August 1, 2025  |  By Waterbury Roundabout

*TURNmusic hosts the Rachel Ambaye Jazz Quartet at The Phoenix on Tuesday, Aug. 5. Courtesy photo*

Summertime shows include many outdoor concerts, performances by community theater companies and more.

Here are highlights of shows coming up in August in Waterbury, Duxbury, Warren and more.

See this earlier post with the full summer schedules for the Waterbury Rotary’s Concerts in the Park series, the Waterbury Community Band’s performances, Music in the Alley and a link to weekly concerts at Camp Meade.

Mark your calendars and know that your ticket purchases support local arts organizations.

Aug. 5, 12, 19: Waterbury Community Band in Stowe & Waterbury

*Community bands from Waterbury and Morrisville perform at the Stowe Free Library. File photo courtesy of the library*

Waterbury’s Community Band plays its annual special joint program with the Morrisville Band at the Stowe Free Library on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m.

Conductor, Nick Allen, will lead the combined bands through a repertoire that includes Broadway show tunes, marches, popular songs and patriotic music. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome for this free hour-long concert. (Our thanks to the Stowe library for the file photo.)

The Waterbury Community Band’s final Tuesday summer performances in Waterbury are scheduled for Aug. 12 and 19 at Rusty Parker Park, both at 7 p.m. The concerts are free.

On Monday, Sept. 1, the band will participate in the Northfield Labor Day parade, starting at 10 a.m.

Aug. 5, 7 & 8: TURNmusic at The Phoenix

TURNmusic has two performances at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall in early August to share. In both cases, doors open at 7 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15-$30 sliding scale; youth and caregivers are free. BYOB. Tickets: sevendaystickets.com or turnmusic.org.

Rachel Ambaye Jazz Quartet on Aug. 5

A recent UVM graduate, jazz vocalist and composer Ambaye from South Burlington completed degrees in Jazz Studies and Global Studies and minored in French. She says her studies and performances of jazz, further her education, connection, and exploration of African American culture. She will begin a masters program in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory this fall.

In addition to solo and collaborative projects, Ambaye is an educator at Peak Music in Stowe, teaching voice and piano lessons to students of all ages and emphasizing that music should be fun and experimental.

For this show, Ambaye will be joined by three local musicians: Tom Cleary on piano, Jeremy Hill on bass, and Zach Brownstein on drums.

*Wrekmeister Harmonies is JR Robinson and Esther Shaw. Photo by Luke Sarrantonio*

On Aug. 7, TURNmusic hosts Wrekmeister Harmonies, a duo of JR Robinson and Esther Shaw, described as “sonic shape-shifters with expansive ideas, and a distinctly dark bent,” in the event announcement. Their inspirations include artists such as Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham and Lou Reed; their projects include film soundtracks, music for guitar and spatial orchestral performances.

Their album “Flowers in the Spring” explores music as a meditative practice with a focus on microtonal shifts and intersectional overtones. As Robinson explains: “It’s the subtle movements within and without, the fine threads of sound, loud or quiet, interior or exterior that become valuable.”

Its tracks layer guitar and electronics, creating unexpected interactions, moments of beauty and dissonance. The recording is culmination of Wrekmeister Harmonies’ endless explorative practice, and represents their most minimal and resonant work to date.

Membership Gathering and fall season preview on Aug. 8

TURNmusic is offering memberships on a sliding scale. Learn more on on Friday, Aug. 8, 4-5 p.m., with TURNmusic Director Anne Decker along with composer Erik Nielsen and pianist Adam Tendler who will talk about their upcoming projects and programs with TURNmusic.

Aug. 7 & 14: Final Waterbury Rotary Concerts in the Park

*Waterbury Rotary has two more Concerts in the Park on their summer calendar. Photo by Gordon Miller*

Waterbury Rotary hosts its final two summer Concerts in the Park on Thursday nights, Aug. 7 and 14, at Rusty Parker Memorial Park in downtown Waterbury from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Bring a chair or blanket and leashed dogs only, please. Pack a picnic or grab takeout from a local restaurant. The Udder Guys will be scooping Adirondack Creamery hard ice cream. More details online on the Rotary Club’s website.

