1:45 p.m. Thursday, Town Park, Telluride: The festival commenced with a sterling set by Douglas and O’Brien on Dobro and mandolin/fiddle/guitar/bouzouki watched by numerous pickers including Chris Thile. Douglas noted: Nowhere else can you see something like this (scenery) and hear music like this.” They play a country weeper: “If I Can’t Live Without You (How come I Ain’t dead), the gospel “Working on a Building,” and a blistering reinvention of Jimi’s “Hey Joe.” The Lovell Sisters followed with classic girl harmonies and some exceptional picking, bluegrass-style. Onstage now as I sit in the press tent is Zac Brown – definitely country rock with a goofy twang and a very appealing sound. Meanwhile, the backstage parking lot because David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) arrived with two buses and a semi for a much anticipated closing set tonight. Elvis Costello is wandering amiably backstage with a cup of coffee. The sustainable coffee stirers are pieces of pasta. I think it’s linguini. More to come….