2021 came to a pretty rotten close for the guys in Greensky Bluegrass as they were forced to cancel their New Year’s run in St. Louis due to (yep you guessed it) COVID-19. However, since the band and crew completed their quarantine and isolation a few days into the new year, the shows at The Mission Ballroom went on full steam ahead!
The Mission Ballroom was the place to be last Friday night if you were looking for your fix of Bluegrass. With a fantastic line-up of local heroes featuring The Sweet Lillies opening up for The Infamous Stringdusters the stage was set for a great night.
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.
Red Rocks played host to yet another perfectly billed afternoon of guitar-driven Rock and Roll. Don’t get us wrong, there was no shortage of great songwriting and singers too, but at the end of the day it was a guitar lovers dream. The day started out with North Mississippi Osborne who set a very high bar but Black Crowes spin-off Magpie Salute was up to the challenge and the night was rounded out by the southern soaked Soul of JJ Grey & Mofro.
Record temperatures descended on the Denver metro Tuesday. That didn’t seem to affect the vibe of a mix of bluegrass and Ryan Adams fans at Red Rocks Tuesday night. From the first notes, Adams had the crowd in the palm of his hand. As a lightning storm danced over the Denver metro area, Adams and his band worked their way through a twenty song set that left fans entirely satisfied.
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.
Southern rockers JJ Grey & Mofro bluegrass players extraordinaire The Infamous Stringdusters and songcrafters Fruition will be kicking off the first official weekend of the Red Rocks summer season this year. With three great bands it should be quite the kickoff!
Dobro penetrated brick walls as I waited in line for the box office on Saturday. Inside the Fillmore Auditorium, soundcheck was unfolding for a huge night of music rooted in tradition, but tied to the heartbeat of the present. Inside, three bands, all with ties to Colorado, waited to play for the massive auditorium. There were flannels, puffy coats, vests, dresses, boots and of course, beards all there to witness a great evening of Americana that wrapped with all of the musicians onstage singing “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.
Innovative newgrass-jam band, The Infamous Stringdusters are coming to Fillmore Auditorium on Saturday. Their distinctive sound has helped carve their way into the bluegrass scene – rewarding them with three International Bluegrass Music Association Awards and a Grammy nomination, but their true brilliance lies in their passion for live performance.
