The independence that college affords is incredibly magnified by moving off campus into a new world full of rent, gas bills and recycling bin scavengers.
Living in an apartment building not named after a dead UVM alum pushes you out into the heart of the “city” everyday, where you can still listen and create music outside of Slade Hall or Brennan’s.
The trek to Higher Ground is no longer the highlight of the semester because coffees shops, restaurants and neighbors’ basements offer an eclectic arrangement of music performances. Some of the musicians in such venues are fellow students like the ones below.
Eleanor Krause
Year at UVM: junior
Her inspiration: “When I write a song, I finger pick rather than strumming. It’s a repetitive style that conjures up a feeling or mood and then the lyrics come forward. The songs are of a specific emotion, [they are] evocative. Stylistically, like Iron and Wine finger picking … my thoughts on wilderness … problem.”
Where you’ll see them next: Zimmerman: “I don’t know … can I give out our number? It’s Third.”
Where he played this weekend: On The Rise Bakery, Richmond, VT and Burlington’s Red Square
Why sweaty basements?: “Because Burlington is so strict about people under 21 being around venues. Everyone [at parties] is just dancing and getting down … there are no kinds of restraints so it gets wild pretty river.”
As an English major, Levison’s poetry has transformed into the songs he writes for small local venues and at UVM parties, Levinson said.
Everything him and musical partner Erik Jefferis make is sampled from old records they have found in old family vinyl collections, Levinson said.
In his opinion, his sound is a parlay into funky jazz, hip-hop and soul.
“There are more rappers out in the Burlington music scene than you’d think,” Levinson said.
LC of “Linguistic time.”
His sound: Poetry/songs aching to be out west or back in love, lyrics laden with heavy emotion inspired by Townes van Zandt and folk classics like Dylan.
In his third year at UVM, Taylor Morse has been bringing original melancholy blues to this college town since 2009.
“The music scene here is so accessible to everyone,” he said. “I can just send out an email and get a gig in two weeks … you don’t have to search too