Singer and composer Moira Smiley has a new album on the way called The Rhizome Project. The Vermont-based folk artist will give fans an early listen of the record when she performs it live on Saturday, September 16, at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury.
“The Rhizome Project is a concert of folk songs that form the root system of my musical identity,” Smiley wrote in an email. Backed by John Dunlop on cello, Brooke Quiggins Saulnier and Laura Markowitz on violin, and Stefanie Taylor on viola, Smiley will play a collection of folk songs from the Anglo-Celtic tradition and some of her original compositions.
The inspiration for the project came from Smiley’s work with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra‘s Jukebox Quartet. The VSO series brings a quartet of musicians to play some of the world’s most innovative classical music in venues where classical music rarely pops up, such as Higher Ground nightclub in South Burlington.
“I was smitten with the string quartet’s extraordinary range of colors,” Smiley wrote. “That range gives me, as arranger and vocalist, a thrilling chance to express the songs’ characters and emotions.”
For tickets and more information, visit townhalltheater.org.
Comedian Ash Diggs is headed back to his old stomping grounds for some laughs. The Burlington expat left town in 2022 for the big pond that is New York City, but he returns on Thursday, September 21, to perform “Unexpectedly Human: A Half Hour With Ash Diggs” at Radio Bean.
Presented by local comedian Max Higgins‘ Comedy Wolf series, Diggs’ show covers race, mental health, substance abuse, and “the desire to be known and loved.” He swears it’s a comedy show!
Seriously, Diggs is one of the best comedians Burlington has produced in recent years. Catch him while you can! Locals Nic Sisk and Mike Thomas open the show. Pop over to radiobean.com for more information and ticket links.
Not enough funny stuff for you? Well, good news: Vermont Comedy All-Stars is planning a big show for Saturday, September 30, at Next Stage Arts in Putney, featuring comedians Jessie Baade, Austin Borg, Adison Eyring, Julia DiFerdinando and Liam Welsh. The nonprofit grassroots All-Stars, whose mission is to support and promote the comic arts in Vermont, hosts comedy nights around the state, from Nectar’s in Burlington to Montpelier’s Bent Nails Bistro.
“We’ve got to keep laughing to handle the news, these days,” wrote Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts, in a press release for the event. “The Vermont Comedy All Stars bring the best and brightest from around the state and beyond.”
Marks pointed out that many of the comedians featured in the All-Stars shows have moved to New York City and started successful careers in comedy.
“We’re proud to give them a space in southern Vermont to be seen,” Marks wrote.
To purchase tickets, visit nextstagearts.org.
Eye on the Scene
Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry
South End Art Hop, Burlington, September 8–10: I heard that the Church Street Marketplace was unusually quiet this past weekend, and I’d wager a guess as to why: the 31st annual South End Art Hop! With the stretch of Pine Street from the Soda Plant to Flynn Avenue packed with open studios, public art installations and music, it was the place to be. Though the festival is hosted by the South End Arts + Business Association, whose primary interest lies with the visual arts, it has always had its share of live music, with Vermont’s New Nile Orchestra playing the first iteration of Art Hop in 1993. This year’s lineup included the High Breaks, Pontoon, Danny LeFrancois, MAD, Happy Spangler, Andriana & the Bananas, DJ Kanga and the debut of BTV band Holy Heart. Many of those acts were part of Mal Maïz‘s Art Hop Block Party, held on Friday and Saturday at RIVEN Studio — the place to be for live music at Art Hop last weekend. What can I say? Art rocks.
On the Air
Where to tune in to Vermont music this week:
- “Wave Cave Radio Show,” Wednesday, September 13, 2 p.m. on 105.9 the Radiator: DJs Flywlker and Gingervitus spin the best of local and nonlocal hip-hop.
- “Exposure,” Wednesday, September 13, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Indie rock band Neato perform live.
- “Rocket Shop Radio Hour,” Wednesday, September 13, 8 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: Host Tom Proctor plays selections of local music.
- “The Sounds of Burlington,” Thursday, September 14, 9 p.m., at wbkm.org: Host Tim Lewis plays selections of local music.
- “Cultural Bunker,” Friday, September 15, 7 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Host Melo Grant plays local and nonlocal hip-hop.
- “Acoustic Harmony,” Saturday, September 16, 4 p.m., on 91.1 WGDR: Host Mark Michaelis plays folk and Americana music with an emphasis on Vermont artists.
- “Local Music Spotlight,” Sunday, September 17, 7 p.m., on Vermont Public: Host Robert Resnik plays an assortment of folk music with a focus on Vermont artists.
Listening In
Spotify playlist of Vermont jams
This article appears in The Performing Arts Preview 2023.
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