Three more days of the ski season, that great economic engine that fuels the massive buzz and whir of people and events that fill Telluride’s snowy months. Soon, the lifts will slow to a stop and settle into their summer resting places. The ticket offices will shutter, restaurants will lock their doors, lift ops will drive off, and everyone save a couple dogs and a handful of [us] lowly workers will partake in a max exodus. Like a school of salmon, repelled by the receding snow, the mud and the dust, people will fly and drive out of Telluride in droves, laden with boating gear and bikinis and the lightness of vacation.

I’m ready for it, myself. Because for me, it signifies a big, if ironic, landmark; The last day of the ski season coincides with an almost full recovery from knee surgery. Now that I can snowboard again, I can’t snowboard anymore. Huh. Whatever, bike season is closing in and the desert is a siren, calling me with its sweet redrock song.

But before we slip into full-on off-season mode, let’s remember something: It’s not over yet. And in true Telluride fashion, we bid goodbye with a weekend of parties.

The biggest one is on Friday afternoon, when KOTO throws its annual End of the Season Street Dance on main street, starting at 3:30 p.m. This is a party at which you can drink beer and dress up in costumes (what’s a Telluride party without costumes?) say goodbye and tell everyone your fabulous off-season plans. Ralph Dinosaur and his Fabulous Volcanos, as always, will get the party started entertaining the crowd will some great rock and roll. And this year, the street dance will feature a brand new thing: a headlining band. It’s Toubab Krewe, a groovy Afro-roots band out of Asheville, N.C. This is an apt choice for the end-of-the-season party, I think, because it’s sort of an Afro-island-jam fusion, and you know, many in this crowd are off to some tropical island or exotic setting or another (jerks!) But I have to clarify: this isn’t music a la cheesy Caribbean Cruise buffet dinner entertainment. It really is a fresh sound rooted in West-African traditions and layered with percussion and strange instruments, and it’ll climb right into this trancey time-warp world where you can certainly find yourself lost in the beats. Good stuff, in other words. Toubab Krewe is definitely in the up-and-coming category, having been initiated into the ranks by appearing at Jam Cruise, Vegoose and Bonneroo. So check them out. If you don’t know how to find the street dance, walk out your door and wander toward the center of town and the sound of the crowd.

Right as the Street Dance is winding down, the music will pick up at the New Sheridan Bar. Local boys the BluOrbit Funky Soul Jazz Trio are playing, beginning at 8 p.m. Mike Pale on guitar, Mike Enriquez on bass and Matty Apples on drums will be dishing out the good stuff..

After BluOrbit packs up their instruments, they’ll head down the street to the Fly Me to the Moon Saloon to play the second half of a local music party. First up will be the Claybrook Penn Band, a local folk trio that plays quiet originals and clever covers. So $7 will get you a folk-your-face-off show followed by a steaming bowl of soul and jazz. 
Down the road on Friday night, meanwhile, there will be a show at the Rico Theatre. It’s Poésis, a funky little band of four young musicians from Manitou Springs. Their sound is jazz meets Indie, with a little bit of swing, and their lead singer Xanthe has a killer voice, rich and velvety. Show starts at 9 p.m.

And at the Bubble Lounge on Friday, show up for a blues rock revival and get your soul washed, all for the low cover of $10. Colin Lake and Wellbottom will be laying down their rock-and-roll as savior stylings. These Portland boys play a blues-rock sound sort of like Rolling Stones, with tambourines and hand claps and background singers wailing and everybody worked up into a music-induced frenzy. Show’s at 10 p.m.
Over at Tommy’s, Codi Jordan, KBass and Mesa Dave will be playing some hook-laden dub-rock. This group, who hails from Utah, plays a catchy dub-rock reminiscent of Sublime, but in place of skater and surf references, the music’s about mountains and snowstorms. Codi Jordan, who sings and plays guitar, is a charismatic music-maker, he reminds me of that understated guy you work with and hang out with and then one day he pulls out a guitar and wows the hell out of you. Music is at 10 p.m. This group also will also play an aprés ski show at the Bubble Lounge on Saturday from 6-8 p.m.

Saturday, yet another day filled with tuneage.

It gets started early, with an aprés ski afternoon of pickin’, strumming old-timey goodness with the T&A String Band, the two-man offshoot of the Turkey Creek Ramblers. Settle in with a beer and while away the late afternoon with some fine string music.

Then, the sun will go down, guitars will be tunes and amps will be set up, the night owls will emerge and the action will begin.

At the Noir Bar, BluOrbit will be gigging yet again, starting at 10 p.m.

At the distinguished Fly Me To the Moon Saloon, meanwhile, there will be an end-of-season-party aptly named Kick the Kegs Party, featuring some friends from nearby Moab. It’s Stonefed, a homegrown jam band from the desert that throws everything, Delta-blues to reggae, latin and country, into the big pot. This affable band loves to play for a crowd, and should be good guys to kiss the season goodbye with. If the music isn’t enough to entice you, this may be: The party features $1.50 PBRs.

Sometimes time and reality can crack and splinter into individual shards. I’m not talking about hallucinations here, I’m talking about … wait, what am I talking about? Oh, yes, the power of music. I’m talking about Fractalized, the experimental psychedelic rock band from Ridgway, who will be at the Bubble Lounge on Saturday for a show. Music starts at 10 p.m. These guys are influenced by everyone from Primus to Frank Zappa to Tool, and have gathered quite the little following in the region with their adventurous music and live performances.

Hooray for BluOrbit. Like a true, hard-working band, these guys are making a big push during this last weekend, gigging like crazy and all over town, and representing the last chance to take in live music before the crowds vanish. They are playing an aprés ski gig on Sunday at Tommy’s, from 5-8 p.m. Why not bid bittersweet adieu to it all — those epic days, those relentless snowfalls, the runs through Log Pile and West Lake and Satisfaction that, even though I missed, painted sublimity all over the blissed out faces of my buddies — with some local friends. They’ll help you loosen your grip on the winter, and embrace springtime.

OK, my friends, have a wonderful off-season. Here’s to lots of sunshine and adventures everywhere. Beat Box will return when the music does. Until then, I just got a whole bunch of new music to keep my head full for the quiet months — the new Raconteurs, Black Keys, Black Crowes, Bon Iver and more. Peace!