By Mike Hedrick

www.tellurideblues.com

September 12-14

Telluride, CO

What better place to experience music and the cream of Colorado’s microbrewery crop than a quiet town in the middle of the San Juan Mountains. The majestic backdrop of Telluride’s breath-taking mountain peaks holds the infamous Blues and Brews festival like a baby. Given, it’s a baby with a taste for blues legends and a loss of inhibitions. Nevertheless, in its 15th year, TBB is as healthy as ever, offering three days and nights of live music, a variety of great food, craft vendors, children’s activities and more. The apex of the event is Saturday’s Grand Tasting, featuring the best brews from over 50 microbreweries. Held in Telluride Town Park, with the Fred Shellman Memorial Stage at the heart, the festival promises to be a veritable heaven for music and beer lovers. Despite the steep price of lodging in and around the resort town, the Telluride state of mind is one that will not soon be forgotten. Travel time: (As calculated by mapquest.com from Denver, Colo. to Telluride, Colo..).

Total Est. Time: 6 hours, 9 minutes

Total Est. Distance: 331.25 Miles

YOU NEED TO KNOW: When you go to get your festival passes, make sure you spend the extra few dollars and get the juke joint pass. That pass will get you into the evening concerts up and down Main Street, which begin at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Be aware, however, that a juke joint pass does not guarantee that you will get into the show of your choice, but it does guarantee that you will get into one of the juke joints – it all depends on the capacity of each venue. As the night goes on, the crowds at the juke joints tend to rotate, so even if you can’t catch the start of the band you want to see, there’s a good chance you can catch the last half of their show. So, if there is one particular band you really want to see, get in line early for the show. PRICES: $$$$ CAMPING: Limited on-site Artists: Thursday, September 11: Bal de Maison: Back Door Slam Friday, September 12: John Hiatt Joan Osborne Susan Tedeschi Canned Heat Back Door Slam Mama’s Cookin’ Juke Joints: Canned Heat Mama’s Cookin’ Moreland & Arbuckle Brian Lee & the Blues Power Band Saturday, September 13: Gov’t Mule G. Love & Special Sauce John Butler Trio Dwayne Dopsie & Zydeco Hellraisers Big Sam’s Funky Nation Trampled Under Foot Juke Joints: John Butler Trio Dwayne Dopsie & Zydeco Hellraisers Trampled Under Foot Moreland & Arbuckle After Hours Jam: Big Sam’s Funky Nation Sunday, September 14: Etta James and the Roots Band The Derek Trucks Band The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Blind Boys of Alabama Chris Thomas King The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Fais Do Do: The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Chris Thomas King and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band