Putney

Kruger Brothers at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present contemporary bluegrass, Americana, and folk trio the Kruger Brothers at Next Stage on Friday, July 7 at 7:30 pm.

In their ever-expanding body of work, Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals), and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition. Although initially staying fairly close to a traditional repertoire, the Kruger Brothers later turned to songwriting and composition in order to draw more closely from their personal experiences. Their ability to infuse themes and forms of classical music into folk music creates a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music.

Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series to Present a Dance Party with Salsa Ensemble LPT & Reggae Band The Human Rights

by hahrenholz | Music

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents a salsa and reggae dance party with Jacksonville, FL-based 10-piece salsa ensemble and Toronto-based modern roots reggae band The Human Rights, on Saturday, June 24 at 6:00 pm at The Putney Inn, 57 Putney Landing Rd, in Putney, VT.

“This is one we’ve been dreaming about – a double bill with a reggae band and a 10-piece Salsa orchestra,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “The double bill showcases a lot of Caribbean influences in one day of dancing and fun. LPT was meant to perform in March of 2020, and with a lot of stops and starts, we’re glad to be able to pair them with our Reggae friends to the north.”

International Musical Collective Sia Tolno & Afro Dead to Perform at Cooper Field as Part of the Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series

by hahrenholz | Music

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents Guinean musical artist Sia Tolno and international musical collective Afro Dead, live at Cooper Field on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at 6:00pm. Sia Tolno will perform both solo and as the lead vocalist of Afro Dead, which reimagines the music of the Grateful Dead in an African style.

Sia Tolno is an award-winning global touring & recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, from Guinea/Sierra Leone, steeped in Afrobeat, Afro-blues, Mandinga and Soukous styles of African popular music. Her music is both personal and universal, singing about her unique past while making it relevant to the global masses. She has worked with Tony Allen (Musical director for Fela Kuti) and Lusafrica records, and her new album is being recorded in Barcelona produced by Aaron Feder in collaboration with Slow Walk Music.

Underground System to Open Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series at Cooper Field in Putney on Friday, May 19

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts is pleased to announce that the Bandwagon Summer Series will kick off on Friday, May 19 at 6pm with a performance by the Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band, Underground System. The concert will take place at Cooper Field in Putney, and will be co-presented with the Stone Church.

“We’re thrilled to have Underground System kick off the Bandwagon Summer Series,” said Next Stage Arts Executive Director Keith Marks. “They’re an incredible band that’s known for their infectious grooves and high-energy performances, and we’re confident that they’ll get the crowd moving and set the tone for what promises to be an amazing series of concerts.”

Underground System is a Brooklyn-based band that draws on a diverse array of influences, including afrobeat, funk, and dance music. Known for their high-energy performances and infectious grooves, the band has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, earning a reputation as one of the most exciting live acts on the scene.

RUNA at Next Stage on April 2nd

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Celtic-American Roots music quintet RUNA on Sunday, April 2 at 7:00 pm at Next Stage.

Celebrating 14 years together as a band, RUNA continues to push the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats.  Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco, and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music.  RUNA has been honored internationally, winning “Top Group” and “Top Traditional Group” in the Irish Music Awards and three Independent Music Awards including “Best LIVE Album,” “Best World/Traditional Song,” and “Best Bluegrass Song.”

Eva Nolan for WSESD Board

by nolan | Politics

This Tuesday, please consider casting a vote for Eva Nolan as one of Dummerston’s 2 representatives on the WSESD school board, which serves Dummerston, Brattleboro, Putney, and Guilford.

Her background as a mother of 2 boys, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and years of professional experience in outreach and support to survivors of abuse, Eva is uniquely qualified for this role.

The Foreign Landers at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of bluegrass and folk music by The Foreign Landers on Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 pm at Next Stage.

Drawing from the musical styles of their homelands, transatlantic, multi-instrumentalist duo David Benedict (from South Carolina) and Tabitha Agnew Benedict (from Northern Ireland) join with Nate Sabat on acoustic bass and Julian Pinelli on fiddle for their 2023 tour to celebrate the release of the CD “Traveler’s Rest.” David and Tabitha’s authenticity and originality in songwriting, instrumental prowess on guitar, banjo, and mandolin, evocative vocals, and unique transatlantic touch all combine to create a unique sound that is inexpressibly foreign and yet familiar.

Walter Parks & Rob Curto’s Swampalachian Trail on 3/10

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents Walter Parks and Rob Curto’s “Swampalachian Trail” on Friday, March 10 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage

Walter Parks, longtime guitarist sideman to Woodstock legend Richie Havens joins accordionist extraordinaire Rob Curto in presenting their self-described “Swampalachian” acoustic and roots style – a blend of reels, hollers, spirituals and blues. Their project reimagines the historic soundtrack to the building of America reminding us all regardless of political and cultural diversity, that whereas we may be bonded by an often painful history, we are nonetheless moved and united in the present day by the love of great music.

