For three days this fall, Boulder’s Pearl Street will transform into the backdrop for a brand-new weekend-long music festival, Boulder Roots Music Festival, featuring national headliners Andy Frasco and the U.N., North Mississippi Allstars, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., and Yonder Mountain String Band. The event is the brainchild of the Roots Music Project, the Caruso Foundation, and the City of Boulder.
"October 17 to 19 will be the most 'musical' day in Boulder history," says Dave Kennedy, the executive director of the Roots Music Project. "Songs will be written, careers will be launched, and start-ups will be inspired. The creative spirit of the Boulder community is our driving force."
Throughout the weekend, more than 700 artists will take to stages in what Dave describes as a “citywide immersion of music in alternative venues up and down Pearl Street.” The venues include traditional destinations like the Boulder Theater, eTown, and Velvet Elk Lounge, as wellitional, like 8Z Real Estate, Garage Sale Vintage, as the non-trad and Savannah Bee Company.
The acts include a little bit of everything, from Colorado’s rising artists to national headliners, and even some familiar faces to Boulder Lifestyle readers like No Signal, Rootbeer Richie, and Andy Frasco.
“We prioritize independent artists who embody excellence and represent the diverse voices shaping today’s music, from emerging local talent to nationally recognized acts with Colorado roots,” says Jesse Ogle, the community development director for Roots Music Project. He notes that the bands feature a large number of diverse musicians. “The result is a lineup that blends discovery with familiarity, showcasing the best of some amazing national talent and building Colorado's scene by launching artists onto bigger stages,” he says.
To wit, here are three stand-out artists you don’t want to miss.
Hazel Miller
With Hazel Miller and the Collective on the lineup for the weekend, Boulderites have a chance to see a Front Range legend. From Red Rocks to the White House, Hazel has played a variety of stages since beginning her professional singing career as a teenager. Originally from Kentucky, Hazel has been enchanting Colorado audiences with jazz, blues, and R&B performances (and more!) for over 40 years—and remembers them all. “I remember certain songs and audience reactions to our songs from as far back as 40 years ago,” she says. Roots Music Fest is sure to be just as memorable. “When you’re chosen to play in a ‘homegrown festival,’ it’s an honor,” Hazel says. “It means we are performing with the best bands in our area and state. We’re excited to hear new bands with new sounds.”
Wrenn Van Band
Wrenn Van’s presence on the lineup offers locals a chance to catch some of Colorado’s best—and youngest—up-and-coming talent. At just 19, Wrenn has tapped some of the state’s top musicians to form the Wrenn Van Band and recently released her debut single, “Comin' Back.” “There isn’t really a time that I can remember where I wasn’t in love with music,” she explains. “It feels like I was born connected to music.” Catch her live performance to see how her originals draw inspiration from R&B, funk, pop, soul, and rock. “My favorite thing about sharing my original music is when audience members send me a message or talk to me about how much they relate to my songs,” she says. “It’s really a special feeling knowing that people are genuinely connecting to what I’m writing about.”
Michelle Pietrafitta
You may know Michelle Pietrafitta from Banshee Tree, a Colorado band that used to play every Saturday night at License No. 1. “Having a space to be completely free and do whatever we wanted artistically allowed us to shape and discover our sound. The bricks of Pearl Street are threaded into the band's DNA,” says Michelle, who is a drummer and tour manager for the nationally touring band. Catch Banshee Tree locally at Boulder Roots Music Festival to experience their high-energy, improvisational tunes that fuse genres like jazz and swing with indie, trance, and psychedelic rock.
Visit RootsMusicFest.org to view the full lineup, purchase tickets, and learn more.