In full swing
Dosido into a month of old time, Gay Prom, Nordfest and (way) more

Greetings, dear readers! At long last, the river’s running high, the San Juans are calling, and I’ll be damned if we haven’t had a sweet monsoonal tease. On the grid, it’s the season for bluegrass porch jams on Sunday nights. Across town, the river trail is pulsing with a sunset-seeking denizens, eyes glazed from the new Famburger dessert options. Most excitingly, this is finally the season of live music echoing from every one of the Four Corners. So, mark your G-Cals, brush off those Blundstones, and grab a scoop of Cream Bean Berry on the way to the show. As always, see you on the dance floor.

• Robin Davis Duo, Six Dollar String Band, The Subterrain, Sat., June 7, 8 p.m. - Come down for the Robin Davis Duo’s first Durango show since releasing their stunning original old-time album, “Starin’ at the Mountain.” Robin will be wielding his five-string fiddle made from the tooth of a dragon he slayed years ago. They’ll be joined by Six Dollar String Band’s original lineup – plus Jimi Davis sitting in on banjo – as the band continues its 13-year “Old Time is Not a Crime” campaign, bringing high-energy dance heat. While The Subterrain offers a small-room, listening-style venue, this will certainly be a night to swing your partner(s) dosido.

• Gay Prom, Baby Del, Bad Goat, Disco Dolly, The Black Heron, Sat., June 7, 9 p.m. - Happy Pride! The Rainbow Youth Coalition invites you to rally and ally with some of the area’s most devastatingly fabulous drag queens for Gay Prom. Drag performances start at 9 p.m., and the DJs take it from there. I personally will be leaning heavily into the Charli XCX archives. Rest up – this one’s going strong ’til close.

• Birds of a Feather, The Powerhouse, Wed., June 11, 5:30 p.m. – The Powerhouse’s free Summer Concert Series continues with Birds of a Feather, featuring members of Durango’s most energetic, dance friendly band, Mojo Birds. Expect feel-good folk and sweet vocals spilling over the riverside courtyard. As always, this is a family friendly, BYO-blanket-and-chairs affair, perfectly timed for golden hour on the Animas. Check The Powerhouse calendar for more shows.

• YOPE, Dana Ariel, Animas City Theatre, Fri., June 13, 7 p.m. - YOPE is ready for the big stage, bringing its genre-bending spaceship jam to ACT. Expect tight grooves, psych-funk segues and sick riffs on the best system in town. Opening up: the smoky, soulful stylings of Dana Ariel – a local legend in the making, herself worthy of a headlining night in the not too distant future!

• Nordfest, Mancos Brewing Co., Sat., June 14, 3 p.m. - All hail the Nord! This all-day benefit festival for local cancer support orgs is the brainchild of beloved local musician Erik Nordstrom. It brings together regional rock, punk and indie bands to light up Montezuma County with a proper throwdown. This year’s lineup includes Dirty Chords, Group Shower, Dana Ariel & The Coming Up Roses, The Crags, Farmington Hill and more. Don’t forget to drink some water alongside those delicious Mancos Brewing beers.

• Anarchy Brewing Anniversary Party, Sat., June 14, 6 p.m. - Our Southside refuge throws down for its well-deserved anniversary with a raucous night of punk, garage and DIY grit. The stacked local bill features Codefendants alongside raw sets from The Pawns, Lo Cash Ninjas, Discount Vodka and the ever-unpredictable Jonster. Expect noise, chaos and community in equal measure.

• Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Town Park, Thurs.–Sun., June 19–22 - Do I even need to mention it? The world-renowned Telluride Bluegrass Festival returns with a lineup that demands reverence: Sam Bush, The Travelin’ McCourys, Jason Isbell, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms, and so many more. Four days of tunes, views and pure magic. I scored last-minute tickets on CashorTrade – a stress-free, fair-market resale option. May the odds be in your favor!

• Desiderata, The Galentines, Animas City Theatre, Fri., June 20, 7 p.m. - Two of Colorado’s most compelling femme-fronted projects team up for a night of cathartic indie rock and dreamy anthems. Local group Desiderata has been putting in serious work and racking up well-deserved headline spots across the state. And having played with the Boulder-based Galentines myself, I can tell you, they will blow you away. A strong midsummer night at ACT, no doubt.

• Jackson Emmer, backyard concert (Southside Durango), Tues., June 24, 6 p.m. - Acclaimed Colorado troubadour Jackson Emmer brings his songs to a secret Southside spot (nope, not the 8th Ave. Tav). Presented by the benevolent musical tastemakers at KDUR for their 50th anniversary – Liggett looks not a day over 32 – find the exact location on their website, ride your bike and be sure to leave the space better than you found it. Show some love, our music scene would suck without KDUR.

• Dressy Bessy, Alicia Glass, Ska Brewing, Sat., June 28, 2 p.m. - As part of KDUR’s 50th anniversary festivities, this free all-ages show at Ska pairs Denver indie-pop icons Dressy Bessy with local rock powerhouse goddess, Alicia Glass. There’s a reason why Glass keeps popping up in this column. She rocks hard. Go find out for yourself.