The Troubudor Bomb Incident

by Kelly Humphries

That was the best sticker I saw during the weekend of June 17 and 18, when Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh and Friends, and String Cheese Incident played a pair of shows at The Gorge.

Ah, the days when every show had its own sticker. Dylan and the Dead, Mountain Aire '87, New Year's '91-'92. They would proliferate before showtime, on cars and drums and dogs and in hands offering them for sale, then after the show would seemingly disappear from sight until being spotted months later on a car driving alongside you. Look for the Troubador Bomb Incident, coming to a car bumper or guitar case next to you sometime soon.

Everything's changed since the first time I went to the Gorge in 1988, which was then known as the Champs de Brionne Theater and was owned by the winery on whose property it sits. That show, on August 20 of 1988, also featured Bob Dylan, with Tracy Chapman as his opening act, and was the first major rock concert held at that venue on the lip of the Columbia River gorge in the middle of Eastern Washington's irrigated desert farmland. The winery sold its product outside the concert gates, by the bottle or single serving, alongside plentiful signs warning that bottles and open containers would not be allowed inside the show. So everyone sloshed down their vino and went inside ... to discover multiple kiosks where their wine was sold by the bottle or single serving.

Several thousand inebriated concertgoers later, the August sun finally set. Whew. Tracy Chapman was called out for an encore and played "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution" as the sun disappeared behind the desert hills, to wild applause and relief. I don't remember a thing about Dylan's set that night (even though I was not among the overly-sloshed), but I know it was good. Or, as good as shows get when you're 20 miles from the nearest facilities one would depend on at ordinary concert venues. We all wished the Dead would play there someday, but I knew they wouldn't as long as the alcohol consumption was out of control.

The next time Dylan played there, in 1990, the alcohol problems had been cleaned up for the most part. I can't remember if the venue had at last installed lighting in their parking lots, but I do remember spending an inordinate amount of time looking for my car after the show. I still hoped he would play "Watching The River Flow," but alas he did not. The only song I remember him playing that night is a stilted cover of "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay." Which is not to say that it was a bad show. When the sun sets at the Gorge, with the breeze coming through the river valley below, you can look off in the distance and see a grand total of maybe four lights far to the north toward the apple orchards of Wenatchee. It's then that you realize that you and the performer are the only ones around for miles, so you both might as well let loose. I've never seen a bad show at the Gorge.

Nowadays the Gorge is owned by House of Blues, has a vast array of facilities to ease the summer heat, and is home of the largest sanctioned concert camp scene this side of Autzen Stadium. I haven't been inside their "General Store" in years (last I checked, everything was still overpriced and subject to stock on hand). You should bring as much water, ice and food as your vehicle will hold if you want to make the best of it. We spent a weekend there with a six-year-old, and to him it was no more severe than driving to a campsite and eating and playing and dancing. I'll take that as a compliment of my ability to plan ahead.

String Cheese Incident played the Gorge for the first time, and although I've seen them a handful of times and have a couple of concert tapes and CDs, I feel I haven't really become well-versed enough to determine if they're truly playing at their peak. There are a few songs I look forward to -- "Round the Wheel," which they did play, and "Jellyfish," which they didn't -- but, considering that they had about one hour for their opening act slot, they certainly enjoyed the surroundings and seemed to be having a great time.

Except when it came to their soundcheck the first day. They arrived onstage at about the time the show was scheduled to start, and announced that they were going to play part of a song they were working on as a soundcheck, then come back and play the regular show. Apparently, one of the other performers had been taking quite a while to complete their soundcheck, leaving SCI no choice but to do their soundcheck at showtime. Caveat emptor rumoris.

The taping scene was equally disjointed. Dylan's crew was insisting that no taping be allowed until Phil & Friends began, while the SCI crew handed out board patches as per custom. A certain taper using one of these patches watched as a Dylan staffer yanked patch cords out of SCI's soundboard and verbal sparring escalated. Crews from both sides immediately pulled out cell phones to confab with backstage crew leaders, and after a few minutes the SCI crew were again free to plug the patches as they saw fit. I think String Cheese will be headlining the Gorge sometime in 2001 if they have it their way.

