Salome (usually spelled without an accent above the “e”) is a Hebrew name, derived from the word “shalom,” meaning “peace.” It’s a Biblical name given to a disciple, as well as a princess, in the New Testament. With this context, the parents of Dr. Joy Adams considered naming their daughter Salome. However, her dad was afraid of other kids calling her “salami” instead. Ultimately, they changed her name from “peace” to “joy,” but the woman who would grow up with the latter name would keep the former in her mind and heart.

The grown Adams attended graduate school at the University of Miami, writing songs at the same time as another student, Ariele Grace Macadangdang. In 2015, Macadangdang needed someone to join her for a set in a local cafe. She thought of Adams, as they both played in the classical string quartet The Wild. They came up with a name in their first rehearsal – Adams joked that she was Salome and Macadangdang that she was a songbird. Thus, the name Salomé Songbird (always spelled with the accent) stuck.

Ultimately, Adams moved to Colorado, encouraging Macadangdang to follow, as well as Bryan Dubrow, fellow University of Miami student as well as both Macadangdang’s musical partner (they started writing and performing together as American Darling Valve in late 2016) and her life partner (the two married in January 2021). For years, the three kept in touch and occasionally tried writing and performing long-distance with little to no success.

However, eventually, Dubrow and Macadangdang followed Adams’s requests and moved to Colorado together, and during the summer of 2022, the three found themselves stuck in quarantine at Adams’s house for over a week. After playing songs together on her porch, they all decided to revive Salomé Songbird as a trio, with Adams providing cello, banjo, mandolin, and vocals, Macadangdang providing violin and vocals, and Dubrow providing guitar.

Through American Darling Valve, the two life partners of the group kept performing Salomé Songbird pieces, so even though arrangements changed, all three easily came together to perform the songs again. Each member has constantly played over the last seven years, also participating in other projects. Adams plays cello for the band Big Richard and provides cello, banjo, and vocals for the duo Half Pelican with her own life/musical partner Andy Reiner (the two married in September 2019).

Meanwhile, Dubrow and Macadangdang have shown off their instrumental skills with The Subtropical String Quartet, Macadangdang as a primary member and Dubrow as a guest. Each member can drop major names as well: just to name a few, Adams has shared the stage with the likes of Ben Folds, Darol Anger, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Gloria Estefan; Macadangdang has performed with Kygo, Disturbed, Flobots, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and James Newton Howard; and Dubrow has played with Dave Leibman and opened for the Jon Stickley Trio.

The group finds playing together easy and fulfilling, with each member quickly able to predict the musical and sound choices of the others. Along with their catalog of original songs, they throw in covers of traditional bluegrass tunes, twisted jazz standards, and even some pieces from the acclaimed animated series “Adventure Time.” Adams usually describes their music as fiddle styles meeting jazz, classical, and indie elements and their website’s tagline is “Scathing Lullabies from Colorado.”

The band’s background includes fiddle, free jazz, baroque, bebop, bluegrass, Euro-classical, folk, and even metal and musical theater. Despite their varied backgrounds, the three can come together to create a unified emotional experience, which they are flattered can touch people and allow them to let their hurt out.

Salomé Songbird performs live at the Jamestown Mercantile, 108 Main Street in Jamestown, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 7 p.m. Each member has a sprawling catalog with various groups across different platforms, and along with the band’s main website at salomesongbird.com, two of the members have individual websites (bryandubrow.com and arielemacadangdang.com) and two have YouTube channels (Adams @voyagebycello and Dubrow @guitardubrow).

Also, check out the group and its individual members on Facebook and Instagram and watch the group on YouTube, both on their primary channel and in the Artist Session series from Stone Cottage Studios.

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Music Events

Busey Brews

Sunday, September 1 at 2 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Friday, September 6 at 4 p.m. - Windy Pines

Sunday, September 8 at 2 p.m. - Jon Picket

Sunday, September 22 at 2 p.m. - Pineytops Duo

Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m. - Ella Wren

Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m. - Dan Williams Trio

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

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Gold Hill Inn

Friday, August 30 at 8 p.m. - Stomp Street Heist

Saturday, August 31 at 5:30 p.m. - Kate Farmer Band

Sunday, September 1 at 5:30 p.m. - Danny Shafer

Monday, September 2 at noon - Labor Day Cajun Cookout and Concert 2024

Friday, September 6 at 8 p.m. - Rob Pate and d’Lovelies

Saturday, September 7 at 5:30 p.m. - Cup-a-Jo (Joe Oeser Duo)

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

Website: goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill

Phone: 303-443-6461

Gold Hill Store

Friday, August 30 at 6:30 p.m. - Young and the Dead

Saturday, August 31 at 6 p.m. - Hundred Pound Housecat (with Special Guest)

Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m. - Matt Mitchell Music Co.

