This week’s agenda: March 28 to April 3
Old Crow Medicine Show plays Belly Up
In the last year and a half, the band has gone through some major changes; Mason Via and Dante’ Pope have left the band. And Chance McCoy, whose first album with OCMS in 2014 helped earn the band a Grammy, has rejoined. But despite lineup changes over the years, the band has continued to evolve, while still remaining true to its roots. The band delivers a foot-stompin’, energetic live performance that pays tribute to the past while bringing folk and Americana onto a modern stage Friday, March 28, at Belly Up. bellyupaspen.com
Changemaker Speaker Series presents Cory Richards: The Color of Everything
Climbing legend, mental health advocate, and global raconteur Cory Richards has photographed for “National Geographic” in the most remote corners of the globe. This epic tale of risk and adventure is told by a man who lives madly to avoid going mad. In this quest, he has climbed Everest, paddled Botswana’s Okavango, and battled Antarctica’s katabatic winds to make the first ascent of its tallest tower. His courage and resilience in the face of pain offer a hopeful reframing of what it means to be human. He speaks at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 28, at Wheeler Opera House as part of the Changemaker Speaker Series. wheeleroperahouse.com
TACAW screens ‘Thank You Very Much’
Andy Kaufman’s provocative comedy often outraged audiences, challenging them to confront their own presumptions. Through never-before-seen footage and intimate recollections, filmmaker Alex Braverman explores Kaufman’s brief but impactful life and career. As the lines between performance and reality blur in our present age, Kaufman’s genius resonates more than ever through “Thank You Very Much,” screened at TACAW at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 28, along with Supper Club beginning at 6 p.m. tacaw.org
Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series presents James Murphy DJ Set
The Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series brings its signature high-energy après party to The Cabin for the first time at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 29, featuring a DJ set from James Murphy, frontman of LCD Soundsystem and founder of DFA Records. Known for his genre-blurring mix of disco, underground house, and indie dance, Murphy’s sound has defined a generation of music lovers, and now he’s bringing that energy to Snowmass for an afternoon set that’s pure après perfection. aspensnowmass.com
Snowmass Winter Music Makers Studio Series with Boredomfighters
Gather at The Collective Snowmass from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, March 29, for the Instrument Garden Studio, an immersive experience centered around making beats, playing melodies, and freestyle expression in a playground of synthesizers and music producers. It’s an open studio stocked with digital noise and musical toys for creators of all ages and experience levels. thecollectivesnowmass.com
Mania ABBA Tribute
Mania ABBA Tribute transports audiences back to the disco age at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 29, at Wheeler Opera House. Since Mania ABBA Tribute debuted on stage in 2000, it has been selling out venues worldwide and dazzled London’s West End for two runs. Last season, its success included a 100-date, sell-out national tour of the United States, as it ushered the music of Swedish supergroup ABBA to the stage. As the world’s No. 1 touring ABBA tribute, it has performed in more than 35 countries. The tribute band performs about 20 of ABBA’s top songs, complete with costumes and (fake, but well-practiced) Swedish accents.
“We’ve picked the right songs that we know everybody loves,” said singer Alison Ward. “Basically, it’s a big, joyful, 2 ½ hours of an absolute blast of fun. It’s cheesy, but that’s what everybody loves. Even though we’re not the real thing, it’s like they think we are, so they’re screaming (as) they’re taken back in time. Good-old ABBA music is just very feel-good music.”
More info: wheeleroperahouse.com
An Evening with Spazmatics
The Spazmatics were born in the spring of 1983, when physics professor Kevin Stigwood of Alta Dena High in Thousand Oaks, California lost a debate over string theory to an upstart pupil in front of the entire student body and faculty. As agreed to by both parties, the loser would have to do anything that the winner demanded, and the victorious prodigy demanded that Mr. Stigwood perform “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby during half-time at an upcoming state basketball championship game. The Spazmatics were born, and with a tribute to the 1980s, they play Belly Up on Saturday, March 29. bellyupaspen.com
Aspen Film 34th Shortsfest runs March 31 to April 5
Aspen Film 34th Shortsfest runs from March 31 to April 5 at Wheeler Opera House and the Aspen Film Isis Theatre.
