Punch Brothers show @ the Opera House, 2012. My wife and I had just been married in town on the Summer Solstice- Wednesday night (the Yonder CC show was our reception). Sometime during a lull in the Punch Brothers show on Sunday I think that we or some of our friends called out that we had just been married. There was some kind of acknowledgment from the stage or at least it seemed like there was at the time.
At encore time, only Thile, Eldridge, and Luke Bulla came out. They walked out on the floor level- through the main doors into the room from the stairs if I remember correctly- right into the crowd. Thile walked right up to where my wife and I were standing in the crowd, just a bit back from the front, looked straight at my wife, and then turned to face Eldridge and Bulla. Then they started their encore directly in front of us, our son, and the closest members of our wedding party.
It was R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S. Surreal supreme. The crowd kept pressing in so that Thile was occasionally knocking me in the ribs with the elbow of his strumming arm and my son had to lean back so as not to get hit in the face with the end of his mando when he (Thile) turned to face different parts of the crowd surrounding him!!!
Just another one of those utterly magical moments that resides somewhere between dream and reality that IS Telluride Bluegrass.
I’ll throw a hat in. Aside from the usual greatness a few recent musical memories that stuck with me:
-Earl Scruggs
-John Prine singing Bear Creek as the sun disappeared over the ridge
-Jewel yodeling
-Old Crow, Take 'um Away
-Wilders at fly me to the moon
-An Allison Krauss set so dark I was scared
Non musical:
-The call of Vince’s Fest…eeee…vaaaaaal!
-Epic all night croquet game
-Sister’s Dumplings
-Cookie Monster playing the trumpet (well, making noise) all night… Honk…“f#@* yeah” Doodly doo…“playing into the”…Honky Doo…“Bear Box”…Doodly doo…“f#@* yeah” AAALLL NIGHT LONG! annoying at the time as I didn’t sleep a wink, but I look back at it fondly now.
-Pulling into to town in a VW bus after it took 8 too many hours to get there.
-Saving myself from heat stroke by dunking in the river.
:flower Scoring two free tickets to Lake Street Dive nightgrass at Fly Me to the Moon Saloon. Thank you again to whoever you were that gave me them!! So grateful. It was amazing! :thumbsup :wave
At Firstgrass, I went up onto the chairlift platform to get some shade and a better view for some pictures. The cop on horseback was hanging out up there looking over things, and I was pretty much next to him. As we stood there, four late teen/early 20s kids walked by, and each one of them was smoking something and each one of them also had an open container of alcohol. None were being rowdy, just enjoying themselves and walking by with a dog. The cop lets out a shrill “HEY!!”, and all 4 stopped and looked at the cop, who says “come on, put your damn dog on a leash”. Awesome.
During the Dusters set, I was in line for a hard lemonade when they started playing He’s Gone. That one gets me pretty good still. I had my eyes closed and was facing the stage and jamming out with myself, old memories flooding into what was left of my brain by that time. When the song ended, I heard a whistle, and it had obviously been my turn for a lemonade for a long time (nobody in line behind me). I walked up to the counter apologizing, and the guy says “no worries man, some things are more important than the next drink. I saw you were having a moment so I let you be.” That dude got a high five and nice tip for the scholarship fund.
That stuff doesn’t happen everywhere. In fact, almost nowhere. I love you FESTIVAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!
More then I can remember now, so many . I am always amazed at the unusual and unique instruments that grace the stage. Its like a learning experience each time a new sound. :medal
Hard to not get excited each new year brings yet another beautiful musical experience. It is a part of each of my Summers that sticks with me like a long canoe ride down a slow river…feels good to know you TBF.
Each year solidifies my commitment to this ritual I love and adore… :lovedr :sunshine :hug :concert
In 2009 splurged and bought the long sleeve tee with the mando over the mountain spilling down into the falls on it. Wore it to the Sam Bush show in Frankfort, Ky a couple years later, and at the table after the show, Sam looks at it and says “that’s a Cool shirt!” I told him being King and all he might know where to find one….
Every year about this time for many years now I feel as if I am sitting on the edge of my seat, just waiting to hear the entire line up. I really can say that nothing excites me more. Like an unknown gift to yourself, left wrapped till , who knows. The art of suprise. Planning and Parades, music , food and friends. Yikes :medal
The combination of all elements creates this euphoric feeling for me. Music, water, sun, snow, cold and hot. Like all your senses are turned on overdrive all at once. A real chill pill.
UNLESS however John Fogerty turns it up about 60 notches and tears the roof of the house. What a powerful performance!
Maybe 2001?
Camped with a big group in town park. Late night and things are winding down. I’m with an acquaintance from camp and we’re wandering among the last jams, both a bit ahem silly. We come across a solo guy on the trail playing a washtub bass. My friend asks if the guy can play Summertime and he does, and she busts out an incredible slow, throaty, bluesy rendition there in the moonlight on the dusty trail. Time stopped and I was speechless. I still get goosebumps just remembering it.
Same year, cell phones were new and I had arranged to call my girlfriend at a certain time as she was away all summer guiding rafting trips in CA. I had to leave our tarp and go back to camp to call. It’s still daytime and Town Park is empty. I finally get a signal and while we’re talking, my girlfriend stops me:
“Wait! Is that Emmylou I hear in the background?”
“Yes, she just started.”
“Well get off the phone, you idiot, and get back in there!”
We’ll be married seven years this August. This year will be her first at TBF.
At the 40th festival, I was using a cane throughout the event due to a ruptured quad I suffered a month before. When we found out that the programs were available, plans were made to collect several for our camp. Since my walking would slow everything down, James and Hunter pulled me down to the box office in the wagon we used to collect ice and water. Sure enough, it took way less time than it would have taken for me to walk there and back.
At the 40th festival, Hot Sugar was using a cane throughout the event due to a ruptured quad he suffered a month before. So I hit him in the boy parts with a full flask of hooch on purpose since I knew he could not chase me. Good times.
This is a somewhat ‘impossible to pin down’ topic but…
The perfect summer day with a snowball fight interlude in 2008 was a magic moment on a magic day for me.
(So many of my TBF moments center around the fantastic venue itself. Whether it’s sunsets, glacier peaks, sounds bouncing around the canyon, old clapboard buildings, night wanderings in Town Park…hard not to create magic on the canvas that is Tride)
Sunday night 2011. Mumford and Sons playing in the rain that eventually turned into snow.
Towards the end of their set, the clouds parted to reveal the setting sun lighting up the now snow-covered surrounding peaks. An audible “oooh” erupted from thousands of frozen and soaked festivarians.
Of course, then it restarted and got colder for Robert Plant. Good Times.
Those Brits sure bring some great weather with’em.
No question, standing at the top of the Gondola over looking Telluride on one side and Mountain Village on the other side. Asking Annette to Be my Wife…and she said yes. It will be along time before something comes along and replaces that memory! :pirate :pirate :medal :medal
Good Times.