On Aug. 7, catch the Sara Whitehair Band. A mid-summer schedule change added the new local favorite into the lineup for this date. If you haven’t heard this band at Zenbarn or elsewhere, this is a perfect opportunity. Sara leads the band on vocals and sax, along with a tight rhythm section of Chris Lynch on guitar, Dan Swain playing bass, Perry Heller on drums, and Chris Zebal on keys. Their soulful mix runs the gamut from classic to modern. Check out their website here.

On Aug. 14, Silvan Pulse, formerly known as The Steppes, play the final concert. This Central Vermont band plays rock fusion originals as well as a range of unique covers. The band consists of Chris Steller (vocals and percussion), Matt Payne (vocals, keys, trombone, percussion), Jonas Eno Van Fleet (guitar), and Tom Sabo (bass). More online at facebook.com/silvanpulse.

Aug. 8: Zenbarn/Zenbarn Farms celebrate their Seven Daysies nod

*The Rumble plays Zenbarn Aug. 8 and at Strawberry Jam Aug. 9. Image courtesy of Zenbarn*

For the second year in a row, Zenbarn and Zenbarn Farms readers of Seven Days newspaper voted Zenbarn Farms the Best Dispensary and Zenbarn the Best Small Live Music Venue in the annual Seven Daysies Awards.

To celebrate, Zenbarn will host a free concert on Friday, Aug. 8, featuring two-time Grammy-nominated New Orleans powerhouse The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., of the Young Eagles Black Masking Indian tribe. “The Rumble fuses tradition and innovation, blending the sounds of New Orleans past, present, and future,” according to the concert announcement.

The band includes Aurélien Barnes (trumpet/percussion), José Maize Jr. (trombone), TJ Norris (bass), Ari Teitel (guitar), Andriu Yanovski (keys), and Trenton O’Neal (drums). The band’s influences span funk, hip-hop, gospel, brass band, jazz, and classical, to deliver high-energy Mardi Gras Indian call-and-response chants, powerful harmonies laced with storytelling.

The band earned two Grammy nominations for Best Regional Roots Album for their debut Live at the Maple Leaf recording and their 2025 studio album Stories From the Battlefield.

Doors open at 7 p.m.; music at 8 p.m. Free tickets are required. Get tickets and more information online at zenbarnvt.com.

The Friday show serves as a pre-party ahead of Zenbarn’s Saturday Strawberry Jam festival in Stowe.

Aug. 9: Strawberry Jam in Stowe

The Rumble is also on the lineup for Saturday as Zenbarn continues the weekend with its flagship music and community festival, Strawberry Jam, held at Strawberry Hill Farm in Stowe, on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Now in its second year, this one-day gathering features two stages and a lineup of nine artists led by headliners The Wood Brothers.

Expect food trucks, artisan vendors, wellness offerings, kids activities, and family-friendly vibes.

Gates open for the all-ages event at 12 p.m. with music starting at 12:30 p.m., running all day to The Wood Brothers at 8:30 p.m. Kids 12 and under do not need a ticket. Get tickets online here ($75 in advance, $85 day of; fees added at checkout).

No outside alcohol allowed; chairs/blankets are OK; no large tents; no dogs except for service animals. Bring a water bottle to refill on site.

Some of the proceeds will go to Jenna’s Promise, a Vermont nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals recover from substance use disorders through housing, workforce development, and holistic healing.

In addition to The Wood Brothers and the Rumble, artists for Strawberry Jam include father-daughter Mike and Tessa Gordon, featuring Phish’s bassist, Mononeon playing funk-fusion, jam-scene favorite Karina Rykman, singer-songwriter Bob Wagner, Latin fusion by Sonido Mal Maiz, and bluegrass/roots by Beg Steal or Borrow. More details here.

Aug. 10: Vermont Philharmonic at Moose Meadow Lodge

*Vermont Philharmonic Pops performs at Moose Meadow Lodge in Duxbury. Courtesy photo*

Vermonters enjoy hearing their favorite orchestras outdoors in the summertime, too. The Vermont Philharmonic plays its Summer Pops concert at Moose Meadow Lodge in Duxbury on Sunday, Aug. 10. Rain location is Harwood Union High School. Read more about that upcoming concert here.

Aug. 8-9-10: ANIMAL Dance at Phantom Theater in Warren

*ANIMAL Dance from Burlington spends time in the Mad River Valley in August. Courtesy photo*

Burlington-based performance and production company ANIMAL Dance, directed by Hanna Satterlee, presents four performances of “This is Also Possible” at Phantom Theater in Warren, on Aug. 8-10.