About the only thing that hasn't changed at the Gorge since 1988 is that Dylan still wants to rock. At my first Dylan show ever, at the Tacoma Dome in 1986 with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, I sold an extra ticket to a guy who looked exactly like Phil Lesh, who said he was from Berkeley and was taking a little break. This while the Dead waited for Jerry to recover in the hospital. Hmmmmmmm! He guided me through Dylan's setlist, and revealed that the only reason Dylan went electric was that he wanted to rock out. And he still does. These days, when Dylan goes electric midway through a set it's received with wild fanfare. Opening both days at the Gorge with gospel tunes, he showed what a little rockin' can do for your eternal salvation.

"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" was well-played, and well-received. The Gorge is the only two-night stop on the current Phylan tour, so I imagined what it would be like to run into Zimmy out on Shakedown Street looking for food, or bumper stickers, after the show. He'd probably become apoplectic at the sound of all the Dylan concert tapes coming at him from all directions.

"Blowin' In The Wind" demonstrated that even today it's possible for others to harmonize with Dylan if they practice. How many ears must one man have?

Dylan seemed unsure of how many encores he should play for the enthusiastic crowd. Even after taking off the guitar, pausing, putting it back on, and belting out "Not Fade Away" at maximum volume, he still had enough in him to finish up with "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35."

Okay, Phil and Friends already. I've tried to avoid reading other reviews before writing all this. I never got to see Phil with Steve Kimock, but to me, saying that Phil isn't as good without Kimock (or Trey) is a bit like saying the Dead weren't as good without Hornsby (Brent/Pigpen/Jerry/Donna/TC/horns/Billy alone/Keith/Owsley acid/the Fillmore). Subjectively, it may be true, but who cares? It's over already. I sat with zzyzx while waiting in line, and he commented that he was fully expecting the Gorge shows to blow compared to last April's Phriends shows. Now now, let's listen to the show being played today, shall we? ;-)

The one thing I will say along that line of thought -- the "here's how you should play your own show, Phil" thought -- is that it sure would be nice to hear more Phil tunes. I see he finally got around to playing Unbroken Chain and Box of Rain down in Sacto. But howza 'bout throwing "Passenger" into the mix? And not that your later songs with the Dead were spectacular, but hey, you did consider them worthy of public performance not that long ago. I will give him credit for "Playin' In The Band" on day two, thus proving that he doesn't really hate Bob; he'll play his songs as well as Jerry's.

And for those who don't like "Mickey's version" (???) of "Fire On The Mountain," Phil still employs the odd rhythm while layering the traditional vocal style we've heard before.

Whipping the band into shape right away, Phil gestured with snapping fingers to set the tempo for an opening jam that sounded like it could be an uptempo "Viola Lee Blues." Ten minutes later, it had become "Mountains of the Moon." After this, I realized why so many Phil setlists used "Jam" as a separator/title. Whereas the Dead, in their later years, got in the habit of riffing out of or into a song quickly, Phil now seems free to take his time playing any sort of musical style he wants between songs, and covering a lot of ground to get there. Eventually, they made their way to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes," which, Michele remarked, sounded like a Frank Sinatra cover at first. Yeah, I can see that.

"Crazy Fingers" was truly a beautiful thing. One of my last memories of the Dead was Portland in '95, when the band played Crazy Fingers and Jerry sadly was not there to take part. This time, Billy Payne's keyboard and Robben Ford's guitar snaked their way around each other the way I'd always wanted to hear it done, as Phil's seemingly endless melodic inventory went up one way and down the other. Damn, it felt good to hear that bass guitar being played again, instead of just imagining it in my head like I'd done for the past five years.

