The Grand Point North Festival is just days away and a slew of up and coming acts and nationally touring rootsy mega bands will take to the stage over looking Lake Champlain and provide a soundtrack to rock and roots a crowd to the core.
One of the great things about this fest is the connection that Grace Potter has to the local music community in Vermont and that there is a conscious decision to highlight some of Burlington (and beyonds) best and brightest talent.
Steady Betty is one of those bands. Described as “a 9-piece “all-star…rocksteady band” (Seven Days). The band pays homage to the classic late-1960s sounds of Jamaica. Rocksteady is a danceable, soulful successor to ska, and the roots of the reggae genre. Steady Betty showcases Vermont-based lady musicians — Miriam Bernardo (lead vocal), Linda Bassick (guitar, Mellow Yellow), Caroline O’Connor (bass, Vedora), Emily Ryan (alto sax, Mango Jam), Allison Frazier (bari sax, Shakedown),Zoe Harris (alto sax), Margot Van Horne (trumpet), Rachel Capobianco (vocals, drums). When the moons align, Kat Wright (KW & The Indomitable Should Band) joins us on vocals.” Call it what you want, when Steady Betty is in the house, a party is sure to ensue and you are guaranteed to move and shake to their infectious grooves.
Steady Betty performs on Sunday at 2:50 PM, but in the meanwhile read on up and hear what the band has to say about the fest and the community around Vermont music.
RLR: How would you guys sum up your sound in 5-10 words?
Linda Bassick: Reminiscent of Jamaica’s 60’s dancehall.
Caroline O’Connor: Steady Betty’s sound: A soulful, sexy spin on gorgeous rocksteady classics.
Margot Van Horne: Summed up in 10 words: People sing along even if they don’t know the words.
Rachel Capobianco: We perform vintage style rocksteady reggae classics that make you smile.
RLR: A big part of what Red Line Roots has stood for in its time is community building and fostering some semblance of a place to hear acts that are up and coming. We are new to VT (just 3 months), so how has the music community around here and Burlington impacted you all as a band and artists? Do you find a lot of other like minded music makers? Does it make things easier or tougher being in a place that isn’t as much on the map as a music city as say NYC or Nashville?
Linda Bassick: This is a great musical community! It is very supportive and open minded. The all-female aspect of steady Betty has allowed me to let down my female protective guard so that I can create an express myself more freely!
I have traveled a bit and have friends that live in Nashville, LA, New York, London, etc. I don’t think I would’ve had the quantity or quality of opportunities that I have had living in Burlington if I had lived in any of those places.
Caroline O’Connor: The music community here is vibrant and welcoming. People get pretty excited to see live music overall. I play a mix of different styles/instruments and am involved in other projects besides Steady Betty (including working on a solo album currently), and I find that folks are interested in hearing what I’m working on, and hearing how things are developing. Personally, I love the size of BTV. The smaller size makes it easy to get shows, get heard, and get your name out.
Margot Van Horne: I would describe the Burlington music scene as collaborative rather than competitive. There’s a surprising amount of music makers and music lovers for a relatively small city. While we may not have quite as many big events or venues as larger cities, the fact that there are fewer musicians to compete with means that it’s easier to access the opportunities that we do have here. The music community here has been nothing but a positive influence in my life. I moved here from Atlanta when I was 18 and found it to be very welcoming. Everyone that I talked to encouraged me to get out and play and was happy to offer advice.
Rachel Capobianco: Burlington is a musical mecca and is definitely on the map. All the musicians and crew here know each other. Nobody is fighting to get a gig since there are so many wonderful places to play. I’ve done sound and played in bands here since 1992 and know almost everyone in the industry. It may be small but packs a serious musical punch with a ton of really awesome and talented artists.
I know people from VT who have moved to Nashville and NYC to pursue musical careers. They always miss Burlington and can’t wait to come back and play here. There’s a lot of love for each other in this town.
RLR: Who are you all excited to be sharing a stage with at the festival this year?
Linda Bassick: I am of course looking forward to sharing the stage with Grace! Also Guster, the soul band, and the kids, smooth antics and blue button!
Caroline O’Connor: I’m really excited to share the stage with Eliza Hardy Jones. I discovered her music from a post on Benny Yurco’s Instagram page several months ago, and have listened to her album over and over. I can’t wait to see her live!
Margot Van Horne: I’m excited about all of it, but it really floored me when I saw that we were on the same lineup as Old Crow Medicine Show. They’re a pretty big deal where I grew up, and I’ve been listening to them for a long time.
Rachel Capobianco: I’ve worked with Grace Potter before and am looking forward to sharing the stage with her and want to thank her for inviting Steady Betty to perform. and of course Kat Wright and the Indominable Sould Band. Kat is our 9th member who rarely makes it to our gigs anymore since KWISB has been getting so popular. We are happy she can join us on vocals Sunday.”
RLR: Playing a stage overlooking Lake Champlain on the waterfront is going to be a pretty killer backdrop, but what are some of your favorite stages in Burlington or VT in general to play on and why?
Linda Bassick: I have been lucky with both my bands getting to play gigs in amazing settings this summer! So beautiful is this place we live and play!!!”
Caroline O’Connor: I love playing Radio Bean because there’s an awesome built-in crowd and it feels like the community living room. Also, I like playing anywhere that gives us dinner.
Margot Van Horne: There are lots of fun venues in Burlington with great staff that make sure everyone has a good time, but a packed night at Radio Bean has an unparalleled vibe.”
photo by Adam Frehm