 2021 is back, playing the music you love against the dramatic backdrop of the red rocks we love!
August 30 Through September 16
Perhaps our favorite two weeks of every year, this year it is different, more important somehow, as the Moab Music Festival brings back the normality we crave. Offering the best of the best, the musicians who gather in our desert can be counted on to give us the sounds that speak to our soul: the rhythmic beauty of smooth jazz, the traditional notes of chamber music, and the joyful tunes of music being played from all over the world. The sounds of music blend with the sounds of nature, and as you ride the waves through the canyons on the Colorado River, hike to secluded spots in the same canyons and gather under white tents to hear narrations about the loss of freedom, (George Takei is the celebrated speaker at this concert!) you will know that at last you have found your happy place. Every day brings a new concert, a new way to discover nature and fill your hearts with all the music it can handle, and although there are still differences between the 2021 and earlier years’ festivals, it will still feel right in your soul.
The Differences
We are fortunate in that the Moab Music Festival never went away, and as we faced the challenges of 2020 and the pandemic, we adapted, a trend we are continuing this year, knowing the battle has not been won. All concerts are being held outside, and social distancing will be maintained. A smaller number of tickets are available for sale, so be sure to peruse the Moab Music Festival website and purchase your tickets early to ensure you have a space—and yes, there will be mask guidelines to follow as well. Ticketing is contactless, intermissions have been scrapped, and handwashing stations are provided, as are hand sanitizers for your safety. What hasn’t changed, however, is the beauty of the music and the joy we derive in its deliverance, so know that in your heart these concerts will be timeless.
At the Heart of It All
With all the changes made, the heart of the Moab Music Festival is still the same. It is about music, nature, and people, and how all three belong together. If you have ever attended a music festival before, you understand completely, and whether you have chosen the 1st Grotto Concert and are listening to Beethoven under the red natural arches of the canyons, or under that white tent again, this time listening to music that brings about the sensation of nights in Spanish Gardens, if you do not get goosebumps on your arms from the sheer beauty of the moment, maybe you chose the wrong concert! Maybe you are more a Music in the Park type of person, enjoying the casual conviviality of music designed to introduce your children to the joy of the song. Or perhaps you prefer to do something good for the world while enjoying your music of the night and will find that the House Benefit Concert, celebrating Beethoven’s 251 years of providing beauty for the masses, is more your style. Violin Sonata #4 will break your heart anew, and as the last notes float away into the night air, you will wish the moment never has to end. The choices are plentiful, but perhaps the most moving for all Americans will be the Manhattan Transfer night, taking place on September 11. Held under the shelter of an open pavilion at Sorrell River Ranch & Spa, you will never feel more American on this the 20th anniversary of a terrible American tragedy than you will right here, listening to the smooth jazz of Manhattan Transfer echo off the mountains that surround you.
Come Home to Comfort
When the last note has played and the moon is bathing the landscape with a cool glow, coming home to our Empty Spaces vacation escapes promises to be the moments you will remember most. Reserve your stay today and come home to comfort every night of your Moab getaway!