For the first part of the first show, Phil's singing was better than I had expected. It sounded as though he was fully using voice training to control his phrasing and melody. As the show progressed, however, his voice seemed to deteriorate to what I had previously heard on tape -- essentially, the equivalent of Boris Karloff singing love songs. Good thing they didn't do "China Doll" that weekend. And fortunately for me, seeing Phil onstage again wasn't about the vocals.

It's the music -- and as I said, Phil covers a LOT of ground, at times making it seem disjointed as he and the Friends (Ford, Payne, Paul Barrere, John Molo) jump around stylistically as they see fit, stopping for a couple of minutes to expound on cowboy themes then moving swiftly to southern fried boogie, then something that sounds like Wharf Rat but isn't, then something that sounds like ... and on and on and on ... thus the dilemma:

I think that if the Dead had added one or two or three of these jams into their shows, Deadheads would have been creaming themselves at the "variety" being offered. Phil now has his own troupe that can blaze through three or four of these excursions between each and every song, but what is there to connect them together? Nothing that the majority of heads are familiar with yet. The Friends have by nature changed quite a bit, and if a stable lineup can be maintained maybe they'll find a few favorite themes to work around. But Phil himself was the one who remarked on the latter-day "ossification" of the Dead's concert format, so I wouldn't be surprised if the guy spends the next 30 years diddling away as long as he pleases in between songs, something he hasn't had the opportunity to do in quite a while.

I think I could get used to that.

Especially in smaller venues -- the "cheap seats" at the Gorge have an unsurpassed scenic view, but I bet the people up front with the best view of the music came away with the highest overall perception of the jams. Hey, Phil: maybe next time you could make it to Seattle and play the Paramount? And "Passenger" would fit in as an encore quite well.

by Sarah Bruner

It happened exactly the way it's supposed to happen. 

There is always a defining moment every year at High Sierra Music Festival.  It's precisely the moment when you remember why you happily fork over money for outrageously priced holiday airfare to fly across the Pacific Ocean every single year to get there.  It's why you worked your ass off  at your brand  new job both day and night the entire month before,  hoping and praying to finish your project ahead of schedule, so you don't feel too guilty when you tell little white lies to your boss and coworkers about why you need to suddenly jet off to the mainland for a week.  It's the instant in which you re-learn the lesson that was taught to you a long time ago one warm summer night at Cal Expo during Bird Song:

Music Is Magic.  Life Is Magic.  Music Is Life.

Listen.

It was Saturday evening.  I was wandering alone from my campsite to the field area at the fairgrounds in Quincy, on my way to meet up with my friends who were already listening to Jorma wail away on the Mainstage.  Even from a distance the music was solid, bluesy, and very loud.  I took my time getting there, stopping for water, a toke, and talking with friends and strangers.  But, you know, sometimes you just don't feel solid or bluesy or loud.   Sometimes you feel light and porous, mellifluous, gently cerebral,  watery and airy, easy in the cool, early stages of dusk.

It was as if I floated unconsciously over to the Sidestage.  I heard faintly the sound of ambient groove and organic rhythm.  I was curious.

When I approached from stage right, the band had just begun their set.  I had no idea who those guys were but I immediately felt connected to the sound.  I glanced to the front of the stage and looked at the crowd, not sparse but not yet packed in tight. I considered positioning myself more centrally, but like a premonition I knew I would soon need plenty of space for dancing. 

Something was going to happen.  I could feel it.

It may sound far fetched, but it seems that fate may have influenced my musical inquiries in the last six months, in preparation for my experience with Sector 9.  Long after the popularity of rave culture and ecstacy, it's only recently that I've been able to delve into the world of electronica.  It's simple.  Typically I like my music organic.  I like the sound of instruments being played, the subtle reverb from fingers plucking strings and palms beating drums.  I like the breath of voices and the comfort of melodies, choruses and lyrics and harmonics.  I like ripping guitar solos.  For whatever reason, I've never been fond of looping beats, recycled arrangements, shiny spacesuit sound effects, the industrial scraping of synthesizers, nor the precise jackhammer of drum machines.  It's only been in the last year that I've discovered enjoyment in and appreciation for electronica, with this yet undefined new branch of techno that has grown and evolved from being a purely synthetic futuristic, minimalistic, test tube kind of sound, to a more gentle, earthy hip-hop drum and bass rhymic beat - layered with guitar pedal sound effects, or the soothing static of vinyl on old turntable needles.

