The Suitcase Junket plus Kate Lorenz and The Constellations at Next Stage on Friday, November 15

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present The Suitcase Junket – Matt Lorenz’s internationally touring, throat-singing, slide guitar playing one-man band – plus rock/folk/country/blues band Kate Lorenz and The Constellations at Next Stage on Friday, November 15 at 7:30 pm.

With warmth, wildness, unkempt vitality and sharply imaginative musicality, The Suitcase Junket works the border of Americana and rock, with image-driven songwriting, idiosyncratic storytelling and effusive vocal presence.  Artist, tinkerer, swamp yankee, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matt Lorenz draws from a fantastically patchwork sonic palette, shaping his songs with elements of jangly folk, fuzzed-out blues, oddly textured psych-rock and dance-hall festivity. 


Putney Bridge Deck Replacement Public Meeting

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will hold a public information meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Putney Fire Station, 21 Carl Snyder Drive, Putney. The purpose is to discuss a project that will replace the deck of the US Route 5 bridge in Putney Center at the intersection of Kimball Hill Road. Construction will start in Spring 2020.

The existing structure is a single span cast-in-place deck on rolled beams constructed in 1954. The bridge is owned and maintained by the State of Vermont. VTrans bridge inspectors have observed areas of heavy saturation, cracking, and evidence of significant concrete deterioration. VTrans engineers determined that the most cost effective and viable approach to address deterioration of the aging bridge deck is to replace it.


StompBox and Pumpkintown at Next Stage on Saturday, November 2

Next Stage Arts Project presents an evening Americana music and art with StompBox Trio and Pumpkintown at Next Stage on Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 pm.

StompBoxTrio is a Western Massachusetts-based band that features Evelyn Harris (vocals, percussion), John Cabán (“Dobro” steel guitar, stompbox) and David Rodriguez (wood bass, foot tambourine). The trio reaches deep into the wellspring of vintage American blues, funk and soul to bring folks a hip-shaking, foot-stomping great time.


Ben Cosgrove and Mark Kroos at Next Stage on Friday, October 18

Next Stage Arts Project presents a double bill with pianist Ben Cosgrove and guitarist Mark Kroos at Next Stage on Friday, October 18 at 7:30 pm.

Ben Cosgrove is a traveling composer-performer whose music explores themes of landscape, place and environment in North America.  Ben has performed his “electric and exhilarating” instrumental music in every U.S. state except Delaware and Hawaii, and held artist residencies and fellowships with institutions including the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, Harvard University, Middlebury College, the Schmidt Ocean Institute and the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology.


The Akwaaba Ensemble and U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo at Next Stage on Friday, October 4

Next Stage Arts Project presents The Akwaaba Ensemble, traditional African drumming and dance, at Next Stage on Friday, October 4 at 7:30 pm.  Opening for Akwaaba Ensemble will be award-winning performance artist, singer, musician and author U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo. Tickets are $20 advance available online, at the Putney General Store and at Turn It Up! in Brattleboro, and $24 at the door. Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT, and features a recently-renovated state of the art performance space with a great dance floor, sound system, and beer and wine cash bar.


FLOW at Next Stage on Wednesday, September 25

Forty years after Windham Hill became a catalyst for a global musical phenomenon, its bountiful legacy of best-selling instrumental artists and Grammy-winning musicians extends into a new age with FLOW — a new four-piece ensemble comprised of Windham Hill Records Founder Will Ackerman and three of today’s most acclaimed independent artists.  FLOW is an anagram of the group’s names Fiona Joy Hawkins (Australian Pianist), Lawrence Blatt (acoustic guitarist), Jeff Oster (Flugelhorn master) and Grammy winning guitarist and producer Will Ackerman.


Blues & BBQ with Danny Brooks and Li’l Miss Debi plus Sunny Lowdown at Next Stage on Saturday, September 21

Next Stage Arts Project presents Blues & BBQ with Texassippi Soul Man Danny Brooks and Li’l Miss Debi and Blues Blast Music Award nominee Sunny Lowdown at the Next Stage Café, on Saturday, September 21. BBQ by Top of the Hill Grill will be for sale starting at 6 pm, with music starting at 7 pm. Admission is $10 in advance available online at nextstagearts.org or at the door. Next Stage offers a beer and wine cash bar, and there will be a dance floor.  Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT. For more information, visitinfo@nextstagearts.org.


Putney’s New Jetport for the Elite

putney planes ad

Don’t you just love ‘personalized’ ads? I came across this one today and it made me laugh. It’s for reduced-price private personal planes in [location] and that location is Putney, VT.

