Meltdown celebrates 14 years
Kicking off spring with three days of bluegrass

The Durango Bluegrass Meltdown celebrates its 14th year this weekend. Since 1994, the festival has quietly attained a reputation as a small and well organized festival and has become a favorite of many performers. This weekend, the Meltdown returns to Durango and will fill the Henry Strater Theatre, the Durango Arts Center, the Abbey Theatre and the Elks Club with local, regional and national talent.

The festival opens with a free concert at the Elks Club on the afternoon of Fri., April 11. Dozens of performances will follow, up through the festival-closer on the evening of Sun., April 13. In addition to shows in various venues, the Meltdown also presents a Band Showcase, a Band Scramble, a Celtic Jam and the ever-popular Super Jam. There will also be a Gospel Show on Sunday morning along with a variety of workshops throughout the weekend and an acoustic instrument show and sale.

Many of Durango’s restaurants and bars will also present bluegrass concerts and look for impromptu jams to spring up in coffee shops, restaurants, street corners all around town.

The Meltdown schedule follows:

Friday11

5 p.m. Elks: The Blue Canyon Boys open the festival with a free community concert

7 p.m. HST: Hurricane Creek, hard-driving bluegrass from Alabama

7 p.m. DAC: Jim Lauderdale, nationally renowned performer and songwriter

8 p.m. HST: The Badly Bent, Durango’s longstanding

traditional bluegrass band

8 p.m. DAC: Rock ’n’ Rye, local bluegrass talent

9 p.m. DAC: Hurricane Creek

9 p.m. HST: Jim Lauderdale

Saturday12

10 a.m. HST: Down the Road, seasoned local bluegrass quartet

10 a.m. DAC: Chris Stuart & Backcountry, respected Texas bluegrass band

11 a.m. AT: The Blue Canyon Boys, renowned Colorado band

11 a.m. DAC: Sweet Sunny South, old-time Americana

11 a.m. HST: The Bluegrass Patriots, one of the longest-running acts in bluegrass

12 noon HST: Hurricane Creek

12 noon DAC: Deep Blue Creek, a Durango favorite

12 noon AT: Waiting on Trial, local band

1 p.m. HST: Spring Creek, a “rural and cosmic” bluegrass band

1 p.m. Elks: The Silver Mountain String Band

1 p.m. DAC: Jim Lauderdale

1 p.m. AT: The Giant’s Dance plays a Celtic set

2 p.m. AT: Ranger Rick and the Swamp Things, bluegrass and Western from Cortez

2 p.m. HST: The Blue Canyon Boys

2 p.m. DAC: The Infamous Stringdusters, rising Nasheville newgrass band

3 p.m. AT: The Bluegrass Patriots

3 p.m. HST: Chris Stuart & Backcountry

3 p.m. HST: Mondragon, a Celtic band from Golden

3 p.m. Elks: Carute Roma, Durango’s gypsy band

4 p.m. Elks: Whistle Stop

4 p.m. HST: Sweet Sunny South

4 p.m. DAC: Spring Creek

5 p.m. DAC: Hurricane Creek

5 p.m. AT: The Blue Moon Ramblers, the Strater Hotel’s house band

5 p.m. Elks: Songwriters in the Round

7-9 p.m. HST: Celtdown takes place concluding with a Celtic jam at 9: 30 p.m.

7-9 p.m. DAC: Meltdown Super Jam, the ever-popular event

7:30 p.m. Elks: Sweet Sunny South plays an old-time barn dance

Sunday13

10 a.m. HST: The Blue Moon Ramblers

10 a.m. DAC: The Howard Cattle Co., a family band from Bayfield performing gospel

11 a.m. HST: Chris Stuart & Backcountry

12 noon HST: The Blue Canyon Boys

12 noon DAC: The Bar D Wranglers play a gospel set

1 p.m. HST: Spring Creek

1 p.m. DAC: The Bluegrass Patriots

2 p.m. HST: The Bar D Wranglers

2 p.m. HST: Hit and Run

2 p.m. DAC: The Infamous Stringdusters

3 p.m. HST: Rock ’n’ Rye

3 p.m. DAC: The Badly Bent

4 p.m. HST: The Infamous Stringdusters close out the Meltdown

4 p.m. DAC: Chris Stuart & Backcountry close out the Meltdown

* AT: Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College Drive; DAC: Durango Arts Center, 802 E. Second Ave.; Elks: Elks Lodge, 901 E. Second Ave; HST: Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave.

For more information on any of the events or bands, visit www.durangomeltdown.com.