Ear to the ground:

“I must be above average.”
– Excited comment upon seeing the diver’s “interesting fact” this week.

Jam on!

It’s true. A lot of big name musical acts pass by our out-of-the-way burg on their way to riztier venues. But just because we often play second fiddle doesn’t mean we have to miss out.

This week, The Ride Festival announced its line up, which should make children of the ’90s bang their heads with joy. None other than Pearl Jam is headlining this year’s Ride Fest, which takes place the weekend of July 9-10 in Telluride Town Park.

OK, so not a head-banging band per se, Pearl Jam was a seminal band in Seattle’s grunge scene (along with Nirvana, which for obvious reasons, will not be playing. RIP KC.) Students of MTV will remember this era for lots of flannel; deep, throaty vocals; ratty T-shirts, jeans and hair; Ethan Hawke and that funny smell. And no matter what you say, there was some serious head banging going on.

Alas, fans of Eddie Vedder and crew can relive the glory days and swing what hair they have left and air guitar to their heart’s content at the altar of the brand new Town Park stage. This is Vedder and Co.’s first trip to the box canyon, and you can bet it will be one to tell the grandkids about, ranking up there with David Byrne, Dylan and maybe even The Man in Black.

But wait – there’s more. The Ride has lined up a whole slew of alt-rock ear candy, including: The Temperance Movement, Cage the Elephant, Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons and Band of Heathens. For a complete list, go to www.theridefestival.com. And bookmark it – that’s where you’ll want to go at 11 a.m. on Fri., March 4, when tickets go on sale.

If rootsy southern blues-rock is more your thing, then head south to Taos to check out the Grammy-winning Alabama Shakes, right in our own extended back yard on Sat., Aug. 6. Headed up by ass-kicking, genre-defying frontwoman Brittany Howard, the Athens, Ga.-based Shakes hauled in three Grammys on Monday, including best alternative album, best rock performance and best rock song.

The concert, which takes place in Kit Carson Park, is put on by Albuquerque’s nonprofit promoter AMP Concerts, Walking Rain Productions and the Town of Taos. Tickets for the all-ages show go on sale this Fri., Feb. 19, at 10 a.m. at www.ampconcerts.org.

Tickets for Alabama Shakes are $60. No price has been released for the Ride – but can one really put a price on Eddie Vedder bragging rights? (Speaking of which, our sources in Seattle tell us he’s “just a regular guy” who does kiddie carpool and puts his tattered designer jeans on one leg at a time.)