Local bluegrass festival throws fall fundraiser
Local bluegrass, newgrass and traditional roots bands are gathering for a pickin’ to remember at the annual Meltdown on the Mesa fall fundraiser concert Saturday.
The lineup includes local band Six Dollar String Band, traditional bluegrass band Lost Souls, atypical band Mountain Top Pickers, the diverse and dynamic La La Bones, award-winning Badly Bent and headliners Running Out of Road.
Kicking off the concert at 2 p.m. will be Six Dollar String Band, which hails from Durango. Each member of the band is an expert in the pre-bluegrass style – in both a historical and musical sense.
Headliner Running Out of Road, a five-piece bluegrass band that strives for harmonious synergy, just released its first studio CD, “Rambler’s Reprise.” Recorded in Durango, the new album capture’s the essence of the band’s songwriting inspiration, the wild and dusty West and the San Juan Mountains.
Camping at Meltdown at the Mesa is welcome and included in the ticket price of $20, available in advance at Animas Trading Co. and at the gate on the day of the event. Children 12 and younger are free. Concert-goers are encouraged to make the concert a “leave no trace” event and bring as many compostable, reusable or recyclable containers as possible.
Telluride Mountain Film Festival award-winner rides into theaters
After raising more than $170,000 through a Kickstarter campaign, the award-winning documentary “Unbranded” is coming full circle. The film is hitting theaters nationwide Friday after receiving nods at the Hot Dog and Telluride Mountainfilm festivals this year.
“Unbranded” is a rugged story that showcases the collaborative spirit of humankind, animals and the exquisite terrain of the American West, with shots from the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park. A group of four men and a group of wild mustangs travel from Mexico to Canada, a treacherous 3,000-mile journey to inspire the adoptions of more than 50,000 wild horses living in holding pens.
For tickets and showtime information, visit www.animascitytheatre.com, or call (970) 799-2281.
Skyfest returns for 11th year with Motet
Durango is about to get a dose of funk and dance when energetic, improvisational funk band The Motet comes to town. The band will embark on tour and leave its hometown of Denver for a Sunday concert put on by Fort Lewis College.
The Motet, which just released album No. 7, was plagued with a revolving cast of musicians during the band’s younger years. The current cast of characters includes drummer Dave Watts, keyboardist Joey Porter, Garrett Sayers on bass, guitarist Ryan Jalbert, Gabe Mervine on trumpet, Matt Pitts on tenor sax and front man Jans Ingber providing vocals and percussion.
The soul- and afro-disco-infused Motet will be joined by One Drop, Voodoo Glow Skulls and FLC student band The Wild 100’s for the 11th annual Skyfest concert. Tickets are free for FLC students in advance, and $1 at the door. General admission tickets are $15 and can be purchased at Southwest Sound and at the door.
