The Local Spin: There’s music in Rutland’s bars

Ever heard this one - that Rutland has more bars per capita than any other city in the country? I decided to research it on the Web and the most current post with numeric data showed Williston, N.D., as tops with one bar for every 941 residents.

By my count, there are 22 such establishments in Rutland. Based on 17,000 residents, that’s one for every 772.73 residents. While my research is neither official nor comprehensive, it would seem that Rutland might still hold this distinction.

The upside to this is that there’s lots of live music in the city. Here’s an attempt at a full run-down in the city nightclubs during this “spin cycle.”

CJ’s Suds South, 174 S. Main St., today: Road to Rising (no cover), Friday: No Mercy ($3 cover) and Open Mic on Tuesday hosted by Konundrum (no cover). All start at 9:30 p.m.

South Station, 170 S. Main St.: Every Thursday in the lounge enjoy music and munchies from 5-8 p.m. This week features Aaron Audet (no cover).

Three D’s Café, 86 Strongs Ave.: Open mic with Three Sheets to the Wind and Exit Only alternating as hosts each Thursday starting at 10 p.m. This week: Exit Only (no cover).

Red Moon Saloon, 118 Post St.: Live bands on alternating Thursdays (DJ this week), Saturday night, Tequila Chasers, (according to their phone message - I couldn’t confirm with a live human before press time, but there usually is a $3-5 cover!).

Tapas, 128 Merchants Row: Brad Morgan tickles the ivories with a wide mix of tunes on Friday from 7-10 p.m. (no cover).

Sidelines, Center Street Alley, Friday: The New Groove Orchestra ($5 cover), Saturday: The Space Monkees (no cover). Shows start at 10 p.m.

Jilly’s, 24 Merchants Row, Saturday: 10 p.m., Soul Dead ($5 cover).

Chasers, Evelyn Street, Friday: Beach Party Cruise Giveaway with The Vibratones, Saturday, Money Shot. Both nights start at 9:30 p.m. with a $5 cover.

Ahhh, but there’s even more outside the clubs! Friday Night Live continues to thrive and features Caitlin Canty with Jeff and Aaron and Leah Randazzo this week. Tonight you can catch The Kind Buds at Hawk Mountain Resort in Plymouth at 7 p.m. (rain or shine), and the debut performance of The Enerjazz Band from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Fair Haven Green. This is a full “stage band” playing everything from big band swing to Latin, ballads, funk and fusion.

Two events mark their 14th anniversary this week. The Basin Bluegrass Festival in Brandon begins today. For more details see www.brandon.org/bluegrass.htm.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of Solarfest at the Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth. Check out www.solarfest.org for the full story. Between these two events you’ll find close to 30 live acts over the next few days.

Saturday, Spencer Lewis debuts a new CD at the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at 7 p.m., catch The Rutland City Band in Main Street Park and on Wednesday the world music of 35th Parallel - same park, same time.

Tuesday, don’t miss The Indigo Girls at 8 p.m. at The Paramount Theatre.

Paramount Executive Director Bruce Bouchard tells me the girls have nine new tunes in the can for an album to be released independently in February and that we might be lucky enough to hear some of them. Tickets are going fast, so get to the Paramount Box Office (or order online via www.paramountvt.org) to get yours.

If anyone says there’s nothing to do around here this week, just point to this column. Somewhere, someone is playing a few bars (and parks, fields, streets and theaters!).

Tom Irish (aka “Ziggy Jagger”) is sitting in for the vacationing George Nostrand. Tom isn’t playing anywhere during this “spin cycle,” but George is. Catch George’s Back Pocket at Christopher’s in Ludlow on Saturday evening.