The Caverns Amphitheater – ‘come for the sunset and stay for the stars’

Get ready for a journey and head to The Caverns. The Caverns, in Grundy County, Tennessee, a destination offering a variety of unique experiences – underground live music, daily tours of the cave system, and magnificent views – now has an amphitheater, welcoming guests to enjoy above-ground performances.

The grand opening of The Caverns Amphitheater is set for June 25, with Old Crow Medicine Show taking the stage. A new video featuring The Caverns invites guests to enjoy the venue. “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey…But sometimes, the destination becomes the journey.”

Venue Manager Joe Lurgio, who has been involved with The Caverns for 10 years, promises a memorable experience to music fans, adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts.

“The best part of this job is bringing people out to a rural area and enjoying music with the backdrop of the Tennessee landscape; either the Cumberland Plateau in the amphitheater or the magic cave for the underground shows,” Lurgio said.

The unique setting and fun happenings bring audiences and make visitors return to the magical venue.

“We are giving guests an experience like no other – to see their favorite artists in a subterranean venue surrounded by natural beauty,” Lurgio said. “And outdoors, there's even more beauty to be found in the rolling hills and setting suns of the Cumberland Plateau.”

The unique scenery and amazing acoustics make visitors fall in love with Tennessee.

“We don't think there's any other venue like this on the face of the planet,” Lurgio said. “We offer camping passes for every show, which is something that you typically only find at music festivals. We also offer daily tours of our underground caves, along with the option to explore our ‘Tombstone Pass’ on the Adventure Cave Tours. A scenic path from the campground to the vast new parking lots leads you to The Caverns and The Caverns Amphitheater.”

The Caverns Amphitheater will give a new, above-ground concert experience.

“We've expanded our capacity outdoors to 5,500 patrons, allowing us to book different acts than we do inside The Caverns,” Lurgio said. “With views of the Cumberland Plateau behind the stage, guests can come for the sunset and stay for the stars. If guests purchase seats in the front sections of the amphitheater, they will still be able to use the facilities and access the bar inside The Caverns. We can't wait to welcome fans, new and old, to The Caverns Amphitheater.”

On June 25, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Hootenanny with Willie Watson, Joshua Hedley and Town Mountain will kick off the season.

“Being the first band to christen a new venue is an honor in itself, but it's especially meaningful for us because of the truly one-of-a-kind location,” said Ketch Secor, front man and fiddler for Old Crow Medicine Show. “The Cumberland Plateau region, Grundy County, and all of Southeast Tennessee are familiar haunts for Old Crow so we’re proud to invite concert goers to a unique destination concert experience they’re going to want to enjoy again and again."

The Caverns Amphitheater will also allow organizers to plan multi-day events, such as the CaveFest.

The combination of The Caverns Amphitheater and The Caverns underground concert hall will give guests an unforgettable multi-stage festival experience like no other.

The first multi-day event is the CaveFest, set for Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, with Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, and many more.

Learn more about The Caverns Amphitheater and the upcoming season.

To celebrate the grand opening of the new venue The Caverns will host a ribbon-cutting on June 25th before the first show. Members of the press are invited to stay for the show and enjoy the amphitheater experience on this special occasion as we christen one of Tennessee’s newest music venues. Fans who purchase tickets for the first amphitheater show will also have an opportunity to win a pair of season passes to The Caverns Amphitheater.

A scenic meandering path from the new campground and the surrounding vast new parking lots leads the way to The Caverns Amphitheater.

The Caverns Amphitheater Schedule

• June 25 - Old Crow Medicine Show’s Hootenanny w/ Willie Watson, Joshua Hedley, & Town Mountain

• July 2 - One Nation Under a Groove Tour feat. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic w/ The Motet featuring Shira Ellis, Josh Schwartz, Chris Brouwers (formerly of Turkuaz), Dopapod & Pimps of Joytime

• July 23 - Crowder

• July 31 - Fleet Foxes: Shore Tour

• August 19 - Greensky Bluegrass & The Wood Brothers

• August 20-21 - Umphrey’s McGee & Disco Biscuits

• September 3 - UB40 - Biggabaggariddim Tour w/ The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson, Maxi Priest, & Big Mountain

• September 10 - I Love the 90s w/ Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Rob Base, All 4 One, Tone Loc, & Young MC

• October 8-9 - CaveFest w/ Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, and more!