Just look at the gorgeous plane parked in [Putney]. It certainly looks like [Putney] to all of us who live around here, right?


Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens at Next Stage on Saturday, September 14

Next Stage Arts Project is thrilled to present Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens on Saturday, September 14 at 7:30 pm, returning to Next Stage after rocking the house for sold out crowds at their two previous appearances.

Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens are an American gospel and soul music group led by front woman Naomi Shelton. The group was formed in 1999. They have released two albums with Daptone Records, What Have You Done, My Brother? (2009) and Cold World (2014).


John McCutcheon at Next Stage on Friday, September 13

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening with folksinger, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, storyteller, activist and author John McCutcheon at Next Stage on Friday, September 13 at 7:30 pm.  “not only one of the best musicians in the USA… he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction” – Pete Seeger

Folk music’s “Rustic Renaissance Man” (Washington Post) John McCutcheon is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer.  His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe.  His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. 


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents Low Lily on Sunday, August 25

Twilight Music concludes its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, August 25 with folk and Americana trio Low Lily.  The seventh and final concert of the 2019 series begins at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents Planet Zydeco on Sunday, August 11

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, August 11 with Planet Zydeco performing their high energy accordion/guitar driven dance music of Louisiana.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.


Sam Reider and The Human Hands plus Aura Shards at Next Stage on Saturday, August 3

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music’s “Rising Star” concert series continues with Sam Reider and The Human Hands, a “staggeringly virtuosic band” (RnR Magazine) of Brooklyn-based bluegrass and jazz musicians, plus Brattleboro-based world fusion duo Aura Shards, at Next Stage on Saturday, August 3 at 7:30 pm.  NSAP and Twilight Music are committed to supporting young, emerging artists, and the new series puts the spotlight on exciting, ready-to-be-discovered performers who are appearing at Next Stage for the first time.


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents the Julian Gerstin Sextet on Sunday, July 28

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, July 28 with the Julian Gerstin Sextet performing original jazz influenced by rhythms and melodies of the Caribbean and Eastern Europe.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.  The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Green Mountain Well, Soundview Paper Company, The Putney Food Co-op, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney area businesses and organizations.  The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available.  For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents Cantrip on Sunday, July 14

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, July 14 with high energy Scottish music bagpipes/fiddle/guitar trio Cantrip.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.


The Seamus Egan Project at Next Stage on Saturday, July 6

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present The Seamus Egan Project, featuring the longtime leader of the legendary Irish-American band Solas, at Next Stage on Saturday, July 6 at 7:30 pm.  Beginning with tunes from his groundbreaking 1996 album “When Juniper Sleeps,” which was the impetus for the formation of Solas, through music from his 20-year career with that iconic band, and adding some brand new tunes, Seamus, with Owen Marshall, Kyle Sanna and other musical friends, will continue to explore the further reaches of the Irish tradition and beyond.


Trio Pays Tribute to Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” at Next Stage on Saturday, June 29

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Julie Ness, Dave Wysocki and Tristan Bellerive performing Joni Mitchell’s legendary album “Blue” at Next Stage on Saturday, June 29 at 7:30 pm.  Considered a groundbreaking album of the 20th century, “Blue” defined a generation with a ten song cycle, weaving a journey of hope, yearning, love, loss and heartbreak.


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents The Stockwell Brothers on Sunday, June 16

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 16 with contemporary folk and bluegrass quartet The Stockwell Brothers.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill or the Putney Community Center at 10 Christian Square in case of rain.


WSESD New Merged School District Warns $50,000,000 Combined Budget for Guilford, Brattleboro, Dummerston and Putney Schools

Residents of Putney, Brattleboro, Dummerston and Guilford are invited to join the new merged school board, Windham Southeast School District Board, for our 2019-2020 Budget Process.

The first annual meeting of the new merged board will be held on Tuesday, June 25th. Voters present at the WSESD annual meeting will vote on the new merged budget. This budget is a compilation of the five independent district budgets developed by the Guilford, Dummerston, Putney and Brattleboro Town School Boards and the BUHS District #6 School Board (Brattleboro Union High School, Brattleboro Area Middle School, Windham Regional Career Center).


Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents The Chris Kleeman Band on Sunday, June 2

Twilight Music begins its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 2 with an evening of hard driving, house rocking, in your face blues by The Chris Kleeman Band.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.  The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Green Mountain Well, Soundview Paper Company, The Putney Food Co-op, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney area businesses and organizations.  The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available.  For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.