TONIGHT: Milo w/ Ceschi, JPEGMAFIA & Jarv @ Arts Riot

Arts Riot opened their doors in the summer of 2012 -- a heavy, heady time to be alive. We all knew the world was ending, and there was a Mormon running for president. Since then, the team on Pine Street has been continuously improving their kitchen game and creating space for great underground culture. Case in point: their steady support of uncompromising art rap. Arts Riot was the home of the short-lived but well-done Sound Affects showcase series, and they've hosted Milo several times now.

(They've also brought BTV some legendary nights with People Under The Stairs, Akrobatic, Masta Ace, Blockhead and even Waka Flocka Flame. Really, yes.)

Milo is a prolific wizard currently based in Chicago. He will be joined this evening by Ceschi, the founder of Fake Four Records and a serious entertainer in his own right -- expect the unexpected. Rounding out the bill is JPEGMAFIA, who makes astoundingly good music, both as an emcee and a producer.

They'll be joined by Vermont phenom Jarv, really the most appropriate choice for a bill like this. The doors open at 8, the show starts at 8:30, and everyone on the bill is dope. $15. All Ages.

ROUNDUP: Hip Hop Shows in February

Feb. 1st - Mister Burns and Jarv @ Switchback Taproom An early set at a great spot downtown. A treat for BTV locals; these guys still improve every time they get onstage. 6 pm. Free. 21+.

Feb. 2nd - Building Blocks 2 @ Swan Dojo The first time around was a big success, getting all four elements under one roof for a proper party. The second installment will be even bigger. There will be breakdance battles, there will be an invitational open mic, Headphonious Monk and DJ Kanganade on the tables, and -- believe it -- far more. All Ages. 5 pm - 10 pm. $10 / $5 with food or clothing donations.

Feb. 3rd - Dilla Day @ Sidebar. This should be an exceptional evening for your earholes. Beat sets from Crusty Cuts, Loupo and Old Gold, and Possibly Human doing a special Dilla set. All killer, no filler. 21+. Free Show.

Also Feb. 3rd - Mister Burns & Jarv at Notte Neapolitan Pizza Bar. The state's reigning tag team champions take their show to Middlebury, VT. 10 pm. $3. 21+.

Feb. 8th - Milo @ Arts Riot. Milo will be bringing his caravan through Arts Riot again, this time bringing along CT-based troubadour and label founder Ceschi. Sadly, NYC wizard/god Elucid will not be making the trek to Vermont, but this will still be a great night thanks to JPEGMAFIA, who is nothing short of amazing. 8pm. $15. ALL AGES.

Feb. 15th - 3rd Thursdays: HLR Takeover @ Monkey House. Even by 3rd Thursday standards, this one will be a big deal. The lineup is stacked, Street Religion and Bar None The Best will both be making their Winooski debut, and there's going to be a contest to open up for The Perceptionists on Feb. 23rd, too. Ten artists will get one song each to convince the crowd they deserve it. 9 pm. 18+ $8 / 21+ $3

Feb. 17th - Joell Ortiz Valentine's Bash @ Social Club & Lounge. NYC rap god and Slaughterhouse member Joell Ortiz will be packing Social Club & Lounge for a Saturday Night show. He'll be bringing through Philly revivalist Judah Priest, who has been both a back bench Wu-Affiliate and a Christian rapper in the past. 9 pm. 21+. $27.

Feb. 23rd - The Perceptionists w/ Cultural Chemistry @ Monkey House. The 802 is getting spoiled this month -- days later, Akrobatic & Mr. Lif will be coming through to sell out The Monkey House. Openers will be Cultural Chemistry, Jarv and...whoever wins the contest at 3rd Thursdays. 9 pm. 18+. $12 adv / $15 door.

FROZE AF ROUNDUP: Winter 2018 Hip Hop Shows

No matter how far below zero that mercury drops, the shows must go on. What follows is a quick look ahead.

Jan. 10th - Blackalicious w/ Epidemiks @ The Snow Barn. West coast legends Gift of Gab & Chief XL will be rolling through The Snow Barn in West Dover...courtesy of Bud Light, no less. Opening support comes from Epidemiks, fresh off their New Years Eve celebration at The Stone Church. 9 pm. $15 adv / $20 door. 18+.

