As Bluegrass Thursdays enters its fifth week at Nectar’s, some changes might be coming in the near future. Resident bluegrass band Goldtown has enjoyed an incredibly successful start to the recurring event, due in no small part to their ability to lay down solid sets week after week. Although bluegrass night has been met with nothing but enthusiasm and rave reviews, Goldtown envisions taking a break in the next few weeks.

Forming just over a year ago, Goldtown has already picked up a lot of recognition and experience–a wide range of experience. Recently releasing their first EP in December, the band has a bright future. Goldtown consists of a core trio including Andrew Stearns handling the guitar and vocals, Josh Loun on upright bass and Will Mosheim on banjo, the variety of shows they have played in just one year is quite a feat to behold. They have played at bluegrass festivals, backyard parties, pig roasts, some weddings, and a few other peculiar gigs.

“We’ve done a lot of random stuff, we played at the Proctor Marble Museum at some weird wine and beer tasting thing. We play a lot of farmer markets actually, which is another thing I really like doing. It’s the best cause you get all these little kids rockin’ out in front of you as you’re playing in a field on a nice day,” Stearns continues, “those are sometimes the most lucrative gigs too. After we play a lot of vendors will give us left over stuff, so you get fifty bucks of groceries so I’ll be eating great for a week.”

For this southern Vermont outfit, the night has been nothing short of amazing, but a short hiatus is in the works. Even though it may be a month or two before Goldtown graces the stage at Nectar’s again, they do plan on returning. “Its been so good to us, so we all want to keep it going. So we maybe will take a break for a month or two, something like that and then come back for another month,” says Andrew.

While Goldtown has performed every Thursday night to a packed Nectar’s, it is their ability to bring out great opening acts that makes each week a brand new experience. With opening acts like Kyle The Rider, Greyspoke, and The Creaky Trees, it is no wonder why people keep coming back.

“It’s just finding good people who are people we wanna share a stage with,” Stearns continues “with the opening bands, we just like good music, so it was just finding that good music and having a night.”

With the mix of opening acts, it keeps everything fresh. To belong to bluegrass night, you aren’t required to fall strictly under the genre that is bluegrass. All sorts and shapes of Americana are welcome on Thursdays. Goldtown themselves don’t necessarily fit the mold, “whether or not we’re ‘traditional’ we just have a good time.” From folk to country to traditional bluegrass, if you like pickin’, you’ll fit right in.

Of course, all of this wouldn’t have been without a beginning, the pitch for the bluegrass night was needed. Goldtown was approached by one of Nectar’s talent buyers, Alex Budney, with the idea to have a resident bluegrass band on Thursday nights.

“We played a seven to nine slot here before awhile ago and it was just like ‘we’re trying to do this Thursday night thing are you interested?’ And we said ‘Yeah.’” Nectar’s has experimented with “Blue Thursdays” before, so forming an official night wasn’t too far off. “He let us pick who we wanted to open up. It was a great opportunity and I’m really happy it happened, and it’s great exposure up here.”

As for the exposure aspect of Bluegrass Thursdays, it is evolving into more than just the bar crowd. Bands playing at bars usually benefit from the crowds just going out to have a beer, but Thursdays have been different. “Last week we saw a lot of people with Xs on their hands, and that is just great. It’s cool to see that people aren’t just going out to bar, but actually coming out to see some music, which I’m really thankful for.”

Soon Bluegrass Thursdays will be without Goldtown as they take a break, but their return is definitely something to look forward to. As a unit they are committed to their music and their performances, no matter what venue. “We always try to keep our energy up, we always try to play hard and keep it lively, and that definitely translates. We are always down just to do random stuff.”

The gigs will keep rolling in for Goldtown, based on their talent and the fact that “people are attracted to the word bluegrass,” so if you can’t make the next couple of Thursdays, be sure to keep your eye open for Goldtown. Who knows, next time you’re at a farmers market, you might get quite the show.

More Info:

Goldtown Website

Nectars Website

Blurring the line between meticulous song craft and cohesive improv, Bearquarium has been testing the structural integrity of many dance floors with their fiery Latin-infused afro-funkified groove music. Their influences run the musical gamut, which makes it hard to pin a genre on them, but that’s been the key to their success: rather than picking a genre and working within it, Bearquarium pulls from the most soulful of styles, combines them through trial and error, and what comes out of the speakers is 100% pure, uncut, untainted good time music.

