Citizens Bank presents Rocket Shop Live at Main Street Landing!

Vermont is a state that excels at creative endeavor and the shore of Lake Champlain is an idyllic venue for showcasing it. A group of local organizations, each with intense respect for Vermont’s vibrant music community, have united to present a monthly music series on Burlington’s beautiful Waterfront.

Once each month for the past six months, a Vermont-based singer songwriter, followed by a band, has performed in the family-friendly Black Box Theater at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center on the corner of College Street and Lake Street. With support from presenting sponsor Citizens Bank. Main Street Landing, Big Heavy World, Seven Days and RETN have collaborated to make this final concert – and the broadcast series – possible. Additional support is provided by Stowe Mountain Resort, Advance Music, Moreau Theatrical Services, the Vermont Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. Concerts begin at 8pm sharp, admission is all-ages and free.

‘Rocket Shop’ is Big Heavy World’s local music radio hour, every Wednesday night at 8pm on 105.9FM The Radiator. Rocket Shop has hosted hundreds of Vermont musician guests in its five years on-air and this live concert series is a natural direction for the radio program to go. Host Matt Gadouas will MC Rocket Shop Live, and Big Heavy World’s volunteer crew will engineer videography and live streaming of the performances.

THE DUPONT BROTHERS: Two brothers reunite after years of geographical separation by a fortified collaboration in music. Sam and Zack Dupont are best friends, siblings and now coconspirators in a shared passion that runs deep in their family. After a ground breaking show at Nectars in Burlington, Vermont, it was clear that the next step was to merge the brothers writing styles and form one super group to be known as The Dupont Brothers. The sound is Vermont made folk-rock-Americana. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeMGgMQbamI

THE MUSIC OF APRIL 17: THE DUPONT BROTHERS, THEN TIM BRICK 8pm sharp!

TIM BRICK: Singer, songwriter and guitarist: You could say that Tim Brick is a triple threat, but you’d be wrong. Add entertainer, band leader and all-around working man to that list and you begin to get a sense of what Tim is all about. Raw and real! A born and bred Vermonter and son of a hard living trucker, country music has graced Tim Brick’s life since birth. The influence of fine-crafted songs by Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr. and Don Williams along with the rockier sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bruce Springsteen has forged Tim Brick’s soulful edge. Standing on stage since the early age of twelve, he is at home entertaining audiences. His ability to engage people from the stage and draw them into his songs is what separates Tim from the average entertainer. Tim says, “It’s about a lot more than just playing the right notes. You have to live it, breathe it, and drink it. The audience has to believe that these songs come from your heart and soul.”

In the early years, He cut his teeth playing guitar in numerous bands. Performing with a number of talented musicians helped educate him in a variety of styles, but it was country music that was always in his heart. Growing tired of bouncing from band to band and the lack of success that each misadventure brought, Tim emerged as an independent country entity with a new sound and a new vision. Tim brought his career to the next level. Playing clubs throughout New England, appearing regularly on country radio, and the independent release of two albums (‘Free to Run’ & ‘Borderline’) have made him one of the top country entertainers in the region. The release of his latest CD ‘Free To Run’ puts Tim’s songwriting skills on full display. While on stage, Tim and his band deliver consistent solid performances for country fans throughout the state of Vermont and beyond.

FREE MUSICIANS PANEL, 7pm

Preceding these concerts, artists of every genre and experience level are invited to a music industry social hour in the theater, featuring presentations and workshops fostering success of independent, “do it yourself” music careers that so many Vermont artists experience. The workshops, presented by musician peers and supportive organizations like the Vermont Arts Council, are free and begin at 6pm. Topics include Earning Revenue through Live Performances in Rural Locations; Musician Social Networks – Real & Virtual; Creating, Managing, and Seamlessly Coordinating a Multi-Part Web Presence; How to Build a Fan Following in Vermont; How to Apply for Vermont Arts Council Funding for Performances, Tours, and Album Production; and Getting Sponsored and Raising Funds to Tour and Record.

The panel topic on 4/17 is GETTING PRESS with Dan Bolles from Seven Days and Brent Hallenbeck from the Burlington Free Press.

Brent Hallenbeck has been with the Burlington Free Press since 1999 and became arts and entertainment writer in 2004. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at SUNY Plattsburgh. He has seen thousands of bands in concert, but don’t ask him to name all of them. He and his wife share a house that’s approximately 92 percent filled with CDs, LPs, cassette tapes and the occasional 8-track tape.

