BENNINGTON — The Vermont Arts Exchange welcomes Bennington’s own “Beard & Glasses” back to the Basement Music Series stage on Saturday. The show was rescheduled from the COVID pandemic.
The event will be held at Little City Cider Co., and is a live premiere of the band’s new record, titled “Born at the Wrong Time,” 10 songs that are equal parts soul, psychedelia and barroom rock.
The bandmates to be featured onstage include Sam Clement on guitar and vocals; Matt Scott on guitar and vocals; Dustin DeLuke of Wild Adriatic; Moriah Formica on keyboards; Luke Laplant of the Kat Wright Band and Saturn People’s Sound Collective on baritone sax, keyboard and electronic wind instruments; John Miller on bass guitar; and Troy Hubbard of Viscus on drums.
“Beard & Glasses are no strangers to the Bennington area, but this show will be one like no other. This original work has been in their mind and in the making for the past seven years. It’s is a big deal and a true gift for all of us,” said Arts Exchange Director Matthew Perry in a statement.
Clement and Scott first met as undergrads on the Bennington College campus and have since played hundreds of shows together, ranging from the intimate and acoustic to the unwieldy and audacious. As musicians and interpreters of song, they’ve been hired guns and collaborators in a multitude of bands including The Nektones, Tighten, Pat Hull, Freddie Shehadi, Tavo Carbone, Trevor Wilson and Michael Chinworth, and have shared stages with the likes of Trombone Shorty, John Fishman from Phish, Joe Bouchard from Blue Oyster Cult, Murali Coryell, The Alan Evans Trio from Soulive and Nigel Hall from Nth Power and Lettuce.
As studio engineers and producers, Clement and Scott have helped release dozens of records for musicians across the globe.
The doors open for this show at 6 p.m. with food from the Avocado Pit available for purchase. Music starts at 7 p.m. The show’s sponsors are Wassick Tire, The Richard’s Group, The Coffee Bar, The Bank of Bennington, Mahar/McCarthy Real Estate, GVH Studio and Juniper Lane Cannabis.
Upcoming shows at Little City Cider include Seeders, Specker and Wheeler on April 1 and Eastbound Jesus on April 22. Become a Basement Music Series sponsor and get tickets, a reserved table and your name or business logos in promotional material and mentioned onstage.
Contact Perry at 802-379-3763 or matthewvae@comcast.net for more information about becoming a sponsor. Follow the season at vtartxchange.org or on the Basement Music Series Facebook page.
Little City Cider Co. is an accessible facility; call for specific accommodations at 802-379-3763.
Tickets for this Basement Music Series concert are $20 in advance. If not sold out, tickets will be available at the door for $25. Tickets are at BMSBeardGlasses.eventbrite.com.
