Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band
Photos by ValTerrazzano.
Big Heavy World was honored to be involved in the amazing South End Art Hop this year – thank you SEABA for the chance to bring local bands to the big tent! And thank you Burlington College for sponsoring the show (and the too-fun photo booth! – your photography students are GREAT!). Looking forward to Art Hop 2013!
Photos by Lily Chau.
Singer-songwriter Suzanne Friedman joined us on Rocket Shop tonight!
A2VT with new Rocket Shop host Matt Gadouas.
Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photos by Lily Chau.
Tonight, Rocket Shop was joined by two very talented groups: Africa to Vermont and Trapper Keeper.
The former group, also known as A2VT, is a collective of three rappers and singers, originally from Africa, that currently live in Burlington and Winooski. They’ve been together since 2008, and their new album, titled ‘Africa/Vermont,’ dropped earlier this year. Playing four songs on air, their infectious beats and heartfelt lyrics had people hooked. These tunes, recorded at the Old North End’s own Creamy Goodness Studios, included the city anthem “Winooski, My Town,” the inspirational “Lifting Up the World,” “Baby Girl,” a love song sung in multiple languages; and the single versed “Epilogue,” a song about the struggle of coming to America and starting anew.
A2VT are shooting a music video for “Winooski, My Town” this Sunday in the Winooski traffic circle, and the public is welcome to join (snacks will be served free). They are also playing Studio A on September 15th. Their CDs are available at Pure Pop and Barnes & Noble. Visit A2VT.bandcamp.com
Trapper Keeper.
The latter group, Trapper Keeper, is a local pop punk trio, consisting of Alex on drums, Chris on bass, and Will on guitar and vocals. They were a blast to have in the studio (in addition to being very talented, they also all have a great sense of humor), and they played four songs on air. These included the self-titled songs “Wilson,” “Alexander,” and “Christopher,” which make up the group’s EP ‘Names’ (their second album); and the aptly titled “Only Dicks Don’t Like Green Day,” which after some debate required Jim’s express permission to play on air. Visit trapperkeeper.bandcamp.com
Vaporizer
Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
Tonight on Rocket Shop we had Jake and Eli, the kickass drummer and bassist of the local melodic death metal quintet Vaporizer. Vaporizer’s self-titled EP was released in October of last year, and I gotta say, it’s one of the most solid locally-produced metal albums I’ve heard. The group often plays the weekly Nectar’s event Metal Mondays, organized by Matt Longo, and they’re playing a benefit show for one of our own Big Heavy tour vans Thursday at the monkey house. Jake and Eli are equally as funny as they are brutal, describing the vocals as being similar to those of “a very drunk troll”. Three tracks were played on air, including “Renegade Mage,” “Blood Oak,” and “Horn of the Narwhal”. Vaporizer is well-produced and ridiculously talented, and a welcome addition to the unjustly underrepresented genre that is stoner death metal. Check out Vaporizer here.
In addition, this was also long-time Rocket Shop host Sam’s very last show! Rock on, Sam.
One Over Zero; Crooks
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
Tonight, Sam’s final show on Rocket Shop (tears) concluded with One Over Zero’s Dan Murphy and Jake Mayers who is the drummer for both One Over Zero and Crooks. The two were a great pair with fantastic energy. They entered the studio with a handful of posters to promote their show at Rootsfest this Sunday which shows how excited they are about it.
Jake , originally from Maryland, moved to Burlington to attend the University of Vermont. He was unable to drum his first year in the dorms and he went crazy, so joining One Over Zero and Crooks has made his Burlington experience very enjoyable. Jake said it is difficult to categorize his band Crooks, but he did his best by using the words, “hip hop bass, strong funk, soul, and latin grooves.”
The first song played was “Dolleh Weh” which was a live performance at Nectars. The song had a reggae, rock mix with driving drum beats, turn table mixes and intense guitar solos. The lyrics were in a Senegal tribal language which kept the ears alert throughout. Second was “Yaboy” which was freestyled by members of Bless the Child and Crooks. The song had a funky tone and rapping about the band and its writing style. Last was “Sally” which was mainly rap, but complimented by flute which added a unique style that is not east to hear in modern music.
Dan and One Over Zero can be found this Saturday at the Vermont Music Festival in Waitsfield, VT from 12:00pm-10:00pm. Also this Saturday, Jake and Crooks can be found at 9:00pm at Nectars. They will also be at Rootsfest this Sunday, August 26th starting at 2:00pm at Vermont Garden Park at 1100 Dorset St. Crooks also has a blog that can be followed at thehighq.com.
