Upon moving to Vermont in 2011 to attend what was then Johnson State College, Zach Schuster was ecstatic to discover all the weekend-long, outdoor music festivals happening across the Green Mountain State. The steady erosion of that kind of event over the years since has vexed the musician, producer and mind behind electronic act Roost.World.
“The classic camping and late-night music fest has been dying out in Vermont for years now,” Schuster said. “It’s been driving me fucking crazy.”
Not content to simply mourn the passing of the Vermont-style fest, Schuster decided to create a new one — minus the camping. Groundhog Fest kicks off on Friday, January 31, and runs all weekend across multiple Burlington venues, from City Hall Park to T. Ruggs Tavern in the Old North End.
Using experience gained throwing raves and the Burlington Electronic Department showcases at Radio Bean, Schuster has booked some impressive underground talent to headline Groundhog Fest. New York City electronic musician the Juan MacLean, Seattle’s Succubass, Brooklyn DJ Rose Kourts and indie synth act Public Circuit are just a few of the highlights.
There’s also a big helping of local artists on the bill, combining indie-rock and funk scenes with the electronic acts. To represent local indie rock, which Schuster acknowledges is “totally insane right now,” Groundhog Fest features some of the best acts in the state, including Robber Robber, Lily Seabird, the Dead Shakers, Greaseface and Brunch. Malagasy singer-songwriter Mikahely, jazz musician Cam Gilmour and producer Amelia Devoid are also on the bill.
“If I had a rational mind about money, I’d probably wonder what the hell I’m doing,” Schuster said with a laugh. “But it feels like an act of resistance to do this in a society where it seems increasingly difficult to pull off.”
Groundhog Fest pops out of its hole next Friday, January 31, 6 p.m., at Muddy Waters and closes, of course, on Groundhog Day — Sunday, February 2 — with a late-night wrap party at T. Ruggs Tavern. There’s also a ski/snowboard/skateboard rail jam on Saturday, February 1, 1 to 6 p.m., in City Hall Park that’s free and open to the public.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit groundhog.world.
A different kind of music festival returns this weekend in Brattleboro. The 18th annual Northern Roots Festival, a showcase of traditional folk music from European, Scandinavian and Canadian cultures, takes over the Brattleboro Music Center for three days of world-class music this Friday to Sunday, January 24 to 26.
The festivities begin on Friday with a performance by some of the top names in the French Canadian traditional music world, including accordionist Sabin Jacques, pianist Rachel Aucoin, fiddler Pascal Gemme, guitarist Yann Falquet and Brattleboro’s own Keith Murphy.
Workshops held throughout the festival include topics such as “Ergonomics for Fiddlers,” “Québécois Piano,” and “Maritime Songs.” It all wraps up with another massive jam on Sunday, bookending the weekend with French Canadian sounds.
To learn more, check out bmcvt.org.
Italian singer-songwriter Peppe Voltarelli‘s current world tour lands in Brattleboro on Friday, January 24, with a performance at the Latchis Theater as part of its International Music Series. Fresh off releasing his latest album, La grande corsa verso Lupionòpolis (“The great race to Lupionòpolis”) the folk and pop artist launched a 130-date tour that swung through Italy, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland before hitting American shores last week.
A winner of Italy’s prestigious Loano Prize for folk music, Voltarelli is accompanied on tour by violinist and composer Luca Ciarla. For tickets and more information, go to latchis.com.
Eye on the Scene
Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry
Sungazer at Nectar’s, Burlington, Friday, January 17: School was in session at Nectar’s last Friday night. Sungazer, the progressive fusion duo of bassist Adam Neely and drummer Shawn Crowder, joined by guitarist Joshua De La Victoria and tenor saxophonist Jared Yee, made a stop in Burlington for show No. 31 of an insane 55-date, seven-month world tour. Neely, a prolific YouTube personality, leads the band not just with his masterful bass technique but also with his own brand of scientific musicology. To put it bluntly: These guys are total music nerds primarily concerned with questions such as, “How fast is our brain/body capable of playing?” and “At what tempo is the listener no longer able to discern differences in pitch or rhythm?” To wit, the band’s encore performance of Mahavishnu Orchestra’s 1971 fusion rocker “Vital Transformation.” Neely asked the audience at what tempo they wanted the song played — it was originally recorded at 145 bpm and already too fast for most — and agreed to a speedy 170 bpm. Spoiler alert: They nailed it, and the equally nerdy Burlington crowd kept right up.
Listening In
Playlist of Vermont jams
This article appears in Jan 22-28, 2025.
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