A Look Back at TBF 2012

[HuckinFappy]

How about next time we stick to the 'theme' of the FESTIVVVAAALLL!!! for the sake of the FESTIVARIANS. It's Telluride Bluegrass, not "Hey Thiele! What can you pull out of your ___ this time and who are you taking down with you?"

Seems over the last 20 years, we've raised the percentage of the fest that is these one-off duets of fantastic musicians.  At first, they all fascinated me (anyone else see Bela in the back of the Floridora with all the Contrapunctus music spread out in front of him trying to make sense of it?).  Now, more often than not I can count on the duets  turning into some form of musical masturbation, where the artists are really getting off on pushing each other into weird places.  For for them, interesting for the hardcore musicians among us.  But for the average festivarian, it's a good time to talk to friends, sleep in a little or start working on the daily buzz.

[landshark]

What was that great tweener sound I heard? It was a James Taylor song with someone else. Anyone be able to help me on that. It was really good.

[Auntie Hope]

Now, more often than not I can count on the duets  turning into some form of musical masturbation, where the artists are really getting off on pushing each other into weird places. 

Exactly. Perhaps we should request that Bela & Chris be given a second shot at opening the fest, or any morning thereafter, WITH the stipulation that the music be kept in the 'realm' of a bluegrass/newgrass/jamgrass formation.

I'll site the previous request example of The Punch Brothers solely doing a bluegrass set which, if I remember correctly, garnered great praise from the Festivarian masses. That was perhaps the only Punch Brothers set that I have personally enjoyed.

To Echo Huck: Anyone that would like to hear the weird can tune into any Clear Channel station, any day of the week. 

Any thoughts? Anyone? 

Auntie Hope 

[landshark]

Setting myself up for big backlash, but here goes.

The performances which grab ME the most seem to have one thing in common:  songs...concise songs with a beginning, an end and a non-rambling middle.  The constant need for EVERYone to take a lead break in EVERY song tends to over-extend even great songs.

I don't see the need for The Everyone Everytime solos.  If you've made it to the Telluride stage, we know you're very talented.  Do you have to re-prove it EVERY song?  Why not play more songs and divvy up the solos!

(Beat the rush:  Start writing your backlash entries now!)

I absolutely LOVE it when bands reduce the number of EE songs.  The Stringdusters and the Steep Canyon Rangers are both very good at playing tight versions of many more songs.  Both of those bands can and will stretch it out on occasion, but more often than not, will limit a lead break to two solos. 

Perhaps I feel this way due to the fact that I'm a big fan of songwriters and vocal harmonies.  Perhaps 20-minute songs just lose their appeal when I want to hear something new.  And perhaps the 15-minute In A Gadda Da Vida drum solo burnt too many of my brain cells (not many remain!)  But I say:  more songs, less EE soloing!

 





 

I agree totally!!!

[ShatteredArm]

I like 20 minute long songs sometimes.  I like experimentation.  I find the Stringdusters boring.  To each his or her own.

TBF is great because there's something for everybody.  If you get rid of the three or four acts that you find tiring, due to their looser nature, there won't be something for everybody.  And really, it's not like it's that many artists...It's what, at most one per day, that people who only like tightly structured music will find boring?

You don't see me whining about Alison Krauss & Union Station, despite the fact that I find them boring.  Auntie Hope doesn't like Punch Brothers, but that's one of the bands that has me coming back every year.  I've seen them in three different states, none of which I actually reside in.  If Telluride were just traditional bands playing tightly structured songs, I wouldn't go out of my way to attend.

[landshark]

I like 20 minute long songs sometimes.  I like experimentation.  I find the Stringdusters boring.  To each his or her own.

TBF is great because there's something for everybody.  If you get rid of the three or four acts that you find tiring, due to their looser nature, there won't be something for everybody.  And really, it's not like it's that many artists...It's what, at most one per day, that people who only like tightly structured music will find boring?

You don't see me whining about Alison Krauss & Union Station, despite the fact that I find them boring.  Auntie Hope doesn't like Punch Brothers, but that's one of the bands that has me coming back every year.  I've seen them in three different states, none of which I actually reside in.  If Telluride were just traditional bands playing tightly structured songs, I wouldn't go out of my way to attend.

