Moonstone Quill at Breckenridge Hogfest (August 23, 2025)
A weekend trip to the mountains of Colorado turned into an impromptu music tour. After a lucky coincidence seeing David Devett at the Bucksnort Saloon in Sphinx Park, I had continued good fortune on the music front. A dinner at the Edwin Restaurant in Breckenridge turned into another unexpected and wonderful encounter with local music. Once again, I did not fully pay attention to the sound coming from the man playing a guitar as I got seated in an upscale restaurant in Breck. And, once again, as I got settled and was able to focus on the music, I realized that I was in the presence of a talented musician. Lucky me!
Born on Moonstone Road in Breckenridge, CO in the fall of 2020, the band began during the height of the Covid pandemic. Through the uplifting power of music, Moonstone Quill grew from a ski town favorite to a professional full-time ensemble, sharing their music with the rest of Colorado and the world!
- Dan Shukis (Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals)
- Nate Spencer (Mandolin, Vocals)
- Nick Beato (Bass, Vocals)
- Ian Hunt (Pedal Steel Guitar, Vocals)
Guest Musician:
- Danjo Harris
A weekend trip to the mountains of Colorado turned into an impromptu music tour. After a lucky coincidence seeing David Devett at the Bucksnort Saloon in Sphinx Park, I had continued good fortune on the music front. A dinner at the Edwin Restaurant in Breckenridge turned into another unexpected and wonderful encounter with local music. Once again, I did not fully pay attention to the sound coming from the man playing a guitar as I got seated in an upscale restaurant in Breck. And, once again, as I got settled and was able to focus on the music, I realized that I was in the presence of a talented musician. Lucky me!
Local musician, Nate Spencer, was entertaining diners with his covers of bluegrass and folk classics. His guitar playing and voice are both exceptional and the patrons were appreciative. I can’t imagine anyone else came to dinner at 5:30 on a Friday thinking they were going to see live music period, let alone music as exceptional as we experienced. I guess the music gods were smiling on all of us that night. With a few exceptions, I didn’t know the songs Nate played but it didn’t matter, I still enjoyed them. His playlist consisted of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot, “In Tall Buildings” by John Hartford, “Forget Everything” by Greensky Bluegrass, “My Alice” by Billy Strings, “Old Ties and Companions” by Watchhouse, “Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton, “I Choose You” by The Steeldrivers, “Murder In the City” by The Avett Brothers, “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty, “Jackson Browne”, “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young and “Ventura Highway” by America.
After his set, I was able to catch Nate at the bar and learn more about him. He’s been playing the guitar since he was 12 while also taking voice lessons. However, it wasn’t until COVID that he was really able to hone his skill at playing and singing together. He used the time while being on lockdown to learn ~130 songs and perform live, virtual concerts. This led to attention from local musicians who encouraged him to play live as much as he could once things opened back up, which he did. He also co-founded a band, Moonstone Quill, which, lucky for me, was playing a 3-hour show (What?!) at the Breckenridge Bacon and Bourbon, the following day, Saturday, the 23rd. I was able to catch the second set. They played a mix of originals and covers, the most recognizable (by me anyway) was “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads. This time Nate played the Mandolin, which is a relatively new instrument for him, but sounded amazing. Thank you, music gods, for once again smiling down on me and allowing me to experience wonderful musical talent in a most unexpected place.
photo courtesy of Moonstone Quill.
