We’re travelling from the UK to our first TBF. I have no problem findings sessions pretty much every night at home but all the focus on sessions here seems to be centred on Town Park & Warner (neither of which we could get tickets for, so if you have any for sale… :flower).
Are we still gonna find plenty of action at Mary E Ilium? We’ll be packing guitar, mando, singing voice (with authentic UK bluegrass accent) and a bucket full of enthusiasm so if somebody could point us in the right direction?
My girlfriend and I will be down there picking with guitar and mando (and possibly a fiddle). They may not be as huge as the Town Park picking sessions, but they are still big.
i was there last year and definetly heard no shortage of music. i camped by a firepit and had peoepl playin music most of the nights. i’m gettin out there on monday or tuesday(still not sure, gotta keep talkin it over with my girlfriend and make our decision) i’m gonna be out there with a guitar and some vocals and ready to jam!
Never been there in the past so I’m not exactly sure where I’ll be, BUT I’ll be movin’ camp over to illum from TP ABGAT on Tuesday. The plan is to find a nice spot where we wont bug our neighbors and has a fire pit. We’ll be easy to spot, just keep an eye out for the big HEADLINE banner.
Bein that your an illum vet, i was hoping you might be able to help me with some questions i have.
How is firewood availability? Lots of deadfall handy to collect? or do you think i’d be better off bringing a couple walled easy ups and a propane heater for a pickin’ tent?
I usually stay way back in the back, but it seems like there’s usually more of a party in the front. We are going to be arriving much earlier this year so hopefully will get to be up front. As you go down the hill there’s a little spot off to the left that has always looked promising. Not sure if there’s a firepit or not, but I’m sure there is.
There’s usually lots of deadfall around and it’s not hard to have fires going most of the night every night you are there. That being said, I doubt anyone would object to some easy ups and a propane heater for some picking!
Thanks Ron, but were good. Between bandmates, significant others, and family we would have needed a small army’s worth of tickets. When I didnt win the lottery we all went ahead and bought tickets for illum. We’ll make the most of it and have a damn good time in the process im sure. Thanks for the offer though!
But dont think you are totally off the hook ;), ill be in town park at least 5-7 days before the fest for ABGAT and I’m dragging any of the crew that wants to come with me along. It worked out extremely well last year.
That’s great news - I take it that includes the ill-equipped but very excited UK visitors? We’re travelling light so no EZ-ups, awnings, BBQ heaters or much of anything except a love of good music, a new guitar from one of England’s best builders and a 12+ year anticipation of great things from TBF.
Sounds like we should get talking: I’m a Telluride fest virgin as well this year and coming all the way from the UK! so, what’s your plan of action? how are your trip plans working out? I’m on the verge of booking flights but still humming & haahing about it…just want to get the best possible deal!
I’ve also been looking forward to this for longer than I can remember and have been working in earnest on that authentic UK Bluegrass singing accent…It’s all about feeling lonesome and yearning for those hills of west Virginia I think…well it’s definitely a sign if you’ve never set foot in the US ! :lol
I was going to book at Lawson hill campground, but from this thread I’m thinking maybe it’s best to go for Mary E Illium?
You may want to check with some of the Town Park veterans because I’m pretty sure I read somewhere on this forum that some TP regulars were looking to score you a Town Park campground pass. I recommend you reach out to Ron of Ron N Deb infamy as he’s got the 411.
Yes the strangers in a foreign land should gather mass.
We missed out on the Town Park & Warner tickets, but given that we’ll have a car (and there are no vehicles allowed in town) we’d win by being closer … but the car would still be miles away so we’d end up carrying passports, tickets etc etc with us all the time.
There are three of us flying out, one couple and one gooseberry (me!). We’ve done all the humming and haahing and finally decided to go BA from Heathrow direct to Denver. All the US carriers stop at a hub and some of the return flights would mean leaving site at 4am to make sure that we made Denver 3 hours before the return flight. We’ll sort a rental car from Denver and it’s about a 350 mile drive from there. Finally, a vehicle pass for Mary E Ilium so we have somewhere secure near to the canvass palaces to lock the crown jewels away whilst we’re out playing.
Flight prices are going up it seems so we’ve jumped in an booked. The preference to fly direct left only one option - BA.
We’re all fairly regular travellers to the US and I find if you speak slowly and drawl a little - they can understand most of what you’re saying … well until you mention car parts (boot, bonnet, indicators, windscreen … you’ll get a blank look).
So, where abouts in the UK are you, how many of you are travelling, how long are you thinking of going for; oh… and do you play an instrument?
It’s a great line up so make sure you get your flight booked,
Thanks for the info, indeed I am aware of the immense privilege of being on the list for a Town Park campground pass up for grabs, and backed up by Ron as well as Jailhouse Rob (who’s been filling me in on the ins & outs of TBF and answering all my newbie questions). I’m not sure how I got so lucky, but I’m keeping track of that and if it happens I will be eternally grateful to them all :medal
However, I still want to book tickets for Telluride Festival with a camp pass, just to be 100 % sure that I’ve got my place at TBF 2009 ! Everyone I’ve spoken to seem pretty optimistic about me getting a TP pass, but you can never know what might happen, and apparently the returns won’t really start flowing in to Planet Bluegrass till april, and I can’t take the stress of not knowing if I’ll make it till then! So this is just me keeping on the safe side, and getting in touch with my fellow festivarians in the process
Thanks for being on the look out for me though! :thumbsup
I’m sure that’s making Lalagay feel better … but what about other festivirgins (like me?). Is the offer of help exclusive to UK festivirgins? (because I fit that camp too).
It would be great to get on the list so let me know if there’s something special I have to do, cheers.
