Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015 - Festival Experience Archive - Saturday Part Two

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015

Festival Experience Archive

for The Lot Scene by Parker

Saturday Highlights - Part Two

Lake Street Dive - The Sam Bush Band - Leftover Salmon

    What a big day of music!  As if the first installment wasn’t enough, now it was time for a Lake Street Dive/Sam Bush Band/Leftover Salmon triple whammy combo!!  And, let me tell you, we were all more than ready for it.  Allow me to relate to you how it all went down, shall I?  Lake Street.  That conservatory-trained jazz/blues/soul/rock juggernaut from Bean Town.  That voice combined with that musicianship.  And the seeming current “go-to non-grass” band turning up at every bluegrass festival around.  And with good reason.  We all enjoy a good musical palate cleanser from time to time during these genre-defined marathon events like Telluride and Lake Street Dive has proven on more than one occasion to be the perfect example of just such a sweet musical sorbet.  Opening up with “Bad Self Portraits” the title track from their Rolling Stone Album of the Year, this no-nonsense ensemble blasted out of the gate with that balanced mixture of attitude and remarkable musical acumen for which they are becoming widely known.  With Rachael Price’s powerful and painfully pretty trademark voice leading the charge the band segued right into a series of favorites from their catalogue including the serenely soulful yet regretful “Look At What Mistake”.  “I Don’t Care About You”, a new song from their upcoming album, had a nice rock feel with a sassy swing thrown in for good measure.  And, I suppose, a pretty clear message as well.  Although, the lyrics from this band rarely mince words.  As made obvious in their next number, “Oh Bobby (What A Spectacular Failure)” — talk about a song that’s already got a lot to say just from the title.  But don’t just listen to me, take a look for yourself: 

Lake Street Dive - "Oh Bobby (What A Spectacular Failure)" - Telluride Bluegrass 2015 - Main Stage Saturday Afternoon

Now you’re getting the idea, right?  No Lake Street show would be complete without some well-envisioned cover songs and this set’s offerings came in the form of Lennox’s “Walking on Broken Glass” and Van Halen’s classic 80s hit “Jump”, both executed with the on-point musical technicality I have come to expect from this group.  Jumping back into their own songs with a lovely and intense “Seventeen” they closed the whole thing down with a very personal favorite of this author, “You Go Down Smooth”.  Suffice it to say that a Telluride Bluegrass crowd is a tough one in terms of musical experience and education as well as a dedication to the particular genre of Bluegrass (Telluride is a stretch to get to my friends).  So, for a different band like Lake Street to come and slay it so readily on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Telluride, it was impressive.  And I freely give them all the kudos they deserve, but there is more grass to discuss.  There’s always more grass to discuss.  Like some Sam Bush Band maybe?

Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive

    The self-titled “Mother of Bluegrass”, Sam Bush has to be one of the genre’s all-time all-around all-stars.  Popping up all over the place to guest in with incredible after amazing band after band after band as well as fronting his own group of greats, the venerable Sam is a welcome addition to any line-up and he did not disappoint.  This was only my second time seeing him with his ensemble so, needless to say, I was pretty pumped.  Starting out with a very free form and wandering intro, things quickly materialized and picked up into the quick pickin’, advice-laden “Play By Your Own Rules” to get things going again on the Telluride Main Stage.  “Transcendental Meditation Blues” seems like an interesting name for a song…unless you are Sam Bush, that is.  A mellower part of their repertoire, this song is a clever mix of bluegrass and something a bit more esoteric, all wrapped up in some savvy lyrics.  They followed this with some classic Flatt and Scruggs, pickin’ and grinnin’ to “My Little Girl from Tennessee” featuring a great deal of characteristic harmonies from that golden age of grass.  Another fast picker was up next, “Roll On Buddy” filled with some hot banjo riffs as well as an overall great energy displayed equally through all the musicians.  A favorite of the set for me.  A funky, delicious, jazzy instrumental came after followed by a Sam Bush-style love song entitled “Where’s My Love?”.  Soulful and imploring, Sammy showed us in this song just the kind of breadth he posses backed by a hand-picked band that shores him up exquisitely.  As if following Lake Street’s lead, The Sam Bush Band wasn’t to be outdone in terms of covers either, first absolutely nailing Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Great Balls of Fire” and then turning right around and destroying the Dead’s “Tennessee Jed”.  Both barrels, both triggers.  One, two.  Bam.  Wow.  Seriously, both fantastic and both performed to the absolute high standard that is Sam Bush and The Sam Bush Band.  Music of respectfully high calibre.  And song after song.  Finally, after a first-rate set he closed things with Dylan of all folks — “When You Gonna Wake Up” came slammin’ down with all the tour de force of the original.  My friends, what a show.  But, wait, there’s more?  An encore you say?  And what an encore, too…a Bill Monroe song but played in a fine, island reggae style.  I had never heard “Blue Moon of Kentucky” in that fashion before, but I must say that I would love to hear it that way again.  Sammy, fellas, Andy Thorn and Vince Herman joining in, excellence in motion.  Many thanks for such a wonderful time.  But that’s not all folks!!  Not by a long shot, because Leftover Salmon was also there.

