Ok, being the super diligent chick that I am I have downloaded music from the 2017 TBGF bands I have never heard of (so I don’t feel completely lost when they walk out on stage).
I have now listened to Dispatch for about three hours. Yes, The General is kind of cool but, um…I’m trying to find the vibe…what is their attraction?
I have fallen in love with so many of the people and bands I’ve met through this fabulous festival but I still can’t work out this group.
Any enlightenment Festivarians?
:wave Good day! :cheers
Friday and time to dig in. I will explore this and get back to you. I have had only a taste of them.
A great way to spend a Friday! New tunes!
ok just like a remember from the few tunes I have heard, it feels good. Their harmonies are great and they have a message.
It just feels good, not complex or ripped with solos, almost Pop.
The audience at TBF is family, all ages and this is a very good one for that wide range of audience.
Fresh ears. Wakes you up as a listener to shake up the groove. IMHO. :lovedr
So nice of you to come back. I told you. :horsey :hug :vibes
They were one of the first “indie” (I hate labels) bands that went mainstream in the 90’s. Very popular, especially in the northeast US. They stayed off the grid (record company labels) when they first started, and you have to remember these were the days when things like file-sharing were just getting started, legally and otherwise, so people would get their music from download sites, from your buddies through AOL, and from Napster. That’s what high school and college kids did in those days. I remember one critic that penned them as “rap with acoustic guitars.”
Their music is good, some of it catchy. I personally do not think their “musicianship” is on the same level as many other Telluride performers, but that’s just my 2 cents worth. But I am sure there are many Festivarians that have fond memories of listening to them in dorm rooms across the country, so I have no problem with them playing here. There have probably been acts much worse over the course of 40+ years. Just hope PB is not considering putting them into the Saturday slot where Salmon should be playing. If we don’t get Salmon on Saturday night, that will disappoint me. Will be praying for some good Nightgrass shows then.
Wow, kudos to you! Making it through 3 hours of Dispatch is an impressive feat for anyone!
Agree with MJ!
Dispatch’s set is the night you do not miss any of Nightgrass and can actually get to the venue early and score a good spot.
Thanks! It makes more sense now. As I said, I don’t hate them, it is pleasant and some of their stuff is catchy but I understand why some people will be thrilled to see them now that I have the back story. Noticed they are also playing Red Rocks
Even though this isn’t my favourite TBGF band I am still waaaaay in front through the introductions I have made here. Really enjoying Elephant Revival and I like Fireball Mail.
See you all soon. Btw, for you folk feeling a bit chilly, we are in the middle of massive heatwave. Third week of temperatures over 40C ( that is 104f). In fact it is 44 (111) in Sydney today.
To the beach! Watch out for sharks. We love it
:sunshine :sunshine
I was not familiar with Dispatch’s music until TBG announced they would be playing, but I’ve now also been listening. While they are not likely to become an all time favorite, I’m enjoying their music and I like the fact that we will be seeing someone new and “outside of the box”
According to Dispatch’s summer tour announcement today, they will be playing at Telluride Bluegrass on Saturday of the festival…
See here:
Dispatch has played TBF before
Yeah but we had Dusters, Greensky, String Cheese, Jackson Browne, Steve Martin and the SCR, Richard Thompson, Salmon, most of which are not on this year’s lineup.
I was replying to the prior comment about them being a new sound to TBF and was not implying I wanted them on the bill
I saw Dispatch’s set in 2013. Well, most of it. I was looking forward to it cuz back East in the 90s, they were HUGE concert draws. I figured their TBF show was gonna be absolutely STUNNING! Planet Bluegrass peeps were really excited about being able to turn us all onto a band they obviously were really into. So I was ready to be blown away!!!
They were fine.
I think we should expect them to be either the last or next to last band on Saturday night - usually the spots reserved for the overall festival headliners.
I hope their 2017 show makes us all huge fans forever, but I’m not all that optimistic. Another “fine” performance won’t cut it.
But either way, it really won’t affect my Fest experience! The musical lineup has just become more of a curiosity to me, and just one of MANY reasons I attend every year.
Do you think so? Weren’t they a daytime set last time? If this is a “headliner”…better have a lot of $$$ to spend on the 45th in 2018.
Is there a headliner this year? I’m ok, I am very happy to see my favourites but I have to admit that Louise is already muttering that she isn’t sure why she is travelling to US from Australia to see this line up. She doesn’t have the Telluride crush that I have, of course. And, without wanting to sound like a complete broken record ( oh god, AGAIN, she is mentioning it AGAIN), I am really, really, really hoping that Alison Kraus having a new record means she might make it. And if Union Station came too I’d be in heaven. Greensky and AKUS. Fab
:flower :flower :flower :wave
Slightly jealous…sounds amazing… :flower
The brain cells diminish with age, and the good folks here can correct me if I am wrong, but Dispatch may have been the closing act on Thursday night. That was the 40th anniversary year, and the lineup was outstanding. The Friday closing act was Steve Martin, Edie Brickell and the Steep Canyon Rangers (the “replacement” for Mumford, who still owe us a show BTW). Salmon closed Saturday and the House Band on Sunday. Even the monks making the sand mandala that year was amazing. :cheers
AND this is when I start getting goosebumps. They love to watch us guess and struggle and speculate and just when we give up guessing. BOOM they hear you, us and the whoopee cushion is full and ready to pop. OK Ferg, Brian, whomever. :lol STOP! SHOW US THE BEEF! :medal :cheers they love this stuff. :lol
So appropriate for my final post :lol.
Guess I managed to forget that. Well with any luck they’ll be up against Greensky’s nightgrass so I can get to the Palm nice and early.
Yeah. Being able to make that sort of decision is one of the beauties of TBF, for sure, although I think I’d rather have the opposite problem of having a tough decision to make. 
Im with you two! :thumbsup