Jan. 11th - Khaosity @ Radio Bean. Khaosity kicks off his Light It Up Blue Tour, an effort to raise awareness & money for autism research. Lineup includes Corty Booth and Stormyweather. 10 pm. Free. ALL AGES.

Jan. 12-14th - 1st Annual Granite State Hip Hop Festival. Obviously, this is a New Hampshire event, but like the Ruckus Cup Classic in Maine, it's a big deal. This is going to be three nights of live hip hop at Jewel in Manchester -- perhaps the biggest highlight is Saturday night's bill, which features The Artifacts and Sadat X, in addition to 802 artists like Eyedos and Colby Stiltz. Check event page for details.

Jan. 18th - 3rd Thursday @ Monkey House Anthill Collective's family style party is almost always an event, and this month is no exception. The big reveal this time around is the debut of Princess Nostalgia and the return of rapper/producer/etc Network, who has not been seen in these parts for quite some time. There will also be sets from Fresh Patterns and ILLu, who is fresh off a new release. 9 pm. $3 21+ / $8 18+.

Jan. 26th - Maiden Voyage, C Shreve, Mister Burns @ Windsor Station. A pretty much guaranteed Friday night party. Maiden Voyage will be hosting at their hometown haunt, Mister Burns will be returning, and C Shreve will be bringing the guest boom baps. 9 pm. Free. 21+.

Jan. 27th - Mister Burns, C.Shreve, DJ Jet, Boomslang & Jarv @ Charlie O's. The same party continues north to Montpelier, home of America's Greatest Dive Bar, Charlie-O's. Boomslang will be cranking up the funk quotient to eleven. This will be hot stuff. 9 pm. Free. 21+.

Also Jan. 27th - All Black Party 2018 @ Social Club & Lounge. Heartless Entertainment will be hosting this "grown & sexy" party, which features a $100 cash prize for the best dressed arrival. No word on the lineup yet. Or cover price. 21+.

Feb. 1st - Mister Burns and Jarv @ Switchback Taproom An early set at a great spot downtown. A treat for BTV locals. 6 pm. Free. 21+.

Feb. 2nd - Building Blocks 2 @ Swan Dojo No word on the lineup or details, but the date, at least, is set in stone. The next installment of the community party / actual cypher / b-boy jam / fundraiser will be Friday, February 2nd. More on this story as it develops, folks.

Feb. 3rd - Mister Burns & Jarv at Notte Neapolitan Pizza Bar. The state's reigning tag team champions take their show to Middlebury, VT. 10 pm. $3. 21+.

Feb. 8th - Milo @ Arts Riot. Milo will be bringing his caravan through Arts Riot again, this time bringing along CT-based troubador and label founder Ceschi. Sadly, NYC wizard/god ELUCID will not be making the trek to Vermont, but this will still be a great night. 8pm. $15. ALL AGES.

ROUNDUP: Hip Hop Shows in December

By comparison to the rest of 2017, December will be a slow month, but we've got big events coming just the same.

Dec. 8th Brzowski @ Zen Barn. One of the nicest venues in Waterbury, VT will be hosting a strange & appetizing lineup: Maine legend Brzowski will be delivering the goods, jam band Annie in the Water will be doing a "hip hop inspired set," and Rick & Morty themed rap group ROY II will be opening. (This explains all the weird stickers I've been seeing around Waterbury.) 9 pm. $5 @ door. All Ages? Try it and find out!

Dec. 9th Jibba "The Gent's" Birthday Bash @ Rusty Nail This is going to be Kind Of A Big Deal. Headlined by underground legends Slaine & Termanology, this party will also feature sets from Bar None The Best, Modest, and Hitmen For Hire -- a new group consisting of Raw Deff, Judge Da Beast, and Yung Breeze. Check out their debut mixtape if you haven't already. 9 pm. $15. 21+.

Dec. 15th Boomslang at Positive Pie. Expect a dance party, bud. Montpelier true school futurists Boomslang will be rocking alongside two 80's-tastic bands, Champagne Dynasty and new BTV outfit Night Protocol. 9 pm. $5 @ the door.

Dec. 21st 3rd Thursday @ Monkey House. Save the date -- still no word on this month's lineup but there's a lot of buzz about a big announcement, so stay tuned. Anthill Collective always does it right.