“I say we strive on energy,” says Josh Weinstein, the band’s bassist. “As far as the improvisation goes, a lot of the time we can get in our own element regardless of the crowd…but when you are improvising and you feel that energy coming from out there, that positive, into it, dancing, really-wanting-to-know-what-comes-next, you know, the flood gates open for energy on stage.”

And while Bearquarium’s self-titled debut album is spirited and energetic, it’s the octet’s live show that keeps attracting members to its ever-growing fan base. Bearquarium live is tighter than tight, as the group builds their music to the point where the sounds produced send a collective jolt of positive vibes into the crowd. Happy feet and hips follow, and for the duration of the set, people are merely enjoying themselves instant-by-instant, note-by-note, groove-by-groove.

“All of our tunes have structure that is pretty set, but we like to leave a little bit of room to open it up,” says Tyler Mast, BQ’s keyboardist.  “Even the stuff on the studio album, we play that stuff live every track ends up being two minutes longer than the recording because Colin’s soloing or we’re all jamming and trying to bring up the level of intensity.”

Shaping that intensity, and doing it smoothly with eight different people playing would seem difficult, but Bearquarium makes it appear like a natural by-product of their eight part musical union. A big reason for the band’s precision is their shared experience in the UVM jazz program. Some were majors, others were minors, but it was in music classes that they met and began playing together. It was also in those classes where they were taught to dissect music and put it back together to create complex and full-bodied works. And with more instruments in use than band members, Bearquarium has one of the fullest and most complete sounds out of any of the funk-based bands that came out of Burlington.

Bearquarium didn’t take shape until around February 2009, but once they got a feel for what they wanted to do, they wasted no time putting out an album and getting on as many shows as possible. In fact, Bearquarium was recorded in two and a half days, produced in two more, and ready for show-goers to purchase in about five days time.

“We wanted something to sell on the road for the summer, for gas money and what have you,” said Daiki Hirano (congas/timbales/percussion).

The writing process was quick too, as 4-5 members would write the foundation for each song and then bring it to the group for polishing. Now, with Bearquarium having a better sense of themselves, each member has equal input when it comes to putting together a song, which means it takes a bit longer to complete new material.

That patience and diligence in regards to writing new songs has also affected their live shows.

“We’re starting to get more comfortable on stage, we’re kind of starting to elongate things more, being a little bit more patient with developing solo sections or grooves,” says Colin Lenox, BQ’s guitarist. “That just comes with maturity of the band.”

But even from the band’s early days there was a sense of professionalism to the music that help set them apart from other groups playing throughout Burlington and the Northeast. As they’ve developed, that professional element has only been amplified and there’s rarely a moment where Bearquarium doesn’t seem in total control of each note.

A large part of that would be the fact that Justin, Josh, Tyler, Daiki, Dave, Gordon, Colin, and Cory are all friends and have been since college. Music is something they’re all equally passionate about, and when friends are collectively putting their efforts into something they love and find fun, it typically turns out to be something that is not just productive but fluid and unforced—organic even.

“As far as getting 8 dudes together and hanging out and what not, we got a good bunch of guys,” said Josh. “We get along great.”

While all the band members work jobs to pay bills, they have been playing shows every weekend and are planning to get to the Mid-West this summer. Shows in Boston and New York have been great motivating experiences, and whether it’s new shows or new music, Bearquarium is doing what they do best: going with the flow.

Bonus:

More Info:

Bearquarium | MySpace

Nectars Website

Club Metronome Website

The Davis Center is UVM’s LEED certified claim to green supremacy, a resource friendly student center that feels more like a mall. It even has its own pub, Brennan’s, which served as the first host of Nectar’s newest campaign to expose people to music that might not be flooding the airwaves, but in all reality, should be.

Drew Jameson, who handles promotion for Nectars and Metronome spoke about the origin of the idea to do shows at other locations besides Nectars/Metronome.

“I was over at the Davis Center one day and I heard some music and I kept walking towards it.”

When he finally tracked down the music at Brennan’s, it wasn’t long before the idea for Nectars Presents presented itself.

“I pop into this place and all of a sudden I see this huge crowd watching this guy ripping on this homemade instrument that he had, and it just hit me that this is a place where high traffic goes and this is where we could showcase some great music.”

After scoping out Brennan’s, Drew came across the sound guy and inquired about broadcasting live music from the pub.

“I went up to the soundboard and asked the sound guy a couple questions real quick, asked him what it would take, in his opinion, to get it live. And he pointed to this button and it said WRUV on it in the bottom right hand corner.”

