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Twilight Music Presents Singer/Songwriter Showcase at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY, VT — On Saturday, May 2, Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present a special evening of contemporary folk in an intimate “in-the-round” format, featuring four acclaimed singer/songwriters: Alice Howe, Freebo, Sam Robbins, and Halley Neal. The concert begins at 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 6:45 pm, at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill. Tickets are $24 in advance, $28 at the door, and $10 for a livestream option, available at nextstagearts.org.

This unique shared-concert experience brings the artists together onstage throughout the evening, blending solo performances with spontaneous collaborations, storytelling, and musical interplay. The “in-the-round” format invites audiences into a more personal and conversational style of performance, where songs and stories unfold in a dynamic, communal setting.

Tiny Theater Celebrates National Poetry Month with Four-Weekend Poetry Reading Series

by tinytheater | Arts

Tiny Theater will celebrate National Poetry Month this April with an expansive four-weekend series of poetry readings honoring the rich diversity of poetic traditions across history and cultures. The FREE program will feature performances and readings spanning major poetic movements—from classical traditions to contemporary spoken word—along with special guest appearances and themed events.

Each weekend in April, hosted by ByWay Books & More,  Tiny Theater will host gatherings that highlight influential poetry periods and genres including Renaissance and Metaphysical poetry, Romantic and Victorian poetry, Faith and Devotional poetry, Modern and Postmodern poetry, and Contemporary forms such as spoken word, performance poetry, slam, and hip hop poetry.

Interfaith Youth Group Seeks to Raise Another $3800 for Service Trip in April

by Nanci Leitch | Education

The Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group has only a month before they depart on a weeklong service and learning trip to South Carolina during April spring break and they are still $3800 away from their fundraising goal. The group will learn about the history of Charleston and its connection to issues of systemic poverty, inadequate housing and racism while building their own skills of leadership and agency.

To date the group has raised money through initiatives such as a spaghetti supper, a chili supper, and a concert and presentations each week to businesses and churches.  The group has many newcomers in it as well as young people raised locally. In order to take all the interested youth, regardless of their ability to pay, they need help from the community. If you would like to contribute any amount, please visit the Youth Group’s GoFundMe page at this link:   https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-brattleboro-youths-charleston-service-trip

Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto: Kora & Accordion in a Luminous, Cross-Cultural Dialogue

by hahrenholz | Music

Friday, April 24 | 7:30 PM | Next Stage Arts, Putney, VT

Experience the transcendent music of Ablaye Cissoko and Cyrille Brotto, two masterful musicians bringing their acclaimed project Djiyo—meaning “water”—to Next Stage Arts. With the kora and diatonic accordion at the center, the duo creates a luminous dialogue that flows like a river across cultures, blending Manding and Occitan traditions into a sound both meditative and deeply human.

After nearly three years of touring and over 100 concerts worldwide, Cissoko and Brotto reunite for an intimate performance full of grace, warmth, and emotional depth. Their music is at once contemplative and quietly ecstatic, inviting listeners on a spiritual journey that clears the mind and awakens the senses. Hailed as “a gem from start to finish” by Songlines UK, Djiyo exemplifies the beauty of musical conversation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Celebrate Latin American Culture with Veronica Robles Quartet at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Step into a vibrant world of music, dance, and tradition as the Veronica Robles Quartet brings its electrifying performance to Next Stage Arts in Putney on Sunday, April 19. Doors open at 1:15 PM with the show beginning at 2:00 PM.

Veronica Robles, a celebrated female mariachi singer, musician, and Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer, has become a cultural icon in Boston’s Latino community. Known for her powerful voice and dynamic performances, she weaves together music, dance, and storytelling to celebrate Latin American heritage and the beauty of cultural diversity.

Helen O’Donnell on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Creative

As one of our premiere local gardeners, HELEN O’DONNELL talks about the heart and soul of growing plants and making gardens, and the influence of working at Hidcote Manor and Great Dixter Garden in England, and Hayward Gardens here in Westminster West. With her husband, sister and their families they own and operate The Bunker Farm in E. Dummerston. Helen is also a painter and printmaker.
Enjoy Helen’s wonderful stories of connecting to the land.

An All-Star Klezmer Evening at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

Two of the most exciting ensembles in contemporary klezmer and Yiddish music come together for a rare double bill at Next Stage Arts on Friday, April 17. Doors open at 6:45 PM; the show begins at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for livestream access via nextstagearts.org.

Jake Shulman-Ment & Abigale Reisman: Two Strings

Violinists Jake Shulman-Ment and Abigale Reisman are redefining the klezmer string band tradition. Their collaboration, Two Strings, combines breathtaking virtuosity, a deep connection to Yiddish and Eastern European musical traditions, and fearless improvisation. Joined by longtime collaborators Pete Rushefsky on tsimbl and Raffi Boden on cello, Jake and Abigale present a mix of original compositions, newly set early 20th-century radical Yiddish poetry, and rediscovered works from forgotten manuscripts. Their music—haunting, ecstatic, and deeply alive—blurs the line between past and present, sounding at home in a concert hall, a wedding canopy, or a lively tavern.

Windham County Heat Fund Benefit Concert March 21

by RDavis | Music

It may look like the heating season is almost over, but for the most vulnerable among us this is the hardest time to keep warm. Fuel assistance funds have been used up and they rely on the Windham County Heat Fund to fill the gap. Many allotments have already been cut back and now fuel prices are going crazy. Home heating fuel has gone up one dollar a gallon this past week and it is rising.

Help your neighbors and hear some great jazz on Saturday March 21, 7:30 p.m. at the Vermont Jazz Center.