The Sam Bush Band

    Festivaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!  So goes the familiar call.  Leftover Salmon.  Main Stage.  Telluride.  Bring it.  And, after they way they brought it at Night Grass the evening before, all eyes were on the Salmon boys to bring some of that same magic forth.  And forth they broughteth it.  Or something like that — the point is, Salmon blew up that nighttime Telluride stage.  Opening with a Bill Payne-led “Cajun Girl” by the Oak Ridge Boys, Leftover showed instantly that they were there to make some intensely serious and seriously fun music that night.  But why take my word for it, take a watch:   

Leftover Salmon opening with the Oak Ridge Boys' "Cajun Girl" -- Saturday night Main Stage, Telluride Bluegrass 2015.

This was followed by a raucous and rowdy “Booboo” that got the crowd jumping and dancing and losing it to the Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass going down on the stage.  This all, of course, replete with that mirthful, smile-inducing vocal shenanigannery of Mr. Vince Herman.  In a festival teeming with musicians who love their jobs desperately, I challenge you to find one who seems to enjoy it more than Vince.  And that charisma and charm and vitality is all given to the audience so freely and in such great amount.  It kind of goes without saying:  there are very few shows out there like a Salmon show. Drew Emmitt was on for a couple of numbers including “This Is the Time” which featured an incredibly tight round robin of musicianship from the entire band.  We drifted back towards the exit and caught the rest of the set (which included a Dead-nod as well with “Mr. Charlie”) poised to get to Night Grass, but struck by what a great set it was.  However, I say that having seen Salmon a great deal lately and knowing just how on fire they really are right now.  And, between their own Night Grass set and their Main Stage set, there was no doubt of that left in any mind in Telluride, I’d wager.  And certainly not my own.

Leftover Salmon

Sunday Funday yet to come…

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015 - Festival Experience Archive - Saturday Part One

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015

Festival Experience Archive

for The Lot Scene by Parker

Saturday Highlights - Part One

The Telluride Band Competition - Trout Steak Revival - Yonder Mountain String Band

    It was “festival early” by the time we dragged ourselves into the Town Park venue.  Leftover Salmon had worn us out the night before with a truly epic (yes, that word) late night show.  One of the best I’ve seen…but that’s a story for another time.  Right now it’s time to talk about why we were up and moving and at the Main Stage “so” early on Saturday morning:  The Telluride Band Competition Finals.  The five bands that made it through the prelims would be competing for the title on the very stage where one would perform a full set at next year’s festival.  We walked in to the familiar sounds of a Lil’ Smokies song, with their robust texture and multi-part harmonies which then gave way to a fast pickin’ instrumental.  Afterwards, The Smokies gave us the ballad of “California” followed by another tune featuring some really exquisite banjo work.  Denver’s own The Lonesome Days were up next opening with “I’m Tired” a song about the futile attempt to get ahead in life and the toll it takes on the soul and body.  Their quick set was peppered by some hard drivin’ music and skillful playing.  They surely made Denver proud.  And, after all the bands were done (and they all did an incredibly fantastic job — any of them could have taken first place), it was down to just these two bands, as fate would have it.  But, there could be only one.  And that one was to be Missoula, Montana’s The Lil’ Smokies, the 2015 Telluride Band Competition Winners!  They were overjoyed to win and showed it freely on stage thanking the judges and crowd and everyone prolifically.  It was a very happy moment.  I’ll be psyched to see them and what they’ll bring to the Main Stage in 2016.  