It wasn’t long before Drew got in touch with UVM about hosting shows at Brennan’s during the day when student traffic is at its highest. The ability to broadcast live music over the college’s own radio station WRUV made it even more appealing. After all, Nectars could showcase music that would be at Nectars or Metronome, and students wouldn’t necessarily have to get to Brennan’s to hear it. They could tune in from their dorms or wherever they had a computer connected to the internet and get a sneak peek of the acts coming into Nectars.

“It’s always week by week, and depends on what we have coming,” said Drew.  “You never know with Nectars, and as we do this we’re going to kind of figure it out as well. But ideally I’d love to get acts from out of town come in the day of the show, do a little preview—just a taste—and say, ‘Come on out tonight and see the rest of it.’”

Part of the reasoning behind this interesting promotional tactic is the amount of quality bands that don’t get the proper recognition playing on a weeknight.

“In general, there’s some shows we’ve had upstairs that just really go unnoticed, and this is a great way to get some exposure for these great underground acts that come through nationally and also some local underground music as well.”

Burlington locals, Waylon Speed, kicked off the first Nectars Presents event at Brennan’s on February 3^rd. Brennan’s was packed around 1 p.m. when the band was loading in and setting up, but around 2 p.m. students left the Davis Center and Brennan’s to get to class.

There were about ten people left when the show began at 2, with more filtering in as curiosity led them to the sound of music. Waylon Speed delivered, playing a fast-paced mix of rockabilly, blues, country, and rock. The easiest way to describe it is as music to get drunk and steal a cop car to, but that would probably be an urge best left unfulfilled. However, most people were nodding their heads and tapping their feet. There was even a priest enjoying the show, chuckling at some of Waylon Speed’s humorous expletive-laden song titles, which illustrates the power of music (and a sense of humor).

The turnout may have been small, but when the Nectars Presents events begin to happen on a weekly basis, more people are bound to pop in and check it out. Nevertheless, Drew mentions that Nectars Presents will be something they feel out show-by-show. The idea for a venue to put on shows outside of the venue is uncommon, but it makes sense. As Drew notes, Burlington has a pretty strong music scene and putting on a Nectars Presents show at another venue in town might not be something they get into.

“Music in Burlington already is all over, but we’re going to keep our focus on what we got going now,” he said. “Brennan’s pub, and Nectars here, and then we got the spot on Martha’s Vineyard…we’re thinking the bigger picture when it comes to that stuff.”

And the bigger picture, as far as Nectars Presents is concerned, is to engage people who might not have the opportunities to go out and catch a show on a weeknight. By bringing the performances off-site and on campus it extends the reach of Nectars and gives quality musicians a unique opportunity to share their music.

“Really, it’s about getting involved with UVM and getting them active,” said Drew. “There is a benefit to doing a weekly thing: you know people know to look here for cool underground stuff.”

More Info:

Waylon Speed | MySpace

Nectars Website

Chad Bechard aka Pres has been going hard at the DJ game for seven years now. Ever since scratching his first record back in his home state of Maine, Bechard hasn’t stopped doing what he loves most. Slowly but surely he has honed his skills and improved his craft. Now, with years of experience at his back, Pres is now making a name for himself in the Queen City.

Like most DJs, Bechard had to be inspired–most kids aren’t born with the genetic desire to spin discs. Music is within all of us, it just takes a certain experience to draw it out.

“I played the drums for awhile, and then I saw Jurassic 5 and Blackalicious. I saw them DJing and I was like ‘I gotta get turntables now.’”  He continued, “It was really cool ’cause I had never seen it before, so I sold my drum set, I had a surfboard, sold that, and then I just mowed lawns all summer.” Even now Bechard still uses the same turntables he bought at the age of fifteen, he has since replaced his “crappy mixer” though.

But what about the name Pres, where did it come from? Like a lot of DJs, Bechard was really into the world of graffiti, so naturally his name had origins in the art form.

“I used to write graffiti when I was younger, and those were my favorite letters. S was fun, E’s were good, R’s were good, well R’s are like P’s, but they were fun letters to write.” So after getting the letters down and organizing them the right way, the DJ known as Pres was born. And it has nothing to do with the word president.

After leaving his home of Portland, Maine to attend college in Burlington, Pres has made waves in the community. Since starting to take on professional gigs around town, work keeps coming in.

“I started to DJ at Rugby parties and I started gigging around town. December 2008 was my first gig–it was a private party at Manhattans. March 13, 2009 was my first public gig though, when I started making money around town.”

