10 of the most awe-inspiring natural venues in the world

Last month, a collective in Greece held a concert inside an active volcano crater, which proved to be an unexpectedly ideal location as the sound reverberated beautifully off the canyon walls. Many natural places around the world have also supplied quintessential environments for experiencing live music - some more surprising than others.

From the depths of caverns in Tennessee and the mountain ranges in Colorado, to the glaciers in Iceland and mines in Poland, people are encountering musical performances in the most unlikely of naturally occurring places. Even one of techno’s most prominent tastemakers Nina Kraviz has been keen on taking her fans to cave raves at locations where dance music has never before been played. Pushing the limits and boundaries is a common theme in the industry and being immersed in nature is more appealing now than ever.

Whether or not humans have altered a location to better suite a concert, a natural venue is a place where patrons are surrounded by nature while also enjoying a show. With that idea in mind, here are some of the most awe-inspiring natural locations where music is being embraced.

Each year at Secret Solstice Festival in Iceland, patrons are given the opportunity to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In 2015, the festival put on a special event described as “the world's only party inside a glacier” that saw Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Artwork play a back-to-back set inside the Langjökull Glacier. Due to the event's exclusive nature, only 70 guests were allowed to attend. In terms of throwing parties in natural locations, Secret Solstice is leading the charge both with their glacier party and also with a nearby volcano which festival attendees are invited to dance within. Read further down this list for more details.

Offering up a truly jaw-dropping atmosphere, The Gorge Amphitheater is considered by many as one of North America’s most beautiful outdoor venues. The grand landscape serves as the ideal backdrop for those who enjoy soaking in the wonders of nature and appreciating live music. Due to its naturally amphitheater-shaped hill, the venue provides a uniquely high and natural sound quality, which can be felt all throughout the venue. Nestled in the valley across from the Columbia Gorge canyon in George, Washington, attendees have the opportunity to witness their favorite musicians perform while taking in the spectacular scenery of the Columbia River.

Norway is known for having beautiful, isolated and rustic landscapes, but due to its remote setting those looking to see live music in a natural location need to get creative. That’s exactly what the organizers of Traena Music Festival have done since 2004, when Erlend Mogard Larsen fell in love with the islands of Træna and decided to put on a music festival there. Although it’s not the easiest place to get to, many come from the far reaches of the world to be immersed in the landscape. Also, most artists on the lineup are based relatively close to Norway, but RY X, Matoma, Bombino and Ewan Pearson are just some of the world renowned artists that have performed there.

With more than 1,000 islands that make up the archipelago of Træna, the music festival is held on the islands of Husøya and Sanna. Concerts take place inside an old church and tents, but the most dramatic atmosphere to witness these musical acts is deep inside an old cave. Plus, at the time of the festival there is 23 hours of light per day due to Norway's position on the globe. Locations like this are few and far between, and make for remarkable and memorable performances due to its picturesque environment.

Located on the outskirts of Denver, CO, Red Rocks Amphitheater is one of the most recognizable venues due to its unmistakable and awe-inspiring natural backdrop, which has garnered the venue widespread world attention. This legendary site needs little introduction as it’s continuously praised by fans and artists for being one of the best places in the world to see a concert. Few venues come close to delivering sound quality like that which resonates within the two natural boulders which encase the amphitheater - and those who have enjoyed the wonders of Red Rocks can attest to this. The first documented event held there took place in 1906 and now, many of the biggest names in electronic music make Red Rocks a must-stop destination for North American tours. It’s undoubtedly a venue that’s at the top of the bucket list for many.

Submerged 200 feet within the depths of a former limestone quarry, Dalhalla serves as a concert venue unlike any other. Offering a diverse calendar of events, the venue has hosted acts like Kraftwerk, various orchestras, operas and also a music festival called Into The Valley that has previously featured a line-up consisting of Nina Kraviz, Jeff Mills, Ben Klock and Dixon among others. Located in central Sweden, Dalhalla rests near lake Siljan in the town of Rattvik, isolated by rich forests. Due to it’s unique location, it is said to possess some of the best sound quality in all of Europe.

Among the more than 150 caves located inside the Rock of Gibraltar rests St. Michael's Cave, a massive opening created by water dripping through the limestone formation. As the largest section of the cave, Cathedral Cave offers ideal acoustics and the chamber often hosts concerts and plays, mostly featuring classical music, but rock and pop groups have been known to perform there as well. Although you won’t find dance music’s leading players sharing their sounds, a music festival called the Gibraltar World Music Festival takes place there and focuses on a different theme each year.

Iceland makes its second appearance on this list with the Thrihnukagigur Volcano, a dormant volcano near Reykjavík that was used by Secret Solstice Festival to provide attendees with a unique concert experience. Following 2015’s party inside a glacier, the festival went a step further to deliver “the world’s first public gig inside a volcano” in 2016. The one-off event featured Deftones frontman Chino Moreno, who performed an acoustic set to 20 individuals who had ventured 2.5 miles to get to the location. Thanks to the frigid atmosphere, organizers may never put on an event like this again, but as Secret Solstice continues to provide exclusive events of this magnitude, there’s no telling what they will think of next.

Continuing the theme of traveling deep inside the earth for a musical experience, the Cumberland Caverns offer a remarkable opportunity for those who choose to embark on a subterranean adventure. Located in McMinnville, a small town in central Tennessee, the Caverns feature what has been dubbed the Volcano Room, 333 feet below the surface, where concerts are frequently held. Although you might expect the acoustics to have an echoing quality, the jagged rocks and edges actually scatter the sound waves. Also, the temperature inside the venue remains a steady 57 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, forcing patrons to wrap themselves in blankets during the concerts. A bluegrass event called Bluegrass Underground is held there every month and approximately 600 people pack in to enjoy a night of music.

At Unsound Festival in 2015, only the boldest of attendees decided to explore the salt mines of Wieliczka, 125 meters below ground. Only one elevator was operational, which meant it was inconvenient to even enter the venue, but those who decided to explore were greatly rewarded. With a lineup that was mostly kept secret, the festival offered many surprises and rumours circulated amongst festival goers. Many were convinced that Burial would play his first ever live set within the ballroom of the salt mines, but this rumour was proven to be false when Kode9 appeared instead, shattering any remaining Burial dreams. But still, fans received quite a treat when DJ Richard performed an ambient set and King Midas Sound played with Christian Fennesz. It is said that the high ceilings of the ballroom inside the mine provide some of the best acoustics in Europe and the venue holds events there on New Year’s Eve each year.

For the past two years, Nina Kraviz has taken her loyal followers on a journey to the outskirts of Reykjavík, Iceland for an intimate rave inside a cave. In complete DIY fashion, the Трип crew uses generators to keep the party going and the after movie was shot on a VHS camera. As Mixmag’s own Seb Wheeler describes it: “These parties go back to the roots of rave, bussing dancers to a remote location so they can have it from dusk 'til dawn to the heaviest underground music.”

The Трип crew also perfectly explain the ethos behind the event: “Each raver feels special and has a reason to go with us - after all, not everyone would sit on a bus for 3 hours and trust us to take them somewhere special. People are coming for the music and experience - the best reasons we think. The little details are important to us - keeping the ticket prices low and therefore inclusive, no line-ups, surprising our guests with free food and drinks, using locations that no one else has before us. Knowing that we have it all in hand, allows people to fully immerse in the experience and enjoy the music, without a care in the world, and this produces an electric unfathomable energy.”

With the cave raves resulting in great success, you can be sure Nina Kraviz will continue the tradition. Look out for more news, which is hopefully coming soon.

Harrison is Mixmag's East Coast Editor. Follow him on Twitter here