Season finale
Tales from the underworld and a stacked concert schedule 

Greetings, dear readers! Early last month, I was 10 miles deep, backpacking on the Continental Divide Trail with my girlfriend and her bestie when an old frenemy decided to make a surprise comeback tour. This angry little visitor – call him Hemmy Hendrix – has popped up over the years, but this time he brought backup. After a quick trailside conference with my fellow backpackers the next morning, I made the call to tap out and make the five-hour drive back to Durango instead of pushing through 30 more miles of unrelenting backcountry beauty and pounds of protein bars. Turns out that was the right move. Within 24 hours, I’d been to the ER twice and landed an emergency hemorrhoidectomy – aka the least rock ‘n’ roll surgery imaginable and certainly not two words you want to hear together ever. A month later, having supped upon large quantities of humble pie and Miralax, I’m finally vertical, just in time for my gig season to kick into full swing.

Huge thanks to the folks at Mercy, my girlfriend, parents, friends and a shout out to everyone who’s ever emerged from the underworld of nether-region suffering. Like Dante, I too have seen the ninth circle of hell … and apparently it has a copay and is flowing with waters of lukewarm epsom salt baths! As the old saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you, will make you squirm uncomfortably on public seating.”

Sending you all, dear readers, the best for a less dramatic end to your summer. We’ve got stacks of great music to welcome in the changing of light and shift in seasons. As always, see you on the dancefloor...just be careful with the “attaboy” posterior slaps, please.

• Leon Timbo, Buckley Park, Thurs., Aug. 7, 5:30 p.m. - Presented by the Community Concert Hall and KDUR, Timbo brings his raw, gospel-infused storytelling to downtown Durango’s beloved outdoor summer venue. Expect a soul-soothing early evening set under the trees on the well-trodden grass. 

• Telluride Jazz Festival, Town Park, Fri.-Sun. Aug. 8-10 - It’s yet another heavyweight lineup this year featuring Kamasi Washington, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Trombone Shorty, Cimafunk, Brass Queens and more. Expect three days of world-class jazz, funk, soul and Telluride mountain magic.

• Thylan & Nat Lefkoff, House Concert, Fri., Aug. 8, 7 p.m. - Colorado’s rising singer-songwriter Thylan and California’s Nat Lefkoff share an intimate evening of indie folk and pure acoustic poetry celebrating all things sacred and wild. Ask a friend in the loop for the address – these things fill up fast. You can also RSVP for tickets by searching “Nat Lefkoff & Thylan House Concert” on Facebook.

• Nuages Du Desert, American Legion, Sat., Aug. 9, 7 p.m. - Vintage Parisian café vibes meet Southwest swing. This Django-inspired quartet will transport you to a smoky 1930s speakeasy – accordion and all.

• Animal Soul & Alicia Glass, The Hive, Sat., Aug. 16, 6:30 p.m. - New to the Durango scene, Animal Soul teams up with kick-ass Alicia Glass for a night that blends groove and garage rock grit in the Hive’s all-ages, alcohol-free zone. 

• BabyDel, Animas City Theatre, Sat., Aug. 16, 7 p.m. - The queen of house and techno returns to the Animas City for a Burning Man fundraiser with opening support from her Varsity Crew productions family in the form of YNGD. Consider the dance floor activated and this your final notice to try and snag tickets before this rager sells out. 

• Betty Benedeadly, Jimmy’s Main Room, Thurs., Aug. 21, 5 p.m. - Known from the Austin, Texas-based surf-psych band Sheverb, Benedeadly conjures up spaghetti-western vibes and desert reveries. Expect twang, tremolo and grit in the best possible way in Durango’s most intimate listening room.

• iAM Soul Festival: Indigo Room &, Lola’sPlace, Fri.- Sun., Aug. 22-24 - iAM Music’s brand spanking new, genre-spanning festival kicks off with local groove-machines the Mojo Birds, The Quarks and Blu Phunk Collective serving jazz, funk and R&B with a homegrown, soulful twist. 

• Pokey LaFarge, Animas City Theatre, Wed., Aug. 27, 7 p.m. - Yet another impressive booking by our local legend at the ACT, Eugene Salaaz. What’s in this guy’s Wheaties?! Pokey is the essence of old-school Americana with flair and finesse. Those who know, know. He’s a showman through and through – crooning like it’s 1940 while keeping it sharp as ever. It’s a Wednesday night show, but expect it to sell-out in the next week or so.

• Hotel Draw, The Monkberries, Ragged Oak & Lowfi, Animas City Night Bazaar, Memorial Park, Fri., Aug. 29, 4 p.m. - A North Main classic! The last Night Bazaar of the summer goes out with a bang: a four-band showcase of psych-pop, folk-rock and indie grit set against our best local vendors, food and community-based art installations. Great fun for the whole family, Durango style. ■