James Addoms, Jeff Polak, and Alex Wissing all met at Fort Lewis College in Durango, where the large bluegrass community that exists in southwestern Colorado influenced their creativity and songwriting. Jeff and Alex were in a funk band together, and James decided to pick up the mandolin and join them, first playing with Jeff before getting Alex to join and start playing the upright and acoustic bass. Thus, Steepland String Band was born.

Of course, this wasn’t their first exposure to the world of music. Addoms started classical guitar lessons in seventh grade, and his mom loved music and always played it around the house. Polak has been taking guitar lessons from an early age, and Wissing’s father plays upright bass, so that influence has stuck around his entire life.

Addoms cites some of the band’s influences as Yonder Mountain String Band, Sam Bush, and Del McCoury. He says that bluegrass in general is a welcoming format for music, as a lot of it is based around jam circles, playing music together, and switching around who gets the solo in a certain part. He also says it is very welcoming to beginners, which allows musicians to get their foothold and figure out what instruments they want to play, and that it incorporates many different kinds of influences into its sound.

Addoms says that the creativity that writing and performing music allows is very freeing for him. As an English writing major with a focus on poetry, he says there aren’t very many outlets to allow him to make a living as a poet, so writing songs and making music is the perfect outlet for him. He says that the immediate gratification of seeing a crowd enjoy a song is very therapeutic and gratifying and that the performance itself is often calming. He hopes that those who come to the shows of Steepland String Band have a good time and recognize the value of bluegrass as a welcoming, fun style of music.

If you want to see Steepland String Band performing live, you can catch them at Howlin Wind Brewery, 51 A Main Street in Rollinsville, on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at 5 p.m.

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

Busey Brews

Sunday, July 31 at 2 p.m. - TBD

Sunday, August 7 at 2 p.m. - Alex Mackenzie-Low (A-Mac)

Sunday, August 14 at 2 p.m. - Shakina Ma

Sunday, August 21 at 2 p.m. - Grant Hudson

Sunday, August 28 at 2 p.m. - Logan Green (Flash Mountain Flood)

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

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Email: contact@buseybrews.com

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland.

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Caribou Room

Saturday, August 6 at 5 p.m. - The NoGo Gilbillies

Saturday, August 13 at 5 p.m. - The Alcapones

Saturday, August 20 at 5 p.m. - Drunken Hearts featuring Silas Herman

Saturday, August 27 at 5 p.m. - Nick Dunbar and Sad Cowboy

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

Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. - Smooth Money Gesture

Saturday, August 20 at 9 p.m. - The Storm (Jimi Hendrix Cover Band)

Sunday, August 21 at 7 p.m. - John Walton and The Awakening

Friday, August 26 at 9 p.m. - Grant Livingston Band

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

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

Location: 15 East 1st Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-7578

Gold Dirt Distillery/ Stage Stop Backyard

Saturday, August 6 at 4 p.m. - A-Mac & The Height

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

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

Website: https://www.golddirt distillery.com/

Location: 60 Main Street, Rollinsville.

303-258-3034

Gold Hill Inn

Sunday, July 31 at 5 p.m. - Adam Agee & Jon Sousa

Wednesday, August 3 at 6 p.m. - Song Swap (Joe Johnson, Danny Shafer, Shawn Nelson, and Jesh Yancey)

Friday, August 5 at 6 p.m. - Blue Canyon Boys

Sunday, August 7 at 5 p.m. - Finn O’Sullivan

Wednesday, August 10 at 6 p.m. - Tall Poppy String Band

Friday, August 12 at 8:30 p.m. - Chain Station

Saturday, August 13 and 14 at 6 p.m. - Chaz West Fest

Wednesday, August 17 at 6 p.m. - Anya Hinkle

Friday, August 19 at 6 p.m. - Kingdom Jasmine

Sunday, August 28 at 5 p.m. - Cristina Vane

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

Website: goldhillinn.com

Email: cfinn@goldhillinn.com; bfinn@goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Phone: 303-443-6461

Gold Hill Store & Pub

Every Saturday at 7 p.m. - Live Music

Website: goldhillstore.com

Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Phone: 303-443-7724

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, July 30 at 5 p.m. - Dakota Gray Band

Saturday, August 6 at 5 p.m. - Steepland String Band

Sunday. August 7 at 5 p.m. - Open Pick

Saturday, August 13 at 5 p.m. - Ben Sproul

Sunday, August 14 at 5 p.m. - Open Pick

Saturday, August 20 at 4:30 p.m. - New Family Dog Duo

Sunday, August 21 at 2 p.m. - Reservoir Fog

Saturday, August 27 at 4 p.m. - Dustbowl Daughters

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

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

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville.

