This weekend, Dr. Dog, The Head and The Heart, Mason Jennings and many more musicians and bands will play at the inaugural Pearl Street Music Festival in Boulder, CO. Although smaller than other two-day festivals, the stellar line-up and humble community makes Pearl Street Music Festival a great primer for the various outdoor summer concerts and festivals coming through Colorado this summer. Festival organizer Travis Albright spoke to PopWreckoning about the festival line-up and the perks of a Pearl Street Music Festival wristband.
PopWreckoning, Brianna Hernandez: How did you decide which artists to feature at the festival?
Travis Albright, Pearl Street Music Festival: I wanted to have a nice mix of local and national acts with a wide array of genres. The genres at this festival include indie, folk, bluegrass, jam, rock, and even late night DJs. Plus, they’re bands that I really love. The Head and the Heart and Dr. Dog are two of my favorites.
PopWreckoning: Aside from Snowball Music Festival, this is really the first music festival in CO this year. Is there any pressure as Pearl Street Music Fest kicks off music festival season in CO?
Travis: There is absolutely no pressure. We have had such strong support from the community since day one. All of the businesses, bands, fans, and the city of Boulder have been so great to work with.
PopWreckoning: How are you working with local businesses to enhance the festival experience?
Travis: Because the festival and local businesses decided to work together on festival logistics, the entire downtown area is benefitting this weekend. With one single festival wristband, patrons can get into seven different venues from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., attend a film premiere, and check out art expos, all while receiving great discounts from local restaurants and retailers.
PopWreckoning: As Paste Magazine highlighted, this is your inaugural year. What are your goals for this festival?
Travis: We are so honored to named one of Paste Magazine’s “Top 10 Most Interesting Inaugural Music Festival of 2011!” It’s great to be in the company of such festivals as the Dave Matthews Caravan, Escape to New York, Electric Forest, and even Rock A Field in Luxembourg. Our only goal was to logistically get the downtown area to work together for a true Boulder experience. Hopefully next year we will have all of the Pearl Street district involved. 
PopWreckoning: 2011 is the inaugural year for both Snowball Music Festival and Pearl Street Music Festival. With a slew of already successful music festivals, and several new music fests (including Pearl Street and Snowball), what does this mean for CO’s music scene?
Travis: I think that the music scene on the front range of Colorado is something that exceeds major markets such as New York, Chicago, and L.A. Our humbly populated area is able to run with the big dogs. That alone speaks volumes.
PopWreckoning: How is Pearl Street Music Festival different from other CO music festivals such as Westword Music Showcase, Underground Music Showcase, Snowball Music Fest, Telluride, etc?
Travis: I think it’s different because even though some of the others are multiple venue festivals, this is the only where you can buy a single festival pass and have access to so much in just a few blocks.
PopWreckoning: How would you describe CO’s music scene?
Travis: I think anyone that loves music already knows about the Colorado music scene. I’m from the east coast. Six years ago, the music scene was one of the main reasons that I moved to Boulder. That and the great beer, outdoor activities, sunny weather…
For more information about Pearl Street Music Festival, visit: www.pearlstreetfestival.com.