    Speaking of winners on the Main Stage, it was time for Trout Steak Revival’s triumphant return to Telluride to do just that.  This was my fourth or so time seeing this young band and, truthfully, I have grown rather fond of their music very quickly.  I was really happy to hear them open with “Get a Fire Going”, one of my favorite songs of theirs.  A happy, uplifting, joy-making number, this one always is a great positive affirmation to have alongside all your other live music.  It’s one of those that makes you feel better after hearing it.  “…it only takes a little spark to get a fire going.”  And what a spark Trout Steak has!  Bevin Foley was up to the mic next for the sassy but serious “Go On” handing some poor soul their walking papers through song.  Later down the set came the driving and mysterious “Wind on the Mountain” which featured some exemplary instrumental interludes in between the hauntingly beautiful vocals.  I really do love that song the more and more I hear it.  “Ours for the Taking”, that optimistic tale of new beginnings and new possibilities followed — the chorus displaying some more of the harmonious vocal interplay that I have come to enjoy so much from this band.  Who doesn’t love a good road trip song?  Their next selection, “Oklahoma”, with its fast pickin’ banjo and guitar backing and rather memorable fiddle run, is and was that day, just that.  Another great choice for this Telluride crowd.  And then, into that special afternoon sunshine, Trout Steak sang and played my favorite of their songs, “Brighter Every Day”.  Songs can be about anything — about any subject or situation that the writer imagines, dreams, or fashions.  This song is about hope and positivity and joy and goodness and good feelings.  And, in a set of songs that make you feel happy, this one stands out as their king.  I challenge anyone to listen (and I mean really listen and not dismiss) to this song and not feel better for it.  Of their final song they said that it was “about living life with the opportunity to meet anyone and at any moment who just might be the person that will change the course your life.”  OK, I was hooked.  So when they fired up the furtive “Like a River to the Sea” I could see what they had been talking about.  For the unexpected encore we got the much-anticipated “Pie”, a song they told us they had thought no serious enough for Telluride Bluegrass.  But what, I ask you, is more important than pie?  Early in the morning, late in the evening?  Till the day I die?  A catchy, fun, and funny little ditty that’s both great for immediate dancing and delayed “lyrics-on-the-brain” syndrome (you will find yourself singing or humming or whistling this song over and over and over again so just get ready) and a great way to finish up a victorious back-to-Telluride set.  I expect grand things from this young band in the future.  

Trout Steak Revival

    After a quick break from the sun and a few rounds through this year’s vendors (which were fantastic and varied — it was also great to see our friend Phil Lewis at his booth, always nice to see a buddy) it was back to our spots near the Main Stage for Yonder Mountain String Band’s afternoon set.  The lion’s share of their set it turned out was their new album, Black Sheep, which they played in its entirety from start to finish.  Certainly a bold and daring move for Telluride, but one that also certainly paid off in the band putting their newest material directly in the hands, eyes, and ears of this of all audiences — a bold move, indeed.  “Insult and an Elbow” got things off to that fast pickin’ start we’ve all come to expect from YMSB.  The eponymous “Black Sheep” came after followed by the quick stepping “Ever Fallen In Love With Someone You Shouldn’t Have” featuring some very excellent fiddle work.  Catching most of the set from the middle of the crowd, we walked up front to the dulcet tones of Miss Allie Krall intoning the sweet and lovely “Love Before You Can’t” in the warm late day heat and grabbed some real estate there to take in the rest of the music.  I must now mention the insane mando skills of Jake Jolliff on “Drawing a Melody” a clear favorite of mine from the album if for nothing else than the opening and closing licks from Jake.  Insane.  Did I say that already?  Well, I’m going to say it again.  Insane.  After wrapping the album with “New Dusty Miller” the band stepped large with the always great Sam Bush joining on for a whopping 23:00+ “Only a Northern Song” that took us all on an electrifying musical journey until finally closing things down for good with a “Shakedown Street” encore, thereby grabbing themselves a bit of small redemption from Dear Jerry as well.  Another full circle.  Another great set and many thanks to Yonder for an afternoon of very fine musicianship.  Certainly had me very much looking forward to the rest of the day…but that will have to wait a spell.

Yonder Mountain String Band

Standby for Part Two!!

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015 - Festival Experience Archive - Friday

