The Local Spin: Rutland dances and bangs its head

That’ll teach me to complain about a lack of material.

I got swamped this week with some great stuff.

I might not even be able to fit myself in! (Insert collective groan from the readership here) If you sit on your duff this weekend, there’s no help for ya. We got dance, poetry, heavy metal, The Bonafide Dregs, Leo Kottke and a new line up of Ziggy Jaggers.

Leo Kottke should need no introduction and although he’s not local, I tip my hat to the Paramount for bringing (back) another top rate performer.

To have a musician of his caliber playing in Rutland is way cool.

If Leo weren’t playing and in the area he would be checking out Studio Bliss’ performance at the Carving Studio on Friday, Resolutio: Seed Sounds from the World Mind. It’s a multimedia performance piece featuring original poetry, music and dance on the theme of the 7 chakras, or vital energy centers, of the body.

Resolutio represents a collaborative effort of local and nonlocal artists.

Cathy Salmons contributed original poetry. Then these poems were scored and arranged by Boston musician Patinyo Vazquez and Vermont vocalist Ann Hutchins.

Choreographer Erika Schmidt has created dance pieces for each of these compositions, to be danced in this performance by The Resolutiô Dancers — a new local dance troupe featuring Studio Bliss student dancers.

This exciting and theatrical mix will be visually enhanced with lighting design by Boston lighting director John Powell. The event helps kick off the Carving Studio’s Sculptfest weekend, which draws sculptors and visual artists from around the world. Tickets for Resolutiô are $12, on sale now at the Book King on Merchants Row in Rutland and at the Carving Studio.

When Ryan McCrea told me a while back that he was going to put together a top-notch band, I could tell by the look in his eyes he meant business. I saw proof of this when his new band, The Bonafide Dregs took the stage at Harvest Moon recently.

Google the band, check out the video clips, then go see them for yourself at Sidelines this Friday night. You won’t be disappointed.

Saturday night your soul may be either in jeopardy or heaven if you wander into 3Ds. Two bands, SoulShove and SoulDead are out to prove that there’s more to the Rutland music scene than those damn hippy folk singers.

One of the members of SoulDead dropped into the Open Mic I used to host a while back and floored everyone there with the power of his vocals and his amazing guitar playing. For those of you who think metalheads lack talent — you are so wrong. These two bands are going to rock 3Ds on Saturday and if your soul needs a kick in the you-know-what go check it out.

Last, but not least, Ziggy Jagger, the band started by and the alter ego of one Tom Irish is fast approaching its one-year anniversary. They’ve been making a regular thing happen on Sunday nights at 3Ds and will keep it rolling while dealing with some personnel issues. Tom said that he had to scrape low in the barrel, but he was able to dig up some guy named Duane Carleton to sit in with him while “The Jeff of a thousand bands” was away. Duane is bringing along his very able bassman, Ben Butterworth, from The Backwoods Messiahs as well. Should be a great gig this Sunday night.

Well, I can probably squeak in here one quick shameless plug. After all, I had a guy approach me last week and ask, “Are you ‘Shameless George’?” With a reputation like that, I have to keep it up, right? I have the pleasure to be playing with Mary Barron on Saturday night at the Watershed Tavern in Brandon. Mary is a helluva fiddle player and it’s worth the trip to check out the Watershed if you haven’t been up yet. Oh, yeah and I will be at my new home away from home Saints ‘N Sinners, tonight. No shame there.

Keep Supporting Live, Local Music!

- By GEORGE V. NOSTRAND

George Nostrand is a Rutland musician, columnist and shameless promoter who has apparently been sleeping in the back room at Saints ‘N Sinners. See him there tonight!

What’s your spin? E-mail George and let him know about your band’s upcoming gig or just your thoughts in general about the Rutland music scene at localspin@gmail.com or for more information go to: www.georgebygeorge.com/LocalSpin.html.