More than ambient.  Deeper than electric.  Fully hypnotic.

So maybe it was fate.  Maybe it was luck.  But as I stood and listened at the front of the side of the stage that Saturday night at High Sierra, I was ready.  I got it.  I witnessed The Magic of a truly new kind of Music happen.  I heard it and felt it from my ears to my toes.  What I heard was the most melodic and beautiful rhythms and layers of sounds and melodies that I've heard in a long time; a blend of progressive and psychedelic rock, startling time signatures, experimental ambient techno fusion, and hypnotic organic love groove music.  I watched it come from the hands of drummers, an intensely focused guitarist, a mischievous bassist, and a keyboard wizard.

My body experienced an entirely involuntary release.  I lost my skin and bones and face and hands and danced with abandon.  The woman dancing next to me did as well, and we bounced energy between us and locked into each other's groove.  As the music wound its way around long, flowing jams, building and peaking in patterns I've never heard before, we all became hypnotized, dancing and grooving in a unified trance, the band and the audience feeding off of and sharing each other's energy and bliss.

Time stopped.  We were all in The Zone. 

And this was the definitive festival moment, when it all comes together.  The accidental musical experience you simply wander into that makes you appreciate the peaceful coexistence of chaos and order... the kind of music that makes you believe in something.  This is exactly why you do whatever it takes to get to the show.

I never wanted it to end.  But even when the music ended, it wasn't really over.  The crowd was wild eyed and buzzing with bliss.  The woman dancing next to me turned to me and smiled.  We hugged and gasped and hugged some more.  We watched the band acknowledge the magic of the moment; it was amazing to see them so humbly yet furtively appreciate the fact that they had taken us to a special place.  They seemed simultaneously amazed by what just happened, but also gracefully confident; of course it's supposed to happen this way! 

Behind the drum set they all hugged each other.

To me, the music of Sector 9 has uniquely tapped into the collective unconscious rhythms of the distance past and combined the sound of tribal history with the wide open landscape of new sounds and melodies available to us only through tools that are very recent in the timeline of music.  With one foot firmly planted on Mother Earth and the other foot taking a giant step up into the cosmos, Sector 9 has unfurled a new space in music and thus a new space in life, which I plan to follow and explore for as long as they are creating.

I have a new favorite band.  I haven't said that in a long, long time.

Galactic Graduates to the Jamband Big Leagues
The Warfield - SF, CA - June 9-10, 2000

by Greg Schwartz

Rising acid-jazz/funk phenomenon Galactic returned to the Warfield for a two-night stand on June 9th and 10th. While the band hails from New Orleans, they have made the Bay Area a second home, having played at least 10 shows in the region over the past two years. The band has become known for dishing out long shows of funk jamming and always bringing along a little bit of the Mardis Gras vibe. This run came as a pleasant surprise as the band had visited the Warfield as recently as this past January 21. The band chose to return to the Warfield to close out their two month spring tour, and it was clear from the beginning that they had the intention of making these shows special. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, an obvious influence on Galactic, opened the show and got the crowd warmed up with their own southern-funk jams.

A cursory listen of Galactic's third album, "Late for the Future" (released earlier this year), clearly shows that the band is intent on expanding their sonic palette. They established a deep groove and psychedelic vibe from the git-go, bursting out of the gates with more intensity than usual, as the first song got the house totally rocking - they meant business! Drummer Stanton Moore and bassist Robert Mercurio, longtime mainstays of the band, were locked in to a tight, tight groove all night long. The Dirty Dozen was summoned back out on stage midway through the set for a half-hour of jamming that was a true highlight of the Year 2000 concert season so far. But Galactic was still just getting started.