Tonight’s show was Samantha “Sam” Donnelly’s last as host! She’s heading back to UVM where the Fall’s class schedule nukes her Wednesday nights. Sam’s sticking around, helping at Big Heavy on the crew, but her sunshine-bright personality will be missed during Rocket Shop on The Radiator!
Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
Tonight we were visited by two members of Kat Wright and The Indomitable Soul Band, Kat Wright herself and Shane Hardiman. The two are both very talented, and between Kat’s passionate vocals and Shane’s soulful tunes on keys, it was an especially great show. They performed Otis Redding’s soul classic “Pain in My Heart,” followed by a bluesy arrangement of the traditional piece “Motherless Child,”and they finished with the Ray Charles tune “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” They both put their hearts into it, and the end result was something that felt a lot more personal and heartfelt than your average radio performance.
The Indomitable Soul Band has been together for two years this December, starting as a four-piece and eventually bringing in other instruments such as horns. They play at the Radio Bean every Thursday, and other gigs this summer include a fundraiser at American Flatbread in Waitsfield, Summervale, the Art Hop, and of course Manifestivus.
Words by Fabian Rainville. Photo by Lily Chau.
Vedora is an ambitious and colorful trio with powerful song writing and brilliant vocals. The band consists of bassist/singer Caroline, guitarist/singer Matt and drummer Jeff who was not with us for radio production. The sound from the studio was at times a mix of ethereal guitar playing and groovy bass lines complimented with Caroline’s wonderful singing. Other times the sound was a reminiscent of Nirvana and The Cranberries with a tasteful Vedora spin. The band has an unnamed album releasing in the near future; be sure to catch this band live at local venues!
The Rocket Shop Playlist:
Vedora, “In the Pines” (Live)
Vedora, “Basalt Anchor” (Live)
Vedora, ”Maria” (Live)
Vedora, “Terrarium” (Live)
Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, “Pain in My Heart” by Otis Redding (Live)
Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, “Troubles, Heartaches and Sadness” by Anne Peebles (Live)
Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, “Motherless Child” (Live)
Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, “Let’s Go Get Stoned” by Ray Charles (Live)
Beka Foley: Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
Beka Foley, a senior Linguistics major at UVM, joined Rocket Shop tonight. Beka is a rapper and happened to be friends with Rocket Shop host, Sam, creating a very comfortable vibe. The show felt like a hang out session between the two. Sam even pulled out a rap during the show, “under the tent, 100%.” Beka shared some clever rhymes including strong diction (both French and Russian), metaphors, and references to other styles of music and literature. Beka proved herself to be a very intelligent, spunky rapper. Her raps were about simple, every day life. She uses puns on the reg and and breaks common language into rhymes. Beka’s writing style is old school as most of her rhymes are written on the margins of her notes in class. Most impressive were her raps that were in French and Russian. The sound was very intimate, entertaining, and captivating due to the unknown meaning of the words. Beka’s rhyming influences are A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Mf Doom. Her main female MC influences are MIA and Lauren Hill. The young rapper can be found at house parties around Burlington free styling with friends. She just created a music video that can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LokHhKg8TtI
Photo by Lily Chau.
The Smittens: Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
A couple members of The Smittens and Missy Bly joined Rocket Shop Wednesday night. The Smittens are a fun, wonderfully peculiar local group that you can’t really define with one genre. Their new album, ‘Believe Me’, was just released on July 23rd, and sounds awesome. Semi-tongue-in-cheek lyrics are backed by a polished, catchy tracks make it a wholly unique album – Not to mention its exclusively vinyl release and the fact that each album comes with a bag of tea and cider donut recipe! A few tracks were played on air, including “First Bus,” a mainly acoustic track with hooky synth riffs; “Burning Streets Of Rome,” a very The Cure-sounding track that upon hitting the chorus melts into a syrupy, hot pink 80s tune; and “Typing, Texting,” a lighthearted, ethereal track reminiscent of 50s pop songs.
The Smittens are playing a show and album next Friday (August 17th) at the BCA Gallery with performances by Missy Bly and various DJs. Tickets are $5.00, doors at 8pm.
Last October: Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Samantha Donelly.
First on Rocket Shop tonight was Last October, a dynamic acoustic duo, with bubbly positive energy. They were super friendly and happy to be on the Radiator. Discussions with host, Sam, included talk of the summer Olympics as well as Last October’s favorite place that they have toured thus far. The duo played for the entire town of Blue Rapids, Kansas where the hospitality and great appreciation of music made them “feel like rockstars.”