Karan Casey at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY – Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present trailblazing Irish singer/songwriter Karan Casey on Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 pm at Next Stage. For her March ’23 US tour with fiddler Sheila Falls and guitarist Matt Heaton, Karan premieres songs from her brand new album “NIne Apples of Gold,” mixed with favorites from her previous eleven albums.

Singing songs charged with a sense of social responsibility in a career spanning over 25 years, Karan Casey was among the vanguard of the Irish music revival’s “third wave” of the early 1990s, and a founding member of the seminal Irish American band “Solas” before launching her solo career in 1999. Though steeped early on in Irish traditional and folk music, Karan has long followed an eclectic path, whether studying classical music, fronting jazz bands, or working with Frank Harte, a much-revered folk/traditional singer from Dublin. The list of artists that she’s collaborated with is similarly diverse – James Taylor, Maura O’Connell, Karen Matheson, the Boston Pops Orchestra, Liam Clancy, Tim O’Brien, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, and Béla Fleck, among others. A Waterford, Ireland native, Karan has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Japan.

Next Stage Arts Presents a Dance Party Featuring the Music of Blues Guitarist Duke Robillard and His Band on 2/24

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Join Next Stage for a dance party featuring the music of blues guitarist Duke Robillard and his band, on Friday, February 24 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, in Putney.

Whether it’s a song, a style, an idiom or an image, Duke Robillard will render it with mastery, power, nuance and an unerring grasp of its essence.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present New England’s acclaimed folk/roots quartet Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at Next Stage on Sunday, January 22 at 4:00 pm.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem feature 4-part vocal harmonies, indelible songs, fiddle, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and a homemade percussion kit of cardboard boxes, tin cans, caulk tubes, packing-tape tambourines, bottle-cap rattles, Mongolian jaw harps, and a vinyl suitcase. Over the past 20 years, the quartet has toured its uplifting, healing performances to concert halls, festivals, and residency engagements across North America, and has released seven CDs on Signature Sounds. From the Newport Folk Festival to California World Music Festival and beyond, this band’s steadfast brew of wit, camaraderie, and musicality leaves audiences everywhere humming and hopeful, spirits renewed.

Antje Duvekot and The Sea The Sea at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of contemporary folk music with Antje Duvekot and The Sea The Sea at Next Stage on Saturday, January 14 at 7:30 pm.

Antje Duvekot is a German-born, American-raised singer/songwriter whose songs have been critically praised for their hard-won wisdom, dark-eyed realism, and street-smart romanticism. Her bicultural upbringing and relative newness to English have helped shape her unique way with a song, giving her a startlingly original poetic palette. They are the keys to the powerful, even revolutionary, empathy that informs everything she writes. She has won some of the top songwriting awards including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the Kerrville Folk Festival Best New Folk Award and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act.

Film Screening and Concert Feature Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir, at NextStage On 1/7

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents a screening of The Reverend, a documentary feature film, followed by a Q&A with director Nick Canfield on Saturday, January 7 at 2:00 pm at Next Stage. The subjects of the film, Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir, perform at Next Stage at 7:30 pm.

Monday nights in Brooklyn are world-famous because of Reverend Vince and His Love Choir,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “He’s the musician of the musicians of New York, attracting a packed house every Monday night with a who’s who list of attendees dancing. This has been a dream of ours to bring this documentary film of him, followed by Vince and the Love Choir.

THE REVEREND follows the spiritual and musical journey of Reverend Vince Anderson. After coming to New York in the 90’s to enter the seminary, Vince dropped out to follow his second calling – music. With his band The Love Choir, he has played a now-legendary weekly show for over twenty years. Reconnecting with his faith and using his intense soulful music, he began to preach a type of spirituality that meets people where they are, is open to all, and moves everyone that sees him play. Reverend Vince is also deeply involved in social activism, working with other progressive faith leaders at home and around the country to build inclusive communities. Filmed over several years and featuring Questlove and members of TV On The Radio, The Reverend is a rocking concert film as well as an intimate portrait of Reverend Vince’s inspiring personal and spiritual life. 86 minutes.

American Roots Jazz Band The Afro-Centric Experience Performs at Next Stage Arts on December 10th

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts presents an evening with American roots jazz band The Afro-Centric Experience, on Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage Arts.

