Devil Makes Three
Just coming off a debut at Bonnaroo, this California acoustic trio brings a rowdy punk edge to primitive traditions of the blues. With odes to Jack Daniels and the pure energy of wood and steel, the band chugs through rowdy live shows that touch on pieces of ragtime, folk and rockabilly. It’s three-part harmonies on the front porch played with the intensity of a hard rock show. Appearing at Telluride. thedevilmakesthree.com
Emmitt-Nershi Band
The recipe for this band combines one part Salmon and one part Cheese. Bill Nershi of the String Cheese Incident and Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon tone down the electric bombast of their main bands and get back to bluegrass roots in this quartet that also features young banjo ace Andy Thorn and bassist Johnny Grub. You’ll hear stripped-down takes of favorites from both the Salmon and Cheese catalogs, as well as originals written for this project featured on the band’s only album, “New Country Blues.”
Appearing at Rockygrass. emmittnershiband.com
Marco Benevento Trio
Gonzo keyboardist Marco Benevento plays limitless improvisational jazz-rock that torches the perceived parameters of a piano trio. Don’t be surprised to hear him tackle a wildly inventive instrumental take on Led Zeppelin, Beck, or Amy Winehouse with arrangements that incorporate a range of electronic toys. He has a full catalog of material with his own trio and Benevento Russo Duo, which toured with Phish’s Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. Appearing at the Telluride Jazz Festival. marcobenevento.com
Head for the Hills
Continuing the legacy of Colorado bands who tweak the boundaries of traditional bluegrass, this Fort Collins-based quartet uses guitar, fiddle, mandolin and stand-up bass to fuse fast picking with broader rock experimentation. Formed back in 2004 when they were still students at Colorado State University, the group has worked the grassroots grind and grown from playing local dives to headlining the Boulder Theater and Mishawaka Amphitheatre, gradually building fans thanks to their ability to rip through a bluegrass standard like Bill Monroe’s “Gold Rush” or stretching the limits of an unorthodox cover like Guns and Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Appearing at Telluride Bluegrass. headforthehillsmusic.com
Dawes
There’s a reason these guys—still in their early 20s—have already backed Jackson Browne and Robbie Robertson. The California-based indie phenoms have honed a down-easy brand of Americana that mixes the mellow gold of Lauren Canyon folk with the electric grit of The Band. On their sophomore album, last year’s “Nothing is Wrong,” front man Taylor Goldsmith delivers road-weary transient wisdom through pure vintage rock that’s accentuated by soaring harmonies and infectious melodies. It’s an honest formula, where the classic meets the present. Appearing at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. dawestheband.com
Darrell Scott
Darrell Scott has penned songs for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and he received a Grammy nod in 2003 for Best Country Song for the Dixie Chicks’ “Long Time Gone.” He was also Robert Plant’s right hand man last summer, playing a variety of strings on the Zeppelin bard’s Band of Joy tour. Beyond his bevy of street cred as a hired gun, Scott is a successful act on the underground singer-songwriter scene with seven solo albums to his credit, including this year’s “Long Ride Home,” a vintage country look back to Scott’s gritty roots in rural Kentucky. Appearing at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. darrellscott.com
—Jedd Ferris
