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The Local Spin: Where have all the musicians gone?

How about it folks? Three cheers, hell, make it four, for Friday Night Live! Only it’s second year and what a great summer it was. It is so cool to go downtown on a Friday Night and see Center Street packed with people of all ages and types, checking out the music, the vendors, socializing, and just having a good time. Kudos to The Downtown Rutland Partnership and everyone who helped make this a success.

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Legendary songwriter John Hiatt closes summer series at Paramount

One of the biggest names to ever stand in front of the spotlight at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland will be taking center state at 8 p.m. Sunday to close out the 2008 Sizzlin’ Summer Series.

John Hiatt will be performing songs covered by music legends Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt as well as hits from his recently released album “Same Old Man” that hit store shelves in May.

Hiatt, an 11-time Grammy nominee and soon-to-be recipient of a lifetime achievement award for songwriting, has been an influential figure in the world of rock, blues and country music since his first Top 40 hit, “Sure as I’m Sittin’ Here,” covered by Three Dog Night in 1973.

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The Local Spin: Supporting live, local music

To stretch my Rutland Long Trail Fest write-ups one more week, I’m going to both start off by thanking all the people that were involved by name, (just kidding).

More importantly, I’d like to ask people who came and enjoyed to help out next year. It was a great event that involved a lot of local folks’ time and effort, and they will need you next year. There will be a wrap-up meeting next Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Dana School in Rutland, room 22 (to your right and upstairs) to go over this year’s pros and cons, and start looking ahead to next year.

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Little River Band’s classic rock and dedicated fans hit the Paramount

Fernando from Spain writes: “I’m from Spain and I’m 16. I love LRB (Little River Band) music and I founded the Spanish LRB fan club.”

Tom from Albuquerque, N.M., writes:

“I want to start by saying thank you for the years of not just great music but for inspiration through good and bad times. I am 35 years old and first remember hearing your songs as my mom would sing them around the house. I fell in love with my wife when I was 23 and have great memories of us driving the mountains with the top off the Jeep blaring your songs.”

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Bennington woman makes Mozart

BENNINGTON — A town employee is hoping to revive the local tradition of opera with a performance of Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” at Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, N.Y., this weekend.

Alexina Jones is both producing and appearing in the comic opera which will run Friday, Aug. 15, 16, 21, 23 and 24.

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Grace Potter & the Nocturnals rock their home state Saturday for Champlain fest

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have been living up to their name this summer — no rest for the wicked.

With a hectic touring schedule, which has had them opening up for Southern rock heavyweights The Black Crowes and tripping across the globe for gigs as far away as Switzerland, this Vermont rock band, which has fast become one of the state’s top musical exports, is finally homebound after a two-month stretch on the road.

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The Local Spin: Long Trail Festival set for weekend

Rutland’s second Long Trail Festival will be held this weekend at the Vermont State Fairgrounds. The festival, a gathering of avid hikers and wilderness enthusiasts, is a free, family-friendly celebration of Vermont’s historic Long Trail footpath and the untamed outdoors.

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The Local Spin: Chad Hollister, Groovicus, The Vegas Brothers and more music hits

Tonight, do not pass go, just head to the Lakehouse out on Bomoseen and catch my good friend Chad Hollister, doing “The Chad Thing”.
You’ll find No Mercy, if you stop by Chaser’s Friday night — the band that is. Saturday night is all about Groovicus, a local all-star band for sure. I remember seeing members of this band, back in the day, at a pig roast out in Castleton.
The Vegas Brothers, Boys, Band is at Sidelines this Friday night 8.08.08 and The Proctor Connection will be at Two Brothers will play the same day, from 9 to12 a.m. in Middlebury.

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Local Face on My Space: Seth Powsner

I have my Friend’s Space set to randomize, which means that each time I, or someone else logs on, the list of my “Top 40″ friends is different.

I never liked having to rank my friends anyway. So when I was looking for a MySpace “contestant” this week, I started scrolling through my list and said to myself, “Wait, I know this kid! Let’s take a listen.”

This kid is Ira’s very own Seth Powsner. Now apparently hailing from Purchase, N.Y., Seth has some really great tracks on his space.

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Sage and spirit: Former Grateful Dead singer proves she is built to last

Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay sang on hits by Percy Sledge, Cher and even Elvis Presley.

But it’s her years with iconic band The Grateful Dead that were her most formative.

For those who followed the Grateful Dead back in the ’70s, Donna Jean’s contrasting feminine nuances suddenly appeared in the early part of the decade, giving the music a different vibe, the lyrics a different pull. Some protective of their beloved Dead anthems were somewhat unwelcoming to Donna Jean’s vocals; others enjoyed the tender florals, the effeminate hue and high harmonies that blossomed through her back-up singing.

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