Last October’s set on Rocket Shop consisted of “Down This Road,” an original song with a great tone due to the combination of deeper male vocals from James Kinne and soothing female vocals from Erica Stroem. The simplicity of just an acoustic guitar and vocals is really captivating and the pure talent is easy to appreciate. The other two songs played tonight were “Work In Progress” which showed of the talent of guitarist, James Kinne, and “All You Do,” a slower song that had impressive, powerful, and crisp vocals.
Currently, Last October is in the process of writing new music and enjoying promoting what they have thus far. You can see Last October live at the Maritime Festival Sunday August 12th at 4:30pm. More information as well as music can be found on facebook, itune, www.lastoctobervt.com, and www.reverbnation/lastoctober
Jessica Prouty Band: Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
Tonight Rocket Shop was visited by the Jessica Prouty Band. Just setting off on an August tour across the state, this fantastically talented ensemble has been together for five years. Each band member is influenced by different styles of music, and writing as a team their influences are combined: Powerful female vocals, heavily distorted guitar, meticulous drumming and synth riffs come together to form a polished, heavy sound reminiscent of classic 80s metal. They performed a couple acoustic versions of tracks in-studio, which had a softer, more emotionally driven feel to them. The Jessica Prouty Band is writing a new EP, to be released next year, and they’re playing Higher Ground on August 15th. Check them out at http://www.jessicaprouty.com/jpband/
Ground Zero: Words by Ben Nordtrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
The third and final group to perform on Rocket Shop was Ground Zero. Ground Zero is a local hardcore band, playing very technical and meticulous death metal. One thing that stood out was the guttural vocals and pigsqueals, which the lead singer demonstrated in the studio with a bloodcurdling scream of “BURLINGTOOOOOOOOOON.” Their debut EP, ‘Trustfall’, is coming out August 3rd, with a release party on the 4th. Brutal. Find them on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ground-Zero/137736356286971
Gon JA
Words by Ben Nordstrom. Photo by Lily Chau.
Tonight, Rocket Shop was joined by Johnny “Drumbo” Siple and frontman Dana Wana Pskana of the jam metal trio Gon JA. Gon JA is comprised of Dana, John, and Mark RX, and they write and perform in a wide array of genres. Dana is 39 years old, and went to Berkley College, studying music, mathematics and art. He is an artist and composer, and draws inspiration from being homeless while working in Hollywood. “Dana Wana Pskana” is a childhood nickname coined by his sister. John has played the Djembe since he was just nine years old, and plays many other instruments as well.
Three tracks were played on air. These included “I Know Why You Say Goodbye,” an emotional acoustic piece; “Nine and Flesh,” a suspenseful orchestral piece written for a movie; and the self-titled “Gon JA”, a semi-improvisational electric jam metal piece. The group has an EP coming out, produced by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow Court studios.
Briana White
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
Briana White was a wonderful guest on Rocket Shop tonight. She showed up with a huge smile on her face, ready to perform with enthusiasm. She has a raw acoustic sound with truthful lyrics drawn from personal experiences. Originally from Rhode Island, the 20 year-old has already attended Berklee College of Music for a semester and has chosen to spend the summer in good ol’ Burlington, Vermont. Briana is nothing but humble and honored to have the opportunity to perform her music at local venues. After playing for 11 years, the passion can easily be heard bursting through her vocals. She has an excellent vocal range and her songs all have a great, catchy rhythm.
Her first live song performed tonight was “Happy” which she wrote at Berklee in a hallway where she and a stranger jammed together. He actually taught her the chord progression for the song, which is quite a songwriting story. The second song played was “No Assembly Required” which she describes as, “an angry song.” Both Briana and Samantha (our Rocket Shop host) discussed how the best songs come from relationship struggles. Finishing the set with an Alanis Morissette cover, Briana truly showed how strong and crisp her vocal ability is.
Briana White can be heard this Saturday in Montpelier at Bagitos (burritos and bagels) from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Also, she is thrilled to be performing in the Maritime Festival on August 11th, so make sure to stop by and check out her music. For more information, go to Reverbnation.com/brianawhite.
