Food & Wine Music & Dance The Rockies: Food & Wine Music & Dance The Rockies
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BBQ, Blues and Beauty at Gateway Canyons
The Perfect Setting: Gateway's Outdoor Amphitheater
There’s nothing like great music in a spectacular place.
That’s exactly what we had this past weekend in Telluride during the thirty-fifth annual Telluride Jazz Celebration, a three-day celebration that puts our whole town in a silky mood every year during the first weekend of August. And after this year’s love fest, this eclectic event appears to be stronger than ever.
It’s even more enticing to have good food added to great music and ambiance. You can count on a trifecta of those ingredients to a good time at the third annual BBQ Blues event on Saturday, September 3 at Gateway Canyons Resort. This year’s lineup features Denver-based diva Hazel Miller and her band. Known for infusing her songs with a primal dose of genuine soul, whether she’s singing the blues, jazz, pop or gospel, Ms. Miller has been called a “force of nature.” Miller has opened for Mel Tormé, James Brown, the Temptations, Earl Klugh, Bob James and many more. I’ve seen her in Telluride and I can tell you she puts on a show bursting with heart and soul.
Other notable blues artists will also be appearing at this special Labor Day weekend event that kicks off at noon at one of the most stunning resorts of the West. (Read my story Gateway Canyons: One Big Discovery) A craft and food fair will also be set up on the resort’s resplendent grounds and as the name suggests, there will be heaps of delicious BBQ for all to enjoy.
Though lodging at Gateway Canyons is sold out, camping is still available in the nearby meadows for festival attendees. Or if you’re lucky enough to be in and around western Colorado at that time, you can just plan an excursion to this fun event that promises to be well worth the trip. Barbecue and blues amidst the red rocks—summer fun doesn’t get much more sultry than that!
Click to see the full program of activities for Gateway’s BBQ Blues Festival and to reserve. You may also call 970-931-2458 for more information.
Food & Wine Mountain Living Music & Dance Restaurants The Rockies: Food & Wine Mountain Living Music & Dance Restaurants The Rockies
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Snowmass Slated for Another Culinary Crescendo
Serving Up a Summertime Salad in Snowmass
I love our mountain towns, especially in the summer when the village squares open themselves to all sorts of food and wine and art and music festivals. I kicked off the summer early June at the Snowmass Chili Pepper & Brew Fest and was dazzled by the number of foodies and chili aficionados I met at that event. Boy, there’s some serious competition going on among those cookoff chefs, many of whom travel the country to serve up their prized dishes to fans like me. I’ll be reporting on that in more detail next spring in time for next year’s Chili Fest.
Snowmass is going off again this weekend with even more delectable eats and libations and most likely a more high-stepping crowd (especially now that all the second homeowners are in residence). The village of Aspen’s neighboring town provides an ideal setting for the Snowmass Culinary & Arts Festival that’s taking place Friday, July 22 through Saturday, July 23. Be sure to arrive by Thursday night in order to take in the free evening concert on Fanny Hill, a perfect outdoor venue created by the slope of the mountain on one of Snowmass’s renowned cruiser runs. Otis Taylor, an American blues musician legend, is playing at this year’s concert, so you’ll not want to miss it.
Richard Sandoval
Inside Venga Venga
Venga Venga's Deck: A Must
Chef Richard Sandoval will certainly be garnering great attention not only for his national fame but also for his local ties. Internationally recognized as “the father of modern Mexican cuisine,” Sandoval owns and operates more than twenty restaurants worldwide including Venga Venga, an ultra-happening dining establishment situated on the prime corner of the Snowmass Village Mall. Weather-permitting, I’d opt for a table on their wraparound deck, a spectacular outdoor stage of sorts that affords terrific views of the ski hill. Inside you can sink into a hip, hacienda-inspired decor that encourages lots of hanging out whether at the tables or at the bar. Either way, as Richard would say, come come to Venga Venga to drink tequila and savor good food with friends and family.
Other celebrity chefs and a host of wine, spirits and food experts will be participating in this event, surely the highlight of the summer season in Snowmass. Artists showcasing ceramics, paintings, jewelry, photography and more along with food, wine and spirits vendors will also be featuring their goods. This exhibition part of the festival is free and open to the public. (I’m sure you can count on some tasty food and drink samples here, too!)
