On the rocks, Mambo Kings and Mojo Farmers
by Chris Aaland After four straight weekends on the homefront, the festival world once again beckons. Like dozens of Durango diehards, I’ll pack rain gear, sunscreen, tents, tarps, lawnchairs, inner-tubes and coolers to Lyons for the 36th annual RockyGrass Festival. For those who’ve never been, a trip to Bluegrass Ranch is well worth it. When the thermometer nears 100 degrees, simply dunk yourself in the St. Vrain River, which cuts between a red rock canyon and the seating area as it meanders into the plains. It’s the only venue I know of where you can float from one end of the festival to the other without leaving earshot of live music. But my RockyGrass is much more than a riverdance while listening to banjos, mandolins, guitars, basses, dobros and fiddles – although a lineup that includes J.D. Crowe & the New South, Dan Tyminski, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Chris Thile, the Infamous Stringdusters and Chatham County Line promises plenty of high and lonesome sounds. My RockyGrass – this year marks 10 straight for me – means camping with Chef Drew. Andrew Curlett graduated from Fort Lewis in the mid-’90s and quickly enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He’s since been hired by CCA as an instructor. A real chef’s chef, so to speak. Drew’s fiancé is coming this year for her first RockyGrass. The kicker: Kim is also a CCA graduate. Thus, our camp consists of two classically trained chefs and a glutton who has trained 40 years for this experience. I know what to expect. I have three filleted pheasants that will marinate in vinegar, oil, Southern Comfort, garlic, onion, celery and pepper during today’s drive across the state. Two years ago, these ended up on toasted bruscheta topped with golden heirloom tomatoes, gourmet mozzarella and organic basil. At the turn of the century, Drew brought an ice cream ball that dozens of campers tossed around for several hours before it was churned into dessert. Grilled pizza? Check. Flank steak sandwiches? Done that, too. Breakfast? Chef Drew claims membership in a “bacon of the month” club. Did I mention Béla, Sam, J.D. and the ’Dusters? A feast for the ears, for certain. Yet tasty tunes aren’t limited to Lyons this week. Music in the Mountains gets funky as the Mambo Kings do Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms under the big tent at Durango Mountain Resort at 7 p.m. Monday. The night kicks off with a beer-and-cheese pairing featuring Steamworks brews at 5:30. Roundtrip transportation is available. Find out more at www.musicinthemountains.com or visit their Durango ticket office at 1063 Main Ave. Head west on Saturday for real honky-tonk music, straight from a Texas roadhouse. Austin’s Genuine Cowhide makes its first southwest Colorado appearance at 9 p.m. at the Hollywood Bar in Dolores. My good friend Rosie Carter, who spends her time playing in the dirt on her organic farm, selling crazy art at the Sideshow Gallery and spinning hillbilly music on KSJD, describes them best: “shuffle, two-step, swing, waltz, rockabilly into spaghetti Western rock with an occasional jagged edge.” Dave Insley’s lead guitarist, Dale X Allen, fronts Genuine Cowhide and plays a mean Telecaster. Charley Pride blazed a trail for African-Americans singing country and western music in the 1960s and ’70s. His son’s band, Carlton Pride & Zion Reggae Music, travels north from San Marcos, Texas, to take the stage at the Summit on Friday. Tempe-based jam band Mojo Farmers play two area shows, at 8 p.m. Friday at the Dolores River Brewery and at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Summit. The band has opened for the likes of Rusted Root, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Steel Pulse and the Radiators. The Abbey hosts an all-ages show by Denver’s Born in the Flood and local indie rockers … in a day (yes, the ellipse is part of the name) at 10 p.m. Saturday. A rootsy, garage band, Born in the Flood plays everything from ‘60s psychedelia to ‘70s arena rock to contemporary low-fi. As an added bonus, each paid ticket-holder will receive a copy of … in a day’s new album, “The Motion Picture EP.” Steamworks hosts a free, island-themed party at 10 p.m. Saturday. Come dressed in tropical attire and receive a lei and a free drink at the door, then boogie to the