s
unDbites
Got muSic NEwS? dan@sevendaysvt.com
www.highergroundmusic.com
B y Da N B O L LE S
COUrTESy Of ryaN pOwEr
Ryan Power
Monkey Shines
We 19 We 19
DALE EARNHARDT JR. JR. CHAD VALLEY
ELECTRODE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS
SOUND REMEDY
SHIFTEE, ARGONAUT&WASP
Th 20
BOOMBOX
Fr 21
REAL ESTATE
Fr 21
Sa 22 Su 23
Su 23 Tu 25
We 26 We 26 Th 27 Th 27
ICHISAN PURE X
TYPHOON
LADY LAMB THE BEEKEEPER, WILD ONES
ANTHONY JESELNIK FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL G-EAZY
ROCKIE FRESH, TORY LANEZ, KURT ROCKMORE
THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS FRUITION MASON JENNINGS SERA CAHOONE
CUMBANCHA WELCOMES
LUÍSA MAITA TRIBAL SEEDS
NEW KINGSTON, INNAVISION 104.7 THE POINT WELCOMES
STEEP CANYON RANGERS DELLA MAE
Fr 28
104.7 THE POINT WELCOMES
CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS BIRDS OF CHICAGO
Fr 28
RON POPE VON GREY
Sa 29
TINARIWEN THE MELODIC
UPCOMING...
JUST ANNOUNCED
3/29 DEAD SESSIONS 3/30 YG 3/31 CRYSTAL BOWERSOX 4/1 CHERUB
5/3 SAM ROBERTS BAND 5/24 BUILT TO SPILL 6/6 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND 9/13 + 9/14 GRAND POINT NORTH
INFO 652.0777 | TIX 1.877.987.6487 1214 Williston Rd. | S. Burlington
4v-HigherGround031914.indd 1
MUSIC 67
for up-to-the-minute news abut the local music scene, follow @DanBolles on Twitter or read the Live Culture blog: sevendaysvt.com/liveculture.
MARCH
SEVEN DAYS
» p.69
ANTHONY JESELNIK
03.19.14-03.26.14
SOUNDBITES
Sa 22
SEVENDAYSVt.com
It’s been a nice run for new venues and improved venues in Vermont of late. In the last 18 months or so, Burlington has seen the rise of ArtsRiot and Signal Kitchen as dynamic new spaces for rocking — and, in the case of the former venue, dining and writing and yoga-ing. Those additions have been bolstered by a massive expansion of the Skinny Pancake that has allowed the waterfront crêperie to open its doors to bigger touring acts. Beyond the Queen City bubble, Sweet Melissa’s has helped reenergize live music in Montpelier, while the newly reopened Rusty Nail fills a void in Stowe that elevates live music in that town beyond the typical après-ski bar band fare. Understandably, those developments have garnered quite a bit of attention and buzz; you’d almost think the North Country was a cultural black hole prior to ArtsRiot delivering us from our unhip, appropriately fitting jeans doldrums. But I would suggest that the additions of those spaces have simply complemented and enhanced an already vital scene. I’d argue further that those new venues likely wouldn’t be such wild successes without the
foundation that had already been laid by many of the area’s longer-tenured venues, joints such as Higher Ground, Nectar’s, Radio Bean and the Monkey House. Because of those clubs, the local concertgoing public practically feels entitled to have cool music on tap every week. And so we do. While I love and appreciate the new spots as much as anyone else, I’d urge you not to forget about the venues that got us to this point. Of all the Burlington-area venues, the Monkey House is perhaps the most unlikely hotspot. Prior to the recent development of Winooski as an emerging nightlife hub, the Monkey was more an out-of-the-way destination venue. With the swell of new restaurants and bars in the Onion City, that’s less the case now, as patrons might be more apt to drop by after dinner at Misery Loves Co. or drinks at the Mule Bar. But not too long ago, most of us on the BTV side had to make
a concerted effort to cross the river. And the club often gave us good reason to do exactly that. For the last seven years or so, the Monkey House has been the epicenter for underground indie music in the greater Burlington area, filling a niche that other venues couldn’t. The bar found a sweet spot with nationally touring bands that were perhaps too big for Radio Bean, not big enough for Higher Ground and outside the usual bailiwick of venues like Nectar’s and Club Metronome. In the justifiable excitement over ArtsRiot and Signal Kitchen — two nightspots that serve a similar demographic as the Monkey House — it’s only natural that interest in the Winooski haunt might wane a bit. But this weekend, the club will offer a potent reminder of why it’s still one of the area’s best places to see live music. And actually, it might be better than ever. If you haven’t been in the last couple of months, you might not realize that Monkey House recently underwent a significant renovation. Specifically, the stage has been moved from its original, rather cramped location by the front door to the back of the room. It is now both bigger and taller, which provides more room for bands to stretch out and better sight lines for the crowd. On a recent trip there, my girlfriend noted that it feels a bit awkward to have to pass by the stage to hit the restrooms, since the whole audience can see you. But I’d counter that it’s less awkward than those times when you’d have to leave during a band’s set and sheepishly walk past the stage to exit. The point is, the new stage is a major improvement and should make shows at the Monkey House even more enjoyable. Like, say, the one this Friday, March 21. In honor of the spiffy new upgrade, the Monkey House is hosting a daylong renovation party on Friday, featuring some 19 bands and DJs. The DJ lineup includes Disco Phantom, hilary martin, J Boom, Jason cooley and sasquatch, in addition to two acts that are currently tied for my favorite DJ names of all
3/17/14 3:32 PM