GOLD HILL – With the temperature hovering around 45 degrees and rain forecasted for the afternoon, the Memorial Day Mountain Music Fest and Barbecue at the Gold Hill Inn was moved indoors this year. The inviting aroma of apple cider beef brisket lured people to the front door of the historic dining hall. Once inside, a fully-stoked fireplace warmed the attendees.

The perfectly-prepared brisket was paired with savory smoked salmon, Spanish rice, beans, and coleslaw. Your choice of a corn muffin or homemade bread filled the rest of the plate. For dessert, the apple rhubarb crisp was superb.

Gus Miller teamed with Rachel Cole appeared on the stage first. Both hailing from Austin, Texas, Cole’s vocals and guitar blended nicely with guitarist/singer Miller’s country influences of the 1970s.

The self-described “gritty grass” ensemble Bear Hat charged the packed dance floor with guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, flute, and upright bass. About halfway through their set, the electricity went out. Lightning flashed and thunder clapped outside. Heavy rain pelted the area. A river of water ran down the dirt road and graupel piled up like snow.

Once the inclement weather had passed a half hour later, co-owner Brian Finn shoveled the winter-like accumulation from the boardwalk. Candles were lit and a generator was fired up so the plugged-in musicians could continue to play. No one seemed to mind much as they proceeded that way for the rest of the day.

The Gasoline Lollipops’ high-energy, amplified American roots, rock ‘n’ roll, roadhouse R&B, country, outlaw, truck-driving, slightly dangerous mélange of music was enthusiastically received. Songwriter/guitarist/singer and front man Clay Rose and his band skillfully delivered on every number until the end of the afternoon.

As someone who has performed at both large and small venues, Rose shared that “I would rather play Gold Hill Inn than Red Rocks any day of the week. I feel like I can actually connect with each person in the audience in that environment, when the stage is only a foot off the ground, and there’s no barrier between you and the audience and you can make eye contact with every person in the room.”

To see this summer’s schedule and attend an up-close-and-personal musical experience, go to www.goldhillinn.com.