Photos by Tim Dwenger, Kelly Hueseman & Ty Hyten
The Listen Up Denver! crew rolled into Telluride with one simple intention: Do not take this for granted. We were in Telluride! Man, it was amazing! The weather was epic, the beer flowed freely and the music, oh the music. The footprints of musicians including Rich Robinson, Sharon Jones, and Otis Taylor dotted the stage throughout the weekend, and while the sun warmed the day, clear and starry skies cooled off the evenings and the dancing lasted till the wee hours of the morning. According to legend (but contended by the Durango Telegraph) it was Taj Mahal and the venerable Gregg Allman who first played on the Town Park stage in 1991 and they returned on this weekend in September to a stage that was set to be torn down shortly after the festival wrapped to make way for it’s more modern successor.
It was a memorable weekend (to say the least) and the music was nothing short of spectacular but here are a few of our favorite performances:
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats: After a long drive starting far before the sunrise, we arrived at the festival just in time to see hometown heroes Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. A huge buzz has been generated by performances on Jimmy Fallon and Conan and their recent album release. They’ve even grabbed a whole page in the most recent Rolling Stone. If the organizers had only known what was to come back when they booked the band, The Night Sweats could have easily played the 5:50 set. It’s not like a 1:30 festival show to draw a crowd, much less get them moving, but Nathaniel & the Night Sweats tore into a feel good, energetic set, that not only set the tone for the weekend but was a high-water mark as well. Nathaniel’s huge voice and the backing of a colorful horn section was an early highlight for many in attendance. The announcers later mentioned that it was the largest crowd they recall seeing that early in the festival’s history.
Michael Hornbuckle Band: Our first trip of the weekend over to the “Blues Stage” was to catch the winner of the Firefly Autism Road To Blues & Brews that Listen Up Denver! organized earlier this year. When the Michael Hornbuckle Band took the stage (on their namesakes birthday) it was clear they came to show the Blues & Brews crowd that they deserved to be playing the festival and should be invited back in the future. Hornbuckle, the son of Denver Blues legend Bobby Hornbuckle, is a true monster on the guitar and as the band tore through “Going Back To Denver,” “’59 Pontiac Hearse,” and the poignant “Angels, Addicts, Poets & Thieves” he showed why he and his band were also chosen to represent the Mile High Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee in January. After years of hard work, these guys deserve every bit of what they’ve earned this summer and should be on your radar.
ZZ Top: After more than 45 years, Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and Dusty Hill are still cranking out Classic Rock that has withstood the test of time. Though their act can wax a little shticky from time to time, and Gibbons seems to have lost a step or two on the guitar, ZZ Top still brings the heat and entertainment factor that people want and expect. The beards are still epic, and classic songs like “Tush,” “Legs,” and “La Grange” incited huge sing-alongs. ZZ Top was the first concert our own Kelly Hueseman ever attended so she was “pretty stoked to check them out again almost 20 years later.” It wasn’t a perfect set, but it was one of those bucket-list things for the rest of us.
Bright Light Social Hour: One of the cool things about checking out different music festivals is the opportunity to hear new music and, for most of our group, Austin, TX-born Bright Light Social Hour were brand new. Though we only caught the last 10 minutes or so of their main stage set on Saturday afternoon, it was lively and mesmerizing enough that it drew the whole crew back to see them again at Fly Me to the Moon Saloon later that same night. Their psychedelic style completely transfixed us as they fused many genres of music together into a totally unique sound that is winning over hearts and minds across the country. Every song took us on a journey and brought with it a whole new kind of energy; from anticipating EDM style drops, to dancing to Disco infused beats or getting lost in a deeply psychedelic jam there’s no real comparison to what these guys are doing. The music will move something in you, so don’t miss an opportunity to hear them live.
Monophonics: Again, several folks in our crew weren’t familiar with Monophonics beyond their name and a few plays of their top tracks, so much of the excitement mustered for their show was generated by endless tiny pours of beer from the Grand Tasting. As those who had seen the band live before knew, they ended up winning over legions of new fans and kept the beer crowd energy rolling. Frontman Kelly Finnigan’s charged, soulful voice conveyed heart and he was maniacal enough to nearly convince you he was going to hop over his organ in a crazed fit. The band brought out friend Ben L’Oncle Soul on a few Reggae tinged songs but his gorgeous voice wasn’t enough to steal the spotlight from Finnigan. Their day set was fantastic, but later that night at The Sheridan Opera House was where they really connected. The energy was ridiculously high in the historic room as the searing guitar and blaring horns painted melodies over funky bass lines that had the room shaking.
Tab Benoit: A traditional Blues guitarist straight out of Louisiana, Tab Benoit played three times throughout the weekend, and blew us away each time he unleashed his gritty voice and started ripping into his Fender. In fact, those in the crew who ventured to the Rich Robinson & Tab Benoit Juke Joint show on Friday night reported that Benoit blew the former Black Crowes guitarist off the stage. Having won the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award two separate times, we were thrilled when we found out Benoit was invited to play at this year’s Festival, and won’t miss a second of his guitar heroics when he is invited back again.
Gregg Allman: Gregg Allman, started his festival-closing set with a lack of pace and feeling. Many probably expected that of an old timer that’s seen more than his fair share of miles and good times along the way. It was looking to be one of those concerts that served only to fill a checkmark in the “yeah, I’ve seen him” column. That was until he set into “Soulshine” and a blanket of warmth came over the crowd. Gregg then seemed to come alive, as well. The emotion behind every lyric Allman sings is staggering, and as we watched him sit at his signature Hammond B-3 and pour his soul out on the final night of the Festival we felt connected to a man, a band, and a time in American rock history. An authentic Blues and Soul musician, Allman took us on a musical magic carpet ride featuring a performance of “Statesboro Blues” with his old buddy Taj Mahal, and a take on the epic “Whipping Post” that will not soon be forgotten. Allman’s set was filled with sizeable pieces of the Rock and Roll fabric that connects baby boomers and millennials through a festival like Telluride Blues & Brews. Hats off to Steve Gumble for nailing that. The set, and an amazing weekend, rolled out of the station to sound of Dickey Betts’ “Southbound” which gave many longtime Allman Brothers’ fans some hope that the two might soon reconcile and share a stage.
The Fred Shellman Memorial Stage in Telluride Town Park has touched the lives of many, providing musicians including Phish, Willie Nelson, Tedeschi Trucks Band, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and so many more the perfect place to share their music with the world. So many of us living in Colorado have been lucky enough to have visited the magical town of Telluride and partied the days and nights away at one of the many festivals held there. Who will be among those to grace the new stage in 2016? One thing’s certain – the town of Telluride doesn’t let music lovers down, and this year’s Telluride Blues & Brews Festival was a testament to that.
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