The Dirty Blondes
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
Diane Sullivan is Reverend Blonde of the Dirty Blondes and she closed Rocket Shop tonight. Reverend Blonde is quite the character with a witty sense of humor. She joked, “I expect to earn a Grammy for best new artist.” The Dirty Blondes truly represent girl power with angry lyrics and head-bobbing tunes. The vocals are gritty and add quite a unique sound. Heard first on Rocket Shop, The Dirty Blondes are thinking about remixing songs with local DJs. Catch The Dirty Blondes this Friday the 27th for The 7 Days Band Night at Red Square. They will be performing at 9pm. Also, make sure to stay updated because they should have a CD coming out soon.
Mark & Brad.
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
‘Sound Scoop’ is hosted by Mark Weber and Brad Yandow, who appreciate all types of music. When I sat down with them, they proved themselves to be intellectual as they try to pick music that will attract all different types of people. “The show is a large variety of genres from jazz to rock, to heavy metal, we play it all,” says Brad. Not only are the song selections great, but after each song is played, they describe exactly why they have selected to play it which makes the two hosts extremely personable and easy to listen to. Mark and Brad also stick together off the radio as they play in a band together named One Man Empire. ‘Sound Scoop’ can be heard on Saturdays from 6:00pm until 8:00pm.
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Lily Chau.
After sitting down with Justice on a hot summer day under the lights of the studio with The Radiator playing in the background, I can say that he is very relaxed and a gentleman whose life is greatly influenced by music as even his shirts always have some type of band name on them. Justice brings progressive music to the radio at only age 18. The music he plays on The Radiator is a type of music that, “cannot be heard anywhere else on the radio.” Progressive, “Prog” for short can, be described by the host himself as, “intense, hardcore music that can save the radio. I’m basically saving the radio.”
When asked who his favorite bands were, Justice replied, “Slipknot has been his favorite since 4th grade. I’m a loyal fan.” He has not seen them live, but is dedicated and plans to attend a concert at some point. Listening to his show will get your blood flowing and create intense energy. Justice’s mellow personality and his forceful music choice combines to make a fantastically balanced program.
Justice pursues his love of music by sharing his favorite selections on the radio. When asked if he played music, Justice replied with quite the list: “guitar, drums, base, piano, and I’d love to play violin. Bass is my favorite instrument, but I play guitar more because I’d rather be shredding faces.” Along with music, Justice is also obsessed with candy, skateboarding, and art: “My whole life is dedicated to art and music.” Make sure to tune in to the Radiator 105.9 on Saturdays at 5:00pm to hear from Justice!
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photos by Samantha Donnelly.
The very fun and bubbly Aya Inoue and Matt Harpster joined Rocket Shop tonight. The country, folky, singer/songwriter pair are only two of five members that make up The Amida Bourbon Project. Their music consisted of deep and sometimes sad lyrics, but the musicality remained upbeat, danceable, and catchy. The songs performed tonight consisted of “The Lion’s Den,” a folk sound with an edge and great guitar riffs. Also a summer tune called “Fireflies” and “Never Again,” a gritty, rough, catchy song that made me want to hear more.
The group has a few upcoming shows including Solar Fest on Friday July 20. For more details, check out solarfest.com. Aya and Matt as well as The Wee Folkestra can also be found at The Precipice: A 3 Day Happening on July 20th, 21st, and 22nd. They will also be performing at The Maritime Festival Saturday, August 11 and they can be heard at Red Square every Sunday from 7:00pm-10:00pm through the end of July.
The Lynguistic Civilians were represented tonight by two of the group members, Scott and Tom. The Lynguistic Civilians is a hip hop group with five emcee’s, a DJ, and producer. Scott and Tom brought a very fun and upbeat attitude to the studio as they were more than ecstatic to be on the radio with Sam. The group is all about the music, showing their passion through poetic, soulful, and playful a cappella rap. Their songs had local Vermont references which are very attractive to the local Vermont audience.
The Lynguistic Civilians will be headlining at The Precipice: A 3 Day Happening which takes place this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The group recently played their 100th show at Vermont Pub and Brewery and will be performing there again this Saturday. Finally, they can be heard at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival in August.
Concluding the jam packed evening of Rocket Shop was the Gang of Thieves who is made up of vocalist Michael Reit, Nick Wood and Leonard Sokol on guitar, and Tobin Bass on bass. This funky rock and roll band was immediately intriguing when they walked into the studio with dreadlocks, and a wonderful sociable vibe. They gave away copies of their new EP tonight on the show to promote the new release.
This funky rock and roll group had an electrifying sound that kept my feet tapping and my head bobbing. They played an original song “Dinosaur Sandwich Party.” Just by the title, it is apparent that this band is one of a kind. The Gang of Thieves is currently looking for a drummer, so if you are interested, check them out on Facebook or Google for more information.
