Attack of the Glow Sticks

Most bluegrass festivals don't resemble rock concerts. Telluride is an exception-the airborne glow sticks and elaborate light shows here are more Phish than Ralph Stanley. There aren't many jams to be found in the audience; this is a place to watch music, not play it. Maybe it's a bluegrass festival in name only, but it's still pretty impressive. When I arrived last night, the town's main drag was full, the swooshing gondolas were full, and the festival grounds were full with spinning, noodling dancers. Friday night's headliners: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, the slick, hard-driving defenders of traditional Nashville bluegrass, followed by Leftover Salmon, a tie-die friendly newgrass outfit with a keyboard player and drummer. You wouldn't see that at, say, MerleFest. It was also fun to see the Del McCoury band, whose members generally prefer suits on stage, sit in with Leftover Salmon. The highlight of the night came later, when the all-female old-time band Uncle Earl stomped through two sets at a small dark bar in town. The stage was a revolving door, with some 15 friends, including members of the McCoury band, sitting in. The floor bent, but didn't break. More later, off to see the music.   —Abe Streep