The Afro-Semitic Experience is an American roots jazz band with a difference. They are a group of Jewish-American and African-American musicians who have been performing, recording, and teaching together for over 20 years. Their friendship ignites their passion and purpose: Together, as a band, they merge their musical roots, Jewish and Afro-diasporic melodies and grooves, combining the core concepts of ase and shalom – power, action, unity, and peace. Their music embodies the radical notion that people of different faiths, races, and beliefs can come together, and celebrate and build community. Their repertoire is a mix of original compositions and arrangements of pieces curated from Jewish and African-diasporic cultures. Their music reaches out to a distinct open-minded listening audience; their intentional merging of jazz with the spiritual and the sacred has allowed them to share our music in concert as well as at worship services in houses of worship across the United States.

“The work of Afro-Semitic explores how two distinct cultures and histories have much to learn and share from one another,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “They explore the intersections of diaspora, roots, and a renewed expression of peace in difficult times. And they happen to also be incredible musicians and educators.”

Vermont Comedy All Stars return to Next Stage Arts for a Special Holiday Stand-up Comedy Event on Friday, December 9th at 7:30pm

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Gordon Clark and his Vermont Comedy All-Stars are back for a special holiday stand-up comedy event at Next Stage Arts!

“We all need reasons to laugh, and the Vermont Comedy All Stars do an outstanding job,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts.

The cast of stellar performers includes:

LEAH BONNEMA is a Los Angeles based comedian hailing from rural Maine. Her broadcast credits include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Chris Gethard Presents, Oculus & AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live, IFC’s Comedy Crib, TruTV’s Comedy Knockout and Vh1’s 100 Greatest series. Leah has had the honor of performing for our troops overseas, and has featured in numerous comedy festivals, including The New York Comedy Festival, The Lucille Ball Comedy Fest at The National Comedy Center, The Women in Comedy Festival, The International Glasgow Comedy Fest, Bumbershoot and The Kennedy Center’s District of Comedy Festival in Washington DC.

Jazz Chamber Ensemble The Global Trio Performs at Next Stage Arts on December 3rd

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents an evening with Boston-based jazz chamber ensemble The Global Trio, featuring pianist Chase Morrin, cellist Naseem Alatrash, and percussionist George Lernis, on Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage Arts.

“Earlier this year, we hosted these musicians as part of the Berklee World Strings Ensemble,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “These three were the highlight of the show, and when we had the opportunity to bring them back, we jumped on it. They represent different cultural and faith traditions, blending elements of jazz, world music traditions, and soulful expression – we couldn’t be more proud to present this to our community.”

The Global Trio features piano, cello, and percussion, breaking boundaries in jazz, classical, and folkloric traditions from the Middle East. Seeking new sounds of inclusion and global jazz, Morrin, Alatrash, and Lernis create dynamic, energetic, and surprising compositions in order to tell stories from around the world and to bring the world of improvisation and spontaneous musical communication to the stage.

Vermont Comedy All Stars Return to Next Stage Arts For A Night Of Stand-up Comedy on Friday, September 9th at 7:30pm

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Gordon Clark and his Vermont Comedy All-Stars return for a night of stand-up comedy at Next Stage Arts, following their enormously successful shows in November and March. Featured performers will include several contest-winning and touring comedians most often seen in the Burlington area. 

“We all need reasons to laugh, and the Vermont Comedy All Stars do an outstanding job,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “Comedians will be coming from all around the state to perform – partnering with the All Stars allows them to reach a new audience in the southern part of the state, and build a new following.”

The cast of stellar performers includes:

HatchSpace Seeks Volunteers for a Community Woodworking Project

by HatchSpace | Putney

HatchSpace, Brattleboro’s community woodworking facility, is looking for assistance with a special service project to benefit the Putney Central School. Volunteers will work alongside skilled woodworkers to build classroom worktables. Light carpentry skills appreciated but not necessary. We’re aiming for an August 1st start date, with day and evening work sessions to last for about two weeks. This will be a fun and instructive experience! Please contact Karen at info@hatchspace.org for more information.

Next Stage’s Bandwagon Summer Series presents Slavic Soul Party! on Sunday, August 14 at 6pm at the Retreat Farm

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage’s Bandwagon Summer Series presents Slavic Soul Party! on Sunday, August 14 at 6pm at the Retreat Farm: “New York’s Official #1 Band for BalkanSoulGypsyFunk”

“Easily one of the most exciting artists we’re bringing this summer, Slavic Soul Party checks all the boxes,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “They’re masters of the Roma style of music that encapsulates dancing energy, old world sounds, and they make it so fresh and new that audiences from around the world have hailed them as one of the greatest contributors to the genre. This show is going to be fun!”