Music Meets Monument: David Boye at Scotts Bluff and the Power of Live Music in Our National Parks
On Wednesday evening, August 13th under the towering cliffs of Scotts Bluff National Monument, something special will happen. The natural grandeur of the landscape will resonate through the melodies of a guitar. Starting at 7:00 p.m., visitors can gather in the amphitheater behind the Monument Visitor Center for a live acoustic concert by composer and musician David Boye. The evening offers a powerful intersection of art, sound, and place.
A Musical Voice for Public Lands
David Boye, a Lincoln-based guitarist and composer, is no stranger to the rhythms of nature. His fingerstyle acoustic work is grounded in the beauty of the American outdoors, and his performances include compositions born from time spent as an artist-in-residence at national parks across the country.
From the alpine trails of Rocky Mountain National Park to the remote quiet of North Cascades, Boye creates music that interprets the landscape. Using found sounds, alternate tunings, and looped textures, he builds soundscapes that echo the places that inspire them. His compositions are meditative, percussive, and deeply site-specific. Influences include Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, and John Fahey, but Boye’s voice is distinctly his own.
At Scotts Bluff, he’ll perform selections drawn from these residencies, paired with reflections from writers and artists who, like him, found creative clarity in this high plains monument.
Nights at the Bluff
The August 13 event is open to all. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early for best seating and bring a blanket or camp chair. The amphitheater’s natural acoustics and backdrop of sandstone cliffs create an ideal setting for an evening of music under the sky.
This isn’t a concert to passively consume. It’s a chance to slow down and tune in—to hear the monument differently. Whether you’ve walked these trails a dozen times or are seeing Scotts Bluff for the first time, Boye’s performance offers a new way to experience a familiar view.
Why Music Belongs in the Parks
We go to national parks and monuments for the views. But they also sing in subtler ways. Wind through the cottonwoods. Meadowlark calls. River wash over stone. Parks are sonic spaces, and concerts in these places amplify more than instruments.
That’s the thinking behind the National Park Service’s artist-in-residence programs. Musicians like David Boye are invited to engage with the landscape and translate its character into sound. These residencies lead to new work that invites listeners into a layered relationship with public lands—one that connects feeling, place, and story.
Boye has performed similar programs at Point Reyes National Seashore, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Homestead National Monument of America. Each location shaped its own sound. And each audience came away hearing their parks in a new register.
Powered by You: Support That Sparks Inspiration
This event is made possible by Black Hills Parks & Forests Association (BHPFA), the nonprofit partner of Scotts Bluff National Monument.
BHPFA exists to support wonder and exploration through stewardship of your public lands. Thanks to our customers, members, and donors, programs like this are funded and free to the public. Every purchase, membership, and donation helps create opportunities for interpretation, education, and inspiration.
If you’re joining us tomorrow, thank you. Your support brings events like this to life. Not in the area? You can still be part of our mission by becoming a member or donor.
Visit and Learn More
The concert takes place Wednesday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m., in the amphitheater behind the Scotts Bluff Visitor Center. Parking is available. Dress for the weather. Bring what you need to be comfortable outdoors.
For more information, visit nps.gov/scbl or stop by the Visitor Center.
Nature will bring the backdrop. David Boye will bring the soundtrack. We hope to see you there.