The second set was more of the same, as the "acid-jazz locomotive" really picked up steam. I previously thought of Galactic as mainly just a really good funk band, but guitarist Jeff Raines, saxman Ben Ellman, and keyboardist Richard Vogel were really stepping up to the plate on this night, as the band continually went off into deep funk-rock improv. When the show ended at 1:30 am, I concluded that Galactic just keeps getting better and better every time they come to town. However, the best was still to come.

June 10 Night Two.

Alvin Youngblood Hart opened the show and while entertaining, couldn't compare to the fun vibes of the Dirty Dozen. Galactic hit the stage for set one and immediately picked up right where they left off. Vocalist Theryl de'Clouet surprised the crowd at the end of the set by stating that the band would be back for TWO more sets - Holy cosmic funk Batman!

Set two didn't even kick off until 12:15 am, but time is quickly rendered meaningless by great improv rock. Another momentous highlight came when Blues Traveler vocalist and harmonica player extrordinaire John Popper joined Galactic on the stage! It was heartwarming to see Popper back in action after the tragic events that befell Blues Traveler in 1999. (A week after their 6/28/99 Rainforest Action Network Benefit blowout at the Warfield, Popper fell ill and the band was forced to cancel their annual 4th of July Red Rocks shows. Then in August, bassist Bobby Sheehan died of a drug overdose. The Warfield show with special guests Phil Lesh and Merl Saunders had proven to be Sheehan's last with the band.) Much of the crowd was exhausted by the end of set two and break was definitely needed.

Sidebar discussion during the intermission with a Warfield employee brought me some interesting info about local venue hierarchy and band economics. We were discussing the upcoming Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes tour, and I mentioned how perplexed I was by the fact that the last two times the Black Crowes had visited SF, they had chosen to play the schwag-hole known as the Maritime Hall. I personally dislike the Maritime quite a bit, as it has poor acoustics and a generally grungy vibe, quite the contrast to the beauty and elegance of the Warfield. "Why didn't they play the Warfield?", I wondered. Said employee than informed me that while the Maritime holds 3000 people as compared to the Warfield's 2500, it also costs only $9000 to rent out as compared to the Warfield's $25,000! Never the less, I must say to the Robinson brothers - guys, it's not all about the benjamins!

As it was approaching 2 am and we were still waiting for set three, I queried this informative soul an another issue. I had thought the Warfield had a 2 am curfew, as I had seen George Clinton and P-Funk get the lights turned on on them at 1:55 am during their 3/26/99 show. This employee then informed me that Galactic had paid extra in order to be able to do the third set! Now that's the kind of class that is all too missing in this day and age where many bands have no qualms about gouging their fans as much as possible. Ticket place for this three set marathon: $21 - All hail Galactic!

2 am provided an amusing scene, as the bars not only closed, but patrons were forced to down their drinks. Their was a special glow amongst the crowd, one that is only seen at intermission of already spectacular shows, where fans wonder what can possibly top what they've already scene. I had a feeling that we would see the Dirty Dozen Brass Band back on stage and so it was as they re-joined Galactic for the entire third set, a cosmic funk jam session of monumental proportions! Galactic and the Dirty Dozen had the Warfield getting downright jiggy. Local DJ Radioactive, a known friend of Galactic ( he joined them onstage at the Berkeley Greek last summer), also joined in on the festivities with his unique hip-hop vocals - he sounds like he's scratching, but he does it with his voice. There was one breakdown where it was just Radioactive laying down a beat for a solo from the Dirty Dozen's tuba player - truly a sublime moment amidst the acid-jazz ecstasy. Another highlight of the set was an intense version of Galactic's funky political protest song, "Something's Wrong With This Picture". By the time it was all over, it was almost 4 am!

