Mumford in Salida, classgrassand Queen of the Wood

by Chris Aaland

When is a festival too big? Many steer clear of Telluride during Bluegrass, fearing that 10,000 festivarians is over the top. Others argue that Reservoir Hill in Pagosa Springs is too packed with nearly 3,000 attendees at the Four Corners Folk Festival each Labor Day. I’ve even heard a few folks complain that the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, with seating around 200 at each of its three downtown venues each April, is too packed. To each his own; I love ’em all.

Legendary musicians Edgar Meyer and Mike Marshall return to the Concert Hall on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

So how does one react to this week’s news that Salida will host a 35,000-spectator event from Aug. 21-22? Mumford & Sons are adding the two-day event to their brief “Gentlemen of the Road Stopover” tour this summer (there are just five stopovers, one of which is in Scotland). Keep in mind that Chaffee County has about 17,000 residents. For the relatively low price of $199 per ticket, attendees get free on-site camping, two-day passes and the chance to see the aforementioned Mumford crew, the Flaming Lips, Dawes, Jenny Lewis, the Vaccines, TuneYards, James Vincent McMorrow, JEFF The Brotherhood and Blake Mills. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

According to the Denver Post, concert promoter Madison House is paying the town about $10,000 to use the land, $1 for every ticket sold and about $63,000 to cover city services from police and fire to code enforcement. The organizer has promised to reseed and repair the property after the festival.

The Colorado Stopover will be held on Vandaveer Ranch, located about 1.5 miles southeast of Salida on U.S. Highway 50. It’s only a couple of miles upriver from where I caught my first two trout on a fly rod as a kid in the early ’80s. My buddy Steve Miller’s grandparents homesteaded just a few miles farther down Big Horn Canyon.

My take? Madison House has a solid reputation as a promoter and will no doubt keep their end of the bargain. Telluride seems no worse for the wear after Planet Bluegrass’ exceptional pre- and post-festival maintenance each year. The land will survive. But two C-notes per pass to see a handful of bands that I’m remotely familiar with in sweltering summer heat? I’d rather save my gas money for the Mother’s Day caddis hatch on the Ark.

Two legendary musicians – bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer and string wizard Mike Marshall – return to the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The duo’s music has been described as “classgrass” – a dual reference to their combination of classical and bluegrass genres, and “bluegrass with class.”

Meyer and Marshall have earned heavy praise since their individual arrivals on the contemporary acoustic music scene in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Meyer has amassed five Grammy awards, including “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” last month for “Bass & Mandolin,” his collection of duos with mandolin wunderkind Chris Thile. Marshall, a triple threat on mandolin, guitar and fiddle, moved to the Bay Area in 1978 to join the original David Grisman Quintet, affording him the opportunity to play with the likes of Stephane Grappelli, Mark O’Connor and Tony Rice. Along with banjo player Béla Fleck, Meyer and Marshall released “Uncommon Ritual” in 1997 – a mix of classical, parlor and bluegrass that transcends genre.

The 10th annual Durango Film Festival rolls on through Sunday at a variety of venues (Animas City Theatre, Gaslight and Durango Stadium 9 for films, various downtown restaurants and bars for parties, Henry Strater Theatre for panels and discussions). One film in particular should be of interest to music fans. Music in the Mountains has partnered with DIFF to present the documentary “Virtuosity,” which chronicles the most gifted young pianists on the planet as they tried to make a name for themselves at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. “Virtuosity” will be screened at 7 p.m. Sunday at Stadium 9. For tickets, a complete schedule and description of films and events, visit durangofilm.org.

BREW Pub & Kitchen celebrates its second anniversary Saturday and features special musical guests Carute Roma, which will play starting at 8 p.m. For the occasion, master brewer Erik Maxson will be releasing a bourbon barrel-aged barley wine, named “Gwendolen: Queen of the Wood,” she is guaranteed to “knock you on your ass” if you’re not careful.

Steamworks will serve up an encore barrel of Framboozin for Firkin' Friday. They debuted this twist on the traditional Belgian Framboise-style ale at Purgy's last week. Their rendition uses Backside Stout as the base, refermented and naturally conditioned in its cask with raspberries. Brewer Spencer Roper promises "a balance of rich chocolate and fruit, cut with tartness. Think chocolate raspberry truffles." The keg gets tapped at 3 p.m. Friday at Steamworks.

At Moe’s, Deltawaves Ent. presents Alex Blocker, Jade Ox and Alex Slater at 8 p.m. tonight (Thurs., March 5). At 8 p.m. Saturday, Animas Herbal presents First Saturday, with tunes by DJ Squooze and Beesa.

Elsewhere: San Francisco slack rockers Couches will be returning to the area Friday, playing the Schoolhouse with a very cool band from London called H. Grimace; and the Black Velvet Duo plays at 7 p.m. Friday at the Derailed Pour House.

Finally, KSUT’s spring membership drive, “We Are Family,” is under way. Web pledges received at ksut.org by noon Friday will be entered into an earlybird drawing for an iPad Mini 3 and Fuzoo speakers donated by the Mac Ranch. The on-air portion of the drive begins Wed., March 11, and runs through the following Tuesday. All pledges received by 6 p.m. March 17 will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a trip for two to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, complete with five nights’ lodging, round trip airfare from Durango and WWOZ VIP tent access.

This week’s Top Shelf list simply recounts something I overheard Edgar Meyer tell a fan at one of his earlier performances at the Community Concert Hall. A slight, young hippie girl acquaintance of mine, who had recently taken up violin and was a regular on the festival scene at the time, asked Edgar, “What’s the last piece of music you want to play before you die?”

I thought it was one of the most bizarre queries I’d ever heard.

Edgar stopped in his tracks, pondered the question for about 10 seconds, and replied, “That’s a great question. I hope it’s something I write at that moment.”

Giving love in a family dose? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.