String band Lil Smokies smokin’ hot
Catch the band that’s catching fire at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Feb. 5
IF YOU GO …
What: Lil Smokies.
When: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.
Where: Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek.
Cost: $22. This show is part of the VPAC ticket package, PICK 3 Shows for $90; PICK 5 Shows for $175; or PICK 8 Shows for $240.
More information: Visit www.vilarpac.org or call 970-845-8497.
Beaver Creek, Colo., Jan. 24, 2020 — Blending excellent songwriting, bluegrass roots and the sheer raw energy of a rock band, the Lil Smokies reimagine roots music. Don’t let their acoustic instruments fool you — the band’s energy is all electric, and mesmerizing. From the first song, it’s easy to see why just this month Bluegrass Today said they’ve caught fire and are “ready to break out.”
The Lil Smokies take the stage at the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22. The show is also part of the ticket package PICK 3 Shows for $90; PICK 5 shows for $175; or PICK 8 Shows for $240. Tickets are available now at the VPAC box office (970-845-8497; www.vilarpac.org). The VPAC is located under the ice rink in Beaver Creek Village (68 Avondale Lane, Beaver Creek, Colorado).
The first incarnation of The Lil Smokies was born in Missoula, Montana, during the winter of 2009. Through the years, the band morphed until it’s settled into the current lineup – Scott Parker on bass; Jake Simpson on fiddle; Matt Rieger on guitar; Matt Cornette on banjo and Andy Dunnigan on dobro. In 2015, the band won the Telluride Bluegrass Band competition and took home the 2016 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year award. Over they years, they’ve wowed fans at the High Sierra, Telluride Bluegrass, DelFest and FloydFest, to name a few.
The Lil Smokies recently released their new album “Tornillo,” a collections of songs that make it clear the band’s “made a quantum leap forward in terms of their musical maturity and the ability to turn their lively grassicana sound into music that can find added appeal in the mainstream,” according to a story published this month in Bluegrass Today.
Maintaining authenticity is paramount for the band as they navigate the line between classic and contemporary within the bluegrass scene.
“People need authenticity more than ever as they try to navigate the contrived plastic seas of modern living today. It’s our duty,” Dunnigan said in the story.
Watch as the Lil Smokies heat up the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Feb. 5.