Hearts of Gold

The countdown on Langdon Street Café closing stands at t-minus three days and change, which … well, absolutely sucks. The quirky java joint is closing for financial reasons, and even after Boston-based circus punks Cirkestra draw the curtain for the last time on Saturday night, the cash-strapped café will long be dealing with the financial fallout of a rocky final few months.

To help out, the fine folks from the Golden Dome Musician's Collective in Montpelier and State and Main Records have put together a stellar new compilation, State and Main Records: Volume 1.5 — A Benefit for the Langdon Street Café. The download-only comp is a followup to the label's debut offering, State and Main Records: Volume 1, released in February to rave reviews — at least from me. After a few cursory listens, I'm finding Volume 1.5 just as entertaining.

You can grab the comp here, for a measly $10, proceeds of which go directly to LSC. To wet your whistle, here's a snippet, "Sticks and Stones," by Simple Heart.

State and Main Records - LSC-GDMC Benefit - 08 Sticks and Stones

 

Hands On

This just in from the fine lads at Angioplasty Media, the new video for "Plenty Hands" by Parmaga, from their excellent debut EP, Ghost Pops. Dig it.

Parmaga - Plenty Hands from Geoffrey Klane on Vimeo.

 

So Very Special

I'm usually not much for reality TV unless it involves Padma Lakshmi, but this is kinda cool. Or horrifying, depending on how you feel about Radiohead.

It seems a UVM pre-med student, Devon Barley — who is also the music director of UVM a cappella group the TopCats, of which I was a member, many years ago — is doing quite well on NBC's latest Star Search ripoff, the Voice. For the unfamiliar, the show, hosted by Carson Daly, is a reimagining of a Dutch TV show of the same name, in which aspiring pop singers compete for the right to be on American Idol. Or maybe to win a ton of money and a record deal. I can never remember.

The contestants are judged by a panel of pop stars, including Cee-Lo Green, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. In tonight's episode (NBC, 10 p.m.), Barley squares off against another hopeful — on a stage that vaguely resembles a boxing ring, no less — to move on to the next round. This particular contest seems loosely based on the rap battle concept, with contestants alternating verses of a song. Except that instead of freeestyling, they tackle a poppy karaoke rendition of the radio edit version of Radiohead's "Creep." (video below) Thom Yorke must be rolling in his grave.

All kidding aside, congrats on your success so far, Devon. And best of luck tonight. 

 

Rhymes with Osage

Today's missive comes by way of local indie-folk outfit Osage Orange. It's a nifty little video for their song, "Alchemy," that fairly screams Burlington bohemia. You've got yer ragtag dancin' fools clad in vagabond chic garmenture, lots of pointy facial hair, a healthy dose of rambling accordion and, of course, Phinneus Sonin juggling. It's like a night at Radio Bean delivered straight to your computer screen. Enjoy.

   

B-Rock Obama?

This just in from 4-Word Presents: An open letter to the Prez, hip-hop style.

Signed, Nastee

 

Time Flies

There is no possible way I could write with any sort of objectivity about the Lazy Songwriter, or the fact that today marks the tenth anniversary of the band's first show.

For starters, both of my siblings were in the band. I've known front man Arthur Adams since he was in, like, fourth grade. LS lead guitarist David Stockhausen would later be my partner in crime in my last serious musical endeavor, the Middle Eight — as was occasional LS contribtor Mike Duplessis. In fact, I basically just stole Art's band when he left for San Francisco and I moved back to town. And to be honest, were it not for the Lazy Songwriter, I may not have decided to return to Burlington at all.

During their heyday, I was living in Boston under the auspices of making my way as a songwriter. In reality, I was a bartender who spent far too much time on both sides of the wood — usually babbling about how I was totally gonna make it in music, man. Then promptly ordering another round. Or eight. Ah, Boston.

I came home to visit Burlington fairly often in those days. And when I did, I found myself incredibly envious both of Art's band and how much more of a community Burlington's music scene — and, specifically, the burgeoning little scene orbiting the then-new Radio Bean — seemed to be compared to what I had found in Beantown. Maybe I had just been looking in the wrong places. But the Lazy Songwriter and Radio Bean, generally, epitomized what I had hoped to find by moving away. So I came home. 

Aaaaanyway, as I mentioned, today is the tenth aniversary of the Lazy Songwriter's first ever show at (where else?) Radio Bean. In celebration, Adams has posted the entire LS canon on his website, Blammos.com. And, personal biases utterly intact, it's pretty great, especially if you loved that band back in the day. And really, for a supposedly laggard tunesmith, dude was pretty prolific. Enjoy.

And thanks, Art.  

 

Sigh …

Man, I hate being the bearer of bad news. And this is seriously bad news indeed. The following is an email that went out to various press outlets this morning from Meg Hammond and Ben T. Matchstick at the Langdon Street Café. 

To all the friends, family, community, and performers of the Langdon Street Café,  

After doing business in downtown Montpelier for six and a half years, the Café has faced a difficult decision.  Due to increasing financial difficulties and circumstances, the Langdon Street Café will permanently close its doors on May 28th.  This decision has not been an easy one for us.

We would like to thank everyone who has participated in the Langdon Street Café over the years—especially the Café’s founders and all of the employees past and present who have worked so hard and volunteered extra efforts to keep it going.  We would also like to thank our families, tenants, and volunteer crews who have helped reinvent the space numerous times.  A big thanks goes out to all the Café’s customers for feeling right at home, keeping us afloat, and for recharging our spirit.  Finally, thank you to the downtown business community and to the City of Montpelier for making this town the most brilliant little star on the map.

We will greatly miss hosting you at the Café.  Please come in and enjoy the Café throughout the month of May. Visit our website and Facebook pages where you can share your photos and stories.  langdonstreetcafe.com 

Sincerely,

Meg Hammond, Owner/Manager

Ben t. Matchstick, Booking & Events