Trident Cafe

Trident Booksellers and Cafe has been serving coffee, tea, and books on Pearl Street in Boulder since 1980, and the outdoor stage behind the shop has grown into one of the more distinctive listening spots in town. Shows land on Friday and Saturday nights and on the fourth Thursday of the month, late spring through early fall, alongside a first-Thursday old-time jam and a second-Thursday open mic. The 100-person capacity, the string-band and songwriter lean, and the courtyard setting make for warm, attentive audiences that come specifically for the music. For guests, it is a lovely spot to grab a coffee or a drink and settle in for something acoustic under the trees. For artists, it is a rare cafe stage that treats performance as the main event.