A plethora of compelling musical options are on show in Burlington and Waterbury in the coming week. Here are six to consider.
Sunday: Aoife O’Donovan
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Aoife (pronounced EE-fah) O’Donovan has transcended the genre as a widely acclaimed solo artist and member of the acclaimed trio I’m With Her, among many other projects ( Goat Rodeo, Crooked Still).
The Boston-born, Brooklyn-based artist extraordinaire – called a “singer with unerring instincts” by The New York Times – performs in support of her mind-blowing new album, ‘Age of Apathy,’ released last month .
Opening the show is rising acoustic guitar virtuoso Yasmin Williams, whose haunting 2021 sophomore ‘Urban Driftwood’ made many top album lists – Pitchfork called it “a contemplative balm with a expressive emotional core”.
Aoife O’Donovan and opener Yasmin Williams perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27 at the Higher Ground Ballroom, S. Burlington. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the show (all ages, seated show); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
Sunday: Ballroom Thieves
Formed in Boston over a decade ago, folk-rock trio The Ballroom Thieves, now based in Maine, wrap up a mini-tour of New England with an intimate show at Zenbarn. The high-energy “rock band in folk costume,” as the Thieves were called, perform as a core duo of Calin “Callie” Peters (vocals, cello, bass) and Martin Earley.
Known for their solid composition and distinct brand of powerful, harmonious music, the dynamic duo perform ahead of a new album, due out this summer. The band’s fourth album will follow their acclaimed 2020 album, “Unlovely.”
The Ballroom Thieves perform at 8 p.m. on Sunday, February 27 at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the show; call 802-223-2424 or go online to www.zenbarnvt.com
Wednesday: David Wax Museum
Led by talented husband-and-wife multi-instrumentalists David Wax (guitar, keyboards) and Suz Slezak (fiddle, accordion, quijada), indie-folk trio David Wax Museum are known for their joyful, free-spirited fusion of Mexican folk and American spirit. .
Known for their killer gigs, the captivating group – formed in Boston 15 years ago and now based in Charlottesville, Va. – perform in support of two new albums: Slezak’s stunning solo release, ‘Our Wings May Be Fearless”, and that of the David Wax Museum. adventurous eighth album, “Remember My Future”.
Wax and Slezak are joined at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge by multi-instrumentalist Alec Spiegelman, who performed on both albums in addition to producing them at his Brooklyn studio.
David Wax Museum performs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, S. Burlington. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the show (all ages); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
Friday: Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers, a progressive acoustic quintet fronted by 41-year-old mandolin ace Chris Thile, return to The Flynn to support their sixth album, ‘Hell on Church Street’, released last month on Nonesuch Records.
The album is the band’s reimagining and homage to bluegrass great Tony Rice’s historic solo album, “Church Street Blues.” The collection includes tracks by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot and Bill Monroe, among others.
The group includes some of the brightest stars of the acoustic scene: Chris Eldridge (guitar), Paul Kowert (bass), Noam Pikelny (banjo) and Gabe Witcher (fiddle).
Opening the show is up Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx.
Punch Brothers and opener Haley Heynderickx perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 4 at Flynn, Burlington (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets cost between $39.75 and $60.75; call 802-863-5966 or go online to www.flynnvt.org
March 5: Bonobos
The stage name of British musician, producer and DJ Simon Green, 45, Bonobo, now based in Los Angeles, began as a side project over 20 years ago, spanning over a decade ago to include a live band and DJ.
During this time, Green’s remixing talents helped him become one of the biggest names in dance music – Billboard called him “one of the most celebrated producers of the past two decades”.
Bonobo brings his beautiful, dance-inducing sound to Higher Ground in support of a stellar and widely acclaimed new album, “Fragments”, released last month on Ninja Tune.
The Guardian called the album a “brilliant and wondrous work”, while NME called it “richly rewarding” and “his most engaging (album) in a decade: soothing, energetic and perfect for the current moment. “.
Opening the show is Jordan Rakei, a New Zealand-Australian musician, singer-songwriter and producer now based in London.
Bonobo and fly-half Jordan Rakei perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 5 at the Higher Ground Ballroom, S. Burlington. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 the day of the show (all ages); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
March 5: Fever Dolls
Former Burlington indie rock band Fever Dolls, formed in the mid-2010s at Middlebury College and now based in Los Angeles, describe themselves as “the shape-shifting, label-defying project” of producer Evan Allis and singer Renn Mulloy.
The band recorded a sequel to their excellent 2020 EP, “The Phantasm at Lake Wallenpaupack,” which was produced by Paul Kolderie (Hole, Radiohead). Fever Dolls moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles later that year, recording and completing work on a full-length debut album, “When I Paint, I Paint with Blood and Berries”.
The band said via email that they are “exploring options for the release, as we are very proud of the LP and want to make the most of the moment around the release!”
Opening the show are Burlington indie rock bands Father Figuer and Guy Ferrari.
Fever Dolls and openers Father Figuer and Guy Ferrari perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5 at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, S. Burlington. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the show (all ages); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
ThomasWhuntington @hotmail.com
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