Celebrating more than three decades of presenting great shorts, Shortsfest is one of only five Oscar-qualifying festivals in the nation strictly dedicated to short films in the fields of animation, documentary, and live-action narrative. Featuring new works from over 29 countries — with 10 programs, 68 short films, and 11 world premieres — each of the 10 programs contains a variety of shorts, from comedies to dramas and documentaries to animations. This year’s Oscar-qualifying competition introduces viewers to a vast and exciting array of fast-rising filmmakers and established talents. aspenfilm.org
Black Coffee at Belly Up
Black Coffee is a South African DJ, music producer, and modern-day Renaissance man who has become one of the most prominent figures in global electronic music. Born Nkosinathi Maphumulo in Umlazi in Kwa-Zulu Natal, he began his career in music in the mid-1990s as a DJ and producer in South Africa. It wasn’t until 2003, however, that he released his debut album, a self-titled project that showcased his deep, soulful take on house music to the world. He performs on Sunday, March 30, at Belly Up. bellyupaspen.com
Response presents Voices of Courage
Join Response at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, at TACAW for an evening of storytelling, celebrating the courage of survivors of abuse in their own brave voices. tacaw.org
Visiting Critic Lecture: Lisa Kereszi
Visit Anderson Ranch from 4:30-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, for a conversation with Visiting Critic Lisa Kereszi, who will be at the ranch from April 1-4.
Kereszi is a photographer originally from outside Philadelphia whose work, often about fantasy in public spaces, resides in the collections of the Met, the Whitney, the New Museum, the Brooklyn Museum and others. In 2024, she released two experimental photobooks: “MOURNING,” composed of a mourning diary of trail cam images, and “IN,” a collaboration with her spouse and child made from photos by all three from the pandemic year together at home. She is also an educator and is a senior critic on the faculty at Yale, the assistant director of graduate studies in photography, and the director of undergraduate studies in art from 2013-23. She lives and works near New Haven, CT. andersonranch.org
Ingrid Andress plays Belly Up
When four-time Grammy nominee Ingrid Andress wrote her new single “Footprints,” she had no intention of sharing it with the world. A stripped-back piano ballad penned for her younger siblings, the bittersweet but hopeful track drifts between self-aware confession and lovingly detailed storytelling, as Andress offers up words of reassurance for making it through tough times. Her first new music since her 2022 sophomore LP “Good Person” (a highly acclaimed release featured on Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Albums of 2022 list), “Footprints” arrives after a whirlwind year for Andress, including a stint in rehab that profoundly altered her perspective on her career.
“So much had changed in my life since I started out, but I’d never had the downtime to process any of it — I just let it build up to the point where I felt disoriented and lost,” she said.
A longtime co-writer whose credits include hits like Charli XCX’s “Boys,” Andress made her widely celebrated debut with 2020’s Lady Like, a critically praised powerhouse that set the record for the highest-streaming debut album from a female country artist and earned three Grammy nominations, including Best Country Album and Best Country Song (for the double-platinum No. 1 radio hit “More Hearts Than Mine”). As she stepped back from the spotlight, Andress found herself called to a new level of boldness in her songwriting. Produced by her longtime collaborator Sam Ellis and adorned with warm Dobro tones and heavy-hearted strings, “Footprints” is the first glimpse at Andress’ forthcoming new music. As she gets set to share her most introspective work yet, Andress hopes to inspire others toward a state of unhurried self-reflection. She performs Wednesday, April 2, at Belly Up. bellyupaspen.com
Another Dark Side of AI
Join Aspen U at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, at TACAW for Another Dark Side of AI. It’s a story of broken promises and tough trade-offs at the intersection of AI, climate, and ethics. Will and Holly Alpine will reveal what it takes to confront corporate hypocrisy, challenge the high-carbon status quo, and align technology with climate science. Holly is a recognized sustainability leader with a decade of experience at Microsoft, and Will is an AI product management leader working at the intersection of technology, policy, and climate. tacaw.org
Comedian Jamie Lissow at TACAW
Comedian Jamie Lissow brings his Divorced Dad Comedy Tour to TACAW at 8 p.m., Thursday, April 3. The actor and comedian is currently a regular weekly guest on the No. 1 rated late-night talk show Gutfeld! on Fox. He is best known for his starring role in two seasons of the Netflix Original Series “Real Rob,” alongside SNL alums Rob Schneider, Adam Sandler, Norm MacDonald, and David Spade — a show Jamie co-wrote and co-produced. tacaw.org
Dinner for Challenge Aspen at PARC Aspen
Join PARC Aspen on Thursday, April 3, as it supports Challenge Aspen, a local nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities. On this donation night, it will contribute 15% of its evening proceeds the nonprofit. parcaspen.com
Staple Snowmass store to close as owner retires
Since the 1970s, Sherry Flack and her retail businesses have been a recognizable part of Aspen and Snowmass. Now, after half a century, Flack has made the decision to retire.