If you’re into a lively, animated scene, this is a good time to hit Snowmass Village. If you’re looking for something with more of a local feel, I suggest Big Hoss Grill. I enjoyed a delicious and delightful breakfast here when I was at Snowmass in June. I love their outdoor deck which provides a perfect vantage point for surveying the activities below. I’m sure it’s a fun spot in the evening as well.
Big Hoss Grill at Dusk
If you’re like me, after more than twenty-four hours at a festival you need to retreat to a quieter place, either for a hike or perhaps a romantic meal with your sweetie. As a superior dining option, I recommend 8K, the signature restaurant of Viceroy Snowmass, the best lodging choice of the area. It’s smooth, sophisticated and serene. I love the timeless design here as well as the use of lots of natural materials. (Read my story about this green hotel at Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties.) Their menu reflects a thoughtful approach to living as well: many of the foods are locally sourced and prepared with a discerning palate in mind. Yes, this is where you must go to remove yourself from “the scene.” The views here are splendid inside and out and it’s equally as enticing by day as by night. (In case you’re wondering 8K stands for the elevation: 8,000 feet.) The 8K bar is one of the longest in Colorado, so sidle up to it and enjoy a quiet moment with a friend or by yourself. In any event, I’m sure the most discriminating foodies will be staying here this weekend, too.
8K at The Viceroy Snowmass: So-oooo Smooth
The 8K Bar: The Nec Plus Ultra of Pitkin Country
Venga Venga, Snowmass Village, 970-923-7777; open Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday & Sautrday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Big Hoss Grill, in the heart of Village Square Mall, 970-923-2597; open breakfast, lunch and dinner
8K at Viceroy Snowmass, Snowmass Village, 970-923-8000 and 877-235-7577; open breakfast daily, dinner Wednesday-Sunday
Thank you to Jeremy Swanson, Snowmass Tourism and other helpful people for the images featured in this story.
Tasting and Toasting During the Snowmass Culinary & Arts Festival
Colorado Four Corners Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants Spas Telluride The Rockies: Colorado Four Corners Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants Spas Telluride The Rockies
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Chipeta Sun Lodge & Spa: Spirit of the Southwest in the Rockies
Chipeta Sun Lodge & Spa
Can’t decide whether you want to vacation in the Southwest or the mountains? How about choosing a place of lodging where you enjoy the spirit and landscapes of both? Check out Chipeta Sun Lodge & Spa, a lovely southwestern-inspired adobe retreat set within the majestic San Juan Mountains, just an hour from Telluride, Colorado. Situated in the charming little town of Ridgway (featured in John Wayne films such as “True Grit”), I often recommend Chipeta as an excellent base for visiting the many interesting sites and towns that pepper southwestern Colorado and southern Utah.
If you travel further into the mountains from Ridgway, you can easily explore the historic old mining towns of Telluride, Ouray and Silverton. If you head toward Montrose, you can hit the Ute Indian Museum, a well-worth-the-stop attraction that showcases one of Colorado’s most complete collections of Ute ceremonial and traditional artifacts. Just on the other side of Montrose, plan to spend at least a half day at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, a stunning and somewhat spooky site that provokes nearly as many oohs and aahs as the Grand Canyon. And within a two-hour drive you can find yourself amidst the striking red rock of Moab and other parts of southern Utah in addition to Arches National Park and Canyonlands.
Since there’s so much to visit in the area and most of the lodging at Chipeta includes condo-type units, you’ll likely want to check in here for a week. Plan at least a couple of relaxing rest days where you can stay put at this warm and welcoming lodge just to loll by the pool or enjoy a treatment in their spa.
View from the Porch of Chipeta's Four Corners Cafe
Whether you’re staying at the lodge or just passing through, a stop at Chipeta’s Four Corners Cafe for dinner or drinks is a must. Here you’ll be enchanted by the striking vistas provided from the top-floor location of this casual restaurant and bar. Inside, the scene serves up heaps of southwestern charm within its desert rose-colored interior. As the sun sinks beneath the mountains, you’re bathed in pink light most evenings whether you’re seated inside or out.