In the fall of 2009, Pres began having regular sets on Thursday nights at Rasputin’s alongside DJ Dan. After months of success, the recurring sets were brought back. While Rasputin’s used to be closed on Thursdays, the 18+ night featuring Pres and DJ Dan has shown lots of promise, and has become a definite reason to open up on Thursdays. On top of the weekly gig at Rasputin’s, Bechard has been brought on by Red Bull to DJ at sponsored rail jams around town.

While gigging around town is one of the more visible jobs Bechard takes on, he also serves as a radio DJ and teacher. Up at the UVM radio station, WRUV, he hosts Beat Therapy, a show dedicated to a mix of funk, soul, and hip-hop. It was a great way to compliment his live show background, taking on a more traditional DJ role. Pres will be sharing his skills in “turntablism” at The Lab, an urban music production center in Burlington.

“I’ll be teaching music production, yes, but with a DJ mindset, that’s basically what it will be.”

While The Lab offers classes on music production, Bechard says his will focus on different aspects of the music.

“Classes right now focus on making a rap beat, or a hip-hop beat and then get your friend to rap over it, or sell it to artists.” Bechard continues, “What I’m teaching will be songs more for the DJ than the MC, if that makes sense.”

On top of teaching, gigging around town, and being an on air DJ, Bechard has also produced some of his own albums. Two mashup albums entitled College and College II as well as a remixed mashup version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller entitled Iller Thriller, a collaboration with Brad Fishkin. Aside from the mashup albums, Bechard also creates his own original compositions, which he has yet to formally release.

Since being in Burlington, Bechard has played at Nectar’s, Metronome, Red Square, Manhattan’s, and of course, Rasputin’s. He has also performed at colleges across the Northeast including UNH and UMaine.  He will be taking a break from Beat Therapy while he focuses on finishing up school, but his regular gigs at Rasputin’s will continue as usual. Also, his classes at The Lab are on the way.

Just remember, “As a DJ, if you’re not making people dance, you’re not doing your job.”

More Info:

Pres Music

Pres on Twitter

RoneBreak will be launching a new site, which will be taking a slightly different twist on covering music. While music publications are a dime-a-dozen (especially online) we were trying to figure out how to differentiate ourselves from everything else. Then it dawned on us: venues typically don’t cover music, and they have the best opportunity to do so.

In that spirit, we partnered up with Nectars and Club Metronome in Burlington, Vermont to provide exclusive content and interviews centered around the events of those two venues. And since there’s at least one thing happening 7 days a week, there will be plenty of worthwhile events to cover. Nevertheless, music is very much a communal art, and just because we will be sharing the Nectars and Metronome experience with anyone or any place connected to the internet doesn’t mean we won’t continue to spotlight music–known and unknown–from all over.

The name of this publication will be called Lectric Pulp. Originally, we were calling it Electric Pulp, but a web design company already got to it first (www.electricpulp.com). It’s a sweet name, but a trademark is a trademark–and we’re not trying to step on anyone’s toes, except maybe Lectric Shave, who will probably email me sooner or later (hopefully, they’ll be as nice as the folks at EP were). As of now, the logo we’re using is a mock-up and RoneBreak will be a temporary placeholder for content. So from this point forward, when you see Lectric Pulp in the header just know it’s probably going to be related to music in some way or another. Our music section will essentially cease to exist. After all, this is 2KX: the year of good times and legitimate change. And RoneBreak will be using this transitional opportunity wisely. Hopefully, you’re as psyched as we are.

The Dawson Leary Project (DLP) left the floorboards, the walls, and people’s bodies pulsating to their electronic-psychedelic-rock sounds Monday night at Burlington’s downtown restaurant and lounge, Nectar’s.

The University of Vermont seniors, Alex Schwartz (guitar, bass, synthesizers), Tobias Green (guitar, bass, synthesizers), and Steve Putnam (drums), the trio that is DLP, had friends, fans, and people thinking “Who the eff are these guys?” intrigued by their unusual, but certainly memorable music.

DLP opened the night with a cover of a Radiohead tune that they made their own through improvised additions. High, melodic pitches were strummed by Schwartz and Green, and Putnam was drumming a steady beat while nearly every color shone from the ceiling lights. Schwartz then tapped on the synthesizer and the sounds made it feel as though everyone was in a Mars-Twilight atmosphere. Trance and siren noises exploded from the speakers and when those waned the crowed burst with applause.

Schwartz then thanked the audience for coming.