The band can be heard at The Precipice: A 3 Day Happening this Friday at 6:30pm and at Bella Terra Festival in Stephentown, New York outside of Albany on August 16-19. Their new EP ‘Riddle’ that they worked on in California during their tour comes out this Friday July 20th. There will be a midnight EP release at Radio Bean this Friday. One of the band member’s cousins drew the EP album cover and the artwork on the band’s van, so keep an eye out for the colorful vehicle.
Rocket Shop playlists are logged with RadioActivity.
Steve Hartmann
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Kendra Merrill.
Steve Hartmann is a local Burlington singer/songwriter with an engaging raspy tone and limitless passion as well as extreme musical talent. He is impressively self taught and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Steve is a family man and showed great charisma, both giving him an amiable quality.
Steve can be heard at the Maritime Festival on August 19th at 5:00pm on the Great Long Stage. He also hosts an Open Mic Night at Chow Bella in St. Albans on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday evening of every month. Hartmann will be performing at the Bee’s Knees in Morrisville on August 4th and this is the only time that he will play the piano so make sure to check it out. The debut album ‘Waking Up The Echoes’ will be released at Burlington’s First Night. His performance on Rocket Shop consisted of original songs “Sweet Angel”, “My Family”, and “Waking Up The Echoes”.
Jack Chicago.
Words by Suzanne Friedman. Photo by Kendra Merrill.
Jack Chicago is a local, captivating singer/songwriter with crazy acoustic talent. He can be found playing on Church Street which he refers to as “busking up New England.” Recently, he has performed a solo acoustic, four-show short tour at Radio Bean, Monkey House, Half Lounge and his fourth and final performance is at Nectars on Saturday July 14th so make sure to stop by for some great music.
Jack Chicago has a band in the works and he says the band sounds like the video Potty Mouth City Geek on his YouTube channel described as “songs on a protein shake.” Jack has a record label in Burlington called GLÄBOSTRØBE Records. His performance on Rocket Shop consisted of orginal songs “Busking Life,” “Girl I Wanna Party With You,” and “Fae’s Gone.” “Girl I Want To Party With You” is inspired by his infatuation with trendy pop music. His favorite song on the radio is “Best Song Ever” by Wallpaper. Jack Chicago can be found on twitter: @jackchicagonyc and make sure to go to jackchicago.com to download music.
Words by Suzanne Friedman and Fabian Rainville. Photos by Kendra Merrill.
The final performance on Rocket Shop tonight came from some classical music phenoms. After hearing the music that these teens produced, it was hard to believe that they were only in high school. The first group to perform consisted of Hanan Mundiya on first violin, Nina Paul on second violin, Deychen Volino-gyetsa on viola, and Paul Shubat on cello. Their rendition of “Borodin String quartet No.2” brought chills to everyone in the studio. They are from various locations ranging from New York to Southern Germany.
The second group to perform consisted of Clare Armenante on violin, Daniel Baer on cello, Max Kerr on violin, and Chris Alley on viola. They performed “Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 59 Movements 1 and 3” which was beyond excellent. All of the above classical musicians can be found at the Green Mountain Music Chamber Festival which is ongoing from June 24-July 21 in the Recital Hall on Redstone Campus at the University of Vermont. They are also performing in the Junior Virtuoso New York Tour in France.
The musicians were assigned their pieces, but did not know each other prior to the festival which reveals how adaptable and truly talented they are. The festival has been a great experience and wonderful opportunity to meet fellow classical musicians as well as professional musicians.
The Rocket Shop playlist:
Steve Hartmann, “Sweet Angel” (Live)
Steve Hartmann, “My Family” (Live)
Steve Hartmann, “Waking Up With the Echoes” (Live)
Jack Chicago, “Busking Life” (Live)
Jack Chicago, “Girl I Wanna Party with You Tonight” (Live)
Jack Chicago, “Fae’s Gone” (Live)
Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, “Borodin String Quartet No. 2 in D Major” (Live)
Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, “Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 Op. 59 No. 2 (Live)
Rocket Shop playlists are logged with RadioActivity.
Andy Kolovos, Victoria St. John, Roger Perrault, & Rachel Cleveland.
Photo by James Lockridge.
