Telluride's thirst for musical firsts just keeps getting quenched.
The southwest Colorado mountain town known for world-class skiing and top-notch events like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival that thinks outside the box canyon was treated earlier this month to Pearl Jam, one of the progenitors of grunge. Eddie Vedder & Co., who in 2015 began celebrating their 25-year anniversary as a band, made their Telluride debut with a July 9 headlining appearance at the Ride Festival.
That 2 1/2-hour set might be tough to top but expect the godfather of grunge to give it a try: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young will make his first and second appearances in Telluride this fall.
The act billed as Neil Young + Promise of the Real will play Friday, Sept. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 1 on the Town Park's new outdoor stage that was christened in June at the 43th bluegrass festival.
Planet Bluegrass honcho Craig Ferguson, who runs the annual bluegrass event, teamed with local festival promoter Steve Gumble to bring Young to Telluride, and made the announcement official with a press release Thursday morning.
"He's been a part of many people's lives for decades. His style, his environmentalism -- it's a really good fit for Telluride, said Gumble, President and CEO of SBG Productions, which runs the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival in mid-September. "This is a dream come true, not only for myself, but many people in Telluride. I am honored to be a part of these concerts which are sure to be legendary."
Young, 70, will play both shows with Promise of the Real, a group of cowboy, hippie surf rockers from California fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar) and including Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals), sons of Willie Nelson. The group worked with Young on 2015's The Monsanto Years, and has toured with him extensively as his backing band the past two years.
Neil Young will be joined on the Telluride Town Park stage
by Promise of the Real, fronted by Lukas Nelson, son of Willie Nelson.
Young's most recent album Earth was released June 24 on Reprise Records, and includes live recordings of such cherished material as "After The Gold Rush" performed with Promise of the Real, along with added musical overdubs and other sounds.
"I believe Neil is the artist Telluride has been most wanting to see," said Ferguson, who ought to know since he's the man largely responsible for booking legendary acts in this scenic setting at 8,750 feet. He and his Planet Bluegrass team have tried to get Young to Telluride for the past 25 years.
According to the Telluride Daily Planet, promoters nearly brought Young to town in 2011, but a proposed Buffalo Springfield reunion concert with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, the other co-founding members of the iconic country rock-folk group formed 50 years ago, was denied by town council. While enjoying a successful solo career beginning in 1968, Young also made his mark over the years with Crosby, Stills & Nash.
The Telluride shows will help Neil Young + Promise of the Real get ready for October's Desert Trip, the two-weekend, sold-out event in Indio, Calif., some have dubbed "Oldchella" that will also include the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters and the Who.
Telluride tickets will first go on sale at local outlets -- including Telluride Music (333 West Colorado Ave.) and Wizard Entertainment (126 East Colorado Ave.) -- at 11 a.m. MDT Tuesday (July 26). Tickets for locals are limited and purchasers must be residents of San Miguel County, with a maximum purchase of two per person.
Taking a summertime gondola ride from the Mountain Village into the historic mining town of Telluride is a thing of beauty.
Sales will then open up to the public at 11 a.m. MDT July 28. Costs are: two-day passes, $199 (plus fees); single-day passes Friday and Saturday, $125 (plus fees); and three-day camping passes (Thursday through Saturday), $75 (plus fees).
More information will be available at www.neilyoungtelluride.com.
Pearl Jam's Vedder was astonished by the beauty of Telluride, regaling the crowd with tales about the first time he heard about the town and KOTO Radio, its local station. He looked around one last time from the stage after a nine-song encore concluded with "Alive" and "Yellow Ledbetter."
"If this ain't nice, what is?" he asked.
After experiencing one glorious summer night of Pearl Jamming, expect easy Telluriders this autumn to think forever Young.
Photos courtesy of Planet Bluegrass.