The Local Spin: Double dose at Sidelines

By George Nostrand

This weekend Sidelines Tavern, down the alley on Center Street, offers a double dose of live, local music with Kunundrum on Friday and Fistful of Artist on Saturday.

The re-vision of Vision, Kunundrum packs a punch with some classic and new rock — a perfect Friday night bar band. Go and enjoy. Fistful plays some driving originals and they seem to get better every time I hear them. Sidelines, the cellar that rocks Rutland!

Grateful Ed & Friends will be down at Saints and Sinners on Friday. Grateful, or should I say Ed, is a great guy and he is certainly full of something — music mostly, not to mention a good story or two, a few nice guitars … so go down and say hello.

This weekend is the sixth annual Northeast Kingdom Music Festival at The Chilly Ranch in East Albany, N.Y.

This year’s festival includes more than 20 bands and other acts on two stages. Highlights include the return of The Screaming Headless Torsos, two sets from excellent roots/Americana acts The Amity Front and The Devil Makes Three, a late-night set by the roots-punk band Pariah Beat. Cool band names and it sounds like a great fest. Tickets are available at www.nekmf.com or by calling (888) 512-SHOW.

Tonight, Duane Carleton will be doing the Martinis, Munchies and Music series at South Station from 6 to 9 p.m.

South Station is a nice place to hang on a Thursday, or any day, and you can’t go wrong with Duane. He’s also at The Clear on Wednesdays and will be doing a make-up show with his band in the Main Street Park on Aug. 27, so stay tuned.

Seven Mary Three will play on Center Street for the Ethnic Festival on Saturday at approximately 8 p.m. Check out this great YouTube clip of their acoustic version of “Last Kiss” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=nQcjdBwcve0. Make a point of catching these cats. You won’t regret it.

Work continues on the Rutland Long Trail Fest and with the addition of Burlington’s Gutterpup and Rutland’s Rick Redington, the Main Stage lineup has reached 12 bands over three days.

This three-day event starts with Friday Night Live then moves that night to the Vermont State Fairgrounds. Bands all afternoon Saturday and Sunday, along with exhibitors, vendors, events for kids, and a second stage, where there will be an open mic contest.

Plan on spending Aug. 15-17 at the second annual Rutland Long Trail Fest. It’s free, what more do you want?

For more information, visit www.longtrailfestivalvt.com or www.myspace.com/rutlandlongtrailfest.

This week’s “Local Song In My Head” is “Caught Up In The Rain,” by Rick Redington & The Luv. I went to see Rick at his Sunday night hangout, Jax in Killington. The guy still moves me, I have to say, even if I do have a little “Bus Envy”…

… by George, keep supporting live, local music.

George Nostrand is working hard to pull together a helluva’ show for ya Aug. 15-17 at the Rutland Long Trail Festival. Be there!

Give me some Spin! What’s going on with your band, your venue, or your cousin’s uncle’s brother’s band? If it’s musical and it’s happening in the Rutland area I want to hear about it. Send me an e-mail at localspin@gmail.com