Tucked away in the nether-reaches of the Rockies, the is something of a tradition in Colorado. As such, the festival has grown to become incredibly popular, with this year’s tickets selling out in a record go-to-work-and-you’ll-miss-it two hours. While that popularity has led to some massive names playing the mainstage, the festival has also broken smaller bands into the vernacular of many a bluegrass nerd over the years.
So, set Emmylou and String Cheese Incident aside, and let’s take a look at the best low-bill names this year’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival has to offer.
5) Elephant Revival
are some of Colorado’s proudest young sons and daughters today. Hailing from Nederland, their style is all heartfelt folk music born of passion, a sentiment that’s clear when you see them live. Their songs are celebrations and lamentations of simple relationships and the nature of the world sung in a range of different styles, thanks to all five of the members sharing singing duty. Of course, all accomplished musician as well, including one of the best musical saw/washboard players this side of the county fair.
4) Hot Rize
play the equivalent of smooth jazz for bluegrass. It’s sweet, free-flowing stuff with few digressions that’s easy to tap your feet to. Though they do wheel out a drum set in their later music, most of the percussive swing you’d get in a jazz tune comes in the form of the palm-muted banjo riffs of Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo and bassist Peter Werner. Your sultry bar crooner (and virtuosic mandolinist) is Tim O’Brien, who should need no introduction for those that’ve ever been to Telluride or any other bluegrass festival before. Then again, you’re the ones that already know these guys aren’t to be missed.
3) The Drepung Monks
It sounds like a cool name for a punk band, but the are real, Daili Lama-endorsed monks. Their spot on the bill comes thanks to Michelle Shocked’s bump, and may be a direct response to it. Where Shocked , the newly installed Drepung Monks are instruments of love and acceptance, with beautiful voices to boot. This isn’t their first rodeo either: the seasoned Telluride-goer will remember the monks making the trek to the Colorado stage back in 2010. A fitting choice for a festival that’s not afraid to step outside the world of bluegrass to seize on a singularly inspiring group.
2) Sarah Jarosz
There’s a quiet competance to . She’s a gifted songwriter and a learned student of songwriting, with enough covers to fill a jukebox, but her most striking talent is her voice. In the tradition of modern women singers like Nora Jones and fellow 2013 Telluride performer Leslie Feist, she can be formidable when she wants, belting notes that’ll blow your hair back; but she’s equally capable of evoking vulnerablility, and at the drop of a dime.
1) Lake Street Dive
is kind of like an ultimate, movable wedding band. In addition to their originals, the foursome has an array of pop/dance hits from the last 30 years or so under its belt, done in their own proportion of jazz-pop. There’s a lot to like, just listening to them—and just try not to fall in love with Rachael Price’s Nora Jones-esque crooning on a cover like “Faith.” It’s music for sunny, outdoor dance parties, which is practically synonymous with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
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Dylan Owens is Reverb’s indie and bluegrass blogger. You can read more from him in Relix magazine and the comment sections of WORLDSTARHIPHOP.