The Sunny Interior of the Four Corners Cafe
Indeed this heartwarming lodge is aptly named. It’s called Chipeta, in honor of the lovely wife of Chief Ouray, head of the Ute Indians that once inhabited this land, a gentle woman that eventually became “queen” of both the whites and the Utes of the region. Embracing the rich diversity of this part of the country is what Chipeta, the lodge and the beloved Native American figure, are all about.
Chipeta Sun Lodge & Spa, Ridgway, Colorado, 800-633-5868, www.chipeta.com
July is a wonderful time to visit Chipeta Sun Lodge and its Four Corners Cafe, especially this year with such a rockin’ Ridgway Concert Series lineup. Free concerts take place every Thursday throughout the month from 6p.m. ‘til dark in Ridgway’s Town Park. What a great way to kick off the weekend!
Keller Williams Gives the KOTO Doo-Dah More Doo-Dah and Lots of Doot-Doot-Dah
Keller Williams: This Year's KOTO Doo-Dah Headliner
Doot, doot, doot, da doot doot doot. Waaaa, waaaa, ba, boom, ba, doo. Weah, weah, woo. According to my hunny, Steve Togni, and general manager of Telluride’s handsome Mountain Lodge, that’s kind of how Keller Williams sounded during his early years. He would know since they were roommates in college. It was back then that Steve remembered that Keller started to use his vocals as an instrument outside the realm of standard singing. “Sometimes it would sound like percussion, sometimes it would sound like horns,” Steve has told me several times in recent years. This unique hubbub and other noises eventually transformed into Keller’s signature sound and style: that of a one-man jam band that creates music on a variety of platforms.
Steve and I—along with a good part of Telluride and the outlying region—are excited about Keller coming to play in T-ride next Saturday, July 9th. Steve, of course, knows his friend’s music well and even had the opportunity to pick with K-Dub on occasion way back when. He told me of one lazy afternoon where in spite of Keller’s most focused attempts to teach Steve Dylan’s “Stuck Inside of Mobile with Memphis Blues Again”—a relatively easy song—Steve never got it right. For me, seeing him in concert will be a first. Keller’s the main draw at this year’s fifteenth annual KOTO Doo-Dah, the summer concert put on by my beloved radio station here in Telluride that has showcased other illustrious artists over the years including Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett and Bob Dylan.
Always a fun time, the Doo-Dah draws folks from near and far to revel in great music in one of the most spectacular settings on earth: Telluride Town Park. Best of all, the show often features a bunch of bands, providing lots of time to get your doo-dah down in this verdant valley surrounded by soaring peaks. Funkdafari, a local band, kicks off the show at 4p.m. Then Five Way Street hits the stage to sing their oh-so summer-appropriate renditions of Crosby, Stills and Nash tunes.
The crowd should be properly warmed up by the time Keller hits the stage. His first set will be Keller & The Keels where you can bet we’ll be hopping and swaying to some of the best bluegrass music around. (Here Larry and Jenny Keel team up with Keller, a Virginia-born musician, to play a collection of both original and cover songs.) By now enough suds from New Belgium Brewing will surely have been consumed to fully groove to Keller’s second set, his solo act distinguished by electronica and lots of rhythmic funk.
Doot, doot, doot, da doot doot doot. Waaaa, waaaa, ba, boom, ba, doo. Weah, weah, woo. I’m feeling all Doo-dah already.
Rose Hill Drive, a hard rock band, closes the show which is appropriate since I’m sure the park will be going off by then. I’ll definitely check them out but hopefully I’ll be back stage schmoozing with Keller by then.
Hope to see you there!
Go to KOTO.org fast to find out about tickets. Visit Telluride can help you with lodging arrangements.
Art & Culture Denver Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants: Art & Culture Denver Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants
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Fun this Summer and Year-Round at The Curtis
Curtis Philosophy and a Nod to the Beatles
Who says summer fun is all about building castles in the sand, running through sprinklers or taking a dip in a secret water hole? Sure, those activities can provide many hours of giggles and entertainment, but when was the last time you checked into a hotel that really made you smile? And smile. And smile. And smile.
Kids on vacation and weary business travelers alike can’t help being endeared to The Curtis, a Doubletree Hotel, located in downtown Denver. A stay at The Curtis leaves an indelible mark on your funny bone–and every other sensitive part of your body–from the moment you spot their giant building blocks sign that say “all together now” to when you’re back home recalling your fun-filled visit at this unique property.
