5 amazing outdoor music venues around the world
Listen to the stars under the stars in the most atmospheric venues imaginable
1. Dalhalla, Rattvik, Sweden
Surrounded by forests and set in a former limestone quarry, this natural amphitheatre is the perfect place to listen to music during the Swedish summer. The high, nearly vertical rock walls provide great acoustics. 20-30 events are held here each year, attracting close to 100,000 music fans to this most atmospheric of venues.
2. Slane Castle, Meath, Ireland
Only forty miles north of Dublin, and overlooking the River Boyne, this imposing castle is one of the most stunning music venues in the world and has played host to some of the biggest names in the industry. U2 actually stayed in the castle when they recorded their album Unforgettable Fire.
3. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado, USA
Carved into the sandstone foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and surrounded by famous monolithic formations like Ship Rock and Creation Rock, this natural amphitheatre shows that Mother Nature knows a thing or two about spectacular venue design.
4. Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, Borneo
Deep in the Borneo rainforest, the Sarawak Cultural Village showcases and preserves the life and culture of Borneo’s local tribes. It is also the location of the annual Rainforest World Music Festival, a three-day event that draws as many as 24,000 people.
5. Sultan’s Pool, Jerusalem, Israel
The Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent brought this ancient pool of water back to life in the 16th century. Five centuries later it has been repurposed again, this time as a captivating music venue.
Located in the legendary Hinnom Valley, just below Jerusalem’s Old City walls, the Sultan’s Pool has a capacity of 6,000 seats – providing an epic backdrop for the internationally-renowned musicians who come from all over the world to play there. More information
Main image: Dalhalla stage (DalhallaOpera.com)
