This past weekend was the first ever Grand Point North music festival. Every year Grace Potter & the Nocturnals play a show during the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival. This year she put together a music festival within that, which had many new and local acts. I chose to go on Saturday since Chamberlin, a Vermont act that I've recently become obsessed with (check out this post for more), was playing. I was also excited to see that Fitz & the Tantrums would be playing that day as I recently fell in love with their song "Moneygrabber."
Long story short: it was an incredible day. We got there a little late after having an early dinner on Church St. and got there in time to see Rubblebucket and then walk around for a bit before Fitz & the Tantrums started. FATT were incredible. I would pay to see them as a headliner any day.
Immediately after FATT Chamberlin was playing on the side stage. We ran over in time to hear most of their set. After being obsessed with their album for a few months it was great to see them again and know all of their songs. They also played one or two new ones, which was awesome.
As soon as Chamberlin ended we ran over to the main stage and waited a few minutes for Grace to start. As usual she was absolutely amazing. My feet and back were killing me from standing all day, but it was totally worth it in the end. I'll definitely be hitting up Grand Point North again next summer.
In December I went to see Grace Potter at Higher Ground. On the night I happened to be there the opener was Chamberlin. I don't really remember their set, but a few weeks ago I distinctly remembered thinking that I did want to buy their album when it came out in March. Since I've been sick of my music lately I went for it.
I've become obsessed.
When I checked out their website I learned that Chamberlin is a new band from VT. All of their tracks were recorded in a cabin in the woods a little north of Rutland. Their record was actually produced by Scott Tournet, one of Grace's guitar players. Ah, Vermont.
This video is of the first track on their album live from their little VT cabin.
My second new music obsession is with Adele. I just got her new album, 21, and it's FANTASTIC. Her first one won all kinds of awards, but I didn't start listening to her until I heard "Rolling In the Deep" and it ended up on repeat during a long car ride.
I figured that since the first single is on the radio (click the link above for that video) and is pretty well known I'd throw my other favorite from the album up.
On a slight side note, I hope you enjoyed that I hyperlinked the absolute crunch out of this post. Also, I used the word "crunch" because that's what my Diff Eqs professor uses as a substitute for "crap" and I think it's hilarious.
This past Saturday was the SMC spring concert. Every year the Student Association sends out a survey asking students about what artists we would like to have in the spring. This year I was completely psyched when I found out that our concert would be Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.
Cat Popper, GPN
If you've ever read my blog you probably have some idea about just how much I love GPN. I'm actually a little bit obsessed. And by a little bit I mean a lot a bit. This was actually the forth time I've seen them since June, which is absurd, but so awesome. I just love the band's energy, the music is so fun and different from most of what we hear on the radio now, and Grace is literally the coolest person alive. Plus, her voice is incredible. The band is originally from VT and always makes a point of coming back a couple of times a year, which I also think is really cool.
I was also really excited to hear that the opener would be Barefoot Truth. The band has a really unique sound mixing folk, rock, raggae, and jazz using lots of different instruments you wouldn't normally see a band play. I found them on iTunes in high school and really got into their music. They've been at Higher Ground quite a few times since then, but I've always had some reason I couldn't go. As soon as they started their set I knew that it was a huge mistake not to work around some things to go see them. They were energetic and jumping around and overall a lot of fun. Plus, the music was SO GOOD live. Not to mention, two of the members of the band are St. Mike's alumni.
It was good to have really incredible local acts highlighted at SMC. I had an absolutely incredible time at the concert. I plan on seeing Grace again whenever she's back in VT and I'll definitely see Barefoot whenever they make it back to Higher Ground.
Check out the videos from the show! The first is "Broken Road" by Barefoot Truth. The beginning features a didgeridoo. So cool.
The second is GPN's "Low Road," which is one of my favorite songs from the album and my very favorite song to hear live. Grace absolutely belts it, as you'll hear, and trust me, it's even better in person. Insane. *Note: please ignore the bobbing head. The kid in front of me had incredibly fluffy hair and really couldn't decide which way he wanted to sway to. I did my very best.*
The last is the most popular GPN song, "Paris," and was played as the encore of the show.
I was just looking through my iPhoto and noticed the album from the GPN concert I went to right before New Years. Here's my favorite vid from the evening.
"2:22" from their first album, Nothing But the Water.
Earlier this summer I saw Grace Potter and the Nocturnals on Church Street in Burlington. At this point I was already planning on getting tickets to the August waterfront show. Seeing her at the free show in the middle of downtown Burlington solidified my obsession. (You can check out the earlier post here) Saturday's show did not disappoint.
After a delish dinner at Three Tomatoes and some desert from Ben & Jerry's we made our way down from Church Street. Getting to the waterfront 45 minutes or so before the show we just sat on the grass and enjoyed the beautiful night. I also got to meet up with my friend, Adam, who wrote a very enthusiastic post about his night.
Then Grace started. And played for 2 full hours. And of course she had a ridiculous amount of energy the entire time.
One highlight was when, partway through the show, she stopped to throw some Cabot cheese and Lake Champlain Chocolates into the crowd. Only in Vermont.
There's not much else to say other than the show was completely amazing and if you ever get the chance to see GPTN you should definitely go for it. Maybe I'll see you at the New Years Eve show because I'm pretty sure I'll be there.
Check out the videos from the show. Please ignore the struggs camera movements. It's better in person, trust me.
Low Road
The first section of the encore, Nothing But the Water
I had been trying to switch my days off from Tuesday to Thursday. It didn't work out and I woke up Tuesday morning thinking I'd spend the day doing work for my online class. I was not all too enthused. But in my usual morning routine of checking every single form of internet communication I came across a glorious RT on Twitter. Grace Potter live on Church Street at 5:30. Free. My morning immediately got SO much better.
Grace Potter is a singer/songwriter originally from Vermont. She and her band, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have been getting increasingly more popular nation-wide. With the band's roots in Burlington, they play multiple shows a year in the Burlington area including an annual new year's eve performance at Higher Ground and a show on the waterfront every August. This year for the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival they played a free show right smack dab in the middle of Church Street. Check out the band's website here. I've linked directly to- the new album, so you can check it out. My faves? "Paris", "Tiny Light", "Only Love", and "That Phone".
I went with Caroline, crown and sash included, to see the awesome show. It was absolutely packed. I think the shortest, most accurate way to describe the event was something Caroline said over and over. "She is just so awesome. I wish I could be her." But seriously.
The first time I heard her CD, Nothing But The Water, which I now have completely memorized, I immediately thought of Janis Joplin, who my brother and I used to rock out to together when we were younger. (Well, ok...and still do. I will always and forever hear Evan singing "Piece of my Heart" when it comes on the radio.) I had always heard that seeing her live was incredible. This couldn't be more true. Her stage presence is ridiculous, her voice is something I will always wish I could have, and her music is so much fun.
Anyway, long story short, I loved it. I will for sure be at the waterfront show in August. After the show Caroline and I made our way (slowly...oh, to be Miss VT and oh so very popular) over to the St. Mike's cow for a pic.
(A post on the cows of Church St. and beyond is to follow this one at some point. Probably when I need a nice filler post because I've run out of things to talk about!) Afterward, I bought myself the new CD, which was released yesterday, and got it signed by the entire band.
I love that even though Grace and the band are only getting bigger as time goes on, they haven't forgotten little old Burlington, VT. It's cool for them to do a free show and stick around to meet the local fans afterwards. During the show Grace said something that really stuck with me and completely illustrated how they feel about their beginnings in VT.
"Burlington, Vermont is the biggest city in the world to us." - Grace Potter
I have a few YouTube vids from the show. They're a little fuzzy and I ask that you please ignore the crazy camera angles and whatnot. It's a digital camera. I do what I can! (They're currently still being processed so I'll get them up ASAP. Check back in a day or so for them!)
This past weekend was the first ever Grand Point North music festival. Every year Grace Potter & the Nocturnals play a show during the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival. This year she put together a music festival within that, which had many new and local acts. I chose to go on Saturday since Chamberlin, a Vermont act that I've recently become obsessed with (check out this post for more), was playing. I was also excited to see that Fitz & the Tantrums would be playing that day as I recently fell in love with their song "Moneygrabber."
