Infamous Stringdusters at the 2026 Telluride Bluegrass Festival – photo © Anthony Verkuilen
By Saturday at the 53rd Telluride Bluegrass Festival (TBF), we, lucky festivarians, are fully acclimated, sufficiently bronzed by the beautiful Colorado sun, and strutting around hoping people think we are locals. We have seen some of the best bluegrass has to offer and we have two more full days to go.
For those TBF veterans, traditions take hold on Saturday, knowing that the clock is ticking. Have we had a fritter at Baked in Telluride yet? A cold beverage at the Buck’s rooftop to take in the glorious 360˚ view? A snap pea and feta salad at Oak? Need to get our stickers and tastings at Harmony Greene, that cool area within the festival that has exhibits from Tullamore Dew to Zeal Optics to the Smithsonian. By Saturday, TBF newbies have created their own events that will become their traditions at future fests. And, as for the music, let’s go!!!
Saturday – Sun’s Out! Fiddles Out!
The Band Contest Finals kicked off TBF53’s Saturday morning. It is always a treat to learn about the up and coming bands. Congratulations to the Litch Brothers who won the contest after competing on the main stage with the three other finalists: Randy Steele and The High Cold Wind; North State Grass; and Wasatch Valley Drifters.
Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, last year’s TBF band winners then took the stage to present their chamber-style, story-telling, folky style. Their new EP, Yodelay, was released during the Festival. Clay Street Unit then threw down their sweet sounds, blending country, southern rock, and straight-up Americana. Stringduster Chris Pandolfi, who produced Clay Street Unit’s recent album, Sin & Squalor, sat in on a few tunes, much to the delight of the audience.
Whoa, Carter and Cleveland, slow down! Didn’t anyone alert them about the fire warning? Dry as a bone in festival-land and these two were sawing their fiddles like no one has ever seen before. Hot sparks shooting everywhere! Wow! Fantastic! So enjoyable to see these two buddies trading fiddle runs: high cries, low bows, train sounds, chops, and everything in between that a fiddle can do when in the hands of a master. Plus, Carter’s solid, authentic voice struck us so deeply. This was a heroic showing of deep blue bluegrass. The crowd could not get enough of this twin-fiddle spectacular, and when they threw down Orange Blossom Special, it simply combusted in a joyful, dusty party.
What are the Punch Brothers’ wearing? Suits. Very nice. Wait, a minute. Space uniforms? Yup. Brittany Haas adorned like Lieutenant Uhura. Huh? Well, it is the Punch Brothers, so, buckle up, here we go.
What you got for us, Punch? Well, little did we know we were in for an epic journey to another planet, accompanied by the unmatched musical undertakings of this ever-boundary busting quintet. They hit us first with Found in a Frozen Fog, which features fearless bassist Paul Kowert’s rapid tremolo. Okay, attention caught! I guess we are going where no man has gone before — straight into the Unsung Adventures of the Punch Brothers headed to the planet Zartog.
They gave us fan favorite, Familiarity, and new album jewel, New Bike. Noam Pikelny’s hesitation to launch off to space was hysterical along with the failed launch attempt, and also Kowert’s launching pose. When we all finally made it to Zartog, Punch presented their Saturn: Pogo Ball of the Gods to our alien hosts, and then My Oh My, to which the crowd sang along. In funny fashion, they also treated us and Zartog to a Zartog tune, the Darth Vader Theme, before an excellent June Apple (Poisoned), where Chris Thile and Critter Eldridge did spot-on matched marching band-style chops. They rounded us out when we returned back to Earth with Julep to everyone’s delight.
The depths of Punch’s creativity, replete with story-telling, humor, and straight-up entertainment, coupled with each of their virtuoso musical abilities made this one of the most enjoyable sets of the TBF. As Noam told Zartog, “Back home people like to say that Punch Brothers’ music is simply 23 chords and the truth.” Ain’’t that the truth.
Over at the Elk’s Park stage in the middle of town, Dusters Andy Falco and Travis Book played their beloved Jerry Garcia set. A substantial crew left their main stage tarps to shake down the street for that one. By all accounts, there was nothing left to do during that show but smile, smile, smile.
The King of Telluride’s Saturday set for TBF53 was downright blistering and straight-up perfect. Hot as blazes! Sam Bush hit us with spot-on covers, such as Dylan’s Down Along the Cove, apt Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man), and fitting We’re All in this Together. The crowd roared when the band launched into Same Old River, and erupted at Stephen Mougin’s (Mojo) clean, clear, low note impeccable picking. Same went for Wes Corbett’s solo. After Todd Parks knocked us out with his bass prowess and Chris Brown riled us up even further with his drum solo, Sam laid down the law with mando shredding that only the King, himself, can do.
We in the crowd belted out the lyrics along with Sam’s strong voice, jumping up and down and pointing at the sky, and then we sang the chorus solo, met by Sam’s smiles. A treat for sure to have that one played in Telluride. Similarly, on Circles Around Me, the audience leaned in — to hug friends and listen to such a beautiful, sentimental tune. We all sang High in Telluride as loudly as possible, wanting the whole world to know how thankful we were, and are, for all the good friends that we’ve found. A stunning part of the set was Sam standing solo center stage singing, strumming, and showing off on Girl from the North Country for his wife. Goosebumps for sure. The King unquestionably reigns.
Mojo showed us again what he’s got on his song, A River Crossed. Perfect pipes and picking. Then Wes Corbett gave us an expert banjo show on his song, Salmon Run, with Sam on fiddle. Don’t let it end, Sam. Don’t leave us! But, if you have to, thanks for bringing your buddies, Carter, Cleveland, Dominick Leslie, Chris Daniels, and Pastor Mustard, on stage to close us out in that “only-in-Telluride” fashion with Mama Don’t Allow.
