three20south presents a rockin’ line up

Matt Wertz plays acoustic-based pop rock

Who: Matt Wertz

When: Tonight

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Home base: Nashville, Tenn.

Type of music: I play passionate, soulful, acoustic-based pop rock.

If your music were a tangible item, what would it be, and why? A pair of high tops, because you can either show ’em off or keep ’em under cover.

Why do people love ya? Because I don't really have a filter.

How do you keep it fresh? I'm just trying to tell it like it is.

What's the craziest thing you've done/weirdest experience? We jumped out of our fuel-less van as it was coasting to a halt on the interstate and pushed it over the crest of a hill in order to coast another mile to get closer to the nearest gas station. Later, our sound guy slipped and fell, getting his foot run over by the trailer. Fun, fun, fun.

Alternate Routes co-headlines with Matt Wertz

Who: The Alternate Routes (co-headlining with Matt Wertz)

When: Tonight

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Where'd the name come from? From a detour sign that Tim came across one summer in Martha’s Vineyard.

Home base: Bridgeport, Conn.

Type of music: Rock ’n’roll

Why do people love ya? Chip’s hair, sparkly drums, and we play a toolbox.

How do you keep it fresh? Lots of Fabreeze and a Laundromat once a week.

What's the craziest thing you've done/weirdest experience? On a night off in Tuscon, Ariz., Sembos had a little too much to drink and ended up hosting an all ’80s female Karaoke party.

Portugal, The Man creates a circle of rock ’n’ roll, love and community

Who: Portugal, The Man

When: Saturday

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Where'd the name come from? We love how solo projects sound — names like James Brown; you just picture it in lights. But we are not a solo artist, so we decided to create a fictional character, like Ziggy Stardust. We wanted the person's name to represent our whole band. We figured a country is one name that represents a group of people with similar ideals. We thought Portugal would be a good name for a guy.

Home base: Wasilla, Alaska and Portland, Ore.

Type of music: We play rock 'n’ roll music, or at least that's what we say. It is an easy out, but it describes the music for the most part.

If your music were a tangible item, what would it be, and why? I would have to say a bear. Bears are badass and intense. Bears also enjoy just walking around and eating fish out of a nearby stream. They fend for themselves and love honey. I see all of these things in our music.

Why do people love ya? We try to bring our best to people, and we hope people notice and appreciate it. We love people too, so it should just come back around — one big circle of love and community.

How do you keep it fresh? All of the writing is just kind of based on life, and due to the fact that life is ever changing, the music is as well. We are always enjoying different bands and the influences keep on passing through.

What's the craziest thing you've done?

Ryan Neighbors (on piano, organ, synth and vocals) pulled down Ian Shaw’s (tour manager), pants at a Burger King, and a bunch of really tough construction workers laughed at him. “He then choked me and embarrassed me almost as bad,” Neighbors said. “I later apologized.”

Pert Near Sandstone play American stringband music

Who: Pert Near Sandstone

When: Tuesday

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Where'd the name come from? Pert Near is an old saying around the Midwest meaning “pretty close to,” and Sandstone is a reference to the Mississippi River bluffs.

Home base:

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.

Type of music: We play a version of American stringband music, which has roots in traditional “old-time” folk music; although, our approach to the songs and songwriting is from a modern perspective, verses the strict “authentic” reproduction of the music that is overwhelmingly a part of the tradition. We bring in our other musical influences and have the tendency to jam up the tunes, that is, to improvise instrumental breaks and arrangements as we are playing.

Who are you? The core of our Pert Near are old friends that have had many separate musical ventures across several genres. The group got together haphazardly to hang out, pick songs on acoustic instruments and drink adult beverages.

If your music were a tangible item, what would it be, and why? Pert Near music would be a campfire. This is where acoustic music can often be heard; whether a music festival or house party, regular folks will find common ground in music. To make an analogy to the content of our music, it's also gritty, full of the essential elements of life and a place where real people converse about real subjects, celebratory or morbid, silly or serious.

Why do people love ya? I think it is the energy we bring to the music and the fresh approach. Rather than rock stars, we are regular folks just playing the music we want to play. At the heart, it is good-timin’ dance music. Folks can relate to the topics we sing about and appreciate the antiquity of the tradition. More and more, people are opening their ears to acoustic music. Underground and non-commercial by nature, digging into roots music opens a whole world many don't know about. Folk music can be funny and weird, and we are no exception to that.

