On a snowy day in January, musician Andy Thorn took his banjo out to a scenic spot on his property in the foothills above Boulder and began picking. Providing a melody to the weather is one of Thorn’s favorite winter rituals, and while these sessions make for great Instagram content, they also allow him to practice for his coldest gig of the year.
Thorn and his bandmates in “jamgrass” outfit Leftover Salmon are slated to perform at the 12th annual WinterWonderGrass festival, coming to Steamboat Springs from Feb. 28 to March 2. Other acts on the bill include Trampled By Turtles, The California Honeydrops, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sam Bush Band and more.
Leftover Salmon has been a mainstay on the lineup for years, in part, because of the unique atmosphere, Thorn said. But playing while exposed to the elements isn’t always easy since freezing temperatures and snow can impact both the musicians and their instruments.
“You’re never gonna play your best when you’re colder, but something about the energy and everybody’s winter enthusiasm, it’s so much fun to be part of,” he said.
So how do bands manage? Thorn said his biggest challenge is keeping his fingers warm, especially since he wears metal fingerpicks to play the banjo. Keeping hand warmers in his pockets helps, as do the stage heaters the festival provides. Thorn has tried wearing fingerless gloves before, but they impede his dexterity.
His main strategy: “Warm up between songs with hand warmers and give it your all.”
Fingerless gloves are also a no-go for Joe Funk, who plays upright bass in bluegrass band Kitchen Dwellers, also performing at this year’s fest. Because he experiences Raynaud’s phenomenon, a condition that restricts circulation to the extremities, Funk has to find ways to keep his core warm and his blood moving. That’s why before his set you might find him backstage doing push-ups or jumping jacks.
“I will literally be backstage doing like curls with a chair or my bass just to keep my hands warmed up because playing isn’t enough activity to keep them warm,” he said.
Both Funk and Thorn said musicians don’t typically bring their most expensive or precious instruments to WinterWonderGrass because of the impact of the environment. Both temperature and moisture can cause the materials to expand and contract, Funk said, affecting tone and tuning. The upright bass is a larger instrument and less susceptible to the elements, he added.
The banjo, on the other hand, will likely strike an off note or two as the temperature fluctuates, Thorn said. One time at a past WinterWonderGrass, he broke a string on the first song and failed to play in tune the entire set. But that could hardly kill the vibe, especially as the snow began falling and lights from the stage reflected off the flakes like a natural disco ball.
“We’re a Colorado band and it doesn’t phase us. We love it, bring it on,” he said.
The Winter WonderGrass Festival comes to Steamboat Springs from Feb. 28 through March 2. Tickets cost $131.88 to $152.68 for single-day admission depending on the day, $299.92 for a general admission three-day pass, and $643.22 for VIP access. For more information, visit winterwondergrass.com/steamboat.