Dec. 28th Mr. Burns x Jarv x Sam Paulino @ Sidebar. The artists behind two of the very best albums this year will be in one (awesome, small) venue on a post-Christmas Thursday night. (That would be Jarv's Boiler Room and Sam's The South Cove EP.) One man movement Mr. Burns will also be in the building; a congress of kings. 9 pm. Free. 21+.

Dec. 31st Epidemiks New Years Eve Party at The Stone Church. This will be a black & white ball semi-formal event featuring a special NYE performance by Brattleboro favorites, Epidemiks. 9:30 pm. $10. All Ages.

VIDEO: Jarv - "Stand Still"

Some fresh produce from the Maiden Voyage collective: a new Jarv track with a video shot by Teece Luvv, aka JCOE, aka John Carter of Earth. Crispy black & white minimalism is a smart approach and, like previous Jarv videos, this will soon amass a six figure view count. That's not just thanks to talent, that's old-fashioned real-deal word of mouth, from internet rap forums to folks who found out about him on the recent Food For Thought tour. That's work.

Dec 1st - "Building Blocks" @ Swan Dojo

There's a serious shindig going down in BTV next Friday, all of it run by the breakdancing academy / hip hop community hub Swan Dojo. The team at Swan Dojo have had a great 2017 run and now they're looking to give back in a big way.

"Building Blocks" is an all ages hip hop party. B-Boy Wish and DJ Headphone Monk are both evangelists for the four elements, and all of them will be represented here. Naturally, there's going to be a breakdancing competition, as well as showcase performances from Rhythm Riderz Crew and the Swan Dojo B-Kidz team. Anthill Collective will be there workshopping a black book session for aspiring graf artists. There will be MC cyphers throughout the evening, as well as a set featuring Jarv and Mister Burns, fresh off their epic Food For Thought Tour.

In other words, a jam-packed community shindig. And it's all for a great cause, too. All proceeds are going to (local!) charity and they'll also be collecting food & clothing. Safe to say more than half of the Vermont hip hop scene will be in attendance, so, you know, be there.

6-10 pm. 19 Church Street.
$10 entrance OR $5 with donation item of non-perishable food/article of warm clothing.

ROUNDUP: Brief Intermissions

Dropped out for a minute there, sorry folks. Things have been hectic, in a good way. We'll get back to our normal schedule by Turkey Day. In the meantime, though, I owe you some quick updates, no?

First of all, the Food for Thought Tour is in full swing. Props for making The Addison Independent. Props for raising money to feed hungry families, one of those rare causes that absolutely nobody can really argue with because it is so Obviously Good For All Mankind. Coming up this week: Flask Lounge (ME) and then...

Anthill's 3rd Thursday at The Monkey House will be a doozy, with Jarv & Mister burns swinging through to headline alongside Boomslang, who just dropped their new album Attack the Vampire. Things kick off with Prism GBA and Modest, who celebrates the release of his new EP, Harder Times Bring Harder Rhymes. 9 pm. 18+ $8 / 21+ $3.

In other big news, Jibba "The Gent" is going to be throwing a birthday party show at The Rusty Nail in Stowe on December 9th. Headlining the evening will be Slaine and Termanology, fresh off their new collab album Anti-Hero. (Which bangs, by the way.) Also on the bill: Bar None The Best and Hitmen For Hire -- a new project featuring Raw Deff, Judge Da Beast and Yung Breeze. Expect all fire bars from some of the 802's best spitters.

That show is being promoted by 6ix5ive6ix Records and Hustle, Loyalty & Respect Ent, with additional sponsorship from J Gibbs Engineering and Springfield-based restaurant Sherri's Place. It takes a village to make a scene to work. Big thanks to everyone supporting hip hop in the 802.

On Friday, legendary hardcore venue Jim's Basement will be hosting some hip hop: Self Portrait and Face One will be delivering an evening of choice beats and rhymes. If you don't know about Jim's Basement, bud, ask around. Usual rules apply: $5 donation for the band. No Jerks Allowed. It's a policy that works.

TONIGHT - Food for Thought Tour Kicks Off in Winooski

This weekend kicks off with a hip hop celebration at The Monkey House in Winooski. To launch their Food For Thought Tour in proper form, Mister Burns and Jarv are bringing their crews to the party: Cultural Chemistry and Maiden Voyage will both be doing sets tonight, along with NH standout talent Cody Pope.

