REK, Dog at Large returns and iAM Music Walk

Last week’s Durango Bluegrass Meltdown provided us with the latest “Damnit, I wish I’d been there” moment. 15-time IBMA Dobro Player of the Year Rob Ickes and 25-year-old guitar/vocal wunderkind Trey Hensley threw down a 45-minute tribute to Merle Haggard that beat anything I could’ve written in print. Heart-wrenching covers of tunes like “Silver Wings,” “Sing Me Back Home” and “Hungry Eyes” seemed like they were penned specifically for this duo to perform at the Hag’s wake. If you were among the 200-plus people crammed into the Hank on Sunday, count yourself among the lucky. A beer and a pull or two of bourbon was enough to make me “Drink Up and Be Somebody.”

My gut tells me the next nationally touring act to honor the Hag will be legendary Texas troubadour Robert Earl Keen. His cover of “Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)” in 1994 was a highlight on a Haggard tribute album. REK returns to the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. His most recent record was his first true bluegrass effort – “Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions” – and the No. 1-selling bluegrass album of 2015. Always writing new material, he’s taking a different approach this time. While on the road, he’s penning “abbreviated songs” that are less than two minutes and tailored for the short attention span culture. Expect these and plenty of favorites to populate his set list. Local singer-songwriter Thom Chacon opens.

The dance floor will be open for Robert Earl Keen’s return to the Concert Hall on Tuesday.

A Farquahrts reunion takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday at the VFW, this time featuring Dog at Large. There was a time when this roving pack of musicians ruled the roost in D-Town … namely, the ’80s at the old Farquahrts bar. I still miss that place. Original members Gary Watkins (guitar) and D.C. Duncan (drums) will lead a more contemporary quartet that includes latter-day Dog at Largers Jeff Solon (sax) and Jim Belcher (bass).

Imaginario Circus presents Reflections, a masquerade style dance party, aerial artistry and burlesque circus at 6:15 (18+) and 9:15 (21+) Friday at the Animas City Theatre. Participants should be prepared to dance (DJ Niko spins) and be part of the energy. Proceeds benefit the Second Wind Fund of the Four Corners, a local suicide awareness/prevention group.

iAM Music presents the iAM Music Walk from 6-10 p.m. Friday. Downtown businesses, including Surya, Maria’s, Eno, the Open Shutter, Durango Craft Spirits and others, will host touring and local singer-songwriters and acoustic projects in pop-up venues for a free evening of music. It’s like an art walk, but with music.

The San Juan Symphony wraps up its 2015-16 season with a Beethoven festival at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Concert Hall. Guest conductor Philip Mann and pianist Norman Krieger will be featured, along with the Durango Choral Society and FLC Choir. The week also includes the release of Beethoven’s 5th bomber – a pastoral Bach golden ale dubbel – by Ska Brewing.

The fourth annual Mancos Spring Hoedown takes place Saturday at the Mancos Opera House. This year’s lineup includes Free the Honey, Six Dollar String Band and Carute Roma, with music starting at 5 p.m. A taco bar and beer and wine will be available. Proceeds support the Montezuma School-to-Farm Project.

Also in Mancos on Saturday is a “totally ‘80s night,” featuring Sticky Situation. Doors open at 5 p.m. with music at 8. One of the area’s heaviest metal bands, Sticky Situation will take you back to the days of big hair, leather jumpsuits and synthesizers. The set list not only includes hair metal favorites, but revolutionary punk tunes and others from the kings and queens of pop.

The Durango Botanical Society features the music of Bob’s Yr Uncle from 5:30-8 p.m. tonight at the Durango Rec Center for their spring membership party. Food, drink and a silent auction are also on tap to benefit the group’s efforts to establish and maintain public gardens in the area.

Trails 2000 invites all trail and outdoor enthusiasts to its tree planting at Vallecito Lake at 9 a.m. Saturday. Meet at the Old Timers Campground on the east side of the lake. Tools, planting instructions and water will be provided (please bring your own lunch). Crews will plant ponderosa pine and douglas fir to help the area continue to regenerate following the Missionary Ridge Fire of 2002. The seedlings were grown from cones collected at the lake. RSVP required – visit www.trails2000.org or email info@trails2000.org.

Of note: Moe’s madness includes a Friday night twin bill with Alex Blocker (8-10) and DJ Icite (10 ‘til close), plus shenanigans with DJ Noonz from 9 ‘til close Saturday. And Kirk James goes solo from 5:30-7 p.m. tonight at Durango Craft Spirits, then brings his full band to the Billy Goat Saloon in Gem Village at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Wanna be a DJ? KDUR’s DJ application meeting is 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Vallecito Room in FLC’s Student Union.

This week’s Top Shelf is a six-pack of my favorite Robert Earl Keen albums:

1. “West Textures,” 1989. REK’s second effort featured a handful of covers mixed in with originals that would become his biggest hits. Dig deeper for cuts like “Love’s a Word I Never Throw Around” and “Mariano” to hear the real genius.

2. “Gringo Honeymoon,” 1994. A songwriter finds maturity. Not a bad tune in the lot.

3. “A Bigger Piece of Sky,” 1993. Keen’s wanders into dark territory on “Here in Arkansas” and “Whenever Kindness Fails.”

4. “Picnic,” 1997. Covers of James McMurtry and Dave Alvin are interspersed with originals like “Shades of Gray” and “Then Came Lo Mein.”

5. “No Kinda Dancer,” 1984. Keen charged straight out of the gate on his debut, with timeless songs like “Willie,” “The Armadillo Jackal” and “The Front Porch Song.”

6. “The Live Album,” 1988. The acoustic, bluegrass hints certainly point toward the inevitable success of last year’s “Happy Prisoner.” “Goin’ Down in Style” is a highlight.

When the big gig come, we were just too drunk to play?Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.