August 26 || 6:30 pm doors & Bar || 7:00 pm showtime || seated show || General Admission Tickets: $28 advance / $32 day of show (some reserved section seats are also available via map above GA tickets as-available).
Presented in partnership by The Sherbino with Pickin’ Productions

The Onlies are a longstanding collective of young friends defining a powerful new generation of stringband music. Described as “the best old-time stringband out there” (Songlines), their music moves with a pulsating drive, sharp arrangements, and rich vibration — it resounds with the present.

Multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Sami Braman, Riley Calcagno, and Leo Shannon formed The Onlies in Seattle as young kids, bringing in celebrated guitarist/singer Vivian Leva 10 years later. “ Their fourth album, You Climb The Mountain, marks 20 years as a band. It was recorded by Grammy winner Joel Savoy and powered by the unmistakable bass groove of Nokosee Fields as it takes listeners on a climb up no ordinary mountain. If it sounds like a volcanic journey, it is—with fiddles, banjos, guitars, bass, autoharp, harmonium, electric guitar, and two to four-part vocal harmonies, in a generous 15 tracks including a cameo from Bluegrass legend Alice Gerrard.

The Onlies have earned first place at the Appalachian Stringband Festival in Clifftop, WV, and are currently Artistic Directors of Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Wash., one of the largest and most venerable fiddle festivals in the country. As individuals, they are members of Viv & Riley, Willie Watson (Sami), and Bonnie “Prince” Billy (Leo). As influential fiddler Bruce Molsky says. “all four of the Onlies are shining stars. Together, what impresses me most about them is that they’ve grabbed this old music we all love by the reins and dragged it into the 21st century.” Indeed, you can hear their joy and decades of playing with one another in an “energy so palpable and vivid, it’s like you’ve been transported into the center of their sonic world, burrowed deep down with the variegated melodies and sparkling string-band grooves” (Bandcamp Daily).

What’s being said:

“The Onlies, a young old-time stringband based in North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, have plenty of heart and soul, but also boundless talent, imagination, charisma, fire and musical intelligence. The band is, in a word, groove-y.” -Bluegrass Unlimited

“Individually, all four of the Onlies are shining stars. Together, what impresses me most about them is that they’ve grabbed this old music we all love by the reins and dragged it into the 21st century. They have a certain kind of polish, which I think is unique, that has to do with their various musical training and influences. They’re one of those groups that is offering a new voice for all that old music. There’s an aesthetic that goes along with how a lot of people perceive this music, and I think what makes them unique is that they’ve managed to transcend that into a style that’s smooth and polished and accessible. And also imaginative; their arrangements are really cool, and they strike me as musically fearless. They offer a window into where all this traditional music we love is going. It’s a nice window to look through” -Bruce Molsky (from Bluegrass Unlimited article)

Make a Night (or Weekend) of It!
We’re proud to partner with Chipeta Lodge Resort + Spa, White Buffalo Bar + Restaurant, and Greenwoods Restaurant to help you turn your concert experience into a full evening—or even a weekend getaway.

Traveling from out of town? Book a room at the beautiful Chipeta Lodge Resort + Spa and enjoy walkable access to dining, drinks, and one of Ridgway’s most vibrant live music venues. Staying local? We encourage you to support our fantastic sponsors by heading out to dinner before the show at Greenwoods or the White Buffalo at Chipeta—both excellent options for a relaxed, delicious start to your night.

Chipeta Lodge Resort + Spa wishes to welcome you with this special offer: Use this booking link for a $50 dining credit with a room booking for the night of the show! This dining credit is for Chipeta Lodge’s lovely White Buffalo Bar + Restaurant. With breathtaking views of the San Juans and locally sourced ingredients, a dinner at the White Buffalo before the show makes for the perfect night out!

Supporting our sponsors helps make nights like this possible, and we’re grateful to share this show with businesses that invest in Ridgway’s arts and culture.