Monday, June 21, 2010

Festivarians Unite

Last week I went to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. It was my first music festival and it was amazing. I don't think I'll ever enjoy another festival like I did this one for a variety of reasons:
  • It's in Telluride, Colorado, which is located in the beautiful San Juan Mountains and San Miguel county in southwest Colorado.
  • The festival strives to be greener and greener every year.  It's sustainable through recycling, composting, wind energy.
  • I went with four amazing women. 
  • Festivarians are amazing, kind, generous people. 

The musical line up was killer. Josh Ritter (below in a three-piece suite) played a great set on Thursday afternoon. Alison Kraus wowed the crowd with her amazing voice (but unfortunately left many people wanting to head to bed). Imelda May traveled all the way from England to surprise Festivarians with her amazing voice and great song set.



My two favorite performances of the weekend were Leftover Salmon and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. Leftover Salmon was just classic bluegrass. The whole crowd was going crazy. It was the perfect set for the night. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros just flat out wowed Festivarians. Never have I been in a crowd that was as energized, as into a show and as excited about a performance.


Besides the performances there is so much to do in Telluride. We mountain biked, floated down the San Miguel river and road the gondola to the top of the ski mountain. The views are expansive and vast.


I highly recommend the festival. But in case you need a bit more convincing here is my final comment. It's simply heaven on earth.

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