Some Thoughts

[FaceOnMars]

The beginning of that Peter Rowan set makes me long for a full Solo set, I dig Twang & Groove (not quite as much as Big Twang from a couple years ago), but his solo songs this year were transcendent.

....

Greensky keeps getting better, maybe they could alternate years with the Stringdusters.

Peter Rowan is probably my favorite "regular" ... part of what I like about him is the way he reinvents himself over time.  He's also one of the few performers who I think "carries" the whole solo guitar/vocals thing exceptionally well ... so I was also into his opening bit.   However, I happen to think this latest ensemble is one of my favorites since Crucial Reggae!  Yungchen Lhamo's vocals really help create a sublime experience.   Their performance (minus bass & drums) @ Elks Park was also amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwwvt738hSM

I was also very impressed by Greensky this year ... they get my award for "most improved" (at least for my particular tastes re: more psychedelic jamming).

[sean1256]

I agree. For any New Mexico festivarians, Peter and Frank Sulivan are playing a free show in Santa Fe at the end of July.

[TellurideTom]

I agree. For any New Mexico festivarians, Peter and Frank Sulivan are playing a free show in Santa Fe at the end of July.

They're also doing a free show on July 31 in Ridgway, Colorado.

[ShatteredArm]

Hey, don't get me wrong, I would love to see both bands every year, but I also like room for new bands. Cornmeal, Dirty Kitchen, Devil Makes Three, Chatham, etc are all great additions to the tradition. Both bands are powerhouses that get better and better, but something can be said for variety, right?

I hear you. I love the new bands. Frank Solivan blew me away this year. So did Nicki Bluhm and Jason Isbell. I want there to be room for these guys, but not at the expense of The Dusters or Greensky. Instead of dropping one of them from the lineup, how about we drop a Chris Thile set? He played three this fest. Or a Bela set? Most years, we see these guys and Tim O'Brien playing multiple sets. I think dropping one of those sets is a better solution.

Besides, I want to see the collaboration that the Dusters and Greenksy can come up with. Travis Book and Anders Beck used to play together in a great band called Broke Mountain Bluegrass. All of those guys are friends. The potential guest spots and workshops that can happen are more than enough of a reason to bring both.

Bela's two sets were two of the best of the festival. I say give Bela all the sets he needs.  Chris Thile's sets were all distinct projects, too, and completely different... Now, I don't know that I'd have him do a solo set every year, but as long as they're different acts each year (e.g., last year was Chris & Bela, the year before Thile & Daves... both completely different), I don't have a problem with it.

Honestly, I'd rather have both Greensky and Stringdusters be every-other-year bands than lose a Bela set. Bela's sets are more musically diverse, and even though he's a part of it each year, it's usually a completely different project each year. Greensky more or less does the same thing each year (although I think, at this point, I'd rather have Greensky be regulars over Yonder).

Every year artists should have the musical versatility to make each performance musically distinct... Sam Bush does that, Bela does that, Rowan, Douglas, Punch Brothers do that (although for Punch it's generally more in the Sunday night show)... Greensky, Stringdusters, Yonder, etc. are entertaining, but you more or less know what to expect every year.  I'm a huge fan of Trampled by Turtles and Devil Makes Three, but I wouldn't have them as yearly bands for the same reason.

[Skubes]

" Greensky more or less does the same thing each year...."

I know!!! I love that I can expect my face to melt each year at their performances   

[Hot Sugar]

" Greensky more or less does the same thing each year...."

I know!!! I love that I can expect my face to melt each year at their performances   

Yup! That's my thought on it.

Yes, Bela and Chris are two of the most talented musicians on the planet, and are also two of the most polarizing. I know several people at the festival who are frequently bored by their sets (though I've heard very little negative about the symphony this year). Both Bela and Chris played three sets this year. Yes, all three were drastically different, and I'd never dream of suggesting taking Bela out of the House band or doing away with the House Band all together. But I think there is room for them to scale back to two sets to allow for some hot, young, up and coming bands like The Dusters. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a Chris set as much as I do every Dusters set I see. I can't say that about Bela, but there have definitely been times when his sets have left me cold.