Diana Whitney Celebrates New Poetry Collection Girl Trouble at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Books

PUTNEY — In honor of National Poetry Month, Next Stage Arts presents an evening of poetry, conversation, and dancing with poet Diana Whitney on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. The event celebrates the release of Whitney’s new poetry collection, Girl Trouble, which early readers are calling “unstoppable” and “deeply subversive.”

Whitney will read from the new book and be joined in conversation by poet Eve Alexandra, whose prize-winning collection None of Us in White was released in 2025. The evening will conclude with a dance party, celebrating the spirit of connection and community that poetry can inspire.

NXT Rockumentary Series Shines Spotlight on an Outsider Musician

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts continues its acclaimed NXT Rockumentary Film Series on Wednesday, April 8, with a powerful documentary exploring the life of an outsider musician. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with the screening starting at 7:00 p.m. A suggested donation of $8 is requested.

The film offers a thoughtful and compassionate look at the struggles and triumphs of a musician working outside the mainstream. Audiences will be drawn into the beauty and vulnerability of his art while witnessing the challenges he faces in everyday life. The documentary delves into the intersection of creativity, mental health, and the relationships that sustain him, creating a moving portrait that lingers long after the music ends.

Vermont Jazz Center Concert to Benefit Windham County Heat Fund

by RDavis | Music

The Vermont Jazz Center (VJC) is hosting a benefit concert for the Windham County Heat Fund on Saturday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jazz Center, Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT. The concert will celebrate the 80th birthday of bassist Cameron Brown.

Bass maestro Cameron Brown has been teaching at the VJC’s Summer Jazz Workshop since 2006.

His contributions and historic legacy will be honored as he and his New York-based band perform on March 21. All proceeds will go to the Windham County Heat Fund.

Dance Party with The Gaslight Tinkers + Luke Concannon: The Genre-Bending Future of the Music of the Past

by hahrenholz | Music

Kick off your weekend with a night of rhythm, melody, and infectious energy at Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, April 3. Doors open at 6:45 PM, with Luke Concannon opening the show, followed by the high-octane Gaslight Tinkers at 7:30 PM.

Luke Concannon brings a lifetime of music-making rooted in Irish family gatherings, where singing, dancing, and guitars filled every room. As the lead singer and co-writer of UK chart-toppers Nizlopi—best known for The JCB Song and a key influence on Ed Sheeran—Luke now shines as a solo artist. His 2022 album Ecstatic Bird in the Burning debuted at No. 12 on both the UK and US folk charts, earning praise for its heartfelt, community-centered songwriting.

Van Wile on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Media

VAN WILE has some great stories of the BCTV culture – staff camaraderie, collaborations with other Brattleboro media, and the rigor – and fun – of what it takes to create, produce, film and cover all aspects of our community. Plus Van’s personal stories of “muscle cars”, silica gel paks, murder boards, and thrifting.

Guilford Chamber Singers Seeks Singers for June Concert

by fomag | Music

Guilford Chamber Singers, sponsored by Friends of Music at Guilford, is seeking voices for our June concert, A Cappella a la Carte (exact date TBA).

We are a well-regarded ensemble led by Tom Baehr, veteran director of multiple FOMAG concerts since 2014.  Repertoire would be part-songs covering 5 centuries, 17th to 21st.  The lyricists are quite varied, including Elgar, Campion, Thoreau, Emerson, Blake, Sterndale Bennett and more.

Vermont Timbre Hosts Open Mic with Special Guest Peter Siegel

by hahrenholz | Music

Vermont Timbre—Amelia Struthers and Mike Mrowicki—invite the community to an evening of music, poetry, and storytelling at their Open Mic on Sunday, March 29 at Next Stage Arts in Putney. Doors open at 6:15 PM, and the show begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is a $10 suggested donation, and RSVPs are encouraged at nextstagearts.org.

The night will feature a special performance by Peter Siegel of The Gaslight Tinkers, alongside open slots for local musicians, poets, and performers. Sets will run 10–15 minutes, depending on sign-ups, offering a supportive stage for sharing original work or favorite pieces.

Twilight Music Brings a Songwriters’ Circle—and a Headliner—to Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

Putney’s Twilight Music series continues its tradition of intimate, listening-room concerts with a standout Singer/Songwriter Showcase on Friday, March 20, at Next Stage Arts. The evening opens with a special in-the-round set from Early Risers, Jake Klar, and Lizzy Mandell, before culminating in Andrea von Kampen’s debut performance at the venue.

Doors open at 6:45 pm, with music beginning at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the door, or $10 for the livestream, available at nextstagearts.org.

The opening set brings three distinct voices together in a collaborative circle. Early Risers—known for their close harmonies and roots-rich arrangements featuring banjo, mandolin, piano, guitar, and shruti box—reunited in 2015 after solo careers and quickly found national traction. Their debut album, Making Life Sweet, topped the Folk DJ Charts, with multiple tracks landing in the top ten.

Opening Doors Project Brings “Race & Song” to Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY — Music, memory, and meaning will take center stage at Next Stage Arts on Saturday, March 14, when the Opening Doors Project presents Race & Song: A Musical Conversation with Pamela Means and Alastair Moock.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:45 p.m., at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. Tickets are available at nextstagearts.org for $20 in advance, $25 at the door, or $10 for the livestream option.

A Lifeline for Difficult Times: The Taking Solace Series March: Come See Me in the Good Light film

by CenterforSolace | Media

Wednesday, March 4th at 6 pm: “Come See Me in the Good Light”. This is a poignant and unexpectedly funny love story about poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley facing an incurable cancer diagnosis with joy, wit and an unshakable partnership. Through laughter and unwavering love, they transform pain into purpose, and mortality into a loving celebration of resilience.

This will be held on the Main Floor of Brooks Memorial Library.