To me, some of the best hotels are ones that provide a memorable experience, a positive stay that you can’t easily create at home. The colorful and cheery Curtis does this and more. You can just sashay through a Laugh In-like set or pay closer attention to the Light Brite artwork and oversized wooden game board in their lobby. Here it’s also fun to check out the video art that displays favorite retro games and the Cartoon Network playing on the T.V. You can catch up on pop culture trivia in the library or drink a retro soda at the 5 & Dime and nibble on one of the hotel’s fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies on this level as well. If you’re indecisive about personal or professional doings, just ask to play rock, paper, scissors with the frond desk attendant. Head to your room and the real fun begins.
The Corner Office Bar
If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself riding the elevator numerous times just to press the different buttons to hear what little quip, joke, tune or diddli makes you laugh next. Be sure to carve out a moment throughout your stay to check out the decor on each of the floors which corresponds with a rainbow of themes including one hit wonders, laugh out loud and big hair. If you’re not chuckling yet, go next door to The Corner Office, the signature restaurant and oh-so happening bar of The Curtis, for a martini, shaken not stirred. Before you go to bed though, program a wake up call from Austin Powers or even Marilyn Monroe.
For even more entertainment, take in a show, concert or theater piece across the way at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). Now that’s what I call fun this summer and all year round.
The Curtis, 1405 Curtis Street, Denver, 800-525-6651 and 303-571-0300, thecurtis.com
The Curtis Library
Colorado Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies: Colorado Hotels Music & Dance Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies
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Aspen/Snowmass Lodging and Dining Picks for this Summer
The Viceroy Pool at Snowmass: You'd Think It's Saint-Tropez
I often feel that Vail has tons of hotels to choose from whereas Aspen’s selection seems more limited. That’s just my opinion. Aspen is smaller than Vail in any event. And in Aspen—especially at Snowmass—I think a lot of people like to rent big, luxury homes.
Kissing Kiddies at the Viceroy
There’s still more than enough lodging options to choose from though, particularly since some terrific properties have opened up in Aspen and Snowmass within the past few years. The Viceroy wins hands down as my favorite lodging option in Snowmass. I reported on it a year ago in my story, Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties. I returned there at the end of this ski season and found it to be even more enjoyable second time around. Clearly, they’re off and running and word has spread that the Viceroy rates high as the most fashionable place to stay in Snowmass.
With all its swanky allure, the Viceroy also seems to be a most inviting property for families. This last time I lolled outside in one of their cabanas, sipping an après ski cocktail in ski boots and a down puffy with my hunny, while two families with kids romped about in the heated pool. Nearby a bunch of guys hung out at the hot tub, sipping beers and offering up celebratory toasts to whatever occasion brought them together. As the snow fell softly down around me, I couldn’t help but wonder how fantastic it would be to experience this pool scene beneath a blazing summer sun. The photos that accompany this story give us a clue.
The Viceroy Snowmass: A Great Summer Dining Spot
During another spring sojourn, I revisited Limelight Lodge, an Aspen favorite that I wrote up in my story Aspen Highlights, shortly after its opening. The Aspen Sking Company took it over since I first reported on this sleek new hotel, so naturally I anticipated a few changes. I was thrilled to discover that the expansive lobby and bar have been transformed into one of the most happening places in Aspen—at least on nights when there’s entertainment and that seems to be the case a lot.
Defiance String Band at Limelight Lodge
John Sommers and the Defiance Stringband captivated the crowd with bluegrass and folk favorites the evening I came by, inspiring many to stomp and swing to the music, just like at some of our best known music festivals here in the mountains. Some chose to sing and dance to these heart-strumming tunes whereas others—like me—just sat back and reveled in music of the finest quality. John actually wrote many songs for John Denver, Aspen’s beloved son. Fortunately it didn’t take much coaxing to have him sing, Thank God I’m a Country Boy, the immensely uplifting song for which both of these Johns are well known.
