Sonic bloom
April brings full spectrum of sound, from bluegrass to indie crooners

Greetings, dear readers! Spring is finally springing in Durango, and the music scene is blooming just as much as the daffodils and crocus outside your front door. From ragtime rhythms to bass-heavy blowouts, bluegrass pickers to indie crooners, there’s a full-spectrum of sound and community this month – and you’re invited. Now is the perfect time to get out and support your local music scene! May the blustery spring winds be at your back and, as always, see you on the dance floor!

• Durango Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival, Durango Arts Center, Fri.–Sun., April 4–6, 5 p.m. - If you’ve ever longed to stroll into a 1910s parlor and tap your toe to the sweet sound of a stride piano, this one’s for you. The Durango Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival returns with a stellar lineup, including Adam Swanson, Danny Coots, Jeff Barnhart and more of the most respected names in early American jazz. Whether you’re a seasoned jazzophile or just curious about the roots of modern rhythm, this is a rare chance to see true masters bring vintage music to vibrant life. Full schedule at www.durangoragtime.com.

• Beat Kitty, Forest Thump, BADGOAT, Spark Madden, Animas City Theatre, Sat., April 5, 7 p.m. - Classically trained flautist, metal enthusiast and DJ on the rise, Beat Kitty headlines her first ACT show this Saturday, bringing Spark Madden, BADGOAT and Forest Thump along for support. Beat Kitty has been knocking out sets at places like Meow Wolf, Sonic Bloom, Lightning in a Bottle and The Great Northern, just to name a few. Expect a high-energy, bass-forward experience with groove-infused rhythms and glitchy surprises. For fans of Maddy O’Neal, Glitch Mob and heavy low-end.

• Western Wallflowers and Alicia Glass, The Subterrain, Sat., April 5, 7 p.m. - Prefer your Saturday nights a little more introspection? Head underground, literally, to The Subterrain, and let the Western Wallflowers and Alicia Glass take the wheel. Expect moody melodies, rich lyricism and a warm atmosphere for anyone needing a sonic reset from the digital noise of daily life. The Wallflowers’ Southwestern sway meets Alicia’s crystalline vocals and dirtbag dream pop in a pairing that feels like a desert sunset in early spring.

• Kyle Smith and Ghost.Wav, Animas City Theatre, Wed., April 9, 7 p.m. - Midweek, ACT switches gears with a genre-bending double bill featuring Kyle Smith, a rising voice in California’s coastal punk-reggae scene, and Ghost.Wav, whose shimmering electronic-meets-organic soundscapes have been turning heads across the West. If Sublime, Pepper and Stick Figure make your playlist, this is your midweek medicine.

• Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, DAC, ACT and Wild Horse Saloon, April 11-13 - It wouldn’t be spring in Durango without the Bluegrass Meltdown, our homegrown hootenanny that takes over downtown with foot-stomping joy and furious fingerpicking. This year’s lineup is bursting with talent, including Danny Paisley and Southern Grass, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Nick Dumas and Branchline, Stillhouse Junkies, and dozens more. Don’t sleep on the Old Time Barn Dance, either. Whether you’re stage-hopping with a weekend pass or catching a single set, the Meltdown offers something for diehards and dabblers alike. Expect spontaneous jams, family vibes and a crowd that blends cowboy boots with Birkenstocks.

• Duff Thompson w/ Westfield, Toast Records & Bakes, Sun., April 13, 6 p.m. - Wind down your weekend at Toast, where the intimate atmosphere and warm acoustics set the stage for a dreamy double bill. Duff Thompson brings a smoky, analog vibe reminiscent of ’60s-era folk-pop, and local Westfield opens the evening with her signature Spaghetti-Eastern reverie and reverb-laden dreamscapes. Perfect for all of you vinyl lovers and anyone looking for a quieter kind of magic in Durango’s favorite place to buy wax. Be sure to come early and stay after to peruse the collection of new and high-quality used records.

• iAM Music Fest, multiple venues, May 1-4 - Looking a bit ahead, you’ll want to clear your calendar for this one. iAM Music celebrates 10 years with a four-day takeover of stages around town, spotlighting independent musicians from across the Four Corners and beyond. Featuring March Fourth, Blessing Bled Chimanga, Elder Grown, Desiderata, Westfield, Dana Ariel, Eli Emmitt and many more, this sprawling showcase serves up genre-hopping excellence, from Afro-fusion and funk to folk-pop and psych-rock. More than just a concert, iAM is a living example of Durango’s collaborative spirit and DIY ethos in action. Damn, are we lucky to have them in Durango!