Swallow Hill Concerts at Left Hand Brewing: The Fretliners w/Shovelin Stone

5PM Doors/6PM Show

It is rare for there to exist a defining moment that changes the trajectory of four lives at once. But, clear as a lightning bolt in an open field, so electric was the moment The Fretliners first played together around a single microphone in the Cloverlick banjo shop barn one fateful evening, they knew they would be inseparable from that moment on.

The Fretliners are a genuine and powerful bluegrass quartet recognized for their songwriting and undeniable chemistry. Their newfound camaraderie produces an energy that is as infectious on stage as it is on record. So much so that in the summer of 2023, they won both band competitions at Telluride Bluegrass and Rockygrass Festivals—a feat that had only been accomplished once before. That September, they released their debut eponymous album to acclaim and adoration.

​With one eye on the rear-view, inspired by that traditional high lonesome sound, The Fretliners navigate a road less traveled into the peaks of Rocky Mountain original bluegrass.

With roots embedded in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and a sound unhinged in the capital of Texas, Shovelin Stone is a music almost as unique as the friendship it stems from. A shared passion for old-timey bluegrass is what brought Makenzie and Zak together, but it’s the unknowing joy for the moment and the obsession with the complications that life brings that continues to push the group forward. Within heartfelt lyrics and a unique musical composition the indie folk sound that projects from these four is not only going to get the audience thinking but on their feet.

With the addition of multi-talented bassist, mandolin and cellist Russick Smithand rock drummer Brett Throgmorton, Shovelin Stone has released their sophomore album recorded deep in the Appalachian Mountains with Grammy winning producer Chance McCoy of the Old Crow Medicine Show. With songs about longing, love, and the hunger to be heard in this big world It is hard not to relate to these four on their quest for success. The road is winding but one thing is for sure that with these four at the wheel it’s going to be a wild ride.

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Founded in 1979, Swallow Hill Music is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that enriches the community by operating a music school seven days a week, providing music therapy, educating through community outreach, and producing concerts at three venues at its Broadway & Yale location. In addition, Swallow Hill produces events throughout the metro area, including summer concert series at Denver Botanic Gardens and Four Mile Historic Park.

By purchasing tickets to any Swallow Hill Music concert, you are supporting our work in the community, which includes bringing music to public preschools, and music therapy in places like the VA Hospital and memory care facilities along the Front Range.

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