funky reggae of Champagne with Friends. What’s more, there’s no cover! This week’s Ska-B-Q features Arizona ska band the Braskies plus grub from Zia Taqueria at 5 p.m. tonight (Thursday). Kirk James jams with his blues band at 8 p.m. Friday at the 8th Avenue Tavern, then has solo gigs at 5 p.m. Saturday at Steamworks in Bayfield and at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the River Rat Café at the DoubleTree Hotel. Pete Giuliani brings his act to Blondie’s Pub & Grub in Cortez on back-to-back nights. Tonight, he does a solo singer-songwriter show at 6 p.m. On Friday, he performs at Blondie’s at 8 p.m. with his rock/country/blues band, Freeplay. Check out Freeplay in Durango at 8 p.m. Saturday at Legend’s Lounge and Grill. Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play a two-night stand at El Patio on Friday and Saturday. They start their high-altitude blend of blues, rock and folk at 5:30 each day. If you didn’t get enough of the “Earth Whisperer” at RockyGrass, take the long road home and catch Peter Rowan at the Creede Repertory Theatre at 8 p.m. Monday. For more information, visit www.highmtarts.com or call (719) 658-0909. This week’s Top Shelf list recalls highlights from a decade of RockyGrass: • The Lyons goat herd grazing at sunset • Psychograss guitarist David Grier telling the dirtiest jokes on the planet to Béla Fleck, Bryant Liggett, David Smith and me • Sisters’ Dumplings … the new crack • Stumbling to Oskar Blues to hear Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams last year • Hurricane Del in 1999, as the McCourys used the classic instrumental “Rawhide” as a way to keep time with the downpour • Two sets of John Hartford in 2000, may he rest in peace • “Going big” during Cherryholmes in 2007 (Tracers! Sparklers! ZZ Top beards!) • Introducing Town Mountain’s Robert Greer to the gin drink called “The Four” in 2006 • Front row seats for Doc & Dawg, circa 2000 • Gettin’ the Led out in 2004 as John Paul Jones blessed us with his “Presence.” The apples of the valley hold the seeds of happiness? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. • The apples of the valley hold the seeds of happiness? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. • by Chris Aaland fter four straight weekends on the homefront, the festival world once again beckons. Like dozens of Durango diehards, I’ll pack rain gear, sunscreen, tents, tarps, lawnchairs, inner-tubes and coolers to Lyons for the 36th annual RockyGrass Festival. For those who’ve never been, a trip to Bluegrass Ranch is well worth it. When the thermometer nears 100 degrees, simply dunk yourself in the St. Vrain River, which cuts between a red rock canyon and the seating area as it meanders into the plains. It’s the only venue I know of where you can float from one end of the festival to the other without leaving earshot of live music. But my RockyGrass is much more than a riverdance while listening to banjos, mandolins, guitars, basses, dobros and fiddles – although a lineup that includes J.D. Crowe & the New South, Dan Tyminski, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Chris Thile, the Infamous Stringdusters and Chatham County Line promises plenty of high and lonesome sounds. My RockyGrass – this year marks 10 straight for me – means camping with Chef Drew. Andrew Curlett graduated from Fort Lewis in the mid-’90s and quickly enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He’s since been hired by CCA as an instructor. A real chef’s chef, so to speak. Drew’s fiancé is coming this year for her first RockyGrass. The kicker: Kim is also a CCA graduate. Thus, our camp consists of two classically trained chefs and a glutton who has trained 40 years for this experience. I know what to expect. I have three filleted pheasants that will marinate in vinegar, oil, Southern Comfort, garlic, onion, celery and pepper during today’s drive across the state. Two years ago, these ended up on toasted bruscheta topped with golden heirloom tomatoes, gourmet mozzarella and organic basil. At the turn of the century, Drew brought an ice cream ball that dozens of campers tossed around for several hours before it was churned into dessert. Grilled pizza? Check. Flank steak sandwiches? Done that, too. Breakfast? Chef Drew claims membership in a “bacon of the month” club. Did I mention Béla, Sam, J.D. and