Vintage Trouble, Gogol Bordello, Michael Franti to play World Cup in Aspen

Vintage Trouble, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Gogol Bordello will headline free concerts in Wagner Park during the FIS Ski World Cup Finals, Aspen Skiing Co. announced Wednesday.

The three returning Aspen artists’ shows will cap the daily festivities surrounding the ski races, as the park is remade into the World Cup Village March 15 to 18. These three downtown shows have replaced the usual winter-long series of Bud Light Hi-Fi concerts, now in their 14th year, in Aspen and Snowmass Village.

“Aspen has always been about quality ski experiences and memorable off-hill activities, and World Cup Finals will embrace that idea,” John Rigney, Skico vice president of sales and events, said in the announcement.

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Vintage Trouble, a retro soul and blues rock band from Hollywood, California, played Jazz Aspen’s Labor Day Festival in 2012. Franti, the folk-hop great and Aspen regular, most recently played here in December. Gogol Bordello, the inimitable international gypsy punk band, also a local favorite, headlined Belly Up in November.

The World Cup Village events open March 15 with America’s Downhill kickoff party. It will include music and an “American-style backyard BBQ,” according to Skico’s announcement. There will be a U.S. Ski Team autograph signing followed by a Roch Cup presentation for the winner of the men’s downhill. That evening at 7, a soccer tournament will take place at Wagner Park with the ski team coaches and team members as the players. Spectators are welcome.

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An Alps-themed party will take place March 16 with classic European music, dancers, German sausages and beer. The Denver-based Kicker Schuhplatters will perform along with the alpenhorn band The Rhinelanders. The party will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed immediately by the Vintage Trouble concert at 7 p.m.

With St. Patrick’s Day falling on March 17, the themed party of the day will pay tribute to this holiday with Irish food, music by the Juice O’ the Barley Band and dancing. At 6:15 p.m. there will be an autograph signing with the top 15 women’s slalom racers followed by the women’s slalom top-15 bib draw. Gogol Bordello will close out the night at 7. The band also will play a ticketed concert at Belly Up on March 18.

That Saturday, March 18, will pay tribute to Aspen’s long-standing history of hosting world-class ski racing. This will include former World Cup race winners, Olympians and other contributors to Aspen’s race history with an apres-ski party performance by The Airborne Band. A men’s slalom top-15 autograph signing will take place at 6:15 p.m. followed by their bib draw and the presentation of the Bingham Cup. The evening will wrap up with a performance by Michael Franti & Spearhead in Wagner Park and a grand finale fireworks display over Aspen Mountain.

The World Cup Village at Wagner Park also will include activities for children, event merchandise available for purchase and sponsor displays including a unique ski-race history museum.