How do you keep it fresh? It seems that each new song we write or dig up gives a boost every time. Listening to what others are doing, or have done, with the music is always inspiring. The original recordings from the 1920s, 30s and 40s are masterful and provide models to interpret. It's hard to write music that sounds ancient, like a family heirloom that's still practical, but the process is the reward. We bounce ideas off each other and reach something we are happy with. The material writes itself after that. As we become more familiar and comfortable playing the songs, they tend grow their own legs. That's the process of getting our unique sound.

What's the craziest thing you've done/weirdest experience? One thing comes to mind, relating back to the campfire reference. We often camp out in parks while we are traveling. Getting in late at night, we don't use tents, just bedrolls on the ground around the fire pit. We have each had personal experiences waking up to animals of all kinds — turkeys, deer, skunks, snakes, dogs, spiders, mosquitoes — but the most threatening was an angry park ranger. Being upset that we didn't check in or pay for camping the night before, he woke us up lecturing and shaking with his hand near his gun! We finally calmed him down, gave him the $12 we owed and hurried on down the road.

Clarence Bucaro keeps it real with his singer/songwriter style

Who: Clarence Bucaro (opener)

When: Tuesday

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Home base: New York, N.Y.

Who are you? I'm a singer, guitarist and writer from Cleveland, Ohio. After living in New Orleans and Los Angeles, I have settled into New York City where I have resided for four years.

If your music were a tangible item, what would it be, and why? Uggs: warm and cozy.

Why do people love ya? Because I'm honest and earnest, and it comes across in my music, even when I falter or go off track.

How do you keep it fresh? I hike or play chess or read or watch “Reno 911” or watch sports or get another dog or listen to music or shop for records to add to my vinyl collection or shoot hoops ...

What's your weirdest experience? My weirdest experience would have to be when on tour in Holland. I was asked to do this live radio show. I did not know anything about it, but it turns out to be this really important political debate show. And at the time the European Union was in heavy debate over whether or not to draft a European constitution. So on the show, they had, I believe, the minister of state arguing for drafting and some major Dutch journalist arguing against it and a packed audience — and it was all in Dutch. So basically they would yell loudly back and forth in a strange (to me) language, and the audience would stand up and yell, and then all of a sudden the moderator would say some Dutch words, and then I'd hear my name. And I was supposed to sing my soft little acoustic love ballads right in the middle of all the debate. I got called up three times, and it was so out of place and bizarre. Then the best part was at the end when the moderator started asking my opinion on whether or not they should ratify the constitution. I declined to voice my outsider's opinion three times before finally I realized they were not going to proceed until I did. So I said something, and the rest of the debate I hear my name mentioned by the debaters interspersed with a bunch of Dutch yelling. Very weird!

Salem fills Breck with conscious funk

Who: Salem

When: Wednesday

Where: three20south, Breckenridge

Where'd the name come from? “Shalom” and “salaam,” meaning peace

Home base: Boulder

Type of music: Conscious funk, jazz-hip-hop

If your music were a tangible item, what would it be, and why? A cup of tea — sip on some good medicine.

Why do people love ya? ’Cuz it's reciprocal.

How do you keep it fresh? Improvisation within our songs and new explorations on the fly.

What's your weirdest experience? We are prepping for our show on June 1 on the Kahiltna Glacier on the basecamp of Denali in Alaska. It is part of a glacial awareness documentary that Todd Anders Johnson has begun.

Cool info: Composer, drummer and vocalist for Salem, Todd Anders Johnson, is now sponsored by Libtech Snowboards, Folsom Custom Skis, Columbia Sportwear, Mountainsmith, Boulder Outdoor Center and Ayotte Drums and is working in marketing with Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures located in Haines, Alaska.

And: Salem was filmed with FUEL TV on Dec. 19 in Alma and has a song featured in the X Games After Party CD compilation that was released in January 2009.

“Green” fact: In August, Salem toured for three weeks off the grid in a vegetable-powered shuttle bus that culminated in Salem headlining the main stage at the Seattle Hempfest for 10,000 people.