This show totally blew me away - I will forever refer to this night as Galactic's graduation show, because they are no longer just a good funk band. They are seriously taking it to another level in 2000, and are now among the elite of the burgeoning "jamband" genre that has exploded since the passing of Jerome Garcia. It is interesting to note that I felt the same way about the String Cheese Incident after their recent appearance at the Warfield in March, where they too were taking their music to new and unprecedented levels. What's the common link? Both bands toured together last year on the "Summer Sessions" tour with the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Friends last August.

Anyone who saw Phil perform in 1999 knows that he was taking his music to another level, one that far surpassed what the Grateful Dead was putting out on most nights in their latter years. Touring with Phil clearly had a huge influence on both Galactic and SCI, as they are both taking their improv jams further and "furthur" out these days. So while many of us may still miss Jerry dearly, the fact of the matter is that his incalculable influence continues to inspire. Thank you Jerry!

Comments for Greg can be addressed to: Stardog2012@yahoo.com
See also http://www.stardog2012.net

The Flecktones with Newgrange

by Sujata Subramanian

Two superlative bands, 10 totally original musicians and one stage - I knew Sunday's show at Stern Grove Park with Newgrange opening for the Flecktones just had to be brilliant given the lineup - but what we got surpassed even my expectations.

We arrived at the park at about 10:30 am for a 2:00 pm concert, knowing the venue would be packed. We were certainly glad we did, because we got great front row seats and the day started with Mike Marshall walking off stage after the sound check and coming right up to us for a chat! This was followed by a chat with Darol Anger, which pretty much put me on cloud 9 - I could have gone home happy right then.

Fortunately, I didn't. When Newgrange came on with their self-effacing attitude and their wacky, off-the-wall humor, they launched into a set of songs gleaned from their own self-titled CD, Alison Brown's "Fair Weather" and Tim O'Brien's "The Crossing," the range of material in itself serving as a reminder (as if you needed one) of the extent of individual talent that makes up this band. It also brought to mind the lack of ego in Bluegrass and its offshoots which makes these amazing people WANT to pool their talents together - thus providing proof positive that too many cooks do NOT spoil the broth if they're talented enough! This is the Bluegrass version of the "supergroup" and their immense talent is matched only by their unbelievable humility.

So much has already been said about Tim O'Brien's voice, but he has to be the only singer I've seen who doesn't seem to sing at all. One gets the impression that songs simply pour out of him with no effort on his part. And then there's Mike Marshall following the most exquisitely melodic improvisations with that slightly bewildered look that seems to say, "Where did that come from?" And when Darol launched into "Coal Burnin Grease Fire" (my new favorite tune), which I've been waiting to hear again since Merlefest, the tone of his violin sent shivers up my spine. I turned around to look at the faces of my Bluegrass-novice friends sitting next to me, and saw them leaning forward with their jaws dropped wide open. One of them, who's an accomplished singer/songwriter/guitarist himself, couldn't stop himself mumbling, "Oh God!" after every Mike Marshall solo. And Todd Phillips and Philip Aaberg and Alison Brown... oh my!

So then we transitioned from Jazz-tinged Bluegrass to Bluegrass-tinged Jazz with the Flecktones. The pre-Sandip Burman part of the show was, of course, made up of that blinding brilliance I've come to expect from the Flecktones. Victor Wooten proves over and over that he is simply one of the most fluid and melodic bass players around, while Bela's virtuosity and experimentation seem to take music to new heights every time I hear him play. Jeff Coffin, from what I can tell, appears to be taking on an increasingly important role in the band and has brought his own brand of musical dissidence into the mix and Future Man is quite simply Future Man.

The introduction of Sandip Burman to the stage took the musical journey in a whole new direction and into a rhythmic tapestry that was both incredibly complex and astoundingly fluid. Burman's mastery over the melodic nuances and inflections of the tabla make his playing a perfect complement to Bela's, with his command over the rhythmic potential of the banjo. Together with some inspired playing from Victor Wooten, they wove a rhythmic fabric the likes of which I've never heard before. Throw in the lilting sound of Paul McCandless (certainly no stranger to Indojazz fusion) on a pennywhistle and Jeff Coffin alternating between searing, soaring melodic solos and those staccato, rhythmic bursts that he does so well and you have what should be cross-cultural chaos turning into true fusion. Their rendition of the Beatles' "Within You Without You" was a truly breathtaking example of just that.