There will also be games, prizes, raffles -- expect a party. Fun starts at 9 pm. Free, 21+

Rainy Thursday Update

Bad news first: Fear Fest is postponed, which is to say, not happening this weekend. Location problems at the last minute forced their hand and the team at Yours Truly Inc is trying to line up a new venue and date.

Much better news: BTV rapper NOtation is back with a fresh single and a slick new black and white video to match: "Get Up" features a slamming David Chief beat and some hella decent luxury sedans. Dig it.



In other news: I missed the opportunity to mark the one year anniversary of Judge Da Beast's LP, "Arraignment." It's a raw, solid debut. Links: CD Baby / Apple Music / Amazon

Judge Da Beast has a lot more on the way, including a project coming out next month with Raw Deff and Yung Breeze, Hitmen For Hire -- another opening salvo from the Street Religion movement.

In comeback news: there's another fresh video out this week, and it's Walshie Steeze teaming up with some of the Lynguistic fam for a feel-good summer single. Given how 2017 has been, that actually makes sense at the end of October...hell, I mowed the lawn in shorts two days ago. "It's All Good" features LC and Mike "Philly" Fulton, and it's a slice off his upcoming solo LP, The Walsh Street Journal.



Remember, this will be a packed weekend of shows: two hot tickets tomorrow night with Boomslang's Album Release Party in Montpelier and Manus + Friends popping in Winooski, and a very impressive lineup for Mics and Strikes on Saturday at Champlain Lanes. From here, it's Halloween parties and the Food For Thought Tour kickoff. Enjoy the moment.

Jarv & Mister Burns announce Food For Thought Tour

Before the salad days of Lynguistic Civilians came to an end, they'd established a Thanksgiving tradition of 1) doing heavy-duty local tours that 2) had a strong charity / foodbank component. The Tossin' Turkeys Tour was always a success, and it always brought the Civilians crew to some new venues and out-of-the-way towns.

Some traditions are worth maintaining, and it's good to see this one making a comeback.

The Food For Thought Tour will see Jarv and Mister Burns run a marathon around New England through the month of November, thanks to sponsorship assistance from Switchback Brewing and a host of other 802 businesses (to wit: surf-styled restaurant The Spot, Vermont Teddy Bear Co., Pajamagram and the Rail City Hat Company, who will have a booth at the upcoming East Coast Indie Jam on the 20th.)

Along the way, they'll be playing from Rhode Island to Maine, wrapping things up with back-to-back homecoming gigs at Arts Riot and Champlain Lanes. Power moves, in other words. Great work, gentlemen.

ROUNDUP: Hip Hop Shows in October

Oct. 6th - 33 1/3 Anniversary of "The Cultural Bunker" at Club Metronome - This is a huge party honoring one of the true founders of "Vermont Hip Hop," by any standard, DJ Melo Grant. Naturally, this will feature an all-star cast of DJs, like Big Dog, Cre8, Sexfly, Luis Calderin, and Nat Woodard. There is also going to be an epic cypher with Konflick, S.I.N.siZZle, Jarv, and Learic trading bars over Es-K beats. Be there. 9 pm. 21+. $5.

Oct. 9th - Brother Ali at Higher Ground - One of the best to do it will be swinging through to support his new album, All the Beauty in This Whole Life. He's bringing along some top-notch support, too -- Sa-Roc, Last Word and Sol Messiah will also be playing. 8 pm. $20 adv / $22 door. ALL AGES SHOW.

Oct. 14th - Khaosity Birthday Bash at Social Club & Lounge - Khaosity has been hustling hard in 2017...reckon he's earned a big party. And this will be big: current lineup goes a little something like Jarv, Jibba The Gent, Eyedos, Mister Burns, Kingbread, Suss Brim, BL SPITZ, HatePH34R, Modest, Corty Booth, Drive and JMC Ent. 7 pm. $2 until 10 pm, $5 after that. 21+.

Oct. 19th - Third Thursday at Monkey House - Third Thursday is always a family celebration, but this one is going to be special. Portland, ME madman / rap hobo Brzowski will be playing in support of his impressive a.f. new album, Emnityville. This cat is at the top of his game right now. There will also be a set from Wool See, aka Portland, OR rapper/producer IAME, who recently moved to Vermont...and released a new album, Leaving/Left. Still not enough? Fine. Jibba "The Gent", will also be rocking the Monkeyhouse, and the evening kicks off with a set from Khaosity & Drive. 9 pm. 18+ $8 / 21+ $3.

