The Old Lantern

The owners of Roland's Place in New Haven and the publisher and editor of the Charlotte newspaper, Rural Route Today, have teamed up to bring the live music back to The Old Lantern - a historic dance hall which opened in Charlotte in 1964 after being moved from Jericho in 1962. The Old Lantern is also known as having the largest laminated maple dance floor in the State of Vermont. Someplace I should definitely be playing my blow-up guitar at.

The new Live Music Series at The Old Lantern kicks off tomorrow night with Plutonic Fever who will open with a short set... this is a group of Vergennes and Essex high school students. Great chance to support young musicians as they start to embark on music careers.

Ragged Glory follows playing the authentic music of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. This fantastic opportunity for Father's Day entertainment features the talent of father-son team - Ken and Jesse French, with Mick Petrie on bass and Coop Cooper on drums.

Bringing in the night and giving that laminated dance floor a run for its legacy is FunkenBluze. Jammy award winning video producer Johnny Reid (responsible for the footage in the PHISH IT video and nominated this year for "Keep on Marchin,'" North Mississippi Allstars) takes the stage with his boombox voice and a harmonica... which he has wielded since the days when his age was in the single digits! FunkenBluze includes the fabulous Eames Bros (Seth and Ralph), All-state high school phenom drummer Greg Sallerson and the alluring Colleen Mays who can belt it out with the best of them.

The second installment (and one I will be attending in force!) is Saturday, July 19th featuring the Honky Tonk Hoedown I so terribly miss from it's humble weekly home at Radio Bean now that I actually live in Charlotte. Brett Hughes, Gordon Stone, Marie Claire, Lowell Thompson...you know, all the Honky Tonk Faves!

The Old Lantern is located on Greenbush Road in Charlotte and doors open at 6 - tickets can be purchased at the door.