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LARGE-SCALE INDEPENDENT MEDIA SIMULCAST ON RADIO, TELEVISION, & THE WEB

Concerts will be broadcast live on the radio by community media partner 105.9FM ‘The Radiator;’ televised live by RETN on three local cable networks, viewable from Essex to Vergennes, and streamed online with video at www.bigheavyworld.com. RETN is found on channel 16 on cable TV in the cities and towns of Burlington, Essex, Essex Junction, St. George, South Burlington, Williston, Winooski, Charlotte, Ferrisburgh, Hinesburg, Shelburne, and Vergennes (two Comcast cable systems and Burlington Telecom).

The Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center Black Box Theater is located at the corner of College Street and Lake Street in Burlington, VT. For more information about the concert series, visit mainstreetlanding.com or bigheavyworld.com, or contact Mariah Riggs, mariah@mainstreetlanding.com. Performers and workshop topics are subject to change without notice.

About Main Street Landing:
Main Street Landing is an environmentally and socially conscious redevelopment company in Burlington, Vermont that has created over 250,000 square feet of built environment on the Burlington Waterfront.

About Big Heavy World:
Big Heavy World is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Vermont-made music. Based in Burlington, “Big Heavy’” operates a record label, public listening library, online music shop, community radio station, and special projects that help Vermont music find a wider audience. Bringing Vermont’s music community together since 1996, Big Heavy World is a high-spirited, independent regional music office and advocate for the arts. For more info: jim@bigheavyworld.com;  www.bigheavyworld.com.

Aaron Flinn performed live at Main Street Landing’s Black Box Theater tonight for Rocket Shop Live at Main Street Landing, presented by Citizen’s Bank.

Patrick Fitzsimmons

Vermont is a state that excels at creative endeavor and the shore of Lake Champlain is an idyllic venue for showcasing it. A group of local organizations, each with intense respect for Vermont’s vibrant music community, have united to present a monthly music series on Burlington’s beautiful Waterfront.

On Wednesdays once each month through April 2013, a Vermont-based singer songwriter, followed by a band, will perform in the family-friendly Black Box Theater at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center on the corner of College Street and Lake Street. With support from presenting sponsor Citizens Bank. Main Street Landing, Big Heavy World, Seven Days and RETN have collaborated to make this concert and broadcast series possible. Additional support is provided by Stowe Mountain Resort, Advance Music, Moreau Theatrical Services, the Vermont Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. The April 17 concert is the last of six concerts in this series. Concerts begin at 8pm sharp, admission is all-ages and suggested $5 donation. Proceeds support the concert series and Big Heavy World.

‘Rocket Shop’ is Big Heavy World’s local music radio hour, every Wednesday night at 8pm on 105.9FM The Radiator. Rocket Shop has hosted hundreds of Vermont musician guests in its five years on-air and this live concert series is a natural direction for the radio program to go. Host Matt Gadouas will MC Rocket Shop Live, and Big Heavy World’s volunteer crew will engineer videography and live streaming of the performances.

THE MUSIC OF MARCH 13: SAMARA LARK BROWN, then PATRICK FITZSIMMONS, 8pm sharp!

SAMARA LARK BROWN: Fresh out of the Los Angeles Music Academy in 2004, jazz vocalist and songwriter Samara Lark migrated to the Green Mountains of Vermont. Her initiation into the Burlington music scene was an invitation to sit in with Big Joe Burrell and the Unknown Blues Band. Playing with such talented and experienced musicians was just the beginning for Samara. She soon began writing her own songs and performing solo at local venues in the area.

Samara Lark sings from the heart. Always tinged with a notion of jazz, her songs possess a feeling of nostalgia with a playful quirkiness and a sincere honesty. Her voice conveys a message of strength through open vulnerability with a sound as tough as it is tender and as spicy as it is sweet. It was the voice of Billie Holiday that first inspired Samara to sing outside of church when she was a teen. Soon to follow in her album collection were the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone. These powerhouse female vocalists energized Samara and ignited her passion for singing, leading her to school in Los Angeles, where she became trained in several styles of music including jazz, blues, bossa nova, rock, pop and soul.

Now, eight years after moving to Vermont, Samara has immersed herself deeply within the music scene in Burlington. She currently performs regularly as a solo act and also with The Wee Folkestra, Wave of the Future, and Mildred Moody. Samara sings yearly during the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival and has been a guest artist for such local talents as Barika, Dr. Ruckus, and the Swingin’ Vermont Big Band. In 2011, she had the honor of singing with piano marvel Marco Benevento and his trio with Andy Borger playing drums (Norah Jones, Tom Waits) and Dave Dreiwitz playing bass (Ween). When she’s not performing live, Samara Lark works hard to pass on the tradition of women in music as Volunteer Coordinator for Girls Rock Vermont, a summer camp whose mission is to teach young women and girls how to empower themselves through playing music.