Fabulous Pizza at Limelight Lodge
View from Atop the Limelight (in Case the Music Gets Too Hot for You)
The wood paneled ceiling and other architectural features at the Limelight seem to have been designed with concerts and good acoustics in mind. That’s a good thing since there aren’t many live music venues in town. Black leather couches and large wooden tables provide all the comfort one needs for soaking up this scene while sipping fine wines and beers and munching on delicious thin-crust house made pizzas and salads. As of this summer, homemade pastas and sausages are slated to become part of the Limelight’s light Italian fare as well. To me, Aspen Sking Company stands out for its dedication to food and fun, a distinction they perpetuate here at the Limelight as well.
Comme Chez Vous: A Kitchen at The Innsbruck
Some folks prefer checking into a place that offers all the comforts of home, including full kitchens and large living areas. Like the Limelight, The Innsbruck is another long-standing establishment that has only retained its name and reputation for fine hospitality in Aspen. If you’ve been away from Aspen for a while, you’ll return to find an entirely different property filled with luxury, condo-type units, outfitted in the finest materials such as alder wood doors, granite counters and slate floors. Wrapped in warm tones and rich materials, guests at The Innsbruck might find it hard to break away from their roomy interiors to explore all that Aspen has to offer. Do though since Aspen’s a great town year round.
But if you really don’t feel like venturing far, you can throw together your own pasta dinner downstairs at The Innsbruck in the Owners’ Private Dining Room. Kids will love that, too, since it’s just down the hall from the game room which is outfitted with a widescreen TV, XBox and DVD and even a PacMan. Those are just some of the touches that make this fractional ownership property feel like a homey, first-class hotel. I especially appreciated the delivery of papers daily and the pastry spread from Louis’ Swiss Pastry—an Aspen institution—on weekends.
Who said there wasn’t much going on lodging-wise in Aspen/Snowmass?
Summer Twilight at The Innsbruck
Note that the Defiance Stringband will be playing at the Limelight every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. through August 26th.
Louis’ Swiss Pastry Aspen is located between Aspen and Snowmass at the Aspen Business Center; tel.: 970-925-8592. Their breads, bagels and pastries are also sold in town at the Aspen City Market and at other fine establishments such as The Viceroy.
This just in: Aspen Skiing Company will open the top of Aspen Mountain for skiing and riding on Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-30; get the lowdown here. You may have heard—we’ve been having a heck of a spring out here in the Rockies with record snowfalls and chilly temperatures. The snowsports fun should be great!
Colorado Mountain Living Music & Dance Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies: Colorado Mountain Living Music & Dance Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies
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What a Glorious Day, What a Beautiful Week
Spring Powder in Colorado
Amidst all the mud, mixed precipitation and snowstorms here in Colorado, one can sometimes forget the promise of rebirth and renewal that recharges the spirit every spring. We just need to tap into reminders of this awakening more, especially when we don’t find ourselves surrounded by budding trees and blooming flowers.
If it weren’t for the sun shining so high in the sky these past couple of days, I’d swear it was the month of February. Huge, puffy snow pillows weight the trees as birds dart about wondering what happened to spring. It’s been cold, too, and all told I’d say it snowed at least two feet in Telluride throughout the Easter weekend and into the early part of this week. Then finally the sun emerged revealing a beauty so spectacular that it’s hard to regret that it looks like winter all over again in much of Colorado.
The sun, however, is so strong here that it should start looking like spring again sometime soon. In the meantime, die-hard skiers have been hitting the back country for some of the best spring skiing in years. Others are busy giving thanks for finishing out the season with such a significant snowpack, a not-so negligible happening in the West where fire danger consistently looms. Plus snow in the mountains means lots of rafting on our rivers throughout spring. With the huge snowfalls of this April, it looks like folks will be riding the river through the fourth of July.
Yes, even with all this snow, I feel the sense of optimism and awakening ushered in with spring.
Maybe I’m also revitalized from the Easter Day I experienced this year. It was doubly special since it was both Easter and closing day at Aspen Highlands, both reason for celebration. Sure, a proliferation of bunnies peppered the costume-clad crowd on the mountain and Jelly Beans, Peeps and chocolate eggs were handed out by Aspen Ski Co. staffers with a smile. But it was the Easter Sunrise Service at the base of the Highlands that touched me the most. I’d even call it transformative and isn’t that what Easter is all about? The setting, the music, the message—it all filled my soul with a hope and love that I’m inspired to inject into my thoughts and actions each day of the year.
