Acoustic soul
ACE Revel is the acoustic version of Durango-based Hello, Dollface, a band that has earned much recognition in the area. ACE Revel will play at the Diamond Belle Saloon on Friday and will include Ashley Edwards and Jesse Ogle, who will combine vocals, keys, upright bass and acoustic guitar. They take the stage at 5:30 p.m., so get there early to hear “acoustic soul with hints of jazz, folk and R&B” before watching the Snowdown parade. Along with the intimate setting of the Belle, the audience will be treated to new songs, Ogle said. “The Diamond Belle is great. It’s place where you get a melting pot of people, from cowboys to tourists to locals.” Ogle says ACE is Edwards’ initials, “and we liked Revel because we feel everyone should revel in what they love as we do in music.” No cover charge.
Durango’s High Rollers
Local country band The High Rollers has played at the Wild Horse Saloon during the last 10 Snowdown festivals, said Andy Janowky, lead singer, founder and bass player. “It’s one of those gigs they want us to play every year,” he said. They’ve shared stages with big names like Dwight Yoakam and Uncle Kracker, and they aren’t limited to performing in Southwest Colorado. They also perform in Europe. In October, they went to Spain, and they will head to the Bordeaux region of France in April. “The (European) fans are incredibly grateful and appreciative of a good show, and they’ll let you know. It’s a treat playing there,” Janowky said. The group continues to add original material to its cache of songs and will present some of it this weekend at the Wild Horse. They will perform at 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The cover is $5.
Fresh beats at Balcony Backstage
Local funk/hip-hop group Diabolical Sound Platoon, which has been hitting the Four Corners scene for the last five years, will join High Five from Denver, a classic hip-hop group, Saturday at the Balcony Backstage. Sam Redman, aka emcee “The Prestidigitator,” is one of the founders of Diabolical. He conceived the band “back in high school about 16 years ago,” he said. He is the lyricist for the group. “I like to write about how I see the world,” he said. The group is currently recording an album and hopes to release it within the next couple of months, Redman said. There are nine members in the group, which includes a horn section and drums. Beatboxing will also be incorporated into the show, Redman said. The doors will open at 9 p.m., and the show will start around 9:30 or 10 p.m. There also will also be a live art show and costume contest. No cover charge.