This powerful, full-length multidisciplinary work examines navigating constant change and upheaval in a rapidly shifting world. The show grew from Satterlee witnessing global catastrophes and asks, “What else is possible with our independent power?” The piece began as an 18-minute work titled “Whelm” created in response to the war in Gaza, exploring being “engulfed by rage, buried in disbelief, yet still submerged by day-to-day life.”

The performance features Satterlee and two other dancers with visual elements created by artist Adrian Tans and an original score by sound artist Willverine, who will perform live on Aug. 10.

Shows are Friday, Aug. 8, and Saturday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Aug.10, at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday shows will be followed by an artist “talk back” and the Aug.10 performances will have live musical accompaniment. Get tickets ($20) online here. Satterlee and fellow artists are at Phantom Theater for a summer residency that also includes several workshops Aug. 1, 2 and 5 in addition to the “This is Also Possible” performances:

Aug. 1: Queer Country Line Dance, 7-9:30 p.m. at the Warren Town Hall. Drop-in event encourages beginners and especially friends and allies of the queer community for a night of line dance instruction and open dancing. $10 suggested (cash or venmo).
Aug. 2: Finding Flow: An Open-Level Contemporary Movement workshop with dancer Caitlin Morgan, 4:30-6 p.m. at Phantom Theater. Sign up by Aug. 1 with an email to caitlinmcreative@gmail.com. Fee: $20.
Aug. 5 & 7: Movement and Creation dance workshop with Hanna Satterlee, 12 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday; 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, at Phantom Theater. No formal dance training required. Sign up by Aug. 4 with an email to animaldancevt@gmail.com. Fee: $20 per session.

Phantom Theater’s summer lineup continues with dance, music and storytelling events through Aug. 31.

Aug. 13: Jazz Jam at The Phoenix

*Monthly Jazz Jams happen at The Phoenix. Photo by Gordon Miller*

Are you a regular singer/player/audience member yet at the monthly Jazz Jams at The Phoenix Gallery and Music Hall?

Hosted by musician (and Proud Flower owner by day) Nina Towne, the monthly jam sessions bring together an eclectic group of local jazz players and singers with friends, colleagues, and even students joining in when it suits them.

The result is an opportunity for a community of musicians from school-age to elders to gather and play, sing, and hear jazz and socialize in an organized, relaxed, and welcoming atmosphere.

Players join in on the songs others bring, and/or you can bring a few copies of

sheet music for the tunes you want to call. Many tunes are called from The Real Books.

Singers, please bring copies of lead sheets or sheet music for your tunes in your key.

The sessions run from 6 to 9 p.m. with a suggested admission of $5.

Aug. 14-24: TenFest 2025 at the Valley Players Theater

The Valley Players host the Vermont Playwrights Circle production, TenFest 2025, weekends Aug. 14-24 at the Valley Players Theater on Main Street (Vermont Route 100) in Waitsfield.

Now in its 18th year, this annual event presents 10 10-minute plays written by Vermont playwrights. “Each play is a ten-minute slice of life that entertains, pulls the heartstrings, makes you think and/or makes you laugh,” according to the Valley Players.

See the list of plays and writers online at vtplays.com. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Curtain times are 7 p.m. for Thursday-Saturday performances, Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets: $12 for students and seniors; $14 for general admission, online in advance at vtplays.com or call 802-583-1674 to reserve seats and pay at the door.

Organizers are seeking volunteers to assist as ushers, with refreshments and parking. Volunteers receive free admission to the performance. See more and sign up here.

Aug. 15: Final Music in the Alley concert

*Music in the Alley has moved to Jack's Alley this summer. The final summer free concert is Aug. 15. Photo by Gordon Miller*

The third and final summer Music in the Alley free concert is set for 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15. The music has moved to Jack’s Alley beside Stowe Street Emporium this summer.

Music on the 15th will be by Belgian-born singer-songwriter Hellen Gillet who plays acoustic cello and explores electronic sound in her 14-album catalog. She’s based in New Orleans, where she’s a regular at the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and has been named the best Contemporary Jazz, Female Performer.

The concerts are hosted by TURNmusic and Blackback Pub with other downtown business sponsors. More information is online at Turnmusic.org.

August performances in and near Waterbury