On the Beat: Mike Thomas Is Vermont's Funniest Comic; New Music From Madaila and Dari Bay 

Congrats to Burlington comedian Mike Thomas. The standup won the Vermont's Funniest Comedian contest over the weekend at the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington. The finals featured 10 of the state's best and funniest performers, including Max Higgins, Maggie Phelan and Scott Goyette, all vying for the biggest laughs.

Thomas is a decade-long veteran of the local comedy scene, and it's great to see him taking the crown in a crowded field. All hail Vermont's funniest comedian!

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• Courtesy
• Mark Daly

Madaila is back with a new single, "Tunnel Vision." The project of Vermont songwriter Mark Daly, it's a synth-heavy, '80s-leaning pop jam featuring infectious beats and Daly's signature falsetto. "Better live in the moment / there's no time like the present," Daly sings on the danceable, live-for-today anthem.

Daly dropped another single, "Time Erase," last month. Both tracks, streaming now on Spotify, are early releases from the forthcoming Madaila album called On an Island. So stay tuned!

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• Courtesy Of Nate Stritzler
• Dari Bay

Burlington-based indie rocker Dari Bay, aka Zack James, has released two remixes from his album Longest Day of the Year. The folky, subdued "Imagine What Could Happen" gets a synth-pop makeover from New York City producer Hollow Comet, aka Isaac Eiger from the band Strange Ranger. And one of the album's fuzzier, rocked-out tracks, "River," gets pulled apart and reshaped into a shoegazing drum and bass song, courtesy of NYC-based singer-songwriter Tobias. Both tracks are streaming at daribay.bandcamp.com.

In related Dari Bay news, James is set to host the latest installment of Rock Night at Burlington's Light Club Lamp Shop on Friday, December 8, along with Brattleboro break-out indie rockers THUS LOVE and James' other band, Robber Robber.

Eye on the Scene

Last week's live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

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• Luke Awtry
• Radio Bean 23rd Birthday Bash

Radio Bean 23rd Birthday Bash, Burlington, Saturday, November 4: After never making it to the first set of the daylong Radio Bean Birthday Bash in my 21 years of living in Burlington, I decided this was the year. I am not a morning person, but it seemed doable, especially given that the full day of more than 100 performances split between Radio Bean and the Light Club Lamp Shop started at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., as it has in the past. I was up at 9:10. Showered, dressed and cats fed by 9:25. Kountry Kart Deli order placed by 9:35. I knew it would all come down to how quickly I could dip in and out of KKD, Shiner in hand. I was there at 9:45 — but alas, someone in front of me with allergy concerns had ordered the falafel. I rolled into Radio Bean at 10:21, right at the start of the second act of the day, Jo Bled, knowing I had once again failed. I'll just have to try again next year, on an empty stomach if need be. Happy 23rd, Radio Bean.