Oct. 20th - WRUV presents Milo and Sammus. As part of WRUV's "Rocktober" series, they've been kind enough to make some space for beats & rhymes. Milo having an amazing run, building a genuine indie empire with his Ruby Yacht extended family. Sammus is an awesome emcee from Ithica, NY with an unforgettable stage show. Also, Sam Paulino will be opening, fresh off his triumphant South Cove EP, one of the best Vermont releases of 2017.8 pm. $15. ALL AGES SHOW.

Oct. 20th - East Coast Indie Jam at Club Metronome - this is a huge networking event in addition to a rap show. There will be a lot going on upstairs on the 20th. Current line up hails from all over: Spocka Summa & Friends (RI), Colby Stiltz (VT), Dommy Divine (MA/CA), Spilt Soul (FL), Twenty Piece (DC), and Swizzy B (CO) -- with more local support to be announced shortly. 8 pm. 21+. FREE SHOW.

Oct. 27th - Boomslang Album Release Party at Sweet Melissas - Boomslang will be releasing their new album, Attack the Vampire, on a Friday night in the capital city. Maiden Voyage is co-headlining, and surprise special guests will also be in the building. 9:30 pm. Under 21 $10 / 21+ $5.

Oct. 28th-29th - Fear Fest is a private party in Royalton, VT. (A good town to be holding a private party in.) Party is being thrown by Yours Truly Inc, and there will be costume competitions and bonfires aplenty. This will be a two night BYOB party with tons of music - current lineup is Judge da Beast, Bar None The Best, Dee Block, EyeDos, Jarv, BL Spitz, Biozone, I.M.L, and JMC. $15 / $20 VIP

Oct. 31st - Jonwayne at Club Metronome - Jonwayne is an unlikely looking rap superhero, but he dropped one of 2017's best albums. He's on tour with young Texas spitter Danny Watts, who just released an album on Jonwayne's label (and quit his job at CostCo -- congrats!) Also on the bill: EMV and an opening set from Loupo, who definitely deserves the spotlight. 8:30 pm. $13 adv / $15 door. 18+.

JARV: A Birthday Appreciation

"Lets begin it like this, the definition of a rap flow, Imma get up in it and twist..."

250,000 views and a couple tours around the country later, it's safe to say this video changed Jarv's life. 2017 has been a good year for the young emcee, who has been gigging constantly in support of his new album, The Boiler Room. That album dropped January 1st and it's still the top contender for Album of the Year today.

Contests come with a built-in audience, of course, and it's impossible to exist online without being reduced to clickbait. Like, for instance, NERDY WHITE KID JARV SPITS INCREDIBLE FLOWS -- that happened. Just the same, though, "Slackjaw" is a simple video with no guest features, no gimmicks, and a producer nobody outside of New Zealand has heard of.

That video just broke 100,000 views, and it's just dude rapping in front of a post office. That is juice. That is clout.


Jarv is also, famously, a nice guy. He just made the local news this past week for going back to his old school and teaching kids about hip hop. Hell, they called him "a professional rapper" in print, too. Because it's true. There's not that many of those, here in Vermont.

Tonight, Jarv is in Mass at Hawks & Reed. Tomorrow, though -- Saturday night -- will be a birthday party with Maiden Voyage at Windsor Station. That promises to be more than mildly insane.

If you're in the area, you know, be there. It's a great bar and there's no cover. Buy a CD.

ROUNDUP: Hip Hop Shows in September

September 6th: Yo! BTV Raps Vol. 9 @ Sidebar. This should be approximately hype as fuck, packing some high energy rap acts into an intimate lil' craft bar. Jarv and Boomslang are both party demolition units. In addition, Face One continues his comeback streak, Khaosity will be staking his claim to BTV, and PR Department will deliver a set. That's a new collaboration between Rico James of Self Portrait and local boom bap head PreciseMC. Also, happy birthday to hip hop superfan and live show cameraman Brett North! 10 pm. 21+. Free.

September 7th: Hip Hop Heals @ Backstage Pub and Restaurant This is a benefit show for the Garrows, a local family who had a house fire this summer. Admission is free and there will be a variety of fundraiser activities throughout the evening. Props to Colby Stiltz for putting this on.

