During the weekend of July 12th and 13th, Compose Yourself Mag had the ultimate pleasure of journeying to the beautiful and scenic town of Telluride, Colorado to join the press team at the Ride Festival! Featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Thievery Corporation, Rival Sons, Spoon, The Hold Steady, and plenty others, it was a two day weekend full of breathtaking views and stunning performances, all topped off with a uniquely wholesome environment to bask in. Although every minute we spent at the Ride was spectacular and unforgettable, we were able to come up with five of our favorite moments from the festival where we felt the overwhelming mystic of Telluride.
1: The Box Canyon Effect: Despite the fact that we’d been researching all about the beauty in the small town of Telluride leading up to the festival itself, upon arrival we found ourselves in awe of the mystifying and jaw dropping panoramic views the city had to offer. Making time to wander the streets of Telluride, we were in constant gush mode when checking out the historic shops, restaurants and of course, taking rides on the gondolas. Hell, we even got the chance to see the San Miguel Valley Bank, which is the site of legendary bank robber Butch Cassidy’s first major crime. While strolling the cobblestone streets, we found more smiling faces and laughing children in the small town of Telluride than any place we’ve been yet. If there were ever a reason to take a road trip without a festival waiting on the other end, it would be to simply indulge in the majesty of this one of a kind location. Telluride stole our hearts.
2: Sunset Spoon Magic: As one of the most commercially successfully rock bands of our time, I’d had my sights on seeing Spoon for years and years, all to no avail until The Ride came along. Set in the most beautiful venue, I was unexpectedly happy that I had waited it out so long. Although it was far from being the first compliment of the weekend on the location’s vibrancy, lead singer Britt Daniels gave a heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to play at the Ride, reminding us all of the beautiful moments the weekend would undoubtedly create. As sunset fell in between the staggering walls of the box canyon, Spoon played one of their most popular songs, ‘The Way We Get By’, to the mass of eager and euphoric fans.
3: Thievery Corporation Beneath the Super Moon:
How do you make watching one of the most talented bands in the business, Thievery Corporation, perform live an even better experience? You add in a rare, astronomical coincidence, such as a Super Moon. Experiencing this band live is a completely different world compared to listening to them from a stereo in the peaceful still of your living room. Their jazz-funk, bossa nova and worldly soundscapes make them an ideal soundtrack for swank hotel elevators, but Thievery transforms into a massive party onstage. Each member in this band is an out-right professional in his/her own right, featuring a revolving lineup of singers, lyricists and instrumentalists. Their performance at the Ride was nothing short of momentous and intimate, providing that special ‘after-show’ buzz you experience so very rarely.
4: An Infectiously Playful Atmosphere: The typical festivals we attend are loaded with music, good people, and extraordinary vibes, but something at The Ride was different. Being in the center of a small mountain town breathes an entirely new and vibrant air into the mix, and the feelings were definitely mutual. Several children played soccer, threw frisbees and chased one another through the crowds, making it hard not to drop everything and join in their shenanigans. The mood and atmosphere of The Ride was beautifully humbling and organic.
5: Hearing Joan Osborne Sing ‘(What If God Were) One of Us’: As if The Ride couldn’t have been more wholesome, the addition of soft folk songstress Joan Osborne was the icing on the cake. I’ll admit that by the time she had taken the stage I was already feeling my child-like side making an appearance, as I had somehow become apart of a kickball game with some of the tweens running around earlier in the day. But upon hearing ‘What If God Were One Of Us’, my heartstrings jerked, and I felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as I, and everyone else at The Ride, sang along in unison. As one of my favorite songs from early childhood, I had never in a million years thought I’d have the experience of hearing it live, much less in one of the most gorgeous venues I’d ever set foot in. This to me was the cherry on top of an already amazing weekend that I’d had the pleasure of being apart of, and I can’t thank The Ride enough for having myself and Haley Wofford out for the festival!
The Ride was everything we thought it would be and much more – a unique, humbling and frolicsome live music experience that can’t be found anywhere else. We cannot absolutely wait to return next year!
