Last Saturday’s Little Feat and Hot Tuna show at Fiddler’s Green was a great night for fans of Classic Rock and Blues. Hot Tuna, the evening’s special guest opening the show and was a perfect complement to Little Feat, bringing their own brand of Blues-infused Rock to the stage.
The Summer Solstice has always been a significant time of year for celebration in many cultures and that holds true for Bluegrass “festivarians” as well. Each year, more than 10,000 music lovers, many of them repeat offenders, congregate in one of the most picturesque box canyons known to man, Telluride Colorado. This unique town has been host to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival since its inception in 1974. That’s 45 years of perfecting a balance of bluegrass, hippies, outdoor enthusiasts.
On Thursday, June 15th, the main street of Colorado’s most captivating town, was abuzz with an energy and excitement as the crowds (some there for days) made their way to Town Park for the start of the 45th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. There is no better setting for a music festival; there is no better music for such a setting.
This year’s installment of Telluride Bluegrass Festival saw a multitude of new acts and many mainstays. The weather was pristine and the people were generous with a place on their tarp or camp and an easy smile. Every day seemed to boast weather better than the last and each act left the faithful thinking, “well there is no way they can top that. Friends old and new, families of tradition and families making new traditions, all came together for the undeniable love of Bluegrass music.
Bluegrass fans were very excited for night three of Yonder Mountain String Band’s Boulder Theater run, which included Jerry Douglas and a long list of fun and surprising 80s cover songs. Allie’s silly fast fiddle reminded us she is more than vocals, and the entire band reminded us why they can hold the attention of the Boulder Theater four nights in a row.
2014 was a year of transformation for Yonder Mountain String Band. We had a chance to chat with banjo player Dave Johnston who talked about Yonder’s star studded New Year’s run, their new album, and what the future holds in store for YMSB. Dave also spoke candidly about the challenges faced in the wake of Jeff Austin’s departure from the band as well as YMSB’s search for a new identity.
Telluride Bluegrass. Once you’ve been there, whether it’s for a day, a week, or forty consecutive years, it becomes part of you. It’s the smiles on the faces of the performers as they look out from the stage over the most beautiful landscape their songs and melodies have ever echoed across. It is the meticulous, almost anal-retentive, organization of the event that somehow translates to a vibe conducive to dancing and singing and a passionately laid-back attitude from some of the most fervent music lovers anywhere.
On the eve of New Year’s Eve, Yonder Mountain String Band sold-out a benefit concert for flood-ravaged Planet Bluegrass in Lyons, Colorado. For weeks there had been desperate attempts made for those who hadn’t been quick enough in buying tickets, so expectations were unusually high. While Kinfolk up and down the Front Range had been looking forward to the whole five night run for months, this particular night was even more anticipated with profits going straight to aid the reconstruction of Planet Bluegrass.
Yonder Mountain String […]