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015

Festival Experience Archive

for The Lot Scene by Parker

Friday Highlights

The Telluride Band Competition - Edgar Meyer - Peter Rowan’s Twang an’ Groove

Friday morning we awoke to the stunning surroundings once more even more shocked into silence and awe as we gazed into the early sunlight at the distant waterfall.  The utter beauty and inviting majesty of the mountains and natural rock formations all around you when in Telluride is almost impossible to convey to you in mere words.  Simply put, there is a reason, a very good reason, that people continue to come back to this charming and gorgeous wee mountain town year after year after year.  Well, there are myriad good reasons, but the close proximity and power of nature surrounding are certainly some of the most compelling.  But, onto another one of the reasons people return annually:  the music.  Our first stop of the day was at the Elks Park secondary stage for the Telluride Band Competition.  The Band Competition is a long-standing tradition at the festival that showcases up-and-coming talent in the genre from all over the country.  Past winners include Greensky Bluegrass and Trout Steak Revival.  Leftover Salmon, as fate would have it, placed second the year they performed in it, so you can see the competition can be pretty steep.  We found a bit of shade from the warm Colorado sun and settled in to hear some great young bands vie for the coveted Main Stage set should they win the title.  There were twelve bands that competed that morning in Elks Park and each of them played three selections from their rep.  I rather enjoyed the trio Honeybucket from Cleveland, OH.  Really nice harmonies and a clean sound and all three had lovely voices.  Not to mention the fact that I also dug their songwriting quite a bit.  They made it to the final five.  I was also a big fan of The Lonesome Days out of Denver, CO, and not just because I am from nearby.  I had never heard of them before but will most certainly be on the lookout for them in the future.  And be on the lookout for one of their albums.  The Lonesome Days also scored high enough to pass to the next round.  The Lil’ Smokies from Missoula, MT, were easily another of my favorites. The six-person-strong group had a very robust sound compared to some of the smaller ensembles competing, but their palpably high energy also helped tip the balance in their favor in terms of moving forward.  By the time they finished their three songs, I was already hoping they would make it to the finals so that I could see them play again.  All of the bands that competed were rife with talent, skill, desire, and dedication, but only five would move on to the final competition on Saturday — from twelve to five and then to one.  As I said, steep competition.  What an incredible aspect to this festival!  Certainly something unique to me as a first-timer.  After the competition it was time for Edgar Meyer’s bass fiddle workshop entitled:  “Bass Alone & Other Cultural Oddities”.  Edgar took to the stage solo for what amounted to a Master Class for the double bass.  Using his broad style of playing and extended techniques, Edgar showed off his vast knowledge of the instrument coupled with his unparalleled skill.  It was a sight to see and interesting musically as there was just the timbre and texture of the single instrument, and one that is usually not used as a solo.  Another one of the very unique kinds of experiences you can expect from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.  Then it was time for some Peter Rowan and his Twang an’ Groove on the Main Stage.  It is always a privilege to see one of the greats perform live, isn’t it?  We are granted far too few realistic opportunities to see so many of them before we or they are gone so, the times we do get are a resultant boon.  Playing a guitar from 1957, Peter treated us to some of his own works as well as many old favorites such as “Midnight Moonlight” which sounded as great as I’ve ever heard it.  I really found myself getting into Rowan’s voice.  And, there certainly was much twanging and grooving as the band’s style slid back-and-forth between a more country sound and bluegrass.  Sitting under the warm, baking sun in Town Park and listening to Peter Rowan and company, life really could not have gotten any sweeter.  But, wait…Tim O’Brien is up on the secondary stage you say?  Well, then, let us go sweeten our life all the more!