I think a few legends can take a step back to make room for the future of bluegrass. I don't find that unreasonable at all.

[Pirate Looks at --]

Agree 100% Sugar with 6 sets between there was too much of a good thing, perhaps the Planet is trying to groom Chris as the "Crown Prince" of Telluride so he can take over from the king, but he can't come close to filling the King's shoes, and there are way too many great acts out there to have two people tie up what amounts 1 whole day of the Festival.  I think the Symphony was one of the best sets of the weekend, and it was nice to hear another side of Bela, the best banjo player on the planet. Let's spread the wealth Planet

[FaceOnMars]

I can't help but wonder if there is a financial aspect to multiple appearances by some of the regulars?  I'm sure they get taken care of well by PB regardless & look forward to being here, but I'd be curious to know if a second or third set/slot which primarily includes the same "big names" get paid out at the same rate as the first set?  In other words, there might be a "quantity discount" at play re: multiple appearaces ... which could be viewed as a win-win in so far as providing the festivarians what they want while simultaneously lowering the overall cost for PB.  But the flipside is that if this is a component which might be at play, then the negative aspect is that it excludes of a wider cast of artists.

Personally, I think there's typically sufficient diversity in the overall lineup, but things do get relatively incestual at times vs. other festivals.  Then again, many other festivals have next to zero cross-pollination (i.e. Telluride Blues & Brews) which I find a bit sterile and disheartening.

[ShatteredArm]

" Greensky more or less does the same thing each year...."

I know!!! I love that I can expect my face to melt each year at their performances   

Yup! That's my thought on it.

Yes, Bela and Chris are two of the most talented musicians on the planet, and are also two of the most polarizing. I know several people at the festival who are frequently bored by their sets (though I've heard very little negative about the symphony this year). Both Bela and Chris played three sets this year. Yes, all three were drastically different, and I'd never dream of suggesting taking Bela out of the House band or doing away with the House Band all together. But I think there is room for them to scale back to two sets to allow for some hot, young, up and coming bands like The Dusters. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a Chris set as much as I do every Dusters set I see. I can't say that about Bela, but there have definitely been times when his sets have left me cold.

I think a few legends can take a step back to make room for the future of bluegrass. I don't find that unreasonable at all.

The Dusters aren't the future of bluegrass, nor are they up-and-coming. Chris Thile's many and various projects are far more diverse and interesting. He's not exactly a geezer, you know.

It's kind of a "to each his own" thing when it comes to preference (the Dusters bore me to death), but if it's a "future of bluegrass" thing, I don't see how you could possibly give preference to the Stringdusters over Punch Brothers or Nickel Creek.  More people are listening to Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers, Trampled By Turtles, Devil Makes Three, etc. than the Stringdusters.

If you want a wider cast of artists, I don't think the main stage is the best place to facilitate that.  Most festivals have one or more smaller stages where they schedule lesser known artists. I wouldn't want to mess too much with Elks Park since that's usually where the more intimate performances are, but maybe it would be cool to have another alternate venue where they just schedule smaller, regional acts.

Really, though, I think it's a solution in search of a problem, because it's not like there aren't new artists there every year. Frank Sullivan, Jason Isbell, Andrew Bird, Nicki Bluhm, Ray LaMontagne, Steve Winwood... Wasn't this the first appearance for all of them?  And then there were some who hadn't been there for awhile, like Brandi Carlile and Nickel Creek...

[Matt]

As you said, to each their own, but I have to chime in and say I'm the exact opposite.  I am bored more by Nickle Creek and Punch Brothers than I am by The Dusters, whom I think you are selling short by implying that they are a regional only act.  They tour across the country and pack good sized venues pretty much everywhere they go. 

And as far as more people listening to Nickle Creek, Punch, DM3 and TBT, the only one of those bands that is remotely bluegrass is Punch, so I don't see how that excludes The Dusters from being the future of bluegrass music.  And Punch doesn't really relate very well, as they kind of have their own, non-bluegrass, vibe going on, even though they can undoubtedly rip up some bluegrass tunes when they feel like it.

