May 26 Live Music at Spanish Valley Vineyards- Adam Waugh, 4-7pm outside on back wine patio

May 26 Sturtz- Progressive acoustic band from the Colorado Front Range. 7 pm Moab Backyard Theater, Outside Food and Drink welcome. 56 W. 100 South

May 26 Live Music: Blu Pig- Dave Mensch

May 26 Live Music: Live at Red Cliffs- Joey Ganino 6-9pm

May 27 Magic Show with Rick Boretti- The Four Corners most acclaimed magician. The longest running outdoor magic show in the Southwest! Prepare to laugh be mystified! 7pm Moab Backyard Theater. Outside Food and Drink welcome. 56 W. 100 South. See pg 8A

May 27 Live Music: Blu Pig- Toni Sicola & The Blackhats

May 27 Live Music: Live at Red Cliffs- Dave Steward 6-9pm

May 27 Live Music: Gloria's Corner Cafe- 11am-1pm for Brunch

May 27-28 Moab Arts Festival- Enjoy fine art, pottery, jewelry, wood work, sculpture, clothing, photography, and much more. This is a great one for the whole family with a kid's activities tent, LIVE MUSIC, theatrical performances, and excellent eats. moabartsfestival.org See pg 1B

May 28 Live Music: Blu Pig- Rick Gerber

May 28 Live Music: Live at Red Cliffs- Shannon Meredith 6-9pm

May 29 Live Music: Blu Pig- Nanites

May 30 Live Music: Blu Pig- Mike Oregano

May 31 Bluegrass night with Quicksand Soup- High powered music from one of the Four Corners most legendary bluegrass bands. Free admission. 7pm Moab Backyard Theater, Outside Food and Drink welcome. 56 W. 100 South

May 31 Live Music: Blu Pig- Community Music Nigh

Grammy award-winning musician Michael Cleveland began playing fiddle at age 4 after hearing a fiddler perform the classic song Orange Blossom Special at one of the many bluegrass music events he attended with his grandparents every weekend in southern Indiana.

Cleveland went on to attend the Kentucky School for the Blind in nearby Louisville, Kentucky where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. At home he played fiddle music.

Cleveland and his band Flamekeeper will perform Sunday at the Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Festival, which will take place June 9-11, at Riverbend Park alongside the Colorado River.

In 2019, the International Bluegrass Music Association named Cleveland “Fiddle Player of the Year” for the 12th time. That same year, Cleveland’s album Tall Fiddler, featuring Flamekeeper plus bluegrass stars Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tommy Emmanuel, Bela Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Dan Tyminski, Del McCoury and The Travelin’ McCourys, won a Grammy for “Best Bluegrass Album.”

“We like to play bluegrass for people who may not have heard it before,” Cleveland said during an interview with Moab Happenings. “But we don’t play all traditional bluegrass—we came from that background but we like to jam, and play solos. That’s kind of the theme of this new album. For many years I’ve put myself in a box of traditional bluegrass. This album and the one previous is my way of saying I love traditional bluegrass but it’s not all I love and capable of.”

Cleveland and Flamekeeper have performed a couple of times at the RockyGrass Festival in Lyons, Colorado, and has also played at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Festivalgoers can expect to hear songs off of their new album Lovin’ of the Game, which includes several special guest artists, like Billy Strings on the song For Your Love.

“It’s a mix of original tunes and songs that haven’t been recorded much,” Cleveland said. We try and find great new songs or songs that haven’t been done for a long time.”

The bluegrass and roots festival begins Friday with a stellar lineup of Colorado-based musicians, with a slate of national artists performing Saturday and Sunday—including Lizzie No, Fireside Collective, Goodnight Texas, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass ft. The Hillbenders, and more. Gates open at 1 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

As always, there will be a variety of food trucks selling food throughout the weekend. Artisan-crafted cocktails and locally-brewed beer­—from Palisade’s Peach Tree Distiller and Palisade Brewery will also be for sale. While you can bring food into the festival, no outside beverages are allowed. There’s a water spigot where people can fill their water bottles for free.
The Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Festival is a family-friendly festival with a slew of festival-related activities going on throughout the weekend. Nearby camping sites are available for purchase by festival attendees. Reservations can also be made at nearby hotels or an RV park.

For tickets and more information visit: www.Palisademusic.com

Everybody knows that Moab is a magical place. But did you know that Moab has its very own magic man? Rick Boretti has been wowing audiences throughout the west for years, and his Moab downtown magic show has become one of the longest-running outdoor magic shows in America. He performs his acclaimed jaw-dropping illusions every Saturday at 7pm to Moab Backyard Theater, an outdoor venue located in the heart of downtown Moab, just behind Zax

“I love doing magic at the theater,” Rick says. “It’s great to see people laugh, have a good time and the adults become kids again. People come back that have seen me over the years and become like family.”

A working member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, Boretti has been perfecting his craft over the years at festivals, theaters and private functions. He also specializes in the difficult sleight of hand known as “close-up magic”, creating illusions that can leave audiences gasping. His fascination with magic started early.

“I was bitten by the magic bug when I was 6. Later when I learned to do a cut and restored rope my life was never the same. I like to have fun and for people around me to have fun. Magic is one great way to do this.”

When he’s not doing magic, Boretti is a Ranger and wildlife biologist in the heart of the Canyonlands wilderness, helping keep people and animal populations safe on the San Juan river. But he’s mostly famous around the Four Corners for one thing: magic.

“I’m always working on creating new miracles.” he says. It is family fun with lots of laughs but hopefully strong magic.”

You can catch Moab’s “Magic Man” every Saturday at 7pm at Moab’s Backyard Theater, located at 56 W. 100 South, just behind Zax. Admission is ten dollars for adults and 5 dollars for kids 5 and over. It’s worth every penny to see the premiere magician in Southeastern Utah. Wednesdays are Free Bluegrass nights and Thursday is Free Honky Tonk Fusion with Juniper Drive.