Take the Plunge

Summertime music festivals in Telluride are a staple of any well-rounded aural diet. But when the leaves turn and the snow starts falling, the ski town sometimes waits months for world-renowned artists to return with their rump-shakin' tunes.

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More About

• Telluride
• Morgan Young
• The Roots (Band)
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media
• Hip-Hop and Rap

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Well, winter used to look musically bleak for Telluride, but things have changed: Today marks the beginning of the Plunge Music Festival, a rock and hip-hop extravaganza. "I think it's something that Telluride as a community has really been looking for for some time," says Plunge executive producer Morgan Young.

And it's difficult to dis Young's festival when he's pulled in hip-hop headliners Rahzel (notorious for his unbelievable human-beatbox abilities, which he regularly provides for the Roots) and the Pharcyde's Tre Hardson, as well as rock groups Enon and the Slip. He's also managed to incorporate screenings of the ski/snowboard flick Tangerine Dream, not to mention the art of Fred Breunig — who uses Western landscapes and grafitti, among other elements, in his work. The idea behind the fest, says Young, is to celebrate the not-always-obvious connections between urban and ski cultures.

And between rock and hip-hop. "For the hip-hop showcase, we've got this house band that will perform with different MCs," says Young, "so it's not always going to be a turntable and an MC. It'll help tie the event together."

Plunge kicks off at 10 a.m. with lunchtime DJ and MC performances and runs through Sunday. Full passes are $75, but tickets for individual events are available; visit www.plungemusicfest.com for a full lineup and prices.
March 22-26