Telluride Band Competition

Peter Rowan's Twang an' Groove

Tim O’Brien, Kris Drever, & Bridget Kearney - The Lonesome Trio

Back at Elks Park it was time for a real treat:  Tim O’Brien, Kris Drever, & Bridget Kearney playing a host of excellent selections for our enjoyment and entertainment.  They played a wide variety of tunes and songs for us included one inspired by the story of Keith Richards falling out of palm tree and hitting his head.  Why not?  Kris Drever, a guitarist and singer from Scotland, gave us a really light and lovely “Sweet Honey in the Rock” which sounded fascinating with the bit of lilt to his accent.  “Beats and Feathers” was a sort of guitar-adapted Scottish pipe march with some uplifting, inspirational lyrics, something of which I am a fan.  It’s nice when a song’s words help us to feel better, no?  They also regaled us with the old Woodie Guthrie classic “Down By the Water” featuring some superb interplay between guitar and mandolin as well as some masterful harmonies between Bridget and Tim.  The late Gene Ritchie wrote “The Cool of the Day” in addition to countless other songs during her long lifetime.  Tim taught us all this song line-by-line as we sung it back to him, a few hundred voices united in Gospel singing.  It was a really special moment, to be sure.  I mean, when else can I say that I have sung with such auspicious company?  Kris introduced a song and gave its name, however, it being such old Scottish Gaelic (so old, he said, that no one actually knows what it means), please forgive me if I don’t attempt a spelling.  It was a lively guitar reel which Tim joined in on mando with Bridget provide the bass foundation.  Another Telluride moment reminiscent of my trad Irish music days.  I was really digging this nostalgic vibe!  Then Tim invited his old hippie pal up to the stage to do some dancing during “Dance, Hippie, Dance”, that catchy, light-hearted little song.  In fact, this hippie friend was the hippie who inspired the song.  And still dancing after all these years.  Pretty cool, right?  And, man, could that cat dance!!  Dance, you hippie, dance!!  In fact we saw him around all weekend dancing.  Awesome.  Just awesome.  What a delightful hour-and-half of music that was.  Just loves me some Tim O’Brien!  Then it was time for a little star power.  I know, I know…Telluride is full of music stars.  And you’re right.  But what about TV and movie stars?  Ones that play bluegrass?  In a group called the Lonesome Trio?  If you said “Ed Helms” then you would be correct!  I’d never seen an actor play music up close before.  I know that many do play instruments, etc, however seeing it in person is a different story.  It wasn’t that I was star-struck, it was more that I was interested to see what this man and his two buddies could really do when up against the titanic musical backdrop of Telluride Bluegrass and the assembled horde of grass virtuosi here present.  There was a goodly amount of fast pickin’ that occurred on that mandolin, guitar, and bass.  Impressive speeds at various points.  Their song “Appalachia Apologia” started with some nice, tight instrumental work, for instance.  It was great to hear Helms sing solo on “Asheville City Skyline” — his voice sounding so familiar from the countless times I’ve seen him on the screen.  Ed also surprised us all with his mouth harp skills on another number and then on their last song of the day, “The Rising Tide of Love”, he had us all sing along with the band.  Again, hundreds of voices joining in to celebrate the joy and energy and magic of music in the bright light of the afternoon sun.  What a perfect example of a “typical” Telluride moment.  Those ones that stick with you all year as you wait somewhat patiently for your next go-round.  Those ones that haunt you happily at night, twisting the corners of your mouth into a unstoppable nostalgic grin.  Those ones that make you grateful to simply be alive, to be you.  The ones that illustrate to us just how very special life is.  Those moments, my friends, are precisely what Telluride is all about.

Tim O’Brien, Kris Drever, & Bridget Kearney

The Lonesome Trio

Stay tuned for Saturday!!

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015 - Festival Experience Archive - Thursday

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2015

Festival Experience Archive

for The Lot Scene by Parker

Introduction

For years people had been saying to me:  “You mean, you’ve never been to Telluride?!?”  And it wasn’t for lack of desire, believe-you-me.  But hearing the same thing over gets a bit tired after awhile you know?  So, I figured that 2015 was the year to change all of that and stymie any such questions in the future by heading to the 42nd annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival.  And I, for one, am so very grateful and happy that I did.  While a remote distance from most major metropolitan areas, the bucolic mountain town of Telluride sits in a magnificently lovely part of southwest Colorado.  As such, so worth it.  Our drive from Boulder was a long one, however, when compared to countless other lengthy travels to get to other festivals, this one was, in a word (well, words), downright pleasant.  Heading through the rugged Rockies, over panoramic mountain passes, past streaming waterfalls and jutting rock formations, and through charming old mining towns, each new sight was a new wonder and joy.  Suffice it to say, the drive, while long, is not uninteresting.  It is breathtaking.  And, let’s just call it what it is:  a gift.  No doubt that it puts one in an incredibly excellent frame of mind for a marathon four day bluegrass bonanza in one of the stunningly prettiest settings on our planet.  Arriving into town Wednesday night we were all taken aback by the quiet, charming, and lovely little community surrounded on all sides by painted mountains covered with trees and topped with snow whose sides were carved at intervals by the plummeting white waters of alpine falls.  Adequate words fail me to convey to you the beauty of Telluride town if you’ve never been.  So, I guess you had better get there, right?  But, in the meantime, let me share a bit of what happened there this year starting with Thursday.

