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April 23, 2025 Music » Music News + Views
Published April 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
An announcement last week brought the local music scene a mix of bitter tears and sweet nostalgia: Winooski’s Waking Windows festival is coming to an end. After 15 years, the fest will take its last stand on Friday, May 2, through Sunday, May 4.
„Like many independent festivals and events, we’ve faced growing financial instability in almost every aspect of what we do,“ the booking collective announced via social media. „The increasing demand of our personal lives and families has made us confront the hard truth about our future as well. This has always been a labor of love and we did not want it to end, but it’s the current reality we are facing.“
Launched in 2011 as a self-contained mini-fest at the Monkey House, the festival soon grew into a massive event that took over the majority of downtown Winooski, bringing in world-class touring acts such as Pond, Real Estate, Dinosaur Jr. and Japanese Breakfast. It was also a showcase of Vermont music, with local artists making up the bulk of the lineup.
We’ll properly mourn the fest’s passing, and celebrate its history, as we near the final Waking Windows. But for now, check out the lineup at wakingwindows.com and clear some time the first weekend of May to take in a special, one-of-a-kind musical event.
„We know times are tough,“ the collective wrote on social media, „but if we don’t keep showing up for the things we love, they’ll continue to disappear.“
On that note, another annual local music highlight is coming right up: Foam Brewers‚ birthday bash. With a party titled Bizarre Celebrations: Cloud 9, the Burlington brewery marks its ninth year of serving up craft beer and hosting tons of shows.
The three-day throw-down, taking place this Friday, April 25, through Sunday, April 27, features ample music, special beer releases and food trucks. Friday brings DJ Disco Phantom, indie-pop outfit Madaila, singer-songwriter Josh Panda and Ontario indie act SHEBAD. On Saturday’s bill, bluegrass band the Tenderbellies, country group Wild Leek River, surf-rockers the High Breaks and DJ GD (aka Greg Davis) join New York City indie acts Tilden, Psymon Spine and THICK. Bluegrass trio Good Gravy, country rockers Ponyhustle and old-timey outfit Queen City Cut-Ups close out the party on Sunday. Find all the details at foambrewers.com.
Over the years, Foam has become an integral part of the Burlington music scene, booking everything from indie rock and folk to hip-hop and jazz. As we’ve been painfully reminded recently, nothin‘ lasts forever, not even cold November rain. So let’s take a moment to be grateful that Foam and its epic parties are still going strong. See you at the waterfront!
Expect an old-fashioned hoedown at the Adamant Community Club when the venue hosts Minnesota folk musician Bob Bovee on Saturday, April 26. A hard-touring veteran who’s been on the scene since 1971, Bovee is known for his repertoire of cowboy music, ballads and dance tunes, as well as his gift for infusing sets with folklore and history.
„No one handles old-time cowboy and humorous songs better than Bob,“ wrote Don Stevens of AllMusic. „His vocals are hauntingly rough.“
If you haven’t caught a show at the Adamant Community Club, it’s one of the more unique music venues in the Green Mountain State. Located in an old schoolhouse that was active until 1962, the venue still has a huge slate blackboard and a portrait of George Washington hanging from the wall. (No word on whether it’s haunted by a suitably terrifying ghost of a teacher, but it’d be weird if it weren’t, right?)
Pop over to adamantcoop.org for more information.
Tags: Music News + Views, Waking Windows, Bizarre Celebrations: Cloud 9, Disco Phantom, Madaila, Josh Panda, SHEBAD, Tenderbellies, Wild Leek River, High Breaks, DJ GD, Tilden, Psymon Spine, THICK, Good Gravy, Ponyhustle, Queen City Cut-Ups, Bob Bovee
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