Larkin Poe’s electric set shook those canyon walls. Was that a landslide up near the Falls? Is the Gondola swinging a little bit askew? For crying out-loud, their set was powerful. Full on electric, rock show, with pro choreography. These women can lay it down and grab a crowd’s attention. They even played Jessica by the Allman Brothers. And, mid-set, they showed off their Americana muscles, switching over to acoustic instruments and one mic. Sam Bush joined them for a fun rendition of Howling at the Moon. They pivoted yet again into Devil Music, then to the hip Preachin’ Blues. What an end to main stage Saturday!
Here Comes The SUNday!
Oh, Summer Solstice, how we love you so. Especially, when we get to bask in the San Juan Mountains, watch the Aspens wave in the light breeze, and fill up on wonderful music. ALASH for the Gospel Set! Their beautiful traditional attire was intriguing enough along with their cool, foreign instruments. But, when they opened their mouths to sing, all in tarpland were transfixed. What exactly is happening? ALASH is a trio of elite Tuvan throat-singers and musicians. Explained the day before during the band’s Elk’s Park workshop, when they each sing, they are producing two or more pitches at the same time, a steady drone with one or more overtones. The result is mesmerizing. They gifted us with several tunes before their buddy Béla Fleck joined them for a deep, digging number and a too fun sing-along called A Sho Dekio. ALASH won our hearts.
Lark, Roman & Meyer won our psyches. Maestro bassist Edgar Meyer ensembled with violin phenom Tessa Lark and principal cellist Joshua Roman to provide us an exquisite and flawless classical performance of Bach and Meyer’s originals. Each of their pure precise playing and perfect entrances and emphases made us stop in our tracks and whisper a quiet thank you for the reminder of just how awesome life is. It provided a great soundtrack too for those meaningful Sunday TBF connections with our festival friends that make it a smidge easier to tell each other, “See you next year.”
The time has come on a Sunday afternoon for those back home to get serious about meal-prepping and to-do lists for the work week. Us? No. High time to dip into a Howdy Lager and get ready for the party that is yet to come. Slather on more sunscreen; this festival ride is far from done.
The Infamous Stringdusters always bring the heat and their main stage set at TBF53 was fire. Twenty years a band and each show is as unique as they come with each band member exploding with genuine energy and laying it all on the line. Their magic flows from their masterful musicianship, of course, but also their cohesiveness, playful collaborations, and willingness to go where the show takes them. Their lyrics are wholly relatable and the way their strong, soulful voices deliver them with their spot-on exclamations emanating from their instruments just strikes us at the core. Each song was met with a resounding, “Yes!” Getting “dusted” is always such an exhilarating time, and to get to do so in the enchanted box canyon was extra special, especially when the boys ripped such a solid show.
The Dusters hit us early with Looking for Something Good (we sure found it that’s for sure), and a host of others from their 20/20 album, including Dead Man Walking, Hit the Nail on the Head, Holding On To You, and Dry Spot In The Rain. We, festivarians, were dancing wildly, swinging around and twirling each other, trying so hard not to wipeout given the speed of the beats. Enormous grins and kicking up the Telluride dust all over each other. Head nods and bounces in the crowd as they unfolded Gravity. We were all surprised that the Shellman Stage didn’t ignite during Holding On To You. Wow. That fiddle was furiously sawing. Or, during Longclaw. Whipping fast, precise picking. We ate up Colorado, happily singing along to “get lost in Mountain Time,” and we could not have been happier about the Dusters closing us out with their full send: Sirens. Yee-haw!
Planet Bluegrass called in the cavalry on us! Yes, the Flatland Cavalry. Never enjoyed being overtaken by a band of lawmen so much. They sang from the heart and had our whole selves absorbing their honkytonk swing, their deep country beats, and their captivating storytelling told through Cleto Cordero’s gritty, warm voice. Any time you have a pedal steel in that canyon it is a good time. We adored them even more when they played our Denver favorites Rocky Mountain High and Take Me Home Country Roads. This set was like a bear hug from America.
Downed a few gallons of that fresh, most delicious water from the Telluride water stations, stared at the mountains from all directions for a little bit longer, and hugged many of our festival friends goodbye. Throngs stayed on for the poetry of Gregory Alan Isakov while others headed out of the festival grounds to redeem their golden ticket: admittance to The Punch Brothers NightGrass show, the last concert of TBF53. A packed attentive crowd, each of us having the same refrain in our heads: “Don’t let this weekend end.” Well, if it has to: it doesn’t get much better than the Punchies at the historic Sheridan Opera House on TBF Sunday night.
No space uniforms, no space travel. Just the Punch Brothers doing what they do: a deep dive into impeccably played, fascinating, and enjoyable music. This show was a love letter to Planet Bluegrass and all who lived there for a stretch to experience the one and only TBF53. Group hug, everyone!
Punch’s surprise treat to us this eve was them playing their yet-to-be-released album, The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers, from top to bottom. Per Chris Thile, it was their first time trying such a thing. Whoa! Amazing! Tradition holds; they gave us a raucous Rye Whiskey for their last song. Tradition holds further; Thile joined us outside the Sheridan for a couple acoustic songs, including the finale sing-along Where the Soul of Man Never Dies.
No sad farewells, my friends, no tear-dimmed eyes! TBF53 is in the books, but the memories are with us forever. See you next June, Telluride!
