Hot off the press . . .

Fueled by lead single “Tiny Light,” their incendiary live shows and rave reviews from critics nationwide, the self-titled album from GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS (Hollywood Records/Ragged Company) enter Billboard’s Top 200 at #20, Billboard’s Rock Album Chart at #3 and Billboard’s Digital Album Chart at #9.

The group, praised by Rolling Stone as one of the “Best New Bands of 2010,” delivered an electrifying performance of “Tiny Light” on yesterday’s Good Morning America and return to television July 15th for an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. This Thursday, June 17th, fans can also catch an encore performance of the band’s appearance on ELLEN.

The Boston Herald compared the group to the “Rolling Stones (circa Exile On Main Street), fronted by a young Etta James/Tina Turner/Bonnie Raitt-type singer” while The New York Post lauded the album with a 4-star review, declaring the “Vermont group hits peak… Potter and company deserve the hype.” Oprah’s O Magazine compared Potter to the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams, Rolling Stone said that the record “bursts with promise,” and the Dallas Morning News gave the disc an A calling it “an auspicious effort that definitely needs to be heard.”

It’s often hard for us to describe the experience that is the Grand Targhee Music Festival. Yes, people are friendly. Yes, it’s big enough without being too big. Yes, even the acts you’ve never heard of deliver in accordance with the well-deserved reputation of the festival.  But these mere words still don’t do it justice.

And frankly, we’re not sure the following does either. But it is an honest, spot-on glimpse into one person’s experience – albeit one one-of-a-kind, musically-oriented, local character’s experience – at Targhee Fest last summer.

Just so we’re clear, here’s a pic of your tour guide (poached without consent from said tour guide’s FB page):

Reprinted with verbal permission from author (who may or may not remember giving us permission):

It might have been my allergies but I am pretty sure I was crying. That is how much fun I had at the Grand Targhee Music Festival. Anytime you start an article out with an admission of tears there is a chance that half of your audience stopped reading. However, if you are the kind of person who enjoyed Targhee fest I am going to do my best to pay homage to the experience. The weeks building up to the festival are always filled with anticipation, planning, and visions of mountainous good times. This helps set the mind properly for immersion into music festival world. I find to really get in the spirit a trip to the dollar store and $30 can fill your trunk with squirt guns, kites, goofy glasses, crazy straws and all the other fun goodies that make people smile around the campsite. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

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I’ll confess, I’m glad I didn’t get to vote.

My role in the vote count at Saturdays Battle of the Band Showdown prohibited me from using a wooden nickel to determine who would open this year’s Targhee Music Festival.  And with each band bringing their a-game to the concert at the Spud, the choice was tough.  It was a common dilemma among the 500+ attendees who were treated to the sounds of Burning Olympus, Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit, Mandatory Air, LuNKuR and The Tie Hacks under the first nearly-clear sky Teton Valley had seen in over a week.

Remember what blue skies look like?

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Paper Bird and Great American Taxi will complete Sunday’s line up at the 6th Annual Grand Targhee Music Festival July 16-18.

A quick skim of the Paper Bird myspace page might have you thinking they’re a better fit for Bluegrass Fest (it’s that banjo), but the small horn section – a trumpet and trombone – of this seven piece band gives them a sound NPR dubbed “deliberately vintage.”  They are one of Colorado’s most popular live acts, and sell out venues – including the renowned Boulder Theater – weekly.  We’re thrilled to welcome them to the best stage in the Tetons.

In the past five years, Great American Taxi has become one of the best-known headliners on the jam band circuit.  Their uninhibited sound is a swinging concoction of swampy blues, progressive bluegrass, funky New Orleans strut, Southern boogie, honky tonk country, gospel, and good ol’ fashioned rock ’n’ roll. Great American Taxi was born when singer, guitarist, and mandolin player Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon joined keyboard player and singer Chad Staehly for a superstar jam to benefit the Rainforest Action Group in Boulder, in March of 2005. Their new album, titled “Reckless Habits” (and featuring a hilarious photo of smoking nuns) just went to number 3 in the current Relix/Jambands.com jam band radio charts.

With Katchafire and Michael Franti and Spearhead rounding out the Sunday line up, the closing day of the festival promises as much energy as the opener.  Two additional bands and the winner of the Battle of the Bands competition, to be determined this Saturday at the Spud Drive-In, will finish up the festival line up.  For the current schedule, visit our festival web page.

