Telluride and Real Estate Blog

Plays, burlesque, movies, concerts, DJ parties planned for end of year

Article by Amy M. Peters, Telluride Daily Planet Contributor, Dec 12, 2024

Telluride Theatre celebrates the 10th anniversary of The Downlow, founded by Laura Shaunette (pictured), at the SOH on Dec 23. (Courtesy photo)

To satisfy incoming holiday crowds, Telluride nightlife is lighting up with live music and performances ahead of New Year’s Eve.

The curtain lifts at 7 p.m. tonight, Dec. 13, for the premier of Telluride Theatre’s “Ski Bum The Musical” at the historic Sheridan Opera House (SOH). The original script and music by local Lionel Starr features Johnny Stardust, a career-bound college graduate who stumbles upon a ski town in the 90’s. The show runs through Sunday and again from Dec.19-22. VIP tickets are $100, $40 for regular tickets. The show is ages 13 and up.

Drawing from Delta blues influences, songwriter Grant Sabin performs at The Alibi tonight, combining biting slide guitar, soulful growl and heartfelt lyrics.

“AJ Fullerton, who’s played Telluride many times and was runner-up in the Telluride Blues & Brews Challenge as a teenager, will join in,” noted Alibi owner Andrés Vargas-Johnson.

From noon-4 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, the Mountain Village center will transform into the North Pole for its annual Holiday Prelude, featuring free ice skating and performances, photos with Santa, train rides, a tree lighting ceremony, scavenger hunt, and discounted shopping.

Papa Noel will visit the Telluride Elementary School Gym tomorrow from 1-4 p.m. with food and games for children.

Tomorrow night, Dec. 14, Santa Fe’s alt/rock band Strangers from Afar brings groovy, southwest rock n' roll to The Alibi, followed by Denver’s Squeaky Feet, a modern jam quintet with a Berklee College of Music passion, debuting at The Alibi this Sunday night.

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Leslie Browning & Friends perform live at Telluride Arts Gallery East from 5:30-8 p.m.

Local jazz fusion musicians Après Nova play a free après show at The Alibi on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 6-8 p.m. The Telluride Gold Kings also perform for free at the New Sheridan Bar on Thursday, Dec. 19 from 6-8 p.m. Country rock artist Savannah Rae debuts at The Alibi on Dec. 19.

Intimate magic show Mind Blown takes place at The Peaks at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 and 21 and again on Dec. 27 and 28.

Local DJ Castle spins a variety of music from tech-house to groovy disco at O’Bannon’s at The Moon (OB@TM) on Friday, Dec. 20. Hailing from Kauai, Hawaii, DJ MVE, creator of house music collective Villa House, mans the decks at OB@TM on Saturday, Dec. 21.

Mountain Village presents movie nights at the Telluride Conference Center including Polar Express (Dec. 21), A Christmas Story (Dec. 22), Elf (Dec. 23), Die Hard (Dec. 27), and Christmas Vacation (Dec. 28). $15 for adults, $10 for kids under 18.

At The Alibi, local favorite DJ Wombat spins music on Dec. 21 beginning at 10 p.m. for a $5 cover charge.

“DJ Wombat specializes in good vibrations and the wall of sound,” said Vargas-Johnson. “Connecting hip-hop classics with reggae and some Grateful Dead.”

Check out ice-sculpting demonstrations on Saturday, Dec. 21 and Sunday, Dec. 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Heritage Plaza in MV.

On Monday, Dec. 23, Telluride Theatre celebrates the tenth anniversary of the storytelling series The Downlow with a free performance at the SOH featuring "best of" and holiday stories beginning at 7 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, the annual torchlight parade snakes its way down the slopes from the top of the gondola to Telluride Gondola Plaza.

Also on Christmas Eve, local producer DJ BRX melds sound and driving bass at OB@TM followed by DJ MVE who returns to OB@TM for a Christmas night jam, and again on Dec. 28 and 29.

The Telluride Gold Kings play another free show at the New Sheridan Bar on Thursday, Dec. 26 from 6-8pm.

Telluride Theatre presents “Tease the Season,” a holiday burlesque & variety show with live music and comedy at the SOH featuring The House of Shimmy Shake, Telluride’s professional burlesque troupe. Doors at 7:30 for an 8 p.m. show. $600 VIP tables, $45- $55 reserved seating.

On Friday, Dec. 27, Austin rock band Black Pistol Fire returns to the SOH, bringing their renowned fusion of southern rock, blues, and garage punk. Doors at 8:00 p.m., show at 9:00 p.m. GA Tickets $60, $75 for reserved balcony seating.

The following night, Saturday, Dec. 28, the SOH features AbbaFab, a technicolor, multi-media tribute to the music of ABBA. Doors at 8:00 p.m., show at 9:00 p.m. GA tickets $40, $50 reserved balcony seating.

On Sunday, Dec. 29, DJ Castle warms up the crowd at the SOH prior to Cool Cool Cool (formerly Turkuaz) performing at 9 p.m. merging funk, house, and R&B with dynamic female-led vocals, a tight horn section, swirling synths, and a wicked rhythm section. Doors at 8:00 p.m., show at 9:00 p.m. GA tickets $25, $35 reserved balcony tickets.

To round-out the pre-New Year’s entertainment scene, The Sheridan Arts Foundation presents emerging Rocky Mountain bluegrass quartet The Fretliners at the SOH on Monday, Dec. 30. Doors at 8:00 p.m., show at 9:00 PM. GA tickets $40, $50 reserved balcony seating.

Unless otherwise noted, all shows at The Alibi begin at 9 p.m. and cost $10. To purchase tickets, visit Alibitelluride.com. All shows at OB@TM begin at 10 p.m. with a $5 cover charge. To purchase tickets for performances at the SOH, visit sheridanoperahouse.com.

To read the full Telluride Daily Planet article please click this link.