The members of the Colorado band Ghost Town Drifters are no strangers to bluegrass. After mandolin player Oren Paisner and childhood friend Alex Tocco discovered a mandolin for the first time as teenagers, they decided to play with another friend at a local bluegrass jam, with mandolin, guitar, and banjo in their hands. While they had no clue what they were doing, the other artists that night were supportive and rattled off various bluegrass artists to check out.

Initially, Paisner was a guitar player, but he decided to switch things up when he realized other musicians around him primarily played guitar.

Paisner had joined forces with guitar player Andrew DeCarlo to create the band Cosmic Mesa, eventually adding bass player Scott Vincent, banjo player Joey Purmort, and fiddler Nancy Steinberger to the group. In 2018, Paisner, Vincent, and Purmort played in a new band, adding guitarist Tom Mueller to the mix and calling themselves Ghost Town Drifters.

The new band’s first gig was at the Golden Community Garden, and since then, they’ve opened for acts such as Bill Nershi of String Cheese Incident, Jeremy Garett of Infamous Springdusters, Kitchen Dwellers, Rumpke Mountain Boys, and Jeff Austin of the Yonder Mountain String Band. They’ve also had a significant change in lineup, with Mueller dropping out of the group to focus on his career and marriage and Tocco, Miles Ridnell, and Branon Barrett joining.

Paisner cites artists such as Bill Monroe, The Kentucky Colonels, and Brothers Osborne as major influences on their current sound. He says that all of the band members get incredibly excited about performing, writing, practicing, and taking the band to the next level, and hopes that every live show of theirs puts a smile on the faces of the audience and takes their minds off the stress of life.

If you want to see Ghost Town Drifters performing live, you can catch them at Howlin Wind Brewing,

A Main Street in Rollinsville, on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 4 p.m. For more information about the band, visit their website at www.ghosttowndrifters.com.

Here are the listings of live music this week! Check it out and support your local musicians.

Busey Brews

Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m. - Kylie Brock

Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. - Taylor Anastasio

Sunday, May 22 at 2 p.m. - Grant Livingston

Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m. - Zea Stallings

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ BuseyBrews/

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Caribou Room

Friday, May 20 at 8 p.m. - Twang is Dead featuring Dave Watts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ thecaribouroom/

Website: https://www.thecaribouroom.com/

Location: 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-3637

Covered Wagon

Every Thursday at 7 p.m. - Karaoke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ coveredwagonrestaurantsaloon/

Website: https://www.coveredwagonrestaurant.com/

Location: 15 East 1st Street, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-7578

Gold Hill Inn

Friday, May 6 at 8:30 p.m. - Scott Slay and the Rail

Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. - Martin Gilmore

Friday, May 13 at 8:30 p.m. - Foxfeather

Saturday, May 14 at 7 p.m. - BillEby Brothers (Billy Shaddox and Eben Grace)

Sunday, May 15 at 5 p.m. - Chris Koza

Friday, May 20 at 8:30 p.m. - High Lonesome

Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. - Zickefoose Duo

Sunday, May 22 at 6 p.m. - Kara Elizabeth Trio

Friday, May 27 at 8:30 p.m.- River Arkansas

Saturday, May 28 at 5 p.m. - Daniel Wander with Copper Tale

Sunday, May 29 at 5 p.m. - Strangebyrds

Monday, May 30 at 12:30 p.m. - Mountain Music Festival

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ GoldHillInn/

Website: goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Phone: 303-443-6461

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, May 21 at 4 p.m. - Ghost Town Drifters

Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ howlinwindbrewing

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville.

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. - Matty G Band

Friday, May 6 at 7 p.m. - Abstract Drag Show

Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. - Lost Penny

Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. - Kingdom Jasmine

Thursday, May 19 at 7 p.m. - DJ ¿Whocares?

Thursday,, May 26 at 7 p.m. - Covenhoven

Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m. - Colorado Midnight Train

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ jamestown.mercantile/

Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown.

Phone: 303-442-5847

Knotted Root Brewing

Every Sunday at 4 p.m. - Jazz Sundays with Black Dog

Friday, May 6 at 5 p.m. - Good for Nothin’ Thunder Mountain Boys

Friday, May 13 at 5 p.m - Andrew Cooney of Flash Mountain Flood

Friday, May 20 at 5 p.m. - Matt Flaherty

Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland.

Phone: 720-248-7129

Last Stand Tavern

Friday, May 6 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with PJ the DJ

Saturday, May 7 at 5 p.m. - JJ Fraser

Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. - Karaoke with Phil the Jukebox

Saturday, May 14 at 5 p.m. - Rick Lobato and Chuck Lettes

Friday, May 20 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with PJ the DJ

Saturday, May 21 at at 5 p.m. - 9’s a Pair The Fireman Band

Friday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. - Karaoke with Phil the Jukebox

Saturday, May 28 at 5 p.m. - Chris Koltak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ laststandtavern/

Website: http://laststandtavern.com/

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon.

Phone: 303-642-3180

Ned’s Cafe

Dam Jam on Thursdays at 10 p.m. Karaoke on Sundays at 7 p.m.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ eatatneds/

Website: https://www.eatatneds.com/

Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-0614

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, May 8 at 10:30 a.m. - Darcy Nelson

Sunday, May 22 at 10:30 a.m. - Eric Richard Stone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ NederlandFarmersMarket/

Website: https://www.nederlandfarmersmarket.org/

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland.

United Center

Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. - The Bonnie and Taylor Simms Band

Website: http://www.unitedcenterinc.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ UnitedCenterInc/

Email: unitedcenterinc@gmail.com

Location: 1440 Colorado Boulevard Idaho Springs

Phone: 303-900-8689 Very Nice Brewing Company

Friday, May 6 at 6 p.m. - Tim Mooney

Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. - Ryan Farris

Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. - Eric Stone and Friends

Saturday, May 14 at 5 p.m. - Riley Martin

Friday, May 20 at 6 p.m. - Marc Townes and Friends

Saturday, May 21 at 5 p.m. - Grant Livingston

Friday, May 27 at 6 p.m. - Dan Williams

Sunday, May 29 at 4 p.m. - Chad Carrier

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ verynicebeer

Website: www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 20 E. Lakeview Drive, #112, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you?

Did we miss your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303-810- 5409 or email publisher1977@gmail.com to be included in the next edition.