The Bluegrass Festival in Telluride is one of the biggest around, drawing tens of thousands of "festivarians" to Town Park to see artists like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Allison Kraus, Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, and other blue grass celebrities (also Guster and Counting Crows, not sure how they fit into that particular musical bracket). People lay out on the huge green, drinking, smoking, dancing, and spraying people with squirt guns. Plum Telluride had exclusive rights to film the show, so Lauren and I had 4-day press passes that put us in the pit right up against the stage, where when we weren't filming we could sit and enjoy the show. We worked (16 hr?) very long days and got almost no sleep, but it was absolute heaven and I wouldn't have traded for anything.
I have a new favorite band. They are called Crooked Still, and they are FANTASTIC. I liked them even better when I found out that the lead singer is from Newton, and then even more when I realized that I was friendly with one of her brothers in high school. Here is a picture of the crazy cello player, Rishaud Eggleston, taking a bite from Lauren's ice cream (she made me lop off the part he'd bitten later. Germophobe).
I have some pretty good backstage stories (well, press tent, really), but I don't want to be spreading gossip publicly so maybe I'll just send a mass email later. Suffice to say that I was running high on adrenaline and that my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Way cool to be sitting behind some random person in the pit and then realize that they are in fact the banjo player for the How to Grow a Band or that the guy with long dreads holding the beautiful little girl next to you is Futureman from the Flecktones.
The last day, Sunday, we only filmed for a few minutes and then had the rest of the day to do whatever. Lauren and I even left for a very floralia-reminiscent nap period before coming back to watch Bela Fleck w/ Chick Corea and then Allison Kraus w/ Union Station. She is hilarious on stage. If she ever loses her voice, she should totally go for stand-up comedian.
Anyhoo, I didn't mean to write a book, but I hope you enjoyed it, anyway. I miss you all, and will in all seriousness repeat my invitation to come visit. Winefest is next weekend, then Bob Dylan, then Jazz Fest, etc etc. And I hear we have some of the best 4th of July fireworks in the nation. Also, if you want to see something I've put together, go to plumtv.com, then Telluride, then videos, and check out Wash N Watch dogs.
Ciao for now,
Amanda
2 comments:
Amanda, your segment is awesome! There's an intern here who is really jealous of you (he wanted to be in Telluride). Great thinking framing that shot where all the dogs jumped out of the car! Sounds like Colorado is working out great for you and your futon mattresses.
That's funny, because I would have gone to the Hamptons. But don't tell him that. :)
Anyway, I love it too much here.
Post a Comment