Drumming Up Beats
Friday 18
Senegalese percussionist Aba Diop takes the stage at Flynn Space in Burlington for an electric evening of West African rhythms. A master of the sabar, Diop descends from an unbroken line of griots — traveling artists who employ storytelling and song as a kind of oral history, imbuing the modern musical landscape with thousands of years of regional wisdom and cultural identity.
Monster Bash
Saturday 19
Grab your witchiest wig and “Thriller” dance on down to the Halloween Costume Party at Bennington Museum. Geared toward the 16 and up crowd, the celebration encourages costume themes both historic — creepy Victorian Vermonter vibes come to mind — and rock star, in keeping with the museum’s “Vermont Rocks” exhibit. But please, for the love of Taylor Swift — no glitter!
Hidden Gems
Saturday 19 & Sunday 20
The state’s oldest community orchestra, the Vermont Philharmonic, kick-start their 66th season with back-to-back concerts at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro and the historic Barre Opera House. Suitably titled “Gems of Opera and Song,” the program features significant yet underperformed works, including an overture from America’s first folk opera and compositions influenced by Caribbean and Creole cultures.
Amusing Alliums
Sunday 20
The inaugural Onion Fest at the Winooski Farmers Market draws inspiration from the city’s namesake — the Abenaki word winoskitekw, meaning “onion land river.” Folks can expect an ode to the tear-jerking vegetable with allium-themed history and activities, including a cookbook sale. Perhaps one of those recipes can explain what to do with all the onions you just bought!
Hipster’s Delight
Sunday 20
Beanies, mustaches and jean jackets abound at Nectar’s annual Burlington Record Fair, showcasing more LPs than you can shake a stick at. Vendors from throughout Vermont and the Northeast join up to peddle thousands of vinyls, ranging from Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” to R.E.M.’s Chronic Town. There’s even a $5 early-bird special for dedicated doorbusters from 11 a.m. to noon.
New Nashville
Wednesday 23
The Lone Bellow concert at Dartmouth College’s Rollins Chapel in Hanover, N.H., is designed to knock socks off with explosive harmonies and soul-shattering lyrics. The trio belted onto the music scene more than 10 years ago with a debut album that garnered global attention; over the past decade, its sound has evolved into a genre-defying fusion of Americana and rock.
Spotlight on Species
Ongoing
Renowned New York artist Angela Manno‘s one-woman show, “Saving Biodiversity: Icons of Threatened and Endangered Species” at the University of Vermont’s Francis Colburn Gallery features an ancient painting technique known as egg tempera. This meticulous process of layering yolky pigment harks back to Byzantine iconography, rooting Manno’s urgent and topical works in an art historical context.
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2024.
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