Wow, yeah, it was that great. Not surprising either, especially when you consider all the elements that made it so special: outside in the early morning grandeur of the Rockies, guided in song by professional musicians and lead in prayer by a chaplain that’s both inspirational and entertaining. Good news is that the service, presented by Aspen Chapel, typically begins at 8:30 a.m. And you can attend even if you’re just a passing tourist with no intention of skiing. You must go though, especially if you love nature and great music. Look at it like an extraordinary concert that will touch your soul. Put the Easter Sunrise Service in Aspen on your calendar for next year right now. (Know that some years it takes place at the top of Aspen Mountain which means another kind of spectacular.)
I’m grateful to my sister-in-law, Geri, for encouraging me to attend even though I’m not much of a churchgoer. We wasted no time after the service shifting into last-day-on-the-mountain mode. We were after all already outfitted in our ski attire. What fun it was to find ourselves out on the hill in such uplifted moods! Everyone around us seemed incredibly upbeat, too, for it snowed lots in Aspen as well over the holiday weekend.
Pond-Skimming at Aspen Highlands
After two hours of turns we headed for the Merry Go Round restaurant at mid-mountain, grabbed a beer and a brat and began to swing and sway to good ‘ole classics played by a rock and roll band. Had the band not taken a break, it would have been hard to pull ourselves away to take in the pond-skimming up the hill, another must-see in Aspen. And if you’re a good enough skier or boarder (or have imbibed generously at the party), you can test your pond-skimming prowess without even having to sign up for the fun ahead of time. All you need is good balance, a lot of nerve and the desire to zoom down a slope and (hopefully) skim all the way across icy water to the snowy bank on the other side. Yahoo!
Hooting it Up at the Highlands
By mid-afternoon, the party moves down the mountain to the Out of Bounds restaurant at the base. Blasted by a loud, rhythmic soundtrack and more brewskies and booze, the pack really gets going here. I sipped a Club Soda and took in the scene. It was almost hard to believe that this was the same outside area where the Easter Sunrise Service was held hours before. Still, I took pause and counted my blessings. I had ended the season without injury to myself or anyone else and had had a heck of a lot of fun. People toasted this, the end of the season and the arrival of spring in all one breath. It didn’t matter that as we did this, the snowflakes danced down upon us.
Hey, it’s springtime in the Rockies. Here the daffodils and tulips bloom in May and June. And we don’t often see iris until July. But our snow invigorates us all year long. Thank goodness there’s more in the forecast for this weekend!
I encourage you to check out the Web sites of the musicians that performed at this year’s Easter Sunrise Service: Ellen Stapenhorst, Bobby Mason, JD Martin and Jan Garrett. Know that you’re likely to see some or all of them at next year’s service.
Know that although the mountains have officially closed for the season in Aspen, it’s still possible to ski and ride there to your heart’s delight. Aspen Mountain Powder Tours continue to operate indefinitely. Contact them at 970-920-0720 or powdertours@aspensnowmass.com to find out more.
Aspen Mountain Powder Tours
Thank you to Jeremy Swanson, Ian Fohrman and Aspen/Snowmass for the above images.
Art & Culture Being Green Music & Dance Telluride: Art & Culture Being Green Music & Dance Telluride Telluride Festivals
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Phish in Telluride: The Day After the Day After
Phish Phans Philing into Telluride Town Park
Well, we did it. Our little mountain town has survived—very well in fact—the invasion of some 10,000 Phish fans. Aside from a smattering of arrests (mostly drug-related), an excess of garbage (which has already been expediently cleaned up) and a few trampled flower beds, most appears pretty much back to normal.
Sure, here in T-ride we’re accustomed to putting on big festivals, big doings that see the population of our town nearly quadruple in less than forty-eight hours. But this was Phish, the widely popular jam band that enjoys a spectacular following everywhere they go. Even Phish fans have to obtain concert tickets through a carefully orchestrated lottery; their shows consistently sell out in record time and those that make it to the event are die-hards, devoted followers that think nothing about crisscrossing the country to take in a show. Especially if it’s in a venue as stunning as Telluride’s Town Park, a setting as celebrated as the numerous artists that have played there.