In the end, though, as you said, it's all of little consequence.  There's never a shortage of good musicians at the festival, both new and old.

[HuckinFappy]

I appreciate that there are bands in Telluride every year that I "don't get", but other people love.  For example, over the years I've walked out on K.D. Lang, DM3, OCMS, Bruce Hornsby.  Punch did such an awesome job alienating me the first couple of years (mainly because my tarpmates hate cacophony),  I haven't been won over yet, so i still listen from camp.

In the meantime, as I said after 2013 festival, the Dusters and Greensky are the top two touring string bands for me.  Frank Solivan (not Sullivan, folks) and the Dirty Kitchen are going to vie for the title I think. 

Every TBF is heavy in some artist.   Some years Sam is all over the place, or Tim, Or Jerry, or bela, or Chris.   As long as it's not the same artist every year, i really love having a festival influenced so strongly by one of my favorite musicians.

So...yeah...everything is just exactly perfect....well done PB!

[landshark]

" Greensky more or less does the same thing each year...."

I know!!! I love that I can expect my face to melt each year at their performances   

Yup! That's my thought on it.

Yes, Bela and Chris are two of the most talented musicians on the planet, and are also two of the most polarizing. I know several people at the festival who are frequently bored by their sets (though I've heard very little negative about the symphony this year). Both Bela and Chris played three sets this year. Yes, all three were drastically different, and I'd never dream of suggesting taking Bela out of the House band or doing away with the House Band all together. But I think there is room for them to scale back to two sets to allow for some hot, young, up and coming bands like The Dusters. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a Chris set as much as I do every Dusters set I see. I can't say that about Bela, but there have definitely been times when his sets have left me cold.

I think a few legends can take a step back to make room for the future of bluegrass. I don't find that unreasonable at all.

I like when a headliner supports the Fest in it's entirety. Sam or Chris, like a sponsor almost...weaving in and out of sets. Old and new, mix and walah. Excellence abounds.

[landshark]

I watched a man with a new born baby. He had head sets on her but he was in front of the speakers and her little eyes were about to pop out of her head. My liver was shakein so I am sure she was feeling all kinds of vibrations. PLEASE PEOPLE, YOU ARE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE ON THE PLANET! YOUR BABY IS! REMOVE YOURSELF AND STEP BACK! PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN! I wanted to grab that baby and run to the rear but was told to mind my own business. It was painful for me to watch.

[landshark]

GIRL POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see the female Bluegrass factor a tad more even this year! 

[ShatteredArm]

As you said, to each their own, but I have to chime in and say I'm the exact opposite.  I am bored more by Nickle Creek and Punch Brothers than I am by The Dusters, whom I think you are selling short by implying that they are a regional only act.  They tour across the country and pack good sized venues pretty much everywhere they go. 

And as far as more people listening to Nickle Creek, Punch, DM3 and TBT, the only one of those bands that is remotely bluegrass is Punch, so I don't see how that excludes The Dusters from being the future of bluegrass music.  And Punch doesn't really relate very well, as they kind of have their own, non-bluegrass, vibe going on, even though they can undoubtedly rip up some bluegrass tunes when they feel like it.

In the end, though, as you said, it's all of little consequence.  There's never a shortage of good musicians at the festival, both new and old.

I don't think I implied the Dusters are a regional act. Just that they're not "up and coming." I know it's unscientific, but if you look at Facebook likes, all of the artists I mentioned have at least twice as many, and even Greensky has 50% more.  They just don't have much appeal outside of bluegrass circles, and they don't seem any more popular now than they did three years ago. It sounds counterintuitive, but if they're the future of the genre, they have to have some cross-genre appeal.  I would bet that's why TBF always features so many quasi-bluegrass acts...otherwise the demographics are just gonna get older and older and the crowd will literally just die off.

Maybe TBT, DM3, Nickel Creek, etc. aren't traditional bluegrass, but they all have obvious bluegrass influence, and isn't that how any genre evolves? I doubt you can find any genre of music where the listeners are so bent out of shape over tradition as bluegrass. Those non-traditional acts are the future of the genre because, like it or not, those are the artists younger observers think of when they hear about bluegrass.