TOWNIE TALK

Author: Liz Lathey

Vermonters really have a definitive musical taste. I didn't realize this until I got to Middlebury and found out that the whole world doesn't listen to Phish. In fact (gasp) some people don't even know who Phish is.

Before I moved to Vermont in the sixth grade, I listened to whatever was on the radio, which still defines the musical style of choice for many people who live outside of Vermont. Now, however, most likely due to living in a state that is full of diverse musical tastes and die hard music fans, I have a very defined taste.

There may be some preconceived notions about music in Vermont, like the misconception that we only listen to country and folk music. In reality, we actually have really cool music here. Although my parents choose to listen to country, they certainly don't represent the vast majority of the state.

As many of you probably know, most of the members of the band Dispatch went to Middlebury College, which is fairly exciting considering their relative fame. Also, most of Phish, probably the biggest and most popular band to call Vermont home, went to the University of Vermont just up the road. So why all this good music from a seemingly small state like Vermont? It must be because there's nothing else to do here, right? Okay, well maybe not, but I definitely know people who stay home playing their instrument of choice all the time. This may be due to personal preference, however, rather than lack of things to do.

A popular trend in Vermont is outdoor festivals. Up until a summer or two ago, Reggae Fest was held every July in Hardwick, Vt. This festival, which I attended a couple of times, consisted of two days of reggae, food and fire hoses. The music was definitely awesome, the vendors sold everything from falafels to sarongs and the fire hoses were there to cool us off.

Also, in Killington, Vt., Music on the Mountain takes place every summer. Two summers ago this is where I saw a bunch of local bands, as well as Gov't Mule, right before Allen Woody died.

In addition to local festivals, a lot of Vermonters travel outside the state to satisfy their cravings for good music. A friend of mine is planning on driving more than 20 hours to Tennessee to the Bonnaroo Festival.

It seems that Vermonters tend to like more jammy music, at least as far as I can tell. Bands like moe., Guster, Phish, Strangefolk and The Samples are all bands I would classify as being well liked in Vermont. I know you might be thinking that Phish has disbanded, but have hope. They haven't officially said that yet. They're just taking a break. I know this is a typical response from someone who just doesn't want to believe they're gone for good, but I stick by it. And until they start touring again, we can all listen to spinoff groups Vida Blue, Oysterhead and Trey Anastasio's solo work.

I have to add that not all Vermonters travel around to festivals sleeping in cars and dancing like hippies. Many of us like to go to regular old concerts inside actual buildings. For those of us who seek concert locations inside, Burlington and Killington are the best places. In Burlington, Higher Ground, the Flynn Theatre and Memorial Auditorium always seem to have cool bands.

My favorite venue is Memorial Auditorium, where I saw Ben Harper. It's actually an old basketball gym, which makes the atmosphere really relaxing — a relatively common characteristic of Vermont music scenes. In Killington, there are tons of clubs that normally have good shows. I saw Rustic Overtones at the Pickle Barrel in Killington last summer.

In Rutland, the Paramount Theatre was recently renovated to have shows and concerts. Although it's a small theater with no air conditioning, it still has some pretty cool shows. I saw Arlo Guthrie there a few years ago and Richie Havens last summer. If you don't know who either of these performers are, go download their music immediately. They're classics. Both of them also played at Woodstock, but even though they are getting on in years, they still perform well live.

Granted, my musical tastes only represent that of one Vermonter. The only person I know who's seen the Grateful Dead live is a Vermonter, so that says something about the tastes and styles of my fellow state residents. The most important thing to realize about music in Vermont is that it's eclectic and comes from a wide array of performers.

We enjoy the outdoor festivals in the same manner that we enjoy indoor shows, but more importantly, we recognize good music when it comes around — not just when it's on the radio.