On the Beat: Ramblin’ On in the O.N.E.

We’re coming up on the last weekend of July, which means it’s time for the Ramble, the massive one-day block party held this Saturday, July 25, throughout Burlington’s Old North End. Now in its 22nd year, the festival celebrates the spirit and creativity of the community with live music, art shows, flower farm tours, pop-up boutiques, dance parties and even potato printing. That’s right: You can carve a potato into art.

I feel like the promo could stop there, but there’s plenty more to do at the Ramble. Plant swaps, karate demos, chess tournaments and lots of incredible food options round out one of my favorite annual Burlington events. Oh, and music. Because that’s what we do in this li’l corner of the paper, right?

In addition to porch shows and unannounced pop-up performances, musical options abound. Ratsmission on North Winooski Avenue has a loaded lineup, including Happy Spangler and Noah Kesey. The Steph Pappas Experience is set to play a picnic at Pomeroy Park, and Coven, Tub Time and JuggleCycle throw down at Taco Gordo in a fundraiser for local musician Kevin Bloom’s campaign for Chittenden County sheriff.

Believe me, that is just the tip of the iceberg, folks. Head over to theramble.org for more information — you don’t want to miss the epic bike ride or community photo. Ramble on!

You ever get one of those emails that makes you ask yourself, Seriously, what year is it? That’s how your Friendly Neighborhood Music Editor was feeling after getting a message announcing that Burlington indie-rock royalty Chin Ho! were not only putting out an album, their first of new material in decades, but that the band had been signed to Southern California label Pacific Records. I honestly thought I’d eaten an edible for breakfast by accident. But nope, turns out that the band is back and ready to relaunch. Chin Ho! are set to release The Mystery of the Curse of the Chin Ho! Mystery Curse next month, 25 years after their last proper record.

I’ll be catching up soon with the band, which has booked a show at Higher Ground in November, so stay tuned. In the meantime, the first single from the new album, “Tractor, Pull,” is streaming on YouTube.

Cricket Blue Credit: Courtesy of Jeff Weeks

Burlington folk duo Cricket Blue announced that their new album, Sweet Animal, is due out on September 18. The band, which wonderfully describes itself as “indie chamber folk to make you weep into your tomatoes,” also released an advance single from the record.

“Ella I,” is a gorgeous, haunting song that functions as a tribute to singer and guitarist Laura Heaberlin’s late grandmother as well as a meditation on death. Dripping with the signature harmonies of Heaberlin and fellow songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Taylor Smith, the track is a tantalizing appetizer for a hotly anticipated album.

“Ella I” is available on major streaming services now. You can catch Cricket Blue live on Friday, July 24, at the Monkey House in Winooski, with folk singer Gillian Grogan.

Burlington rapper and producer NasteeLuvzYou is dropping a new record on Sunday, July 26, via his own label, AfterLyfe Music. CE 2: Man’s Mission features a slew of rappers hopping on Nastee’s tracks, including Connecticut MC Cambatta and Boston’s Akrobatik, as well as Nastee’s brother and frequent collaborator, Burlington artist Konflik.

The record hits the same day as the album release show, a blowout at Zenbarn in Waterbury Center, where Nastee and Konflik open for Oakland rap group Souls of Mischief. Check out zenbarnvt.com for more information on the show and to purchase tickets. The record will be available at afterlyfemusic1.bandcamp.com.