Fiddler Roger Perrault joined Vermont Folklife Center Co-Director Andy Kolovos and Rachel Cleveland from The Fiddlehead Brewing Company on Rocket Shop tonight, with Victoria St. John stepping in for Samantha to guest-host. The gang talked about the Frog Run Beer Fest at the Fiddlehead Brewing Company in Shelburne on Saturday, July 7, a celebration of Frog Run Sap Beer and the traditional fiddle music of Vermont, New England and Quebec!
The Frog Run Beer Fest live music schedule:
12:15-1:00: Fiddleheads Reunion featuring Hannah Beth Crary, Latimer Hoke, Amy Malinowski, Oliver Scanlon and Johanna Taylor.
1:15-2:00: Lausanne Allen and Dave Guertin
2:15-3:00: Pete Sutherland, Rose Diamond and Oliver Scanlon
3:15-4:00: Adam Boyce and Ben Koenig
4:15-5:00: Roger Perrault and Adam Boyce
5:15-6:00: Erica and Erik Andrus
Find more info at http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/sapbeer/frogrunfest.php and http://www.fiddleheadbrewing.com
The Rocket Shop playlist:
Roger Perrault, “The Montreal Reel,” Traditional (Live)
Roger Perrault, “Northeast Fiddlers Waltz,” written by Ron West (Live)
Roger Perrault, “Golden Slippers,” Traditional (Live)
Pete Sutherland, “The Landlord’s Jig/The Distraught Man/Hitler’s Downfall”
Pete Sutherland, “The Stormy Banks of Black River”
Rocket Shop playlists are logged with RadioActivity.
Photo by Riley Childs.
Catch Episode Two of “Inside the Musician’s Green Room” during “The Musical Adventure of a Turntable Warrior with Yellow Crocs” from 3-6pm on Saturday. (listen locally on 90.1FM WRUV or worldwide at www.wruv.org) – Jim from Big Heavy World is being interviewed by Yellow Crocs, talking about how Big Heavy Started, advice about becoming a part of a music scene, and other cheeky personal stuff. Thanks to Andrew Biss and WRUV!
Words by Chris Ellis. Photos by Kendra Merrill.
Ken Dunbar and Mike Scott (above) and journalist Garret K. Woodward (below), author of ‘The Bumblef**k’ and ‘Backwoods Bugler,’ joined Taz and Shannon on the Taz Michaels Show tonight.
Mike Scott and Ken Dunbar joined The Taz Michaels show tonight to perform brand new “Free Range” music. If you missed the show, you missed an unbelievable array of raga and hip hop sounds coming from just two people. We had Mike Scott live working a foot pedal board full of loops and effects for his guitar and the microphone. The mic not only picked up his vocals but also the smooth sounds of his saxophone, harmonica, flute and other instruments! He was added effects like reverberation, delay and more all on the fly. Now imagine all that accompanied by percussionist Ken Dunbar on a Latin double (two bongos, with a set of three congas). This added up to an impressive full live electronic show.
Mike Scott got his start with music at 14-15 years old by picking up his mom’s old acoustic guitar that could barely stay in tune. Shortly after, he taught himself an instrument his sister had laying around collecting dust, the flute. He wanted to do something different than the popular guitar route, and that’s what led to the many instruments he played live for us, as well as others like the upright bass, mandolin, melodica, banjo, and lap steel. Mike says, “once you know the language, all you gotta do is be able to pronounce the words. Its all one language.” Mike believes we have all been influenced and affected by mass culture. His influences include the specific sounds of Curtis Mayfield, Bob Marley, Sam Cook and contemporaries Fevery Corp., Bonobo and others.
Ken Dunbar who is 62 years young now, started when he was just 15 to 16 years old playing percussion to Crosby, Stills and Nash on the hollow body of an acoustic guitar. He says the American Black music of the 60s helped birth his sound. At the age of 19 he entered the military where he discovered the intensity of his passion. Henry Gibson, who is the most recorded percussionist to this day, influenced Ken Dunbar musically. Ken plays (and has played) in many different music genres including soul, funk, and jazz, in countless bands, but Ken gets his natural Latin vibe from growing up in Brooklyn playing salsa rhythms. Ken is living proof that the music scene is ancestral. When asked what other instruments he plays, Ken will respond with something like, “Chimes, bells, shakers. If it rhymes, if it rattles, if it shakes, if it jingles, if it whistles, if it thumps, I’m playing it.”