Thursday Highlights

The Jerry Douglas Band - Robert Earl Keen - Dave Bruzza & Dave Simonett 

I admit, I was excited as Jerry Douglas and his band took the stage as this was my first time seeing them.  I know, I know.  But, I was seeing them that day and that was more than good enough for me.  I am biased towards the dobro as an instrument, it’s true, and one in the hand of an artist just as Douglas is a sight to be seen.  And heard.  As the first strains kicked to life, so did the festival around me, all of us reacting to the music emanating from the stage.  It was early in the day and early in the fest and already the energy level was rising, people dancing, faces smiling, hands clapping madly at the end of each tune.  Plainly, Telluride was the kind of festival that lives up to all the hype.  And then makes some more.   And then invents a little bit extra still after that.  And then lives up to that new expectation…and then exceeds it.  Like with Jerry Douglas’s unique rock’n’roll dobro groove for instance.  As in Jimi Hendrix.  On dobro.  Played by Jerry.  “Hey Joe”.  Excellence.  What a supremely good cover that was.  It was fun watching the band all keep up which is impressive since two of them did the DelFest to Telluride “Delluride” bike trip between the two festivals.  Really impressive, huh?  Jerry and company finished up with “Who’s Your Uncle?” as their last tune which featured dobro and fiddle doubling the melody in a show of some very fine musicianship.  Then, once the drums kicked in, the whole affair became another foot-stomping dance tune, and the crowd most certainly followed suit.  I am really looking forward to seeing The Jerry Douglas Band again soon once I’ve had a chance to familiarize myself a bit more with their music.  Because their music is fantastic.  Robert Earl Keen was up next to bring a bit of country into the mix for us.  And yet an early song in his set was “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” which they played in a style very reminiscent of Del and his band.  A nice recognizable treat from a musician with whom I was not very familiar.  But Mr. Keen put on a great show, replete in his pink jacket and hat and looked every part of many of the festival goers around me.  Kudos for tapping into the vibe, sir!  They also played the light “Footprints in the Snow”, a song from their newest album.  All told I enjoyed Robert’s hour-plus set more than I thought I was going to, country not being my go-to genre.  But this festival did start out as the Telluride Bluegrass and Country Festival so I suppose it is apropos to keep the tradition alive.  Way to do just that, Mr. Keen!  After that we moseyed on to the secondary stage at Elks Park to hear Dave Bruzza (Greensky Bluegrass) and Dave Simonett (Trampled by Turtles) play some Bob Dylan songs for us in the afternoon sun.  Opening up with Simonett on “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” they continued with Bruzza singing “Day of the Locusts”, both of which were stylistically in sync with Dylan himself in many ways.  They continued with a grooving, yet chill “Outlaw Blues” featuring Dave Simonett.  Finally, the last song we caught was Bruzza’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” a familiar song to Greensky fans.  It was a really compelling set — I really dig Bob’s work and love hearing other musicians’ takes on it and the Daves did right by Dylan in my opinion.  After a quick break, we hightailed it back to the Main Stage for Hot Rize as fast as our legs could carry us, not wanting to miss a note from that infamously awesome Colorado band.  

The Jerry Douglas Band

Robert Earl Keen

Hot Rize - Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers - The Telluride House Band