September 12th: Big Boi @ Higher Ground. Hot damn. Not a lot needs to be said here. 8 pm. All Ages. $35 adv / $38 door.

September 14th: Vermont's Finest @ Social Club and Lounge. Another showcase affair at Social Club, a great BTV venue that makes a point of putting on real events. This should be no exception, an evening of local rap sponsored by God Squad and Heartless Ent. Lineup includes Eyedos, BL SPITZ and Dok Trauma. 8 pm. 18+ $5 / College ID $2

September 15-17 Above The Radar. This is a Very Big Deal: a three-day graffiti festival right on the Burlington waterfront, bringing in some legendary crews to collaborate on massive walls. This is a family friendly, pure hip hop event and represents a massive amount of work by Vermont's own Anthill Collective. Free. Go check it out.

September 15th: Mics and Strikes @ Champlain Lanes. The lineup hasn't been announced yet but if you want raps, drinks and bowling all in one place, this is your fix. Always a good time.

September 16th: Capital Punishment @ Sweet Melissas. Current lineup is Khaosity, Drive, Modest and Lifelesson -- expect more names to be added in the weeks to come. 9 pm. All Ages. $5.

September 16th: Upper Valley Summer Music Festival @ The Engine Room. Packed bill in White River Junction. 9 pm. $10 adv / $15 door.

September 21st: Home Grown Hip Hop @ Club Metronome. Colby Stiltz, Suss Brim, Chyse Atkins, Jibba Tha Gent, Modest, Party Boy Woodz, Joe Grizzly and City Lights. 9 pm. 18+ $5 / 21+ Free

September 30th: The Fall Come Up @ Gustos. A guaranteed good time. This is a homecoming party in Barre for Bar None The Best, and they'll be celebrating with a serious lineup: Judge Da Beast, Jibba The Gent, and NYT (aka Jamell Rogers). To top it all off, this is your chance to see the Street Religion crew live onstage without having to drive at least an hour south. 10:30 pm 21+

September 30th: Boomslang & Jarv @ Charlie O's. Another guaranteed good time, and in the same county, no less. It's a Vermont tradition. Best dive bar in the state if not the country, great party rap, colorful regulars grumbling about great party rap -- just because I've said all this before doesn't mean you shouldn't be there. 21+. Free.

ROUNDUP: Hip Hop Shows in August

August 2nd: Apathy @ Club Metronome. One of the best rappers alive touches down on Main Street tonight so, you know, go see that. 9 pm. $10 adv / $15 door. 18+

August 4th: Bowling for BP @ Champlain Lanes. A special charity edition of the Mics & Strikes series to benefit the Ryan Morin Memorial Scholarship. 8 pm. $15 gets you two hours of bowling and dope rap. All ages.

Also August 4th: The Khaosity Experience @ Sweet Melissas. An evening of hip hop in Montpelier with Drive, Trono of Self Portrait crew, and JMC Ent. 8:30 pm. $5. All Ages.

August 11th: Chris Webby @ Higher Ground. Suburban rap sensation Chris Webby has parlayed mixtape success into multiple national tours now and will probably never stop. Also on the bill: Bizarre of D12, because of course he would be. 9 pm. $18 adv/$22 door. All Ages.

August 17th: 3rd Thursday @ The Monkey House. Yet another big score for the Anthill Collective family, this month's lineup brings some outside talent to Winooski. Sets from Ben Schorr, Stay on Mars and Maine's furball fast-rap legend Eyenine, who puts on a hell of a show. Local metal rap act HatePH34R will be making an appearance, too. 9 pm. 21+ $3 // 18+ $8

August 19th: Dellarious Summer Jam @ Cloud 9 Bar and Grille. Sure, this is in New Hampshire on Hampton Beach, but the lineup is heavy on Vermont: Bar None The Best, Jarv, Jibba the Gent and the entire Street Religion massive doing a group set. This should be a fairly bananas event. 9 pm. $5 adv/$10 door. 21+

August 24th: Chyse & DJ Ross @ Social Club & Lounge. If you're not familiar with Chyse, fix that. He'll be headlining at Social Club & Lounge alongside DJ Ross. Khaosity, Jibba the Gent and Kastaway will also be performing. 9 pm. $5. 21+

August 26th: A-Dog Day 2017 @ Waterfront, Nectars, Club Metronome. It's hard to believe this is already the fourth A-Dog Day celebration. It's also hard to believe it's only the fourth one. This has become the most important event of the year, a pilgrimage, a holy day. The Friends for A-Dog Foundation not only puts on a world-class party, they're a community asset year round.