PATRICK FITZSIMMONS: Vermont singer/songwriter, Patrick Fitzsimmons is a 2011 and 2012 Solarfest national songwriting contest finalist and a three time Ploughshares national songwriting contest finalist. Patrick has just released his sixth CD, ‘Hope Is,’ which has been getting airplay on radio stations all over the country. Relix Magazine called him, “one of the most captivating songwriters around today” and Seven Days  wrote, “Fitzsimmons is an immensely talented singer. With a shimmering, silken delivery, he is effortlessly emotive.” Patrick has shared the stage with some of the acoustic music scene’s biggest names including Shawn Colvin, Dar Williams, Roger McGuinn, Ellis Paul and Vance Gilbert.
Fitzsimmons is a founding member of From Good Homes, a roots rock band signed to RCA Records in the mid to late 90′s. He began his solo career in 2001 and continues to tour throughout the northeast building a large and loyal following with his soulful, captivating performances.

FREE MUSICIANS PANEL, 7pm

Preceding these concerts, artists of every genre and experience level are invited to a music industry social hour in the theater, featuring presentations and workshops fostering success of independent, “do it yourself” music careers that so many Vermont artists experience. The workshops, presented by musician peers and supportive organizations like the Vermont Arts Council, are free and begin at 6pm. Topics include Earning Revenue through Live Performances in Rural Locations; Musician Social Networks – Real & Virtual; Creating, Managing, and Seamlessly Coordinating a Multi-Part Web Presence; How to Build a Fan Following in Vermont; How to Apply for Vermont Arts Council Funding for Performances, Tours, and Album Production; and Getting Sponsored and Raising Funds to Tour and Record.

MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS PANEL ON 3/13: Talent Buyers Present the Skill to Get Booked with panelists Alex Budney of Nectar’s and Linda Little, Managing Director of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.

ABOUT PANELIST LINDA LITTLE: Linda, a jazz saxophonist, brings a vast amount of jazz knowledge in addition to arts administration experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Berklee College of Music. While at Berklee, she was a member the school’s top ensembles, performing with music legends Joe Lovano, Chaka Khan, Michel Camilo, and Terry Lynne Carrington, to name a few. It’s also where her desire to present jazz began, as she established the college’s first jazz record label. Upon graduating, Linda relocated to London, where she continued to perform and teach for over two years. She has also played at over a dozen jazz festivals, toured Japan, and spent six months performing on a cruise ship. As a high school student, Linda performed at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival in 1999 and 2000 with the All-State Jazz Ensemble when they opened for Herbie Hancock/Wayne Shorter Duo (’99) and Chucho Valdez (’00). Linda refocused her energy into presenting performing arts after many years of struggling with a chronic injury that made it difficult to perform. Since returning to her home state of Vermont, she has been the managing director of Kingdom County Productions, producing live performing arts in the Northeast Kingdom along with feature and documentary films. She is also no stranger to the Discover Jazz Festival, having managed merchandise for the past three years. In addition, she was the operations manager for the Festival of Fools, and independently produces jazz events at St. Micheal’s College, Catamount Arts, and the Greensboro Country Club.

Panelist Alex Budney.

LARGE-SCALE INDEPENDENT MEDIA SIMULCAST ON RADIO, TELEVISION, & THE WEB

Concerts will be broadcast live on the radio by community media partner 105.9FM ‘The Radiator;’ televised live by RETN on three local cable networks, viewable from Essex to Vergennes, and streamed online with video at www.bigheavyworld.com. RETN is found on channel 16 on cable TV in the cities and towns of Burlington, Essex, Essex Junction, St. George, South Burlington, Williston, Winooski, Charlotte, Ferrisburgh, Hinesburg, Shelburne, and Vergennes (two Comcast cable systems and Burlington Telecom).

The Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center Black Box Theater is located at the corner of College Street and Lake Street in Burlington, VT. For more information about the concert series, visit mainstreetlanding.com or bigheavyworld.com, or contact Mariah Riggs, mariah@mainstreetlanding.com. Performers and workshop topics are subject to change without notice.

About Main Street Landing: Main Street Landing is an environmentally and socially conscious redevelopment company in Burlington, Vermont that has created over 250,000 square feet of built environment on the Burlington Waterfront.

