October 12, 2026  |  By Waterbury Roundabout

From the intimate performance space at The Phoenix in downtown Waterbury to concert halls in Barre and Hyde Park, live music and theater shows are in good supply this month.

Below are some highlights from TURNmusic with shows at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall, as well as the Vermont Philharmonic and the Lamoille County Players further afield.

See a separate post with details on two upcoming events at the Grange Hall Cultural Center in Waterbury for the New Stage Players’ monthly play table reading on Oct. 18 and an Improv Night and workshop on Oct. 24.

As always, the calendar at Zenbarn serves up regular tributes to the Grateful Dead, line dancing nights, and a busy rotation of artists from Vermont, the region and beyond. See their latest performance schedule, show and ticket details online at zenbarnvt.com.

Oct. 13: TURNmusic hosts Westerlund/Hagen playing 'Grotto'

*Joe Westerlund and Trever Hagen will perform from their album “Grotto” at TURNmusic on October 13. Courtesy photo*

TURNmusic hosts the duo Joe Westerlund and Trever Hagen performing from their “Grotto” album in Waterbury at 7:30 p.m. this Tuesday, Oct. 13 at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall.

Their set promises an immersive exploration of experimental and contemporary soundscapes through percussion, trumpet and electronics. The tunes from this joint project in 2024 came at the end of a tour in Wisconsin. Inspired by artists and their homes, they created the pieces that became “Grotto.”

Tickets: $15-30 on a sliding scale. Admission is free for youth under 21. See more details and purchase tickets in advance at sevendaystickets.com.

Oct. 17: James Harvey Unit with Tony Jones plays TURNmusic

Veteran guitarist and Duxbury native James Harvey — whose extensive resume includes collaborations with legends like Professor Longhair, DJ Logic, Ray Vega, and Jimmy Heath — takes the stage alongside special guest, tenor saxophonist Tony Jones, and an exceptional lineup of bandmates.

Harvey and Jones have worked together since 1980, recording with Peter Apfelbaum's Hieroglyphics Ensemble as well as Don Cherry. Both played with Cecil Taylor's West Coast group and the Creative Improvisers Orchestra and have collaborated as a duo and in small-group settings.

Jones is known for his work in experimental jazz and improvisational ensembles—such as the Jessica Jones Quartet