Spring and summer concert announcements have been popping up in the past couple of months, much to the delight of Vermont music lovers mired in late winter.
Higher Ground has announced a slew of shows at Shelburne Museum, some of which are already sold out (Jason Mraz, Train and Lake Street Dive).
Higher Ground also announced a return of sorts of Grand Point North, Mad River Valley native Grace Potter’s annual two-day festival at Burlington’s Waterfront Park that was set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic effectively killed the event.
Grand Point North returns as a four-day concert series featuring Potter and “local and national touring acts each day” on July 27 and 28, according to a press release, along with The Flaming Lips performing “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” on July 26 and an event to be determined on July 25.
Higher Ground co-owner Alex Crothers said they hope to announce the July 25 show and Grace Potter supporting acts in two to three weeks. Higher Ground will also be announcing a concert at Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo and several more shows at Shelburne Museum.
Several events have set dates with lineups to follow. Waking Windows, which two years ago returned in grand style for its stacked 10th-anniversary edition before switching to a smaller-scale version last year, resumes this format for its 12th go-round May 3-5 in downtown Winooski.
The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival will also return to the shorter five-day format that debuted last year for its 40th anniversary edition — a change from its long-running 10-day soiree. This year’s festival curator and opening and closing ticketed shows at The Flynn will be announced Monday, and the full lineup of free shows and activities will be announced May 3, according to Kevin Sweeney, Flynn director of marketing.
The 26th Jerry Jam, which was scheduled to debut at its new Vermont location at Pransky’s Farm in Cabot last July but was canceled due to widespread flooding that devastated the area, will be announcing the finalized lineup for its July 19-21 reboot “very soon,” according to an early March social media post.
And Montpelier’s Maple Roots Festival returns July 27 for its fourth edition at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, while the sixth iteration of the free Stowe Jazz Festival moves from late August to Aug. 2-4.
Here’s a look at some of the events that have been announced so far:
May 31-June 2: Field Day
Following last year’s inaugural single-day event at Guilford Fairgrounds, indie-rock fest Field Day expands to a three-day format and moves to Northampton, Massachusetts. Co-presented by Brattleboro music venue Stone Church and Northampton-based Urgent Message Music, Field Day features Indigo De Souza, Nation of Language, Dehd, Geese, Butcher Brown, Sheer Mag and Thus Love, among others, at Three County Fairgrounds on May 31 and June 1 before moving to downtown Northampton June 2 (artists to be announced this week).
Field Day is Friday-Sunday, May 31-June 2, in Northampton, Massachusetts. Tickets are $49 for May 31, $69 for June 1 and $99 for both days; go online to field-day.rocks
June 13: Greensky Bluegrass
Powerhouse Michigan five-piece group Greensky Bluegrass brings its kickin’ bluegrass sound and rock sensibility to Shelburne following a winter tour that culminated with a two-night stand at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium, where the band was joined by such special guests as Billy Strings, Sam Bush and Daniel Donato.
Greensky Bluegrass performs at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Shelburne Museum as part of the Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $49.50 in advance, $53.50 day of show (free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
June 29: Guster
Accomplished pop-rock group Guster — which includes Vermont residents Ryan Miller and Luke Reynolds — performs in support of its first new album in five years, “Ooh La La,” scheduled for release on May 17.
Guster and openers James Kochalka Superstar and Zeno Mountain Band perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Shelburne Museum as part of the Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $54 in advance, $58 day of show (additional $1 for charity; free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
June 28-30: Solid Sound Festival
Chicago rock band extraordinaire Wilco’s music and arts festival returns for another three-day outing at America’s largest contemporary art museum, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA).
Presented by Higher Ground, the family friendly fest features such artists as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Dry Cleaning, Nick Lowe & Los Straightjackets, Iris DeMent and John Hodgman’s Comedy Cabaret, among others. And headline sets by Wilco in addition to band members’ various solo projects.
Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival is June 28-30 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $299 for adult three-day passes, $69 for kid (ages 6-12) three-day passes; $114 for Friday or Sunday day passes, $174 for Saturday pass (all tickets include access to MASS MoCA); go online to solidsoundfestival.com
July 6: moe., Daniel Donato, Neighbor
Celebrated progressive rock band moe. brings its distinctive blend of Americana, clever songwriting and jam band ethics to Jay Peak. Opening the show are fast-rising “cosmic country” artist Daniel Donato and jam-based Boston rock band Neighbor.
moe. with openers Daniel Donato and Neighbor perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 6, at the Stateside Amphitheater at Jay Peak. Tickets are $41 in advance, $51 day of show (all ages; general admission); call 800-451-4449 or go online to www.jaypeakresort.com
July 19-20: Jeezum Crow FestivalThe ninth edition of Jay Peak’s beloved Jeezum Crow Festival brings such artists as the legendary Del McCoury Band, Grammy-nominated Virginia-based newgrass band the Infamous Stringdusters and funky Baltimore-based jam band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, among others, to northeastern Vermont.
The Jeezum Crow Festival is Friday and Saturday, July 19 and 20, at the Stateside Amphitheater at Jay Peak. Tickets on sale soon; call 800-451-4449 or go online to www.jaypeakresort.com
July 26-27: Cabot Arts and Music Festival
Started in 2022 as a one-day, multi-genre music festival, the Cabot Arts and Music Festival was scheduled to expand to two days last year before the catastrophic flooding led to a scaled-back one-day event. The third edition brings it back to two days with 12 bands on four stages. Performers include Rose and the Bros, Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert, The Mammals, Soggy Po Boys and Bob and Sarah Amos, among others.
The Cabot Arts and Music Festival is Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27, on the Cabot Village Common in Cabot. Early bird tickets go on sale April 1; call 802-793-3016 or go online to www.cabotarts.org
July 26: The Flaming Lips
Known for its elaborate live shows, Oklahoma psychedelic rock group The Flaming Lips — All Music calls them “one of rock’s most enduring and joyously weird bands” — performs its 2002 magnum opus, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” in its entirety.
The Flaming Lips performing “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” is at 8 p.m. Friday, July 26, at Waterfront Park in Burlington as part of the Grand Point North Concert Series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $55 in advance, $59 day of show (free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
July 27-28: Grace Potter
Grace Potter, who splits her time between California and her home in Moretown, headlines two shows at Burlington’s Waterfront Park as part of the four-day Grand Point North Music Series, July 25-28. The Mad River Valley native celebrated the release of her 2023 album, “Mother Road,” with two sold-out shows at Shelburne Museum in September.
Grace Potter and artists TBD perform at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28, at Waterfront Park in Burlington as part of the Grand Point North Concert Series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $52 in advance, $56 day of show, $92 for two-day pass (free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
Sept. 1: Goth Babe
A fast-rising artist with a tongue-in-cheek name that belies his buoyant sound, Goth Babe — aka Tennessee native and indie pop wunderkind Griff Washburn — makes his Vermont debut in support of his gorgeous, shimmering debut album, “Lola,” released in January. Named after the sailboat on which he now lives, the album marries rock-inflected guitar songs and lo-fi synth-pop to great effect.
“Goth Babe shows are a chill, good-vibes time,” said the New York Post about a 2023 show at New York City’s Rooftop at Pier 17, calling it “catchy dream pop fun for all ages.”
Goth Babe and opener Ritt Momney perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at Shelburne Museum as part of the Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $49.50 in advance, $53.50 day of show (additional $1 for charity; free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com
Sept. 19-20: Lake Street Dive
Known for delivering potent live shows, ever-popular Brooklyn-based band Lake Street Dive returns to Shelburne Museum in support of its forthcoming album, “Good Together,” scheduled for release June 21.
Lake Street Dive performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 and Friday, Sept. 20 (sold out) at Shelburne Museum as part of the Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green series (Higher Ground Presents). Tickets are $64 in advance, $68 day of show (additional $1 for charity; free for children 12 and younger); call 888-512-7469 or go online to www.highergroundmusic.com