Gregory Douglass, NEK PrideFest, Newport, Sunday, June 22:

I was hoping for an epic Friday night of live music in and around the Montgomery Center/Jay Peak area. Alas, there was nothing to be found, as all the surrounding Northeast Kingdom towns lived up to their sleepy reputations once the clock struck 9 p.m. Come Saturday, however, the Kingdom was ready to party. Jay Peak hosted its Summer Solstice Sessions, which combined a rideable terrain park built that morning with a full-on battle of the bands among Night Protocol, the Shady Trees, Turbo Cats, Fred Willie Hill, and Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits. The latter took home the glory and earned a spot at next year’s Jeezum Crow Festival. On Sunday, more live jams were to be found following the parade at the third annual NEK PrideFest in Newport. A highlight of the afternoon was the return of Vermont expat pop songwriter Gregory Douglass, with Lisa Piccirillo on vocals and Monique Citro on cello. The Kingdom may go to bed a bit earlier than I’m used to, but there are plenty of good times to be had before dark.

This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2025.

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Luke Awtry took the long way to becoming a professional photographer, with a path through music, technology and engineering, and he remains active in each. His first Seven Days assignment was on Town Meeting Day in March 2018, and he has since supported...