Capital Sounds: Musical happenings in and around the Capital City
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Toolbox
Ed Dufresne - Published: November 14, 2008
Greetings, live music fans. I usually start off with what's going on tonight, but this weekend, two very notable shows are taking place Saturday night in central Vermont, so I will break form and lead off with those before tackling tonight.
And speaking of breaking form, Chandler Music Hall in Randolph certainly did when they booked indie-folk darlings The Avett Brothers for Saturday night. The North Carolina-based trio have been rising stars of late, impressing audiences with their genre-defying blend of "the heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, (and) the raw energy of the Ramones." One would expect this show to be at Higher Ground in South Burlington, as it was last time they came through. But when an indie band makes the leap to playing an intimate theater, it's usually a sign that they are on their way to a significant place in the modern music pantheon. Big props to the Chandler for such an adventurous booking. The show starts at 7:30 and it may or may not be sold-out by showtime, so I would recommend calling (802) 728-6464 to check on that before making the drive. I would also highly recommend seeing The Avetts before they move on to bigger venues.
Coincidentally, there is another show Saturday night by a band on Ramseur Records (the aforementioned Avetts label) at the Langdon Street Café in Montpelier when fellow North Carolinians Bombadil take the coffeehouse venue stage. The Tar-Heel state foursome is equally hard to describe, having been referred to as everything from "a drunken, circus-reared version of The Band" to "folk-tastic orchestral with crescendos and pan flutes buzzing — stomping jams that sound like angelic marches." Known for their dynamic live performances, this is one of my favorite new bands on the indie-folk scene. Their ultra-fresh pop music is simply joyous, the lyrical content being as quirky and clever as the instrumentation, and delivered with the fearless panache of a band that is already at the next level. This one starts at 9:30, giving folks plenty of time to catch it after the Avetts' show lets out, and it's for donations – once again, highly recommended.
For those who like their folk a bit more traditional, Chandler has a great show tonight when three of the most respected names in the contemporary singer/songwriter genre play a uniquely themed show. John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson and Cliff Eberhard have teamed up to create "Longing for Eliza," a singer-songwriter circle performance centered around a central theme of the misadventures of John and Cliff as they vie for the attentions of the elusive — but not oblivious — Eliza. The show is $27 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and starts at 7:30. Along with the Avetts' show, all-in-all a powerhouse weekend of music down in Randolph at one of our area's finest small theaters.
There's lots of good stuff happening around the Capital City this weekend as well. Tonight, up at The Black Door's third floor lounge, local favorite jazz/funk/improv trio Vorcza climb the back stairwell to deliver their high-powered tunes to the Montpeculiar faithful. Gabe Jarrett, Rob Morse and Ray Paczkowski have honed their chops over many years of playing together, and could probably produce their excellent jams blindfolded by now. Check 'em out at 9:30 for the usual honor cover. Saturday night, locals Generous Thieves take the swanky third floor lounge for a night of reggae, rock, funk and the like, also starting at 9:30.
Around the corner at Langdon Street Café tonight, local old-timey punks The Prodigal String Band continue their happy hour residency at 6 p.m. They are followed by roots-bluesman Bow Thayer, who's been one of the most prominent roots musicians in New England since his days with bluegrass-rockers The Benders. He'll take the stage about 9 p.m. Finally at 10:30, local compositional bass-psychos Kufui will rock out in a later-than-usual performance at LSC. The band has added local axe-of-all-trades Jay Ekis to further expand their sonic palette of instrumental compositions, meaning this one should be loads of fun. All acts are for donations.
A very special event takes place Saturday night at the Vermont College Gymnasium, the woefully underused beauty of a gym at the corner of East State and College streets in Montpelier. "Turn It Up" is a benefit concert for fuel assistance efforts in central Vermont (something many of us will need this winter). The concert features a local who's who of players in the gospel, roots, country and soul genres, including Dave Keller, Susannah Blachly & George White, Mark LeGrand & Sarah Munro, Damn Yankee String Band, The Dear, The Barn Band and Rusty Romance. The family-friendly, all-ages event will also include a cash bar and refreshments, and they are accepting voluntary donations to the cause in lieu of a cover. And a worthy cause it is, so please donate generously as you enjoy a long evening of music starting at 7 p.m.
Also Saturday night, down in the Mad River Valley at the Valley Players Theater in Waitsfield, The Mad River Unplugged series hosts Mark Erelli, a songwriter who's been said to be a "masterful expert" when it comes to "providing thoughtful, compelling folk-rock and Americana." He'll be joined by up-and-coming folkie Meg Hutchinson, who's been called "a master of introspective ballads." For tickets and more information, call (802) 496-8910.
Tonight, down at Charlie-O's World Famous on Main Street in Montpelier, Jive Attic brings their funky R&B bar band sound to the back of the barroom for your drinking and dancing pleasure. The band prides itself on its state of the art P.A. system, so expect the sound to be a bit better than usual at O's tonight (that is if it's not too loud). Saturday night, Red Hot Juba bring their swingin' Americana sounds to Chuck's. Both shows start at 10 p.m. and as is the motto "never a cover."
As for the rest of the week, Langdon Street Café continues their Sunday afternoon series with the twangy acoustic rock of Joe Adler and Talking about Commas at 3 p.m. And, on Tuesday, another N.C. band comes through town when Brian McGee and the Hollow Speed perform at LSC. The group takes "the gritty charm of old-school country and inject(s) it with the drive of punk rock." Their raw Americana sound is being hailed up and down the East Coast. A rare treat of a show on a Tuesday night, for donations.
So, there's an awful lot to see out there this weekend – shake off the stick-season doldrums and go see live music!
Ed DuFresne is the talent coordinator for the Langdon Street Café and occasionally produces concerts. He lives in Montpelier with an aspiring lawyer, a budding artist, a bird named Lucy and a clutter of submitted CDs that are steadily being replaced by Web links.
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