"That full-bellied moon she's shining on me,
She pulls on this heart, like she pulls on the sea" - Gregory Alan Isakov

The Wildflower Pavilion hosted many warm musical moments at this year's Folks Festival. One of the highlights was the performance from Gregory Alan Isakov and his band. Winner of the 2007 Telluride Troubadour contest, Gregory has an uncanny ability to pull listeners to the edge of their seat to catch his subtle lyrical and musical details. Coupled with his band of fiddle, cello, and drums, his music finds new depths of drama and dynamics every time we hear it.

We're thrilled to announce that Gregory and his band will join Paper Bird on the Wildflower stage this Thursday (Sept 11) for the opening night of our 2008 Wildflower Concert Series. Tickets ($15) are still available - without service charges from shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422; or at the door on the night of the show (cash only). Doors open at 7pm, Gregory takes the stage at 8pm, Paper Bird plays at 9pm, and if the mood feels right we'll light up a post-show bonfire along the St. Vrain River.

Sharing the Wildflower bill this Thursday is the joyous 7-piece band Paper Bird. Westword crowned them the "Best Band to Fall in Love To/With;" Denver Post named them Colorado's #3 underground band in their poll of music critics. With endearing three-part female harmonies; the unique instrumentation of banjo, guitar, trombone, trumpet, and upright bass; and an impressive catalog of original songs that seamlessly combine 1920s jazz, old-timey Americana, and modern folk-pop, we, like many other folks, are positively smitten with this band.

If Paper Bird are new to you, give a listen to their performance last night on KGNU, or stream a couple of their songs from the Wildflower website. Then catch them live in our intimate indoor Wildflower Pavilion this Thursday - crystalline acoustics, New Belgium beer, wine, our new popcorn machine, views of the St. Vrain River, and maybe even a post-show bonfire. Grab a few friends and get your tickets now.

Then the following week we celebrate the end of summer with two of our favorite musicians: Adam Aijala & Ben Kaufmannof Yonder Mountain String Band (Sept 20). This enchanting celebration of the Mabon - the Autumnal equinox - features camping, a Mabon dinner, late-night campground jams, a bonfire, and - nodding to the Mabon festivals of yore - maybe even a stray bagpiper. Their duo show at last year's Mabon was the stuff of legend. That legend will only grow on September 20.

The gates open at 2pm for camping and Mabon revelry. We'll be offering New Belgium beer, wine, burgers and wraps, and other delectables during the day. Then starting at 5pm we'll offer a Wild Mushroom, Burgundy, Gorgonzola Soup and grilled flank steak with garlic rosemary mashed potatoes. Tickets and camping are still available, but don't wait too much longer - shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422.

The fall Wildflower Concert Series continues with three fantastic October shows: the post-modern bluegrass of Georgia's Packway Handle Band (Oct 3); a spectacular evening of solo virtuosity with Darrell Scott (Oct 10); and our season finale with the international roots trio The Greencards (Oct 18). It's going to be a colorful autumn of music here on the Planet. Tickets for all the fall shows are available now.

Finally, we hope to see many of you at the 9th Annual Sustainable Living Fair, September 20-21, in Fort Collins, CO. Planet Bluegrass is proud to be partnered with this important event, the largest of its kind in the Rocky Mountain Region. The two-day Fair focuses on sustainable living practices, renewable energy, green building, environmental and social responsibility, organic and sustainable agriculture, natural health and parenting, alternative transportation, and much more.

With 200 exhibitors, 50 free workshops, major key-note speakers, a life-size Zen Garden, musical entertainment, and local food and beer, the Sustainable Living Fair is guaranteed to be provocative and inspiring. While you're there, stop by the Planet Bluegrass booth for your chance to win CDs and 2009 festival tickets. The Sustainable Living Fair runs from 10am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday (Sept 20-21) - leaving you just enough time to get from Fort Collins to Lyons for Saturday's Mabon celebration. We hope to see you there.

Best,
The Folks on Planet Bluegrass