Continuing their “dance, trance, jazz, experimental, bluesy, [and] improv” music, people made moves on the floor, breakdancing, and even doing the worm.

“I was really happy with the turnout on Monday,” Schwartz said. “A lot of really random people showed up and were into it.”

Green added that “starting a dance party” made Monday night a great show along with having many of their supportive friends in the crowd.

“Nectar’s is a good spot,” said Putnam.

Schwartz said that a highlight of Monday night was when they played one of their songs called the “Ultimate Chameleon” into a Chemical Brothers song titled “Got Glint?” into another one of their songs named “Mary Mix” into the Chemical Brothers song again.

“I thought that was pretty solid,” added Schwartz.

“That was probably one of the best,” Green agreed.

DLP loves covering bands such as, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Lamb of God, Ween, Daft Punk, The New Deal, The Disco Biscuits, The Chemical Brothers, and Shpongle. Mixing dance and hard rock is Schwartz’s favorite.

DLP said that they are roughly one-third original, one-third cover songs, and one-third improv.

“[Improv] is how you get into some really interesting stuff,” said Schwartz. “It adds character.”

DLP certainly rocked with character. During one song, Schwartz showed a wonderful range of facial expressions while playing the synthesizer, Green bobbed while tapping away as well, and Putnam was drumming with a wide smile.

Putnam seemed to beam much of the time, as he said with a smirk, “A lot of the improv jams, you just get a huge smile on your face.”

Schwartz said that Monday’s show was exceptionally great because of their sound.

“I like playing through [Nectars’] house speakers…they have big subs…our keyboards [were] going right into their sound system so I finally got to do that and have it push serious bass. I was pretty happy with that,” Schwartz said.

Green and Putnam were in agreement.

They also recognized that playing at Nectar’s was a big step for DLP, as they typically play at UVM gigs and house parties—their first show was at UVM’s Slade Dorm when they first formed in 2007.

“In the year 2007, after their parents were tragically eaten by wolves, Tobias, Alex and Steve were united in Burlington, Vermont’s own Robotic Orphanage. After a short year of being raised by evil robots, surrounded by synthesizers and drum sets, the three had taken fiercely to electronic music and erasing people’s minds with their hypnotic, danced-obsessed grooves. Put here on this planet, to take control of your mind and make love to your women folk, is the DLP,” Schwartz, Green, and Putnam wrote on their MySpace.

They actually met during their freshman years at UVM when Green and Putman lived together. Not long after, the two met up with Schwartz and formed DLP. And how did they decide on the name The Dawson Leary Project?

“All of our friends were up in Maine and we were hanging out all day, we got a little intoxicated, and then we started coming up with this story about an evil robot that lives on that lake in Maine,” said Schwartz. “Basically [we] made this whole ridiculous story about it. We weren’t in [the] band when this happened…[but] then we became more of an actual band and we just decided to have [our name] be something stupid that no one would really get and sounds like a Dawson Creek reference, but isn’t. It’s just something for us that had a decent ring to it.”

“Sometimes people put such an emphasis on a band name and it’s just like…kind of silly,” said Putnam.

“I feel like DLP is more of our band name than The Dawson Leary Project,” Green said.

“I like the idea of having…the ‘someone project,’ but there is no ‘Dawson Leary’ in our band,” said Schwartz.

“It was rough around the edges [in the early days],” Green said.

“At first we were just making [our sounds] up and it really sounded good and bad,” replied Schwartz.

But during their sophomore years in early 2008, Schwartz and Green picked up synthesizers and Schwartz learned bass.

“Every time we play, it gets better,” Putnam added. “In the past year we’ve grown. We’ve filled out our sound.”

DLP practices almost every day, but scheduling is difficult around classes and work, Schwartz stated. He said that DLP performs shows every few weeks and “playing music that we love to play” is what DLP wants to continue.

Schwartz said that just last week they wrote a few new songs to add to their ten song repertoire. “Jam One,” “Ultimate Chameleon,” Jam Two,” “Burst Asunder,” “Dawson’s Delight,” and “Jahn-Bahn Jelly” are songs uploaded on their MySpace music player.

“We start out with ideas individually,” Putnam said about their writing style. He added that it’s pretty hard to write complete songs together with mashed-up thoughts.

Listeners will find that most of their songs lack lyrics because, according to them, “it’s hard to design lyrics and express emotion through lyrics” for the music that DLP plays.

By the end of March DLP hopes to have, at the very least, six new songs, Putnam said, which got Green thinking about getting into the recording studio.