There is absolutly no loosers on the TBF stage as far as I'm concerned, however, complicated riff after complicated riff gets boring and in a four day span the solo's are enormous and thick. I like all music, but something I can tap my foot to is especially good Good thing we are all different, something for everyone.
And just for the record Shattered, we are disscussing, not whining, so drop that attitude boy and get on the forum wagon.

[ShatteredArm]

And just for the record Shattered, we are disscussing, not whining, so drop that attitude boy and get on the forum wagon.

Attitude?

Anyone that would like to hear the weird can tune into any Clear Channel station, any day of the week.

It's Telluride Bluegrass, not "Hey Thiele! What can you pull out of your ___ this time and who are you taking down with you?"

I don't see the need for The Everyone Everytime solos.  If you've made it to the Telluride stage, we know you're very talented.  Do you have to re-prove it EVERY song?  Why not play more songs and divvy up the solos!

Sounds a lot like whining to me.

I guess attitude depends on your perspective.

[landshark]

And just for the record Shattered, we are disscussing, not whining, so drop that attitude boy and get on the forum wagon.

Attitude?

Anyone that would like to hear the weird can tune into any Clear Channel station, any day of the week.

It's Telluride Bluegrass, not "Hey Thiele! What can you pull out of your ___ this time and who are you taking down with you?"

I don't see the need for The Everyone Everytime solos.  If you've made it to the Telluride stage, we know you're very talented.  Do you have to re-prove it EVERY song?  Why not play more songs and divvy up the solos!

Sounds a lot like whining to me.

I guess attitude depends on your perspective.

So true Shattered

[swander99]

TBF is great because there's something for everybody.  If you get rid of the three or four acts that you find tiring, due to their looser nature, there won't be something for everybody.  And really, it's not like it's that many artists...It's what, at most one per day, that people who only like tightly structured music will find boring?

There is absolutly no loosers on the TBF stage as far as I'm concerned???

I agree w/Sh'Arm. I like the "looser nature" on the TBF stage, even if occasionally an  set goes waaay over my head. (I would have liked Bela/Chris more with some more structure, too) There's lots of "looseness" and no "losers" @ TBF, imho. 

[ShatteredArm]

This reminds me of 2010, when I was sitting next to a guy who was complaining that the Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Omar Hakim set was a "major buzzkill."  It was one of the highlights for me.  He thought Imelda May was great; that set bored me to death.

Now that I've kinda figured the festival out a little bit, I like those "buzzkill" sets (which, to others, might not be buzzkills).  They give me the opportunity to get something to eat in town, or even catch up on sleep.

[Auntie Hope]

S'arm -
Didn't mean to sound like I was whining.  Just opening up a discussion about jamming.  I KNOW that many totally disagree with me, but that's the best part of the forum and T-ride in general...we all like different things.  It's a GOOD thing!

I only brought it up because people were talking about the avatngarde-ness of Thile's first set.  Not my cup of tea, but I'm really happy that SOME enjoyed it!  It was great music, but not the type that I enjoy.  To each his own - long live our different likes!

Wow - I was quote twice. 

Not whining here - just hearing folks wonder why 'specials' aren't kept in the vein of the fest theme - Bluegrass.

Just changed one word in your quote above. Went from ...MANY enjoyed... too ...SOME enjoyed...

Auntie Hope 

[Pirate Looks at --]

I actually enjoyed Bela and Chris.It was great background music to get preped for thr rest of the fest.

[FaceOnMars]

Phil will be on the Telluride Town Park stage in less than three weeks  as the closing act of B&B.   He was given a four hour slot - which means two full sets, and lots of jamming.

I'd take this again and again and again (and again) vs. 8 different 1:15 sets which crank out 15 three minute songs per set.  However, throw Railroad Earth, Yonder, SCI, Rowan, etc. (those who open things up a bit) into the mix with those acts which just play "short songs" and the equation changes for me  ... and I'm more inclined to appreciate the variety in approaches from different artists/bands.

Otherwise, it's interesting to hear the word "solo" put forth ... since it's probably more in line with traditional bluegrass vs. what might be referred to as "melodic interplay" or "jamming" in so far as all instruments coming and going in parallel at the same time in more of a free form interplay.   In other words, I believe "jamming" doesn't necessarily highlight a particular instrument (even though there might a particular one considered to be the "lead").