Mike Scott and Ken Dunbar (K. Sanford Dunbar, Sr.) enjoy being a contributing force in the music industry. Love plays a big role. They believe music, as well as food, are the best way to spread love. They take on a serious vibe to make people consider what’s happening on a global scale. How do we make ourselves better, and more importantly, each other better? Mike’s lyrics are often an honest peephole into very important healing events that are happening today. He is making a call to the people and they need to hear what he has to say. Ken Dunbar says, “wake up and smell the coffee” and to “look up” and pay attention to the life that is passing you by. So sit back and enjoy the vibe or dive into the pools of meaning, Mike says, “you can go as deep as you would like.”
Words by Christopher Ellis. Photo by Lily Chau.
The band November Guest stopped in and played live at the Radiator on May 23rd and I was lucky enough to have a chat with them. The group of guys, who all grew up in New England, met in the late 90s while attending Vermont Tech. More recently they got together to make some authentic Americana Rock / Vermont Lifestyle music, with harmonizing vocals and instrumental solos that anyone can kick back, relax, and relate to. The songs have a broad array of themes, from romance stories to drinking, to weather, to driving around in cars. “Basically, whatever goes through Shane’s head, which is a lot.”
November Guest’s songwriting process is unique. Singer/lyricist Shane Clarke from the Northeast Kingdom comes up with all the lyrics in his head. “My songwriting style is very melodic… I get some tune going in my head and play with it from there. It’s not guitar driven at all; I just get hooked on something and then it starts getting to the point where it drives me nuts. I find if I don’t write it down and do something with it, it’s kind of consuming,” Shane Clarke says with a chuckle.
Along with him, the band includes Bill McGrath. Bill started playing the drums at the age of ten. Troy Dare performed the mandolin live in the Radiator studio at Big Heavy World, but learned the guitar at the age of twelve. Scott McGrath plays the bass; he does a lot of the production work with his brother for the band as well. They also said that they are very efficient when it comes to writing a song. They will start with basic chord progressions and melodies and they build upon that.
They have a wide variety of influences that they would call a “salad.” Some specifics include the Counting Crows, Steely Dan, as well bands from the 80s, like AC/DC and Guns ‘n Roses. November Guest would classify themselves as Americana Rock. Something most impressive was that November Guest records in their project studio with professional quality. It now has turned into a “giant monster” where they record other local bands.
The album titled “The Island Pond Connection” was released in 2010 and November Guest has an upcoming show at higher ground Wednesday, June 6th, 8:30pm. For more information see www.novemberguest.com
Be sure to check back for the latest live performances we have at the Radiator 105.9.
The Rocket Shop Playlist:
November Guest, “Heroes”
November Guest, “Fear In My Heart” (Live)
November Guest, “John Mike Taylor” (Live)
November Guest, “On My Way” (Live)
November Guest, “Summer Makes Me Feel” (Live)
November Guest, “Louise”
November Guest, “Swim the Seas”
Rocket Shop playlists are logged with RadioActivity.
Words by Christopher Ellis. Photo by Lily Chau.
Citizen Bare stopped by The Radiator on May 22nd to jam out live in the studio. The group is made up of Vermonters, more specifically, they all originated in Chittenden County. They all came together over the last 15 years, through the bonding power of music. They started out performing at the Monkey House and took off from there.
The group is made up of four people: Andrew James, singer and guitarist, John Gratton singer and guitarist, Jesse Cowan, bassist and singer, and Elizabeth Patterson, the singer and pianist. Andy and John have a five-year history playing music as an acoustic duo and were friends for some time before that. Once Andy and Elizabeth got married, they traveled around and decided to share the culture they had quickly learned with Jesse, a close friend that was equally as motivated to grow.
This band is more than a group of people who play instruments. They are not just friends with similar interests, they are a family bonded together through their common love of music. They set realistic goals and have a strong passion for music and performing.
As much as artists do not like classifying themselves in a specific genre, for the reader’s sake Citizen Bare falls under the “Alternative-Bluesy-Americana-with-a-little-bit-of-Jazz” category. Citizen Bare’s influences are extensive, such as: Woody Guthrie, Adam Duritz. Bob Dylan. Crosby, Stills and Nash. They create music full of harmonies and catchy melodies but above all, they want the music to stand out. Andy said, “I like to tell people that if Stevie Ray Vaughn and Woody Guthrie got together it would be a similar sound” while John argues, “maybe Tom Petty meets the Eagles.” I think they can all agree that they all sound like the one and only Citizen Bare.
Check out www.CitizenBare.com for more information on the band and check out their new CD “Carnival”. They do shows in the Burlington area, (sold out showcase lounge at higher ground recently!) and have opened for bands like Enter The Haggis at the Rusty Nail.