Schwartz said that he really wants to record, but scheduling is challenging.

Whether DLP finds the time to write and record or simply sticks to playing at local venues like Nectar’s—they’re scheduled for the next three Monday nights—they are happy with the amount of options they have.

“It’d be a shame to let it end,” Schwartz said, adding that he hopes to move to San Francisco, CA after graduation from UVM in May.

Putnam excitedly stated, “We’ll probably do this forever.”

“How are you gonna kill a giant robot that lives in Burlington?” Schwartz joked.

More Info:

DLP on MySpace

The most exciting thing about music in this peculiar era is the ability for musicians to cut out the fat middleman and be self-sufficient music makers. Lendway, the melodic rock quartet from Burlington, Vermont certainly fits the mold of the self-sustaining band that does their thing for the mere sake of doing it, and because the technology of the day permits such liberated musical pursuits. Their soulfully airy 11-song debut album, The Low Red End, was recorded in closets and basements, and paid for by sacrificed time and the collective effort of each band member.

“It was as guerilla as you could possibly be,” says Michael Clifford, the band’s guitarist, song writer, and lead vocalist. Yet despite being self-produced at home using “crappy mics” and “crappy interfaces”, The Low Red End is crisp and clear as though it were made in a high-end studio. As for the flow, visualize a patch of cumulus clouds calmly coasting through a bright blue sky. Throw in random bursts of lightning for the sharp guitar solos and rhythmic breaks that sporadically appear, and what you get is 11 songs of intensely melodic tunes that create the illusion of soaring.

Vocally, Lendway could drop the instruments and perform a cappella outside of coffee shops. The group harmonies are beautifully done, and the greatest evidence of their Fleet Foxian ability to harmonize their individual vocal chords is in the final track of The Low Red End, “Unstoppable.” Each voice comes on like a wave landing on shore, with a slight delay between the appearances of each, which all seamlessly flow into one.

To think, this started as a hobby for Michael (guitar/vocals), Kevin (bass), Matt (guitar/vocals), and Todd (drums), who lived together at Johnson State College in 1999, taking residence in a double-wide trailer they dubbed “The Ranch”. They have been playing music with each other for roughly a decade, and it was their landlord during college, Kevin Lendway, who was the inspiration behind the band’s name.

Like many DIY bands, they still have day jobs, with the band earning “fun” money on the side. Kevin works a night shift doing manufacturing work, which might explain his deep affinity for the complete product that is a vinyl record. Matt is a screen printer for Select Designs LTD. Todd manages a pool for Sports and Fitness Edge in addition to giving drum lessons. And Mike earns his money at the Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar, Sakura.

But even though it’s a hobby—and a form of release—the guys approach their music with a genuine sense of purpose. To Lendway, the fun comes from the act of creating new songs and the process of refining what they produce.

As Michael notes, “We’re all just really interested in song craft. If you’re writing good songs, it will be fun. If you’re not writing good songs, it will be exhausting.”

When they’re working out the subtleties of a song in their cramped-but-functional basement practice space at Nectars, sometimes they’ll just stop and have everyone sing a part note by note—and if it just isn’t their night they have no problem stepping back.

“It’s really good to take little breaks…just come back and there’s this fresh sense of energy,” said Matt Hagen, the band’s other guitar player and song writer.

This trial and error approach might seem tedious and exhausting, but it’s necessary, and as long as they’re enjoying the final product then it’s work disguised as a good time. And for a band that exists for the sole purpose of self-satisfaction, it’s their music-first approach and their use of the internet that has garnered fans from different states without Lendway ever having to hop in a van and tour the country. Even more impressive was their music’s ability to affect Grace Potter enough to get Lendway to open for her at Higher Ground the day after Christmas. She even put their set list out on stage, using a hat to disguise herself from the crowd that came to see her.

Matt explained that opportunities kind of began to present themselves once they finished The Low Red End.

“We never set out to book gigs or do any of this and we just started getting contacted, and we had friends that wanted to help us out, and then it just led up to the Grace Potter thing,” he says. “What we were trying to do was release the album, and when we released that it was an amazing accomplishment. It was like ‘Wow, you know, we did something that we wanted to do.’ It was like BOOM, up a level.”

All the positive feedback has served as a source of motivation as the band plays around with new material for Lendway’s second album. While they recently released an E.P. that they consider “the b-sides from the first album”, they are in no rush to push out the second album until every little part of each song is pristine and in its place. As Mike described, Lendway is a band focused on production and recreating the recorded experience live. Unlike many Burlington-based bands, jamming isn’t something they try to do.

