Last year’s Tiny Library Concerts featured a sold-out season of performances. This year, History Colorado is thrilled to announce a diverse line-up that features stripped-down Americana from Pueblo’s The River Arkansas, the gypsy-jazz-meets-bluegrass sounds of nationally-performing string band TAARKA, a rare, intimate performance by the critically-acclaimed Colorado Symphony collaborator Jesse Manley, and much more.

Tuesday October 17, 2017 (7pm) - TAARKA

Described by SF Weekly as a “collision of Django Reinhardt and David Grisman,” TAARKA embraces bluegrass, folk, gypsy-jazz, Celtic, and old-time music influences.  Led by the husband-and-wife team of David Pelta-Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals) and Enion Pelta-Tiller (five-string violin, vocals),  the nationally-performing acoustic string band’s live shows are gravity-defying and dexterous.

Tuesday November 28, 2017 (7pm) - Clouds & Mountains, with Russick Smith

Boulder’s folk-rock darlings Clouds & Mountains weave atmospheric melodies around delicately tailored rhythms.  Featuring songwriting from bandleader Macon Terry (guitar, bass, vocals) and vocal and violin harmonies from Fort Collins Symphony member Rachel Silker, as well as Robin Chestnut on percussion and Conor McHugh on electric guitar.  The show will open with cellist and multi-instrumentalist Russick Smith, whose eclectic compositions bridge contemporary and classical music.

Tuesday December 12, 2017 (7pm) - Lillian + Anthony Ruptak

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Lillian is one of Denver’s best-kept indie-folk secrets.  Her warm, earthy voice and dreamy songs have captivated audiences from Colorado to Oregon.  Joining Lillian on this special double-bill is Anthony Ruptak, another gem of the Denver songwriter scene.  Raised in the high mountains of Bailey, Colorado, Ruptak has worked his way up from busking and open mics to performing at Red Rocks and becoming one of the city’s most respected finger-picking folk artists.

Tuesday January 23, 2018 (7pm) - The River Arkansas

The River Arkansas is the project of band-leader Mike Clark (The Haunted Windchimes) and named after the river he lives beside in Pueblo.  Delivering a mixture of heartfelt country, blues, folk, and Americana, Clark roots the band’s sound in his soulful voice and magnetic stage presence, as well as the gentle rhythm and swelling string sounds of some of the finest musicians from Longmont to Pueblo.

Tuesday February 20, 2018 (7pm) - Jesse Manley and His Band

With the release of his critically acclaimed album, Dust, and recent collaborations with the Colorado Symphony and Wonderbound ballet company, Jesse Manley has made a name for himself as a singer, songwriter, and musical partner to the arts.  Manley and his six-piece band (featuring members on violin, cello, upright bass, percussion, clarinet, and flute) draw inspiration from the eclectic folk music of the Dust Bowl era, creating haunting melodies from a lost America.

Tuesday March 20, 2018 (7pm) - 300 Days + Follow the Fox

300 Days exploded onto the Front Range bluegrass scene in 2016 with their fiery, highly-crafted original tunes and no boundaries. The trio of veteran Colorado musicians (Melissa McGinley, Nick Dunbar, and Dave Solzberg) make raw, gritty “prograss” with take-no-prisoners vocals and jaw-dropping fiddle playing, spiked with elements of jazz and rock.  300 Days is joined by Follow the Fox, the acoustic roots music duo of Lyons artists Sarah Cole and Dylan McCarthy, who captivate audiences with their heart-breaking ballads and hard-hitting bluegrass originals.

The concerts are part of History Colorado’s ongoing mission to document the history of music in Colorado, past and present, and all shows are recorded for the museum’s archive. Select recordings and videos from these shows are available for free streaming online.

Tickets for all concerts are $10 for members of History Colorado and $13 for non-members.  Online ticket sales begin August 24  for members and September 7 for non-members: h-co.org/tinylibraryconcerts

History Colorado's mission is to inspire generations to find wonder and meaning in our past and to engage in creating a better Colorado. We serve as the state's memory, preserving the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through our museums, educational programs, historic preservation grants, research library, collections, and outreach to Colorado communities. Find History Colorado on all major social media platforms. Visit HistoryColorado.org or call (303) HISTORY for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Brooke Gladstone
Communications Manager
303-866-3670 | brooke.gladstone@state.co.us