Disappointments? Well, I would have loved to see some more cross-band jamming. It was great to see Darol up there for the last Flecktones number, but I missed Bela on Alison's "Leaving Cottondale." I was also hoping to hear Rita Sahai, who is featured on the new Flecktones album, and happens to be my Indian Classical vocal teacher, perform with the boys - maybe next time.

If there was a theme that afternoon, it was one of total innovation. Both bands, despite their very different sounds, are driven by musicians who can't help but push the boundaries constantly. And while Newgrange is by far the most 'traditional' lineup I've seen Darol Anger and Mike Marshall in, every note they play comes from a place that most musicians wouldn't dare venture into! As for the Flecktones, it had been a while since I had seen them live and I admit to feeling a certain degree of trepidation before the concert as I'm not a huge fan of their vocal ventures - something of a focus on the last album. I should have known better than to think they would be capable of any degree of stagnation - clearly with "Outbound," the new CD, they've taken all of Bela and Victor's forays into the realm of world fusion over the last few years - and, in their inimitable fashion, made it a part of the Flecktone sound.

Oh yeah - and it was free!

Telluride Review

by matt mcAlear

Thursday, June 15th

Newgrange: An all star collection of string players led by Mike Marshall and Darol Anger with the additions of Alison Brown on banjo, Tim O'Brien on guitar/vocals/mandolin, Todd Phillips on bass and Philip Aaberg on piano. Mike Marshall and Darol are just tremendous with whoever their band happens to be that day, but this ensemble was amazing.

The Bluegrass Sessions: Bela, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Mark Shatz and Tony Rice. Does anything else have to be said? These guys are probably the finest (or close to it) players on their respective instruments around and showed why. They started and ended the set by coming onto stage and leaving the stage one by one with Sam Bush being the first and last on stage.

Jackson Browne: Didn't really do it for me. Had a nice 2 song encore that Bonnie Raitte, John Cowan and Bruce Hornsby sat in for.

Michelle Shocked: Not the closer I would have liked, but she was decent. A little too rough for the crowd at that point I think.

Friday, June 16th

Pagosa Hot Strings: Watched a little bit of them in the childrens tent during the day. They are a father & son team(bass & fiddle) joined by 2 brothers (guitar & mandolin). Of the 3 youngsters, the oldest was 15. They were great.

Mandolin Meltdown: This was a mando workshop in a park in the middle of town. David Grisman, Mike Marshall, Sam Bush and Chris Thile (an 18 year old mando player form Nickel Creek) were the participants. They were on a small stage with people sitting on the grass, on stoops, on rooftops and anywhere they could fit. Even so it was still like sitting in your living room with them. They started off playing a Sam song, answered a few questions, then each of them played a song of their own. All of them played on each others songs until it came time for Chris Thile's turn. He played a solo piece that was spectacular, he just got finished saying that "it is such an honor to be sitting next to these guys....blah, blah" and the next thing you know the three of them are bowing to him with their mandos after he is finished with his piece. He is that good. They answered a few more questions the all played a Grisman tune (Dawgs Duel I think) and that was that. Meltdown successful.

Peter Rowan & Crucial Country w/ Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas: Great set, I had never seen him live before. He is quite the showman playing guitar, singing, yodeling etc. Bela came out for a few songs on this one.

DGQ: As always, an awe inspiring set by Grisman, then it got intense. He calls onto stage Bela, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and Jerry Douglas. Strings aplenty! I was up front with the camera for this one so look for some shots, up close and personal.

The Flecktones: Sick, Sick and sicker. A usual Bela set (they actually have different jokes these days) which blows your mind anyway. Then the guests come rolling out. Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Peter Rowan, John Cowan,Paul McCandless Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby and I probably cant remember a few others. They play a couple of Bela's tunes with the players up there and then Future man starts a 3-4 song Marley medley, which actually was pretty sloppy musically, but yet it was amazing to witness.