“We keep it tight. We just tend to flourish things—maybe just one part—but it’s not a matter of extending it, we’re just trying to make it better,” said Matt.

But what the band finds most enjoyable about their experience is how enjoyable it has been. Every Monday at 7:30 they meet at Nectars, grab some beers, chill out and joke around before heading to the basement to get down to business. After all, Lendway is a band having a good time doing their thing, and while they might not have set out to impress people their music has certainly done it enough to turn a pleasurable hobby into something that is more like a fun side-job.

Bonus:

More Info:

Lendway Website

Lendway | MySpace

Nectars Website

Review of The Low Red End | Seven Days

Walking through the doors of Nectar’s on a Thursday night leads you into a world that you might not expect. As people shuffle out from the weekly pub trivia, a new crowd settles into the confines of the landmark establishment. The anticipation builds among the patrons, to see what is in store for them, for what they are about to hear. And when it comes time for the band to take the stage, a sound unfamiliar to the college town scene washes over the crowd: the sound of bluegrass.

Thursday nights at 9:30 the stage belongs to residential bluegrass outfit Goldtown as well as other bluegrass, funk, folk and country musicians to share their craft. Two bands each week will welcome you into their world, and share the stories that stuck with them. Even though the recurring show is still in its infancy, it has commanded a good following thus far. And with solid acts by the weekly guests and Goldtown, it is no surprise.

What this night brought out was more than just a different sound to the streets of Burlington, it brought out an eclectic mix of characters. From the college crowd to some people in their sixties, to entire families, they all came to hear some bluegrass. “You just don’t hear this stuff anymore, not in places like this,” remarked an older gentleman from South Burlington, “you have to search for it.”

Scanning the upcoming events for most venues, there is a noticeable lack of country flavored music. Folk acts make appearances here and there, but in the city of Burlington, certain sounds take the forefront. With indie rock bands headlining most nights at Higher Ground and dance mixes filling the clubs and bars, there aren’t many popular venues left for a different style, one that doesn’t necessarily pop into younger generations minds when deciding to go see a show. Nectar’s is helping to change that by providing a venue for these overlooked styles, a way to reach out to long time listeners and newcomers alike.

The January 21st edition of Bluegrass Thursdays featured the opening act Kyle The Rider, a country duo hailing all the way from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories province of Canada. Even though it supposedly took them sixty-four hours to get to Burlington, they still put on a great show. From playing original compositions, to some hilarious banter between the two of them, to plugging their mailing list (an actual mailing list due to “not having the email yet,” as stated by Rider), it was a perfect way to kick off the night. Also, the heart touching rendition of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ really brought the crowd together, especially the man who it was dedicated to.

The easygoing style of Kyle The Rider certainly won over some who weren’t sure what to expect. “We’re gonna start coming every week,” said a group of UVM students, “they were awesome.” The good natured, just-have-fun sensibility of bluegrass music itself definitely resonated with the crowd. And that was only the beginning, while Kyle The Rider brought a country sound, Goldtown was ready with straight-up, 100%, pure bluegrass.

As soon as the notes began pouring forth from the banjo, guitars, and bass, the whole place was moving. A song later some hoe down dancing erupted up front and what started as an experiment with country fried music, turned into a full on love affair. And that hoe down wouldn’t stop until the last chord was strummed on that guitar, and the last syllable was uttered from the front man’s throat. Most striking about Goldtown was their talent and dedication to a style. For a group consisting of younger men, they played like they were twenty year veterans.

The blend of all things acoustic with the sweet whine and moan style vocals could make you forget the fact that this was still Burlington, Vermont. The atmosphere was so intoxicating that even the most skeptical patron that night couldn’t help but be brought into the festivities. There was just as much dancing, drinking, and fun being had at Nectar’s on Thursday as there was in any dance club, music hall, or sports bar in town.

Looking around the room, seeing so many glasses and bottles raised, and hearing so many cheers, makes you wonder, where is all the bluegrass? As the older man from before passed by, with a big smile on his face and beer in hand he said, “This is what you come for, it’s all about having fun.”

After both sets had finished, it was all about a good time. The bands did not play song after song, and rush their set list, they took their time to enjoy the show. They took their time to tell the stories behind the songs, and speak to the fans who had come out to see them. If people from all different backgrounds, of all different ages can all share a love for this kind of music, then it has to be a good thing.