Words by Christopher Ellis. Photo by Lily Chau.
Sarah Stickle and Citizen Bare took turns in the studio with Taz and Shannon on the Taz Michaels Show tonight.
We have been lucky enough to have the talented Sarah Stickle and the Matchsticks grace Big Heavy World by performing live in our studio last Tuesday, May 22, 2012. Sarah Stickle is a gifted singer/songwriter and performer with a passion for music. She says that her passion for the art form alone is enough to keep her going from day to day. Music is what she comes home to at the end of the day. In our interview she said, “I love when other people enjoy what I do. it makes me really happy when I can give something to someone else by doing what I love.” But in the end, the music she creates is for herself and always has been.
Since a young age, Sarah Stickle’s enthusiasm for music was evident. She began playing the violin but quickly moved onto the electric guitar at the age of 13. At 14 years old, she picked up the acoustic guitar. Her fingers touched the strings of the guitar and she heard the rich sounds reverberate in her room, she instantly understood what was missing in her life. She recently connected with local street performer Aleah Black, an amazing cellist, singer, and guitarist. They are now giving Vermonters the privilege to appreciate their harmonic sound.
In the studio and on her album, she is also featured playing other instruments such as the bass, drums, and saxophone. While the very talented Bruce Springsteen influences her sound, she admires The Shins for their musical arrangements. The vocals of Ingrid Michaelson have also had an impression on her style of music. Above all, she says local musician Marie Claire, her voice teacher for years, has had the biggest influence on her musically, as well as helping her grow as a person.
Sarah tries not to classify herself in a genre but would say as far as her roots and chord progressions go, she would fall under “pop.” You will have to hear for yourself. Her new album “Baby Steps” is releasing Saturday, May 26th virtually everywhere, including iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, Spotify, etc. Sarah also has her albums provided at her shows. Make sure to check out her reverbnation to see upcoming events, links below.
For videos of Sarah Stickle: www.youtube.com/sarahsticklemusic To find out Sarah Stickle’s lastest updates, realeasing and events become a fan here: www.reverbnation.com/sarahsticklemusic Follow her on twitter (@ssticklemusic). To contact Sarah, “Like” her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sarahsticklemusic or reach her by email about purchases at sarahsticklemusic@gmail.com
Thank you Erik Hopwood of With a K studio for producing this radio ad with Dani from Magic Hat, and thanks to Heavyfest sponsors 99.9 The Buzz and WIZN for broadcasting it! Erik also did a version that’s airing on 105.9 The Radiator.
Words byJohn Howland. Photo by Shyne Lynn.
Hailing from Jericho, Vermont, Rough Francis, descendants of the recently rediscovered punk legends and forbearers, Death, joins the line up at this year’s 2nd annual Heavyfest at the Magic Hat Artifactory on Saturday, May 19th. Heavyfest, put on by Magic Hat with support from Halogen Media Works and many sponsors, is a celebration of Burlington’s own non-profit music organization Big Heavy World. The festival features talented performances by Burlington greats as well as what’s sure to be a killer after party at Nectars.
After discovering Death, a Detroit punk band from the 70s comprised of their father and two uncles, Rough Francis was formed. Getting started covering the songs that pump ferociously through their bloodlines, Rough Francis is responsible for the rediscovery and resounding reemergence of Death—who has been described by Jack White as, “Ahead of punk, and ahead of their time.” A few years later, Death has been accredited for their tireless work that took place over thirty years ago and Rough Francis has moved on to their own gut-busting yet soulful ouvre of original tracks. In fact, the boys in Rough Francis are stoked to announce the release of their newest album ‘Maximum Soul Power’ which they hope to drop in the fall of 2012.
“We’re just really excited to get a chance to play with all our friends,” Bobby Hackney, the band’s vocalist and front man, said when talking about playing Heavyfest. The band couldn’t be more appreciative of all that Big Heavy has provided them—especially the van! “You get a nice sense of community when playing Heavyfest because it is a showcase of all different local sounds. It’s a cool way to do something different with some friends,” Hackney said as the boys look forward to reconnecting with many of the musicians they grew up with, while shaking things up on stage.
Be sure to check out Rough Francis and all the sensational acts that will be taking the stage at this year’s Heavyfest. For more information and access to Heavyfest’s lineup, check out: magichat.net/heavyfest or the home page of Big Heavy World. For more on Rough Francis be sure to check out: http://www.roughfrancis.com/ Don’t miss Heavyfest!!!!!