About Big Heavy World: Big Heavy World is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Vermont-made music. Based in Burlington, “Big Heavy’” operates a record label, public listening library, online music shop, community radio station, and special projects that help Vermont music find a wider audience. Bringing Vermont’s music community together since 1996, Big Heavy World is a high-spirited, independent regional music office and advocate for the arts. For more info: jim@bigheavyworld.com;  www.bigheavyworld.com.

Citizens Bank presents Rocket Shop Live at Main Street Landing.

NOTE: KATE WRIGHT AND BRETT HUGHES ARE NOT ABLE TO PLAY TONIGHT. We regret this news and hope to reschedule their performance.

Vermont is a state that excels at creative endeavor and the shore of Lake Champlain is an idyllic venue for showcasing it. A group of local organizations, each with intense respect for Vermont’s vibrant music community, have united to present a monthly music series on Burlington’s beautiful Waterfront.

On Wednesdays once each month through April 2013, a Vermont-based singer songwriter, followed by a band, will perform in the family-friendly Black Box Theater at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center on the corner of College Street and Lake Street. With support from presenting sponsor Citizens Bank. Main Street Landing, Big Heavy World, Seven Days and RETN have collaborated to make this concert and broadcast series possible. Additional support is provided by Stowe Mountain Resort, Advance Music, Moreau Theatrical Services, the Vermont Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. Upcoming concert dates are February 20, March 13, and April 17. Concerts begin at 8pm sharp, admission is all-ages and suggested $5 donation. Proceeds support the concert series and Big Heavy World.

‘Rocket Shop’ is Big Heavy World’s local music radio hour, every Wednesday night at 8pm on 105.9FM The Radiator. Rocket Shop has hosted hundreds of Vermont musician guests in its five years on-air and this live concert series is a natural direction for the radio program to go. Host Matt Gadouas will MC Rocket Shop Live, and Big Heavy World’s volunteer crew will engineer videography and live streaming of the performances.

THE MUSIC OF FEBRUARY 20: AARON FLINN and KAT WRIGHT WITH BRETT HUGHES, 8pm sharp!

AARON FLINN: This music is true. When you hear someone who is meant to make music perform, the impact is certain and powerful. This is the experience that comes with listening to Aaron Flinn (solo or with his band Salad Days). The music is meant to be and anyone who takes the time to hear it will be stronger for it. Elements of folk, indie rock and classic country combine with powerful vocals, poetic lyrics and finger-picking guitar. An eclectic group of americana and rock songs, with an emphasis on lyrical substance and performance from the soul. Aaron began playing and writing in high school. He won numerous competitions in performance and writing throughout his time at UVM and Berklee College of Music (where he graduated Magna Cum Laude – for what it’s worth). He has gone onto release an impressive body of original work, all the while touring such hallowed venues as Red Rocks Amphitheater, The Great American Music Hall and many House of Blues and working with the likes of The Samples, Gov’t Mule, Joe Bonamassa, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Don McLean and Tragically Hip to name but a few. www.aaronflinn.com

KAT WRIGHT: Born in the Genesee Valley Region of Western Upstate New York (aka Rochester), Kat has always had duende. Federico Garcia Lorca writes: “The duende, then, is a power, not a work. It is a struggle, not a thought. I have heard an old maestro of the guitar say, ‘The duende is not in the throat; the duende climbs up inside you, from the soles of the feet.’ Meaning this: it is not a question of ability, but of true, living style, of blood, of the most ancient culture, of spontaneous creation.” Kat has been performing as a vocalist since age 11, and has always been a visual artist as well; she received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Alfred University in 2008. She still participates actively in making visual art, designing menus, graphics, signs and clothing. Kat has always sought adventure- whether studying at The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland, traveling Europe, or spending several months living, learning and working on a Bio-Dynamic Farm in Battle Ground, Washington. From 2008-2010 she focused primarily on forming the folk duo Loveful Heights and touring both coasts of the United States, as well as India. Many of these tours drew her to Burlington, VT where she now lives, loves, learns and works. Shortly after relocating to Burlington she formed The Indomitable Soul Band (with the help of Shane Hardiman) in 2010, and has been overjoyed that many of the most talented musicians in northern New England have sought out an opportunity to play with her band. This is just the beginning. www.katwrightsoulband.com

FREE MUSICIANS PANEL, 7pm

Preceding these concerts, artists of every genre and experience level are invited to a music industry social hour in the theater, featuring presentations and workshops fostering success of independent, “do it yourself” music careers that so many Vermont artists experience. The workshops, presented by musician peers and supportive organizations like the Vermont Arts Council, are free and begin at 6pm. Topics include Earning Revenue through Live Performances in Rural Locations; Musician Social Networks – Real & Virtual; Creating, Managing, and Seamlessly Coordinating a Multi-Part Web Presence; How to Build a Fan Following in Vermont; How to Apply for Vermont Arts Council Funding for Performances, Tours, and Album Production; and Getting Sponsored and Raising Funds to Tour and Record.