So the next time you’re looking for something to do on a Thursday night, why not change it up a bit. Forget disco bowling, dance clubs, the movies or staying in, check in on something new. Head on down to Nectar’s and get a dose of Americana, or Canadana in some cases, and get a glimpse at some of the best bluegrass Vermont has to offer.

More Info:

Nectars Website

Goldtown Website

Andy “DJ A-Dog” Williams has been spinning turntables for about 10 years—he got his start in Burlington. He borrowed money from a friend, bought a used pair of turntables, and has been creating sounds ever since.

Williams moved to Vermont when he was 10-years-old, and attended high school in St. Albans. As he grew older, he was antsy for a place to just kick back, party, and skate. Burlington drew him in and he started coming often. He decided to move to town since he didn’t need a car to get around and could find a bigger job than in his “small hick town.”

Burlington’s skateboarding culture is what Williams is thankful for. After all, they are the ones who named him “A-Dog.”

“Skateboarding is a different culture, skateboarders have creative people,” he added. His skateboarder friends were the ones who started buying records and DJing, ultimately introducing Williams to the art.

Williams’ musical style is focused on 90’s hip hop, but according to him he plays a “diverse amount of groups.”

“Recycled soul, funk, and jazz. James Brown. Original 70’s funk,” said Williams.

Now that he is over 30, he plays music with opinions, understanding, and realizations because that was what was going on when he started. Tribe, De La Soul, and Common are just a few of Williams’ influences.

“I’m into the true school era,” he said. “I listen to a lot of music that people might not know,” added Williams. He doesn’t listen to the radio or watch MTV. And he believes the music industry has changed.

“It’s hard to get under the umbrella of a label,” he said. “That world’s gone.”

Williams said that he has been trying to break into the music industry for awhile, but with technology the way it is, YouTube, MySpace, and basic networking are ways to promote these days.

“Just do it independently,” he said. “I’ll make a mix CD and put it out for free.”

Williams spins every Wednesday night for “True School” & Broke in Burlington with friend and fellow DJ, DJ Nastee, at Nectar’s and often plays just down the street at Red Square. He has a big affiliation with Burton Snowboards and Gravis Footwear as he has been DJing many of their events for the last five to six years.

“…major BIG UP 2 them… they’re the reason I have gotten 2 travel the U.S.,” Williams wrote on MySpace.

Williams also wrote that he often DJs their parties and occasionally DJs their fashion shows. Because of them, in the last five years Williams has been able to travel to New York, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, California, British Columbia, and Washington.

“[I was] the opener for the opener,” Williams said of one of his best shows when he performed for The Roots. “They might not [have] known that I was there,” he added, but regardless, he was extremely grateful for the experience.

Williams has opened up for acts such as Jurassic 5, Hieroglyphics, Smif & Wessun, Fatlip, Z-Trip, Akrobatik, and Scratch Tour over his career. In 2008, Williams went to Minneapolis, MN, Indianapolis, IN, Austin, TX, and Morgantown, WV with Beastie Boys’ DJ, Mixmaster Mike, for the Bacardi Live Tour and lived one of the best moments of his career.

“[Mixmaster Mike] is an innovator,” Williams said. He added that he was “very blessed” and felt “good anxiety” during the tour.

Just because Williams plays in Burlington at Nectar’s and Red Square, at Burton and Gravis parties, and travels around the country to different gigs, doesn’t mean he isn’t fine-tuning his skills.

“I play three or four nights a week. I get up, make coffee, make a beat, and start networking,” he said. “It’s still a hustle. [You have to] really be passionate. Stay true to what you like.”

Williams has put out a 10-15 CD catalog and roughly 15 tapes, which he self-produced. Hippae, ‘Pon Di Rise, and Well Blended (The Re-fixed Tape) are just some of his CDs that showcase the music of Biggie, Jay-Z, Collie Buddz, Alicia Keys, Cutty Ranks, Massive B allstars, Big Pun, Method Man and Red Man, and more, each infused with DJ A-Dog’s style.

“I just wanna continue to do this,” Williams said. “Even if it was a domestic level, play at parties for someone else.”

Williams added, “I’m still a humble person, my hard work will manifest [and I’m] thankful that [DJing] can be an occupation.”

Williams and his friend and fellow DJ, DJ Nastee, created a production company titled 4word Productions. They also work with Burlington’s radio station 99.9 The Buzz during Friday Night Mash-Up. For DJ A-Dog’s upcoming appearances, check him out on Myspace or follow him on Twitter.