Musical happenings in and around the Capital City
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Toolbox
By ED DUFRESNE Arts Correspondent - Published: October 9, 2009
Ah autumn … time of transition and change, blazing colors, economy-stimulating tour buses, and cooler temperatures. Thankfully for music fans in the region, the temps are not the only cool thing this upcoming week, as there's a plethora of great live music in the upcoming days. Some highlights:
Halogen Records presents HipHoptoberfest with Philadelphia Slick and DJ GI Joe, Saturday, Oct. 10, at 9:30 p.m. at The Black Door in Montpelier:
A not-to-be-missed show for hip hop fans, Philly Slick returns to the region from my hometown to the south, and brings NYC turntable artist GI Joe along for the ride. Live band hip hop seems to be the preferred version to the more common DJ-backed variety around these parts, and Philly Slick delivers with a tight live band to back up lead rapper Noesis. The instrumental lineup of the backup band varies depending on the performance, so there is no telling if the group will show up as a five-piece with horns, a trio, or otherwise. They have been known to perform with diverse instrumentation, however, at times even featuring a cello (one can hope!). One thing is for sure – the rhyme-spittin' will be topnotch. DJ GI Joe can be expected to deliver fun, upbeat sets combining old-school hip hop with innovative mixing to keep the dance floor moving. Get up to the third floor to get down to the beats Saturday night!
Edified presents The Asylum Street Spankers, Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m., at The Lamb Abbey in Pioneer Center in Montpelier, $10-$15 sliding scale at the door:
The Austin, Texas-based Asylum Street Spankers have been called "an audacious, genre-defying national treasure" and have been hailed by Rolling Stone magazine for their "inspired, lunatic brilliance." Montpelier will be the last stop on the Northeast leg of their "Salvation and Sin" tour, in support of their latest album "God's Favorite Band" (ya gotta love that moniker!). The first half of the show will feature the badass picking and singing side of the band highlighted by stomping gospel music from the new album. The second half of the show features the band's more saucy side, bawdy tunes about some of the band's "favorite pastimes" – nudge, nudge, wink, wink, yaknowhatImean? This sit-down show promises to be one of the most highly entertaining of the fall season. Doors will open at 7:30 and seating will be on a first-come first-served basis, but every seat's a good one at the Abbey, so fear not. Fans of old-time, vaudeville, bluegrass, tin-pan alley jazz and the like will not want to miss this one.
Some Girls: Vermont Women Sing The Rolling Stones, tonight, 9:30 p.m., at The Langdon Street Café in Montpelier; $5 cover at the door:
Last year local alt-country darling Rachael Rice produced "Just Like a Woman," an all-female tribute to Bob Dylan that was a huge hit. The reprise of the event promises to be just as impressive, as it features the music of The World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band! Ms. Rice will be joined by the likes of Myra Flynn, Peg Tassey, Susannah Blachly, Carol Hausner, Jen Wells and San Gordon, among others, as they perform the music Mick Jagger and company made famous. Get there early for a good seat, as the house is bound to be packed for this very special event. Head on down and get your Ya Yas out!
Believe it or not, the three above events are just scratching the surface of the great music around the capital city this weekend. For those looking for more familiar fare, many of our standout local performers are playing this weekend as well. The Black Door starts out its powerhouse weekend tonight with local favorites Sara Grace and the Suits climbing the back stairwell to rock out the third floor lounge. The local soul-folk act just gets better and better, and with Sara and company hard at work in the studio putting together their debut release, hopefully we'll get to hear some of the tunes from the record in the live setting where this top-notch local act really shines. They'll kick off at 9:30 for the usual honor cover.
Down the street at Charlie O's on Saturday night, ever-prolific longtime local honky-tonk standouts The Starline Rhythm Boys host yet another CD release party for their latest "Masquerade for Heartache." The disc features more outtakes from their live recording session at the Ol' World Famous, and O's is pulling out all the stops for this one, including encouraging folks to dress up like one of the Boys for a look-a-like contest (perhaps you'll win a free PBR – woohoo!). Even if you choose not to try an imitation of Danny Coane and company, Western attire is still encouraged. Jump on the 'boy's wagon train starting at 10 p.m.
Around the corner at Langdon Street Café tonight, another unique act appears at the most adventurous venue in town when Boston-based act Box Five performs. Featuring the pitch-perfect vocal stylings of one Mary Bichner, whose Web site claims has neurological-based synesthesia (a bizarre condition which causes her to "see" splashes of specific colors when she hears certain pitches), the group offers an original sound she likes to term "classipop." And to think most of us had to do hallucinogens to achieve such a state! At any rate, "sophisticated, 18th century-inspired chord progressions with bratty Britrock hooks" should make for a very intriguing evening of music. Singer-songwriter Christopher Barnes opens the show at 8 p.m.
Finally, the Summit School of Traditional Music kicks off its fall season with a string band workshop and contra dance on Saturday. The workshop will take place at the Monteverdi Music School on Barre Street, and will feature the Damn Yankee String Band offering up their expertise. The cost of the workshop is $35 and folks can register online at www.summit-school.org. Later on in the evening the school will host the contra dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital City Grange Hall just north of Montpelier on Route 12, with Will Mentor doing the calling. Families and children are welcome and the cost is $10 for adults and $7 for kids. For more information, visit the Summit School's aforementioned Web site.
That's an awful lot goin' on for our little neck of the woods this coming week, so make sure you get out there and support it! See ya out on the town.
Ed DuFresne is the former talent coordinator for the Langdon Street Café and occasionally produces concerts. He lives in Montpelier with an aspiring lawyer, a budding artist, an annoying bird named Lucy and a clutter of submitted CDs that are steadily being replaced by Web links.
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