Friday, September 13 at 8 p.m. - Ollella

Saturday, September 14 at 7 p.m. - Silver Steven

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Hill-General-Store/

Website: https://www.goldhillstore.com/

Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill

Gregory Plaza

Saturday, August 31 at 5 p.m. - The Kind Mountain Band

Saturday, September 14 at 5 p.m. - The Sisters of Rock

Saturday, September 28 at noon - Jennifer DeDominici and Jonathon Hayes

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

Website: https://blackhawkharddistrict.com/

Location: 317 Gregory Street, Black Hawk (Mountain Poppy Boutique)

Phone: 720-669-0665

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, August 31 at 5 p.m. - Stone- Hall

Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. - Kind Mountain Band

Saturday, September 14 at 4 p.m. - Windy Pines

Sunday, September 15 at 3 p.m. - Matt Mitchell Music Co.

Saturday, September 21 at 4 p.m. - Steepland String Band

Sunday, September 22 all day - Pop up with Justin Rice

Saturday, September 28 at 5 p.m. - NoGo Gilbillies

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

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

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m. - Lost Bobcat

Sunday, September 1 at 12:15 p.m. - Mina Reya

Wednesday, September 4 at 5 p.m. - Open Mic

Thursday, September 5 at 7 p.m. - Salomé Songbird

Sunday, September 8 at 12:15 p.m. - John Statz

Wednesday, September 11 at 5 p.m. - Open Mic

Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m. - Violet Breeze

Friday, September 13 at 7 p.m. - Pass the Snakes

Sunday, September 15 at 12:15 p.m. - Foggy Tops Bluegrass Band

Wednesday, September 18 at 5 p.m. - Open Mic

Wednesday, September 18 at 6 p.m. - Mike Clark and The Sugar Sounds Duo

Thursday, September 19 at 7 p.m. - Johnny Blueheart

Wednesday, September 25 at 5 p.m. - Open Mic

Thursday, September 26 at 7 p.m. - Unpaid Bills

Friday, September 27 at 7 p.m. - Fast Floyd

Sunday, September 29 at 12:15 p.m. - The Matt Katters

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

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

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown

Phone: 303-442-5847

JKQ BBQ

Friday, August 30 at 6 p.m. - Jon Ridnell

Saturday, August 31 at 5 p.m. - Jon Ridnell

Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. - Duey Weibel

Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. - Duey Weibel

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

Location: 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk

Phone: 720-316-1361

Knotted Root Brewing

Saturday, August 31 at 2 p.m. - Tober and the Sound Ideal

Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. - Tyler Stuckey

Saturday, September 14 at 5 p.m. - New Family Dog

Saturday, September 21 at 5 p.m. - Break Signals

Saturday, September 28 at 5 p.m. - Gratefully Acoustic

Fridays at 7 p.m. - DJ Night

Every Second Friday at 7:30 p.m. - Reggae DJ Night

Sundays at 5 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

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

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

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland

Phone: 720-248-7129

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, September 1 at 10:30 a.m. - Gratefully Acoustic

Sunday, September 15 at 10:30 a.m. - Stellar Jays Duo

Sunday, September 29 at noon - Kutandara

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

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

Email: nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland and 80 E. 2nd Street, Nederland

Nederland Summer Concert Series

Saturday, August 31 at 4 p.m. - The River Arkansas/Silas Herman and Jack Cloonan

Website: https://www.timeservedproductiongroup.com/

Location: Chipeta Park, 254-306

Lakeview Drive, Nederland

Old Gallery at Allenspark

Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. - Chain Station

Friday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m. - Open Mic

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

Website: https://www.theoldgallery.org/

Location: 14863 Highway 7, Allenspark

Phone: 303-747-2906

The Caribou Room

Saturday, September 7 at 7 p.m. - THE CARIBOU KICK-OFF Season Opening Party with Smooth Money Gesture & River Spell with Bear Hat

Friday, September 13 at 7 p.m. - George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners w/ Damon Wood’s Harmonious Junk

Saturday, September 21 at 7 p.m. - White Trash Adult Prom

Friday, September 27 at 7 p.m. - Tom Hamilton (guitarist for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead & Billy and the Kids) with full band with Cole & Eric from Dragondeer

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

Instagram: thecaribouroom

Website: https://www.thecaribouroom.com

Location: 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland

Phone: 303-258-3637

Very Nice Brewing Co. (Gilpin County)

Friday, August 30 at 5 p.m. - Andreas Boehmer

Saturday, August 31 at 5 p.m. - Ella Wren

Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. - The Lofty Pines

Friday, September 13 at 6 p.m. - Poorfree

Saturday, September 14 at 5 p.m. - Tony Crank

Friday, September 20 at 6 p.m. - David Tilmon

Saturday, September 21 at 5 p.m. - Windy Pines

Friday, September 27 at 6 p.m. - Ella Wren

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

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 180 Jankowski Drive, Black Hawk

Phone: 303-582-2015

Very Nice Brewing Co. (Nederland)

Friday, August 30 at 6 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Saturday, August 31 at 7 p.m. - Whumpf

Sunday, September 1 at 5 p.m. - Davellie Band

Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. - Aaron Mitchell

Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. - One Drum

Friday, September 13 at 6 p.m. - Mad Dog Blues

Saturday, September 21 at 5 p.m. - Chris Smith

Saturday, September 28 at 5 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Sunday, September 29 at 5 p.m. - Rick Lobato

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

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

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

Phone: 303-258-3770

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Did we miss you? Want to 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.