Psyched to See the Show
My first glimpse of dedicated Phish fans en masse occurred late Sunday afternoon, the last day of the Telluride Jazz Festival. The crowd more than doubled, shifting from mountain casual to urban hippie as Phish fans poured into this mellow gathering in Telluride Town Park. I knew already that despite an abundance of tie dye and weed, these folks came from every ilk, every socioeconomic background, every corner of the U.S. Already I suspected many of them to be closet hippies, the kind of people that wore suits and serious expressions most days to work yet their real drug of choice was attending a Phish concert, an enviable outlet that leaves even the most seasoned concert goer in awe.
That’s just how I felt Tuesday night, the second night of Phish’s two-day stint in T-ride. (I had skipped Monday’s show and, in fact, decided only Tuesday morning to attend the second when my boyfriend, Steve, threw a ticket my way. The whole town was buzzing about the event, so how could I stay home?)
It was a gorgeous evening, one of the prettiest of the summer, perfect for baring skin and parading about in all manner of costume-y outfits. And of those there were many. From sequins to tinsel, feathers to beads, face paintings to piercings and tattoos, the entire scene provided some of the best people watching of any concert I’ve attended.
And as the puffy clouds stretched across orangey-pink bands in the faded blue jean sky, the sun set out far beyond our cathedral canyon. My hunny and I remarked about the number of people turning to this gorgeous vision, gazing skyward in amazement, snapping pictures on cell phones and cameras, craning their necks to take in the full glory of this Kodachrome moment.
Our Cathedral Canyon
“I think they’re trying to figure out how much of what they see is real or a hallucination,” my hunny quipped.
Indeed I had never seen so many trip-y looking people. A thick cloud of smoke clung to the air and the smell of pot, tobacco and clove cigarettes permeated the entire park as people swayed and bobbed to the pulsating beat of the music. The crowd roared from the minute Phish took to the stage, mouthed almost every word of every song and communed with one and other as though they were at a massive neighborhood block party (albeit a pretty out-there one). And although the vibe felt relatively mellow, the enthusiasm exhibited among these hardcore fans reverberates through the mob as fast as a rumor spreads that this iconic jam band is coming to town.
“I can’t believe this is all legal,” I commented to my hunny.
“Most of it isn’t,” he replied.
Lighting Up
Really, in all the concerts I’ve ever attended—from my first biggies in Saratoga Springs (SPAC) which included Fleetwood Mac to Grateful Dead in Boston during my college years to the Rolling Stones and Police in Paris to the countless in Telluride including Dylan—never had I taken in such a scene. Still though, everyone seemed to be in possession of themselves. This must have been what Woodstock was like, I thought to myself. I didn’t know a single song but I had fun, I felt glad to take in such a display.
The mood became more uproarious after the set break when the band broke out with Party Time, a riotous song which prompted fans to toss massive quantities of glow sticks and rings into the audience. Although this jolly show of neon further enhanced the sensational lighting effects of the show, I couldn’t get past how awful it was to mindlessly throw all these toxic, plastic vials about. Clearly a lot of Phish fans lack some real environmental awareness. I had never seen this happen anywhere before, especially not in T-ride. (And if they ever come back here, I doubt they’ll repeat this offense again.)
I actually learned yesterday on the local news that cleaning up from these shows entailed the biggest effort ever. Fortunately we have crews that know how to restore our park to one of the most pristine public places in the country. They combed the last blades of grass for the pesky debris that remained including cherry pits, cigarette butts and bottle caps. Phish fans have a lot to learn from our festivarians, especially from the Telluride Bluegrass devotees, a crowd that’s well versed in protecting the environment. But hey, they’ve been coming to our beautiful mountain town for nearly four decades.
All things considered, you did good Phish. Just next time, tell your Phans to leave the glow sticks at home and to better pick up after themselves. Oh, and maybe you could turn the music down a little. That was the loudest concert I ever attended and it feels like my ears are still ringing. Liked the improv though. And, of course, the super-friendly, groovy, free-spirited people.
Phish Jamming on Telluride Town Park Stage
Thank you to Merrick Chase, from Telluride Photography, for the above images. To view the entire two days of Phish in Telluride (and more!), visit the Telluride Photography Web site and blog.
For more on Telluride festivals, read Summer in Telluride: A Sea of Festivals and More.
