The band I'd most like to see play live

It has occured to me that it has been a year since I last saw a live concert - there was once a time when I would see 400 bands a year! Not that I have stopped listening to live recordings. It is now coming up to 30 years since I obtained my first every "recording of independent origin" as they are now called - I remember it was a recording of New Order at the Hacienda.

Of course the internet is a superb source for this sort of thing. I probably download 30 shows a week at the moment - far more than I can ever hope to hear properly - most get burnt to DVD and are never heard - a few for a permanent part of my listening.

I first came across the Yonder Mountain String Band back around 2000 on a website to do with various "jam bands". The idea of a bluegrass jamband was instantly captivating and I have collected several dozen YMSB since then - including the show where they played Pink Floyd's "Pigs" and several New Year's Eve shows. This band also fitted in with my views of how the music industry should develop, through touring, and selling live show cds through their website. I loved the whole beat generation, hippie, beer and dope feel of the band.

Four years ago I was supposed to travel to the USA to see the Telluride Bluegrass festival but when the time came, Dad was too ill for me to feel comfortable being away on such a trip, so I cancelled it. But now I am beginning to hatch a plan to go next year, when it starts on my birthday. Maybe that and Bonnaroo if they are on consecutive weekends, as they often are.

So today I have been listening to the YMSB at this year's Telluride festival. Perhaps this means they won't be playing next year's? But one way or another, I intend to see them live one day (perhaps I should have gone to see European tour a few years back but somehow I missed that this was occuring - like I missed when String Cheese Incident played Oxford)

Cool or what?

Nice concert tour artwork too