Eli Lev promotes the vibe of his music and shows as sounding like “if Johnny Cash and Fleetwood Mac were on a road trip in the redwood forest with Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson in the back.”

He’s been writing “silly songs” for as long as he can remember, joining bands in middle school and high school and even joining a cover band while living in the European country of Andorra (he’s also lived in Israel). In 2017, he received his master’s degree in Indiana for English education (he once took a job as an eighth-grade teacher in Arizona), and then moved back home to Maryland to reset.

During this time, he took music more seriously as he started playing shows. These shows eventually spiraled into fans who asked about his next shows, which spiraled into recordings, which spiraled into more shows, which resulted in Lev’s decision to play fulltime. He loves to travel, as evidenced by the many places he’s lived in and traveled to (including Australia and New Zealand).

While Lev often performs an even distribution of originals and covers, he will often also play songs based on the reception of his audience. Employing an open setlist, if the audience connects more with his originals, he’ll play more of those, but if they seem to enjoy the covers more, he’ll play more of those. He’ll often even take requests from the audience, including songs he’s never played before: of these songs, he says he has approximately an 88% chance of playing them successfully in his shows. He’s up for almost any challenge in these shows, willing to play anything from Merle Haggard to Lady Gaga.

For Lev, songwriting is incredibly cathartic. Writing allows him to process emotions and experiences in his life, and he loves playing instruments and “making weird sounds” that often result in lifting moods and healing those he plays for. He prefers writing songs with an uplifting and positive aspect to them, allowing his community (who he calls “Levitators” after his last name) to feel excited and have a sense of fun during his shows.

He often prefers playing solo, although he will occasionally tour with others as part of a duo or a trio, even playing locally with a full band. With a band, he loves how everyone can contribute to a particular selective energy, but solo, he feels there is a lot more freedom to explore things at the moment, whether it’s trying new instruments or keys or switching the songs he wants to play. Regardless, he hopes that people leave with a smile on their faces or with a piece of the show, whether it’s a physical piece of merchandise or something they take away in their hearts.

You can see Eli Lev performing live at Jamestown Mercantile, 108 Main Street in Jamestown, on Sunday, August 11, 2024, starting at 12:15 p.m. Also be sure to stream his music wherever you get your music, including the first of his three-EP series (each with different producers), Present Journey, wherever you get your music, and learn more about him at his website at https://eli-lev.com/.

Music Events

Busey Brews

Sunday, July 21 at 2 p.m. - Mike Lamitola

Sunday, July 28 at 2 p.m. - Mina Reya

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuseyBrews/

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Canyon Tavern

Sunday, July 21 at 2 p.m. - Will Whalen

Saturday, July 27 at 6 p.m. - Ibby Cline & Michael Walters

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coalcreekcanyontavern

Website: https://canyontavern.com/

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon

Phone: 303-642-3180

Gold Hill Inn

Friday, July 19 at 8 p.m. - Brandywine and the Mighty Fines

Saturday, July 20 at 5:30 p.m. - Children of Divorce

Sunday, July 21 at noon - KGNU Charles Sawtelle Memorial Mountain Jam 2024

Sunday, July 21 at 5:30 p.m. - Laurie Dameron Duo

Wednesday, July 24 at 6 p.m. - Off the Rails

Friday, July 26 at 8 p.m. - Haymakers

Sunday, July 28 at 5:30 p.m. - Patrick Dethlefs Duo

Wednesday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m. - Micki Balder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldHillInn/

Website: goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill

Phone: 303-443-6461

Gold Hill Store

Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m. - Ashlei Priest

Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m. - Queso Ra

Saturday, July 27 at noon - Queso Ra

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Hill-General-Store/

Website: https://www.goldhillstore.com/

Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill

Gregory Plaza

Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. - Duey Weibel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackhawksharddistrict/

Website: https://blackhawkharddistrict.com/

Location: 317 Gregory Street,

Black Hawk (Mountain Poppy Boutique)

Phone: 720-669-0665 (Mountain Poppy Boutique)

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. - Goldie and the Grindstones

Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. - Strangebyrds

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howlinwindbrewing

Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, July 18 at 7 p.m. - Hunter James and the Titanic

Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m. - Chuck Sitero (of High Lonesome) and Friends

Sunday, July 21 at 12:15 p.m. - Annie and the Bang Bang

Wednesday, July 24 at 5 p.m. - Open Mic

Thursday, July 25 at 7 p.m. - Heavy Diamond Ring

Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m. - Janestown

Thursday, July 28 at 12:15 p.m. - Danny Shafer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestown.mercantile/

Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown

Phone: 303-442-5847

JKQ BBQ

Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m. - Jon Ridnell

Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. - Jon Ridnell

Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m. - Mark Hill

Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. - Mark Hill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JkqBbq/

Location: 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk

Phone: 720-316-1361

Knotted Root Brewing

Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. - Mickey Lenney

Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. - WHUMPF

Wednesdays at 6 p.m. - Open Mic

Fridays at 7 p.m. - DJ Night

Sundays at 5 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knottedrootbrewing/

Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland

Phone: 720-248-7129

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, July 21 at 10:30 a.m. - Built to Last/Al Capones

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NederlandFarmersMarket/

Website: https://www.nederlandfarmersmarket.org

Email: nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland and 80 E. 2nd Street, Nederland

Old Gallery at Allenspark

Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m. - Open Mic with Tim Merkle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAPOldGallery

Website: https://www.theoldgallery.org/

Location: 14863 Highway 7, Allenspark

Phone: 303-747-2906

Very Nice Brewing Co. (Gilpin County)

Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m. - Eric Stone

Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m. - Windy Pines

Saturday, July 27 at 2 p.m. - The Tater Spliffs

Saturday, July 27 at 6 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Sunday, July 28 at 4 p.m. - Blue Moose Jazz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verynicebeer

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 180 Jankowski Drive, Black Hawk

Phone: 303-582-2015

Very Nice Brewing Co. (Nederland)

Thursday, July 18 at 6 p.m. - John Meerts

Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m. - Johnny Blueheart

Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. - Stone-Hall

Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m. - Daniel C. Jones

Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. - Andreas Boehmer

Sunday, July 28 at 4 p.m. - The CBDs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verynicebeer

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 20 E. Lakeview Drive, #112, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you? Want to submit your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303-810-5409 or email info@themountainear.com to be included in the next edition.