What a party, though. They're not kidding when they call it "a city-wide celebration," but make sure you're upstairs at Club Metronome when The Beatnuts go on.

VIDEO: Jarv - "Roast Beef"

Fresh flows from Jarv, this time another one of those viral video contest affairs. Producer Kato -- full legal name Kato On The Track -- is running a competition to see who can body this beat the best. Safe to say Jarv is a top 10 contender, based off this blistering performance.

NSMC5 is short for No Sucka MCs 5, and the contest is apparently still going: details here for those of you interested.

This kind of spotlight is perfectly tailored to Jarv's show-stopping sensibilities -- win or lose, he's picking up new fans in the process.

Chittenden county critters can catch Jarv on Friday, August 4th at the Bowling for BP tribute at Champlain Lanes. He'll be rocking with Maiden Voyage alongside the Cultural Chemistry crew. A great night for a great cause, bud. Be there.

Apathy, August 2nd @ Club Metronome

The gravitational center of the Demigodz crew will be touching down in Vermont next Wednesday night. One of the best rappers alive and definitely the best rapper from Connecticut, Apathy is currently touring in support of his latest album, The Widow's Son. That's his second full-length album this year, and it won't be his last.

The show is a collaboration between Stiltz Brand -- the multinational corporation that holds the rights to STILTZgang, presumably -- and JYNX Inc. Apathy will be bringing along N.M.E. the Illest, and it looks like the rest of the bill will be locals: Jarv will be there, along with JYNX Inc, Lil Chil aka Brady Chilson, and the Stiltz extended family. Also on the bill is Modest, a new name to me and a rapper from Royalton, one of prettiest damn small towns on Earth.

Same as any other night at Metronome, doors are at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. This show is 18+.

You can buy advance tickets right here.

Jarv & Thief - "The Boiler Room"

As we approach the halfway point of 2017, this right here remains my personal pick for Best 802 Rap Album. Beats & rhymes are rock solid over the span of 21 tracks. It's also fun to listen to. Is there anything else you could really want from an album?

The chemistry really works and these two should have started on the sequel by now.



Jarv will be performing in Burlington at the Sidebar on Friday, May 26th. Sidebar is a small spot with superb beers and they've finally figured out their sound system - go check it out.

VIDEO: Jarv - One Take Contest

Journalism demands that I do some research on what this "One Take Contest" is, but all that matters is that this is dope, right? Whatever this is, Jarv should win: this concludes my nuanced, carefully considered opinion. An entertaining performance with a hell of a strong finish.

If you want to vote & participate in this contest, do so via this official link. Dude needs a minimum of 300 "shares" on Facebook to qualify. The future is stupid, but hey, we're all stuck here.

General Steele & Es-K - "Persistence"

Last year, Vermont producer Es-K released a world-class album called Building Bridges in collaboration with NYC rap legend General Steele of the Boot Camp Klik. Since then, their project has been racking up spins around the planet - actual radio spins of actual 180g vinyl, too.

Like any independent artist with quality product should, they've been pushing it hard ever since. This Cisco directed video for "Persistence" features VVS Verbal & Louie Skaggs and a whole lot of Green Mountain panoramic beauty.

The team at Bucktown USA have just released a followup bonus, the Building Bridges Cypha, which features 17 emcees going in on a theme. Maiden Voyage madman Jarv is included in the roster, fresh off tour with RA the Rugged man and joining the Royal Rumble here at lucky number eleven.



Rounding out the 802's contribution is Crusty Cuts on the scratches. All power to the DJs; the world needs more scratch breaks.

Jarv - "Slack-Jaw"

Jarv has had a busy 2017, leading off with his album The Boiler Room -- (reviewed here, TL;DR it is quite damn good.) You can listen to and purchase that puppy right here, right now.

This video was shot in Windsor, Vermont by Ben Kennedy. The Boiler Room has no shortage of singles, but this one definitely captures the vibe. The album is heavy on funky, and nothing about that is bad.

Back from a tour with R.A. the Rugged Man, Jarv has recently been featured on Bucktown USA project, the Building Bridges Cypha. (More on that soon.)