TVD Live Shots: 50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, 6/15

TELLURIDE, CO | Tucked away in one of Colorado’s more remote (and stunning) mountain towns is one of the longest-running music festivals in the world. Since 1974, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has been a summer solstice destination for music lovers. Fifty years later, it’s more popular than ever, with tickets selling out within minutes annually—and that’s before the lineup is even announced.

It’s not difficult to see why the festival is such an attraction: it’s easily one of the most beautiful locations in the country and the whole fest vibe itself is chill AF. Plus a charming, historic, easily walkable mining town surrounded by the Rocky Mountains with ample camping grounds—and in a state with legal weed?! Um, hell yeah. So, as they do every year, the Festivarians flocked.

Chris Thile, who I like to refer to as the Prince of TBF, kicked the festivities off with a solo set. It was a nice mix of witty storytelling and songs on the mandolin. Following him was a Telluride firsttimer, Calgary’s Bella White, who showed why she’s up and coming in the country/folk scene. Up next was Dierks Bentley, Ben Helson, Charlie Worsham, Tim Sergent, Steve Misamore, Cassady Feasby, and Dan Hochhalter under the moniker Long Jon (named after Bentley’s tour bus driver). It was a fan favorite set, with the highlight for me being their cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” with Jason Carter & Ronnie McCoury.

Jam session of the weekend goes to The String Cheese Incident, who headlined night one, marking their return to the TBF stage after a decade. Joining them on stage was bluegrass legend Del McCoury (for “I Saw the Light”) and the outright King of TBF, Sam Bush (for “The Big Reveal,” “Reach,” “Colorado Bluebird Sky”). String Cheese’s always stellar light show was enhanced by an appearance from local performers on stilts, some dressed in vibrant colors, others dressed as aliens, dancing their way past the stage.

CHRIS THILE