GRAND TARGHEE BATTLE OF THE BANDS COMPETITION MOVES TO FINAL ROUND
Targhee Fest Opening Band will be Decided During Concert at Spud Drive-In

After a month of online voting that saw over 5,000 individual votes, the top five bands in the first Grand Targhee Battle of the Bands competition will take to the stage at the Spud Drive-In on Saturday, June 5 at 5:30 pm.

Pinedale, Wyoming’s The Tie Hacks received the most votes during the first Grand Targhee Resort Battle of the Bands competition. Separated from them by just a handful of votes are local acts LunKuR, Mandatory Air and Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit. Burning Olympus of Provo, Utah was the fifth band to make the cut.

The concert at the Spud Drive-In is the final round in the Battle of the Bands competition and will determine which band will open the 6th Annual Grand Targhee Music Festival on Friday, July 16. Tickets will be sold the day of the show at the entrance to the Spud Drive-In and are $5. Each attendee will receive a wooden Targhee nickel with which to cast their vote during the concert. A panel of judges will also be involved in the final decision. The band that receives the most votes will be deemed the winner, and will be announced online at grandtarghee.com and targheemusic.com on Sunday, June 6.

Thanks to all of you who have supported original music in this competition! We have a new album coming out called “Brown Chicken Brown Cow”, all original, all instrumental funk and bluegrass written right here in the tetons. You can check out some rough tracks at www.myspace.com/funkgrassunit. Thanks again for all the local and long distance support!

Having lots of fun in the competition! Way cool to get all these votes and input from all the different Music Lovers and Bands. Rock On!

Those of us sitting in Wydaho right now might feel like winter will never end (as it continues to dump outside my window). But fear not, a glimmer of hope shines through the icy fists of winter today all the way from New Zealand as we learn that Katchafire has just agreed to Play Targhee Fest! They are scheduled to play Sunday before Michael Franti, let’s hope their warm beats and island style reggae can turn the heat up on our frigid little corner of the country.

These guys released their debut album Revival back in 2003 and have been gaining steam ever since, opening shows for bands like Damien Marley and Micheal Franti and Spearhead. They have gained a reputation as one of New Zealand’s hardest working bands touring all over the world from Hawaii to Ireland. They’re a perfect fit for Sunday’s lineup with Michael Franti and Spearhead, infusing their unique Maori heritage with roots reggae to create some truly fascinating music.

Here’s a little something to warm you up:

Katchafire – Get away by Katchafire

The first act of the summer music series at the Trap Bar is confirmed!  The Trishas will play the Trap at 8:30 pm on Saturday, August 7, 2010.

Their self-described sound: think of what would happen if Texas dirt, Mississippi River water, City Lights, and Apple Pie all sat down in a pickin’ circle at an Austin, TX backyard party. This combination creates a kind of soul that no definition is worthy to define, and plants a seed of bluegrass that gives blues a place to grow from. Add a couple country accents, a lot of truth to be told, and rhythm you couldn’t shake a stick at…but you’ll want to…and you’ve got The Trishas.

Two talented acts have just been added to the spectacular lineup that is the 23rd Annual Targhee Bluegrass Festival – Danny Barnes and Mike Marshall’s Big Trio.

Danny Barnes review by Rolling Stone Magazine: Texas country rocker Danny Barnes likes to do wild things with his banjo — check out the explosive picking on his old band the Bad Livers’ turbocharged hillbilly version of Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life.” Barnes’ seventh solo album, Pizza Box, is a collection of banjo-based songs set against big rock (“Road”), Memphis-style horns (“Sparta, TN”), barnstorming juke-joint blues (“Misty Swan”) and even a shuffling, hip-hop-style beat (“Sleep”). Barnes is a clever lyricist with a punk-rock past who understands the raw simplicity of a good country tune: The album’s title track is a wistful ballad in which Barnes confesses in his sweet, vulnerable Texas drawl, “Basically it’s so elemental/Us Southern boys are sentimental.” Enough said.

Mike Marshall’s Big Trio Bio: Once again, acoustic statesman Mike Marshall presents us with his newest incarnation of instrumental wizardry. This time, he’s tapping into the next generation of up-and-coming string virtuosos – 16 year old Alex Hargreaves and bassist Paul Kowert. Mike spent the past year creating a body of music specifically for this group, writing with its members’ unique talents in mind.  The astounding abilities of the Trio’s young musicians, whose minds are open to so many musical styles, allowed Mike to compose with complete freedom – incorporating his love of traditional American roots musics and combining these musical influences with Western classical music, Latin, Indian, and free improvisation. Together, the Trio has created its own unique New Acoustic American instrumental music that will point the way for generations to come.