PANELIST GLORY (DOUGLASS) REINSTEIN: Throughout her adult life, Glory (Douglass) Reinstein has been an avid listener and supporter of Triple-A and Americana radio and independent artists. Her love for indie artists began with her own son, Gregory. Watching him and other local indie artists struggle to be heard, she started a company to help promote them. The company began with radio promotion but now focuses on pitching music to TV/Film music supervisors and licensing agencies. She has capitalized on her many contacts in the industry and continues to provide independent artist support while working within the artists’ budget. Glory completed course work for a Music Business Specialist certificate through Berklee School of Music in Boston working under the tutelage of George Howard (former President of Rykodisc Records). She has since established Brave Bird Music Publishing/ASCAP and Malletts Bay Records and is a member of AMA. Glory is a veteran and award-winning Vermont music educator who has impacted hundreds of high school students throughout her career. She received her B.S. in Music Education from the University of Vermont and her M.S. in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University. Her former leadership roles include President of the Vermont chapters of ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and MENC (Music Educators National Conference) as well as guest conducting high school festival choirs throughout Vermont and northern New York. Glory has taught voice, guitar, piano, and clarinet, as well as music theory and composition. In addition, she has arranged and composed music, and currently holds the position of assistant conductor for Bella Voce Women’s Chorus of Vermont.

PANELIST SARAH STICKLE: Sarah Stickle is a 20 year-old singer/songwriter, band manager, and an experienced social marketing leader. She has worked in social networking most recently at a small social marketing firm in New York called Sarah Wilson Business Communications. Sarah has worked with businesses such as the Champlain Valley Fair, First Night Burlington, The Amida Bourbon Project, and others in expanding their reach, and utilizing social media for basic promotion, booking, and more. She works with up to 15 clients at once and most enjoys utilizing Facebook, Pinterest, and email marketing.

LARGE-SCALE INDEPENDENT MEDIA SIMULCAST ON RADIO, TELEVISION, & THE WEB

Concerts will be broadcast live on the radio by community media partner 105.9FM ‘The Radiator;’ televised live by RETN on three local cable networks, viewable from Essex to Vergennes, and streamed online with video at www.bigheavyworld.com. RETN is found on channel 16 on cable TV in the cities and towns of Burlington, Essex, Essex Junction, St. George, South Burlington, Williston, Winooski, Charlotte, Ferrisburgh, Hinesburg, Shelburne, and Vergennes (two Comcast cable systems and Burlington Telecom).

The Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center Black Box Theater is located at the corner of College Street and Lake Street in Burlington, VT. For more information about the concert series, visit mainstreetlanding.com or bigheavyworld.com, or contact Mariah Riggs, mariah@mainstreetlanding.com. Performers and workshop topics are subject to change without notice.

About Main Street Landing:
Main Street Landing is an environmentally and socially conscious redevelopment company in Burlington, Vermont that has created over 250,000 square feet of built environment on the Burlington Waterfront.

About Big Heavy World:
Big Heavy World is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Vermont-made music. Based in Burlington, “Big Heavy’” operates a record label, public listening library, online music shop, community radio station, and special projects that help Vermont music find a wider audience. Bringing Vermont’s music community together since 1996, Big Heavy World is a high-spirited, independent regional music office and advocate for the arts. For more info: jim@bigheavyworld.com;  www.bigheavyworld.com.

Photo by Lily Chau.

Katie Trautz and Alec Ellsworth performing at Main Street Landing’s Black Box Theater during Rocket Shop Live at Main Street Landing, tonight.

The video embedded below is a live stream of performances tonight of Rocket Shop Live at Main Street Landing – Big Heavy World’s local music radio hour, featuring Steve Hartmann and the duo of Katie Trautz and Alec Ellsworth. See info about the concert, below – it’s also live on 105.9FM The Radiator and the channels of RETN on cable TV!

Update 9:30pm Jan. 23: The concert – and live stream – have concluded. Thank you for joining us!