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This last weekend August 26th and 27th Pretty Lights returned to Telluride, Colorado for a two-day festival at the Town Park. A banner welcomed attendees; fans lined the streets anxiously waiting, and the music was pouring from the venue while Derek Vincent Smith performed a three-hour set each night. Blending music and innovative production with the beauty of a historic mountain town, the event must be experienced to be understood. Who’s ready to learn about his most anticipated show of the summer?

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PL_Live_Telluride-13The photos in this feature are courtesy of Chris Kocher, a festival photographer, and owner of CMK Photography visit www.cmkphotography.net for more stunning visuals. Follow him on Instagram @tophercmk. Based in the San Fransisco area do not hesitate to contact him as he is an avid music and landscape photographer currently traveling around the US in hopes of calling Boulder his new home.

PL_Live_Telluride-7Arriving in Telluride on Thursday, August 25th a day before the first day of the festival was a perfect way to begin my first time exploring the San Juan Mountains. What an incredible drive! I had never seen the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park before, and all I can say is Colorado is a unique state with landscapes that change it feels like every twenty miles. After arriving, I watched a hail storm from the condo balcony and enjoyed looking at the aspens that cover the area. That night I went to the Mountain Village for the first time for a round of drinks at the Black Iron Kitchen and Bar and then for dinner in town at Brown Dog Pizza.

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Friday morning I enjoyed a little sunshine while exploring. Out of the mountain towns I’ve been too Aspen, McCall, Sun Valley, Park City — Telluride now holds a special place in my heart. The rugged beauty provides chill vibes that make you want to kick back and enjoy the views while also inspiring you to get up and take in all the area has to offer. Despite some afternoon rain, I was able to explore the Town Park Camping and met up with Chris Kocher who as stated contributed the gorgeous photos.

The first night began with music shortly after eight o’clock when Derek Vincent Smith took the stage with the Analog Future Band, Episodic 3; who’s members include Chris Karnes, Borhem Lee, and Alvin Ford Jr. Due to the rain, there are no images from Saturday night, but you can enjoy the photos from Friday. Night one consisted of classics likes “Someday is Everyday – Passing By Behind Your Eyes” and “Sunday School” along with new tracks. After the show had wrapped around 11 pm, it was time to hit the Late Night Radio (Vinyl Restoration) + Marvel Years (ft. Colby Buckler) + Mickey Thunder After-Party at Fly Me To The Moon a sick time that kept jamming until two that morning.
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Night Two was a party and the highlight of my weekend in Telluride. Having seen Pretty Lights perform around ten times, I can say that the second night was one of my favorite performances only behind my first time seeing him at The Gorge Amphitheatre. He dropped “Dark As The Sky”, “Yellow Bird”, “World of Illusion,” “Drift Away”, a sample from the Beastie Boys and had time for an epic rap session. Performances at The Sheridan Opera House was an excellent way to bring a dope weekend of music to an end. The after-party featured Borahm Lee w/ Chris Karns, Colby Buckler, Eliot Lipp (Special Vinyl Set) and Party People.

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PL_Live_Telluride-3The next morning I returned to the Mountain Village to ride the Gondola while it was sunny. Before leaving, I took photos from the San Sophia Overlook where my friends and I spotted a waterfall on the other side of the mountain. What an incredible weekend I will never forget can’t wait to drop media coverage next year! Thanks to my friend Chelsea Strauch for inviting me wouldn’t have made this unforgettable trip without her 🙂

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August 5-7th this weekend marks the newest festival to hit the state Vertex. Located at the stunning Cottonwoods Meadow Ranch outside of Buena Vista at the base of the 14,000 foot Collegiate Peaks; it’s the only place you’ll witness picturesque views while jamming to one of the most diverse lineups to roll through Colorado this summer.

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Image Courtesy of www.vertexfestival.com

Vertex is co-produced by Madison House Presents in Boulder alongside AEG Live Rocky Mountains who presents some of the dopest shows in the state at venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Ogden Theatre, and The Bluebird Theater. Friday, August 5th, Alabama Shakes will headline the event with Gramatik. On Saturday things take a funky turn with Lettuce and then get ready to hit the dance floor during Odesza’s entire set.

An epic lineup, don’t miss other acts like Emancipator Ensemble, Seven Lions, and of course Tortuga who will be playing two sets on Friday night. I caught up with Ryan Mahrer and Tyler Arndt for the scoop on how it feels to be added to this legendary lineup. Let’s go, who’s ready for the group’s biggest performance to date? Check the 2016 schedule before we catch up with the duo.

2016 Schedule

The Interview: 

Aryonna Richard: How does it feel to be playing Vertex just two years after Tortuga’s debut in August of 2014?

Tortuga: It feels good. We always try to think realistically about our accomplishments, though. We’re happy to have come this far in what many would say is a short amount of time; it’s fulfilling in that way. But overall we try not to think of the equation as accomplishments relative to time. More so baby steps, in the right direction. It’s a good feeling though and we couldn’t be more excited based on the current location and lineup of the festival. It’s pretty unreal.

AR: What can your fans and festival goers new to Tortuga expect from your two sets on Friday night of the event?

Tortuga: Well, the first set is a Beach Party and the second is a late night Silent Disco. Both should be a lot of fun. But our goal was formulating two completely different sets for each setting and time. We aimed to fit the vibe for each individually, but the only way to find out exactly is to show up to both on Friday!

AR: Anything, in particular, you’ve been working on to prepare for the festival?

Tortuga: We’re constantly trying to bring new elements into our production and live performances. We have some new/unreleased songs we’re bringing out. Rapper and lyricist Dylan Montane will be making a guest appearance also!

AR: Are there any artists, also playing the event, that you would recommend to the Tortuga family?

Tortuga: This festival lineup is unreal. There are so many amazing acts – can’t even begin to start. The headliners are amazing and so is all the support. This is going to be a great festival for finding music that you never knew existed, our favorite. But really, we’re excited that both of our sets are on Friday so we can enjoy the music for the rest of the weekend! Say hello if you see us – we can’t wait to get down with all you beautiful people. 

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Whether you hit the Beach Party or their Silent Disco, you’ll love getting down to Tortuga’s funky drops and smooth guitar licks. Check their newest single “Flip The Breaker” for a preview of what to expect by clicking here. This single marks their first release through Denver’s finest Bass Curator – WUMP COLLECTIVE.

They also recently released the EP – Silhouette via the nationally acclaimed Philo Records in Kansas City. Read the group’s thoughts on having such a large goal come to fruition in a previous interview by clicking here. Don’t forget to check their Soundcloud below for the mixes from their release.

Don’t miss Tortuga at one of Colorado’s largest events of the summer! Tickets are still available for this celebration of natural beauty, festival culture, and live music beginning Friday, August, 7th 🙂 DON’T WAIT, snag your last minute ticket by CLICKING HERE and get ready for an unforgettable weekend in the Rocky Mountains.

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