FirstGrass Concert
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| Festivarians at 2009 FirstGrass Concert |
For nine years, Yonder Mountain String Band has officially "kicked-off" Telluride Bluegrass with their Wednesday night show at the Telluride Conference Center. Last year we decided that kick-off needed a kick-off of its own - and Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village seemed like the perfectly inspiring location to host two of our favorite progressive acoustic bands for a free outdoor show.
Join us again this Wednesday, June 16 for our 2nd Annual FirstGrass concert from 5-8pm featuring Sarah Jarosz and 18 South.
Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village
Sunset Plaza is located along Mountain Village Boulevard in the heart of it all – the Village Center. Well-located with easy access of the Chondola, Sunset Plaza is aptly named because of its west-facing orientation resulting in great sun exposure and amazing sunset views.
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| Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village |
Sunset Plaza is easily accessible by foot or gondola. Once in the Village Center, stroll through Heritage Plaza and Conference Center Plaza where many of the town’s shops and restaurants are located before following the cobblestone walkway to Sunset Plaza.
As always, the gondola from Telluride provides a breathtaking (and free) means of traveling to Mountain Village. Plan to spend the evening in Mountain Village - dining at one of the numerous great restaurants, wandering the shops, taking in the spectacular views, and enjoying the official first bluegrass of the 2010 Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
2010 FirstGrass Artists
19-year-old Sarah Jarosz is the most celebrated artist of her generation. Admired by Tim O'Brien, Chris Thile, and Mike Marshall, Sarah's fine, supple singing voice is occasionally reminiscent of such disparate artists as Natalie Maines, Patty Griffin, and Rickie Lee Jones. She has a deft writing voice, unusually assured and observant in her debut, and it is more than telling that her debut album's two covers (the Decemberists' "Shankill Butchers" and the Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan co-write, "Come On Up To The House") fit unobtrusively next to her own eleven songs. And of course she can play: mandolin, clawhammer banjo, guitar, and piano. In the past year, Sarah has been nominated for a Grammy, performed on national public television with Steve Martin, and appeared on numerous year-end critics' lists.
18 South's music is created by a wide array of influences. The organic and earthy quality of their sound rings with overtones of Blues, Bluegrass, Jazz and Gospel that lends itself perfectly to their stripped down acoustic approach that is truly "Americana". The Band members resume's read like a Encyclopedia of Musical History and once you see them live you'll know why they are individually some the most well respected musicians on the scene today. Larry Atamanuik [Drums] and Mike Bub [Doghouse Bass] hold down a deep and unmovable groove behind Jimmi Wallace's rich vocals and slamming New Orleans Style Piano that in turn gives Guthrie Trapp the opportunity to freely express his fluid and versatile guitar soloing style. Along with Jon Randall's mournful high tenor vocals and solid rhythm guitar playing the band provides a perfect venue for Jessi Alexander to nail the audience to the wall with her Smokey and heart wrenching vocals. Look for their live record coming early 2010.
The FirstGrass Concert is completely free thanks to a partnership between Planet Bluegrass and the Town of Mountain Village.