Yonder Mountain String Band: This was a late night show at a bar in town. After bribing our way in with cold, hard cash, they rocked. These guys have actually too much energy, it seems as though they might explode at times. Such a cool town during the festival, I was getting a drink at the bar and in walks Future Man.

Saturday, June 17th

Hornsby and Bela: The dynamic duo, just the two of them and there instruments for an entire set. Could you ask for anything more? These guys are just 2 of the most talented folks around. They played Hornsby songs and Bela songs for pretty much the whole set, maybe a cover thrown in here or there. Bruce at his piano, Bela on a stool with his banjo. Amazing, trading lick for lick at times and at others slowing it down to play beautiful, intricate melodies that intertwined with each other perfectly. This is another when I was in the pit with the camera.

Saturday afternoon was spent in heaven (aka the Skiers Union Bar) on the other side of the mountain in Mountain Village. We rode what was from then on dubbed the "ganjala" over the hill from Telluride, then sat on a patio with 11,000+ peaks on all sides sipping Fat Tire for a couple of hours. We met this fella Kurt who lives in the area and had a few pints with him. After asking where he came from etc., it turns out that he came for a Dead show in 1987 and never left! Sweet Telluride.

Sam Bush Band: So good. I was expecting a heavy on the traditional, fiddle tunes etc based set and he rocked. Jamming out some raggae tunes, ripping it up on a Tele look alike electric mando. Of course the obligatory guests came out for the end of the set. Drew Emmitt from Leftover, Chris Thile, Bela, etc etc.

Leftover: These guys were in heaven playing on Saturday night in Telluride. They rocked it out. A much more diverse set then their usual Calypso, Bluegrass, Cajun, Calypso etc. They played as the full moon came over the hill. Then the end of the night jam commenced. Out comes Sam Bush, Chris Thile, Sally Van Meter, Paul McCandless and I cant even remember who else. They rocked it. After they go off we were all just milling around munching on curry that the vendors had left over and all of a sudden I hear some rucus from the other side of the field. As it gets closer and closer I can see it is a parade coming through. It passes right in front of us and I walk over to take a look, the next thing I know I am standing about 6 inches from Vince of leftover and Chris Thile who are leading a singalong/parade through the field which ended up in the campground.

Sunday, June 18th

Every sunday morning they start out with a gospel set to ease into things.. we didnt see it, but it sounds like a great idea. Yonder Mountain String Band: 4 young guys from Nederland, Co. . Guitar, mando, banjo and upright. These guys are chock full of energy, "drive without the drums" is what they call it. They played bluegrass just about as high energy as it can. Really fun to watch, personable and were genuinely thrilled to be on that stage. They played a Ozzy worthy version of Crazy Train as well.

Seldom Scene: I had only listened to these guys a few times and was indifferent. After seeing them on Sunday, I am no longer indifferent. These guys were great. They were so tight the whole show and made it look easy.

The Floodplain Gang: We saw these guys in the park in town on Sunday afternoon. They were good, they are really talented but seemed to be just going through the paces. That night they were playing in town again so they could have been conserving energy. We actually saw them at the Conneticut Yankee a while back and they were alot of fun.

Bruce Hornsby: This was the closer on Sunday. It had rained a bit on Sunday, so everyone was a bit damp. Bruce did his best to warm us up. He is always so fun to see. I had never seen him in a place nearly that big and he was just as funny and personable as always.

Orthan(?), his 20 year old nephew, was playing his first gig on stage that night. He did his uncle proud. Sam Bush come out for his usual sit in to end the night.

These thoughts are what I saw, what I remember. There could have been much more. Sorry for the stream of consciousness ramblings. Get your tickets now for next year!

Sarah Jackson is a freelance writer living in Atlanta.  She is a frequent contributor to Flagpole Magazine, based in Athens, GA