Walking up to the sounds of “Nellie Kane” coming down from the quartet on stage, I was already smiling ear-to-ear.  Then, standing under the azure blue skies of western Colorado as we listened, it only seemed right for Tim O’Brien to sing us an apropos “Western Skies”.  Which he did.  And did very well.  Next up we got the light and lovely but slightly sorrowful “You Were On My Mind This Morning”, another song from their most recent album, When I’m Free.  My favorite song from these fine fellows was also included in the set:  “Blue Is Fallin’” which sounded excellent.  As always and increasingly so, I was very grateful to get to hear this selection from their repertoire.  Then the boys got a little Gospel on us and sang the superb harmony-filled “I Am the Road” — such tight, well-sung harmonies like that are what so many strive for in bluegrass but few achieve to this level.  A treat to hear each and every time.  Then came “Come Away”, that wistful, pining, beseeching tale of love lost and love that could be.  No matter what you say, “Doggone” came next (see what I did there?) which, like most of Hot Rize’s songs, I liked from the first moment I heard it.  And I still do…and certainly did at Telluride.  O’Brien lamented the mournful, cautionary “A Cowboy’s Life” for us which set us up perfectly for a showing from Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers, that cowboy band that travels with Hot Rize from time to time.  This time Elmo Otto (Sam Bush) was guesting in with the Traiblazers as well as Elmo Otto 2 (Identity Unknown), both on fiddle.  Absolutely made for some great cowboy music!  Like “I Know My Baby Loves Me” for instance.  And some pretty hilarious joke songs like “Bake Shop Boogie” about the antics at a cannabis bakery.  And, always the comedic stylings of Waldo Otto.  But, of course.  However, all good things must come to an end and soon, the ‘Blazers were being rushed off-stage once more by Hot Rize who returned with the instrumental “Glory in the Meeting House”, another favorite of mine from the new album.  Really reminds me of a lot of tunes from my trad Irish music days — a tune you can really drum to.  They picked an old song of theirs out of mothballs for us next:  “Radio Boogie”.  One I had never heard but would love to hear again.  All night, all four of them had been on fire musically, seemingly really tapping the whole Telluride vibe and channeling that energy through their music and to us.  But their supremely fine musicianship is no surprise to anyone who knows Hot Rize.  Ending with McCoury’s “High on a Mountain” these stellar fellers put on a characteristically great show with some great use of available guests.  And they set the stage and scene perfectly for the Telluride House Band up next.  House Band.  What a term for this ensemble gathered.  This bluegrass supergroup.  Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, Béla, Bryan, Stuart…you get the idea.  A list of greats very great at what they do.  And what they did was probably in the top two sets of the entire weekend.  And on Thursday.  Way to set the bar high, fellas.  They opened with “Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor” kickin’ out some Gospel for us right from the get go.  Then it was time for some hard drivin’ bluegrass singing with Bryan from Hot Rize followed later by none other than the “Pink Panther Theme”.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The “Pink Panther Theme”.  On banjo and dobro and fiddle, etc, and it was hilarious.  And amazing.  What a “cover”!!  Good old fashioned fast pickin’ was name of the game with “The Snowflake Reel” with so many intense and intensely good solos from these virtuosi there present.  What a privilege to watch so much talent and skill combined on one stage together.  Incredible.  They grassed-up the Waylon Jennings song  “I’ve Always Been Crazy” for us next followed by a sea shanty of all things.  This band was all over the place tonight and it was great.  Sammy Bush sang us a wonderful “How Mountain Girls Can Love” with that rich baritone voice of his and later sang us some old Doc Watson as well.  Just can’t get me enough of Sam.  But who can, honestly?  “Play It Straight, Strive for Tone” was an Edgar Meyer-led instrumental that was true to its name as each of the world-class musicians showed us just what their chosen instruments could do.  And, finally, before the crowd could take anymore, they brought Tim O’Brien out to add his own unique energy to the mix for “Workin’ On a Building” to close down the Main Stage for the evening.  My goodness, what a set that was.  So much extremely first-class music and so much first-class musicianship.  Honestly, even knowing the lineup, it was going to be hard for the days to follow to measure up to such a lofty benchmark as Thursday.  But, I was certainly going to cheer them on as they tried.  Thankful for Thursday we made our way off to enjoy some late night with The Drunken Hearts.  Time to relax and just listen.  

Hot Rize

Telluride House Band

Stay tuned for Friday!!

The Infamous Stringdusters - 13 June 2015 - LOHI Festival - Denver, CO

The Infamous Stringdusters

13 June 2015 - LOHI Festival - Denver, CO

for The Lot Scene by Parker

Setlist:  Set 1 - Weary Hearts, Lovelight, Where the Rivers Run Cold, Get It, American Girl, Y2K, High on a Mountain, Rovin’ Rambler, Colorado, Goodbye Liza Jane, The Hitchhiker

Set 2 - Sentenced to Life>Cluck Old Hen Jam, Big River, LLD>Hillbillies, Lonesome River, Echoes of Goodbye, HC Funk (Rosie), Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad, 17 Cents, Things in Life, Lovin’ You, Head Over Heels, Angeline, Ain’t No Way>Hazosphere, Sunny Side of the Mountain

Encore - Fork in the Road

It was a sunny afternoon down in Denver yesterday as we headed to the 5th annual LOHI Festival headquartered at Highland Tap and Burger.  With a couple of blocks cordoned off, the festival took over a nice expanse of the city with local eateries and bars providing the food vending and with plenty of beer and booze on hand as well to keep all in attendance well fed and well watered.  A huge thanks needs to go out before I get going much further to Justin Picard of the 1-Up and Music Marauders and all the folks who made LOHI happen this year:  you guys are amazing and we here at The Lot Scene very much appreciate your friendship.  The fest itself is yet another of Denver’s rich and ever-growing music options — two stages and a tight line-up (other acts included Roosevelt Collier’s Superjam, Kung Fu, and Hot Buttered Rum) with enough vendors to round things out and even a costume theme.  Safari.  And there were a goodly number of folks dressed up as well.  All in all, one groovy single day fest that is well worth your time if you can make it.

