By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)
The Silver Anniversary of the annual Targhee Bluegrass Festival is a fine selection of the various shades of today’s grass – traditional, progressive, jam, swing, old-time, gypsy, even Cajun slamgrass.

To sustain a music festival that consistently brings some of the industry’s hottest talent while remaining an intimate, grassroots operation is an anomaly. Take a peak into the history of a festival like Merlefest that started out the size of a Targhee fest (around 3,000 people) and has evolved into Bonnaroo equivalents in the bluegrass world (80,000 people). There’s so much room to roam, camp, take a bike ride or hike at Targhee, and then walk straight up to the front row and hear the actual sound produced by a performer’s acoustic instrument.

While there is but one new band performing on the Targhee stage (Lil’ Jane & The Pistol Whips), this collection of veterans is a “greatest hits” of past lineups. The one missing card is Sam Bush, who has performed on the stage nearly every year in the last decade and hosted a Saturday night mountain jam. Aptly filling those shoes this Saturday is Leftover Salmon, a band that launched its first extended tour in seven years early in 2012. Salmon just released it’s first studio album in eight years, Aquatic Hitchhiker.

Another revelation is the Friday headliner, Infamous Stringdusters. After making a Targhee debut in 2008 in which they opened the fest, the progressive/jamgrass quintet has earned a late slot. Day opener Lil’ Jane & The Pistol Whips is a quintet that comes to us from close by – Livingston, Mont. – bringing a country sound reminiscent of Loretta Lynn and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Hot Rize – a band that formed in 1978 and rose to prominence in the ’80’s before slowing down in 1990 – features founding members Tim O’Brien (mandolin/fiddle) and Peter Wernick (banjo), Nick Forster (bass, guitar) and Bryan Sutton (guitar). The band has made stage performances occasional since 2002, and this will be one of five shows this summer. They will also perform under the pseudo name Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, a Western swing band alter ego.

Another Targhee tradition that will be fulfilled is a set involving a Ben Winship project. Winship has performed at every Bluegrass Fest, and will appear this year with Kane’s River.

25th Annual Targhee Bluegrass Festival runs Friday through Sunday at Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyoming. Tickets are $55/Friday only, $65/Saturday only, $55/Sunday only, or $169/three-day pass. Parking and camping can be purchased separately. GrandTarghee.com.

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)

Oh, summer, how music junkies love thee
I love this time of year for its anticipation of the massive intake of summer concerts. Headliner bills are already taking shape, so a little sneak peak is in order. By now, you’ve heard about Teton Valley Foundation’s free Music on Main series in Victor and the lineup that it announced a few weeks ago. Thursdays starting June 28 and continuing through August 16 will feature headliners Andy Frasco and The UN, Blitzen Trapper, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, March 4th Marching Band, Stone Foxes, Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys, and Carrie Rodriguez, supported by Mandatory Air, The Shook Twins, Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit, Scott McDougall, The Alta Boys, Random Canyon Growlers, and the Bluegrass Camp Allstars.

The exciting news of masterful indie-pop artist Andrew Bird billed with the earnest rasp of singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten was confirmed last week for August 18, on the back lawn of Center for the Arts. It will likely be billed as Caldera Festival. As for the Center Theater, the only show that has been announced thus far is Robert Earl Keen for June 3, confirmed by the interim talent buyers at 307 Live.
Of course both Grand Targhee Festival lineups are always highly anticipated.

Targhee Fest (July 13-15) will feature a killer mesh of