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, July 28 at 7 p.m. - Heavy Diamond Ring

Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. - Jeremy Mohney Band

Sunday, July 31 at 12 p.m. - Strangebyrds

Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m. - Annie and the Bang Bang

Friday, August 5 at 7 p.m. - Chris Sheldon and Friends

Sunday, August 7 at 12 p.m. - BlueNotes of Boulder

Thursday, August 11 at 7 p.m. - Rayama Soskin

Friday, August 12 at 7 p.m. - Ethan Morrison

Sunday, August 14 at 12 p.m. - Lowfive

Thursday, August 18 at 7 p.m. - Billy Shaddox

Friday, August 19 at 7 p.m. - Rolling Harvest

Sunday, August 21 at 12 p.m. - Hardwood Heart

Thursday, August 25 at 7 p.m. - Many Mountains

Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. - The Cody Sisters

Sunday, August 28 at 12 p.m. - The Knotty G’s

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

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

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown.

Phone: 303-442-5847

JKQ BBQ

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

Website: https:// blackhawkharddistrict.com/drinks/ jkq-bbq-grill/

Location: 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk

Phone: 720-316-1361

Knotted Root Brewing

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

Friday, August 5 at 5 p.m. - PJ Moon

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

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland.

Phone: 720-248-7129

Last Stand Tavern

Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with PJ the DJ

Saturday, July 30 at 5 p.m. - Jonathan Browning

Sunday, July 31 at 5 p.m. - Richard Shine

Friday, August 5 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with PJ the DJ

Saturday, August 6 at 5 p.m. - JJ Fraser

Sunday, August 7 - TBD

Friday, August 12 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with Phil the Jukebox

Saturday, August 13 at 5 p.m. - The Knotty G’s

Sunday, August 14 at 4 p.m. - Richard Shine

Friday, August 19 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with Phil the Jukebox

Saturday, August 20 - TBD

Sunday, August 21 at 5 p.m. - Jerry and Jack

Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. - Karaoke with PJ the DJ

Saturday, August 27 at 5 p.m. - Mike Heuer

Sunday, August 28 at 4 p.m. - Richard Shine

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

Website: http://laststandtavern.com/

Email: laststandtavern@gmail.com

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon.

Phone: 303-642-3180

Millsite Inn

Friday, July 29 at 8 p.m. - Matt Flaherty

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millsiteinn.moyer

Website: https://millsiteinn.wixsite.com/millsiteinn

Location: 44365 Highway 72, Ward

Phone: 720-547-9438

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, July 31 at 10:30 a.m. - Bamboche

Sunday, August 14 at 10:30 a.m. - Mystic Pulse

Sunday, August 28 at 10:30 a.m. - Stellar Jays

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

Website: https://www.nederland farmers market.org/

Email: nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland.

Ned’s Cafe

Every Thursday at 10 p.m. - Dam Jam

Every Sunday at 7 p.m. - Karaoke

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

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

Email: eatatneds@gmail.com

Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-0614

Salto/ Clock Tower

Friday, August 5 at 5 p.m. - Strangebyrds

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

Website: https://www.saltocoffee.com/menu

Email: info@saltocoffeeworks.com

Location: 112 E. 2nd Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-3537

Very Nice Brewing Company

Friday, July 29 at 6 p.m. - Uncle Barnaby

Saturday, July 30 at 5 p.m. - Rick Lobato

Sunday, July 31 at 5 p.m. - A Human Named David

Friday, August 5 at 6 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Saturday, August 6 at 5 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Sunday, August 7 at 5 p.m. - Grant Livingston

Friday, August 12 at 6 p.m. - Ravin Wolf

Saturday, August 13 at 5 p.m. - C.P. Meyers

Thursday, August 18 at 6 p.m. - Celtic Music with The Gael

Friday, August 19 at 6 p.m. - Jay Stott

Saturday, August 20 at 5 p.m. - Rick Lobato

Friday, August 26 at 6 p.m. - Jazz by Dan Williams

Sunday, August 28 at 5 p.m. - Johnny Braveheart Duo

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ verynicebeer

Website: www.verynicebrewing.com/

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

Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you?

Submit your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303- 810-5409 or email info@themoun­tainear.com to be included in the next edition.