the ’Dusters? A feast for the ears, for certain. Yet tasty tunes aren’t limited to Lyons this week. Music in the Mountains gets funky as the Mambo Kings do Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms under the big tent at Durango Mountain Resort at 7 p.m. Monday. The night kicks off with a beer-and-cheese pairing featuring Steamworks brews at 5:30. Roundtrip transportation is available. Find out more at www.musicinthemountains.com or visit their Durango ticket office at 1063 Main Ave. Head west on Saturday for real honky-tonk music, straight from a Texas roadhouse. Austin’s Genuine Cowhide makes its first southwest Colorado appearance at 9 p.m. at the Hollywood Bar in Dolores. My good friend Rosie Carter, who spends her time playing in the dirt on her organic farm, selling crazy art at the Sideshow Gallery and spinning hillbilly music on KSJD, describes them best: “shuffle, two-step, swing, waltz, rockabilly into spaghetti Western rock with an occasional jagged edge.” Dave Insley’s lead guitarist, Dale X Allen, fronts Genuine Cowhide and plays a mean Telecaster. Charley Pride blazed a trail for African-Americans singing country and western music in the 1960s and ’70s. His son’s band, Carlton Pride & Zion Reggae Music, travels north from San Marcos, Texas, to take the stage at the Summit on Friday. Tempe-based jam band Mojo Farmers play two area shows, at 8 p.m. Friday at the Dolores River Brewery and at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Summit. The band has opened for the likes of Rusted Root, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Steel Pulse and the Radiators. The Abbey hosts an all-ages show by Denver’s Born in the Flood and local indie rockers … in a day (yes, the ellipse is part of the name) at 10 p.m. Saturday. A rootsy, garage band, Born in the Flood plays everything from ‘60s psychedelia to ‘70s arena rock to contemporary low-fi. As an added bonus, each paid ticket-holder will receive a copy of … in a day’s new album, “The Motion Picture EP.” Steamworks hosts a free, island-themed party at 10 p.m. Saturday. Come dressed in tropical attire and receive a lei and a free drink at the door, then boogie to the funky reggae of Champagne with Friends. What’s more, there’s no cover! This week’s Ska-B-Q features Arizona ska band the Braskies plus grub from Zia Taqueria at 5 p.m. tonight (Thursday). Kirk James jams with his blues band at 8 p.m. Friday at the 8th Avenue Tavern, then has solo gigs at 5 p.m. Saturday at Steamworks in Bayfield and at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the River Rat Café at the DoubleTree Hotel. Pete Giuliani brings his act to Blondie’s Pub & Grub in Cortez on back-to-back nights. Tonight, he does a solo singer-songwriter show at 6 p.m. On Friday, he performs at Blondie’s at 8 p.m. with his rock/country/blues band, Freeplay. Check out Freeplay in Durango at 8 p.m. Saturday at Legend’s Lounge and Grill. Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play a two-night stand at El Patio on Friday and Saturday. They start their high-altitude blend of blues, rock and folk at 5:30 each day. If you didn’t get enough of the “Earth Whisperer” at RockyGrass, take the long road home and catch Peter Rowan at the Creede Repertory Theatre at 8 p.m. Monday. For more information, visit www.highmtarts.com or call (719) 658-0909. This week’s Top Shelf list recalls highlights from a decade of RockyGrass: • The Lyons goat herd grazing at sunset • Psychograss guitarist David Grier telling the dirtiest jokes on the planet to Béla Fleck, Bryant Liggett, David Smith and me • Sisters’ Dumplings … the new crack • Stumbling to Oskar Blues to hear Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams last year • Hurricane Del in 1999, as the McCourys used the classic instrumental “Rawhide” as a way to keep time with the downpour • Two sets of John Hartford in 2000, may he rest in peace • “Going big” during Cherryholmes in 2007 (Tracers! Sparklers! ZZ Top beards!) • Introducing Town Mountain’s Robert Greer to the gin drink called “The Four” in 2006 • Front row seats for Doc & Dawg, circa 2000 • Gettin’ the Led out in 2004 as John Paul Jones blessed us with his “Presence.” The apples of the valley hold the seeds of happiness? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. •
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