Burlington singer-songwriter and Eastern Mountain Time head honcho Sean Hood is tired of hearing about the rough state of the local music scene — and he’s doing something about it!
Last week, Hood released Burlington Does Burlington: A Compilation, which features 27 Vermont artists all covering, well, each other. Folk and country songwriter Eric George covers roots rockers the Wormdogs. Indie upstarts Robber Robber cover punk stalwarts Rough Francis. Punk singer Lily Sickles takes on a track by indie popster Missy Bly. And that’s just a taste of the wildly intriguing tributes on the album.
If the project sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. In 1996, local music zine Good Citizen released the two-volume Burlington Does Burlington comp, featuring 38 bands. The Pants covered Phish‘s “Golgi Apparatus.” Belizbeha in turn covered the Pants’ “High Water Mark.” A pre-Gogol Bordello Eugene Hütz covered “Oh Hey” by Death Cows with his punk band the Fags.
Chin Ho! singer and Good Citizen publisher Andrew X Smith spearheaded those comps. He said he’s excited to see his old idea dusted off and revitalized. “I look forward to buying the new Burlington Does Burlington, as I hope everyone else does,” Smith told Seven Days in an email. “It was a pleasant surprise to see a 30-year tradition come back to life. And, shameless plug, you can also listen to Burlington Does Burlington Volumes One and Two on YouTube Music. Half the people on the originals are still playing today!”
It’s a fitting time for a feel-good tribute to the local scene. “With all the shitty news about Nectar’s and Despacito closing, not to mention Waking Windows coming to an end, I felt this urge to do something,” Hood said. “I kept thinking about the old Good Citizen records, where local artists all covered each other, and just how cool something like that was for our community. We need that sort of connection again.”
Stay tuned to these pages for a deeper dive on the comp soon. In the meantime, the album is only available at easternmountaintime.bandcamp.com, and all proceeds benefit the People’s Kitchen mutual aid nonprofit.
This might surprise some people, but, well, not everybody loves jazz. For those who have read just about enough of the bebop and the post-bop and the whatnot at this week’s Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, fear not! There are other, non-jazz fests happening all summer long, many of which announced lineups this week.
First, let’s take a look at the Vermont Yazz Fest. Launched in 2023 as the BTV Yazz Fest, founder and experimental musician/percussionist JB Ledoux envisioned the event as a celebration of all things ambient and experimental. For the 2025 version, the fest is moving from Burlington to the Ferrisburgh Town Offices and Community Center for a one-day event on Saturday, August 30. The lineup includes space-jazz trio Astral Underground, ambient musicians Thorny and nd dentico, and Ledoux’s musical alter ego, Jo Bled. Tickets are available at the door.
Looking to get your classical music fix? Check out the fourth annual West Windsor Vermont Music Festival. Under the curation of artistic director, composer and pianist Sakiko Ohashi, the festival features violinists Joanna Maurer and Amadi Azikiwe and pianist Nick Sanders accompanying Ohashi at the West Windsor Town Hall from June 27 to 29. Check out westwindsorvtmusicfestival.com for more information and tickets.
The Maple Roots Festival is back for its fifth year at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier on Saturday, July 26. Jazz guitarist Michael Louis-Smith and a coalition of Vermont musicians launched the grassroots event in 2021 as a “festival by musicians, for musicians — and music lovers.” This year’s lineup features DJ Logic, Freeway Clyde, Lara Cwass, the Vermont Jazz Ensemble and others across two stages. The fest is free, though there is a parking fee. Visit maplerootsfest.com for more information.
File under “Alas, we hardly knew you.”
The District VT, the Burlington restaurant and venue formerly known as ArtsRiot, announced via social media on May 28 that it was closing. The news capped a turbulent period for the business, which, as we reported last week, had recently rebranded.
“After doing everything we could to push through an increasingly challenging landscape, The District VT (formerly ArtsRiot) has been forced to close its doors effective immediately,” the club’s social media post reads. “As a result, we will be canceling all upcoming performances and halting all future booking activity.”
After years of turmoil and ownership changes, rebranding as the District VT seemed to signal a new era for the venue. It had a full schedule of entertainment booked through May and into June, including music, comedy and dance nights.
“This decision was not made lightly,” the statement on the club’s closing continues. “We know how much time, energy, and artistry goes into preparing for a show, and we deeply regret the impact this has on you, your team and the community. Please know we are immensely grateful for your support and for being part of the vibrant creative community we have in BTV.”
Listening In
Playlist of Vermont jams
This article appears in The Animal Issue 2025.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