So, the Dusty boys played two sets: one afternoon and one evening set.  One in the warm, Colorado sunshine and then one in the chilly Colorado rain that seems to have become our new norm here in the Mile High City.  However, regardless of the weather, both sets were expectedly fantastic and who doesn’t love dancing around to some hard drivin’ bluegrass in the rain every now and again?  But back to that sunshine set, the boys opened with Jeremy on vocals with “Weary Hearts” (Weary Hearts LOHI) under some lovely blue Colorado skies followed by grooving and stirring “Lovelight” — I mean, who can’t love those harmonies, right?  Looks like we were off to a very good start.  Andy had even dressed for the theme in a leopard-print shirt.  Gotta love this band!  Talk about a song making reference to the place of a show, “Where the Rivers Run Cold” was next and, given the amount of rain and precipitation all over our Colorado in recent months, there is no doubt in my mind that our rivers are all running rather frigid.  The exact opposite of the musically warming effect “Rivers” has on a crowd.  Then it was Booksy up to the mic to croon out a fit and fine “Get It” for us and, trust me, we got it.  And got it good.  So then, how about Andy with a  little Tom Petty for you?  “O yeah, all right, take it easy, baby, make it last all night, she was an…” Yeah, an “American Girl” cover with a wickedly hot Panda solo followed by a freakish Falco solo and some jazzy jolts from Jeremy on the fiddle.  Not to mention the deft dobro work from Andy to bring things to a close.  Damn fine music.  A highlight of the set to be sure.  The fast pickin’ instrumental “Y2K” followed with some quick, quick licks from every hand in the band as the tune tried desperately to keep up with itself.  Next was another Booksy-led song, a slow and soulful, slightly mournful version of Olabelle Reed’s “High on a Mountain”.  It was excellent and certainly interesting this downtempo pace.  Later in the set we got an apropos and colorful “Colorado” (Colorado LOHI) after which Travis remarked that “only in Colorado can you say ‘cheers’ and a bunch of doobies go up [in the air]” — well, what can we say?  It’s legal here.  Now if we could just get them to legalize bluegrass as good as the Dusters, right?  “Goodbye Liza Jane” and “The Hitchhiker” rounded out this first set for the afternoon.  Jeremy sounded particularly excellent on the vocals for “Hitchhiker” as did the harmonies.  However, the trophy had to go to Andy Falco and his truly, dare I say, epic guitar solo, a minutes-long affair filled with riff after riff and even a little “Shakedown Street” tease.  Hats off to you, good sir!  Incredible!

After a break filled with some tasty musical treats from Roosevelt Collier and crew, we all gathered back at the main stage under a cloudy, rainy sky for another helping of some Rocky Mountain Stringdusters.  They ripped back out into things with Falco on lead for “Sentenced to Life” which went into a frenetically fast pickin’ “Cluck Old Hen Jam” to close.  The Man in Black’s “Big River” was next as we all stood through rivers of rain coming down, combining the weather and our surroundings into one huge, sopping wet dance party.  Of course, with Andy Hall thrashing away on that dobro of his in time to this lively ditty it made things all the easier for us in the crowd to dance away the rain.  Later on down the line Jeremy gave us the vocals for the bigs sound of “Echoes of Goodbye” which contained some mighty, mighty solos and jams and smiles from the band.  Clearly they were loving this Colorado gig.  Roosevelt Collier joined them for his first time on dobro for a little funk, some “HC Funk”, that is.  It was killer seeing him play that new instrument and he killed it.  Of course.  Would you expect anything different?  Next up we got a great little gift from the boys:  that well-known American traditional song “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad” (also known as the “Lonesome Road Blues”).  And none of us felt even remotely bad for having heard this song, if the screams from the crowd were any indication.  Later on down the line they mellowed things up a bit for the sweet and tender “Lovin’ You”, taking the energy a bit calmer just so they could bring it back up a bit with Hall singing lead on “Head Over Heels”, another love song to help warm the soggy audience.  They brought things back up another notch with the instrumental “Angeline” and then further with the hopping “Ain’t No Way” into “Hazosphere”, perfectly timed to the worsening weather to keep us all dancing and warm as we could be.  To be honest, it was really pretty fun and there were some hard core ISD and music fans out there in that crowd.  Kudos to you all for braving that weather until the final countdown. “Sunny Side of the Mountain” was the final selection of the evening and the boys finished it quickly given the time and rain and scurried hurriedly off stage so we could get a rainy encore.  Nice to have a sunny closer at any rate.  The Dusters returned for a “Fork in the Road” as our final music for evening finishing a full two minutes ahead of the 10PM curfew and end point for the fest.  Good job, fellas!   And a great headlining job for LOHI, too.  Way to bring some incredibly good energy and your usual stellar showmanship as well as to motivate a bunch of sodden folks to keep dancing through the downpours.  Bravi, fellows!  Also, looking forward to my next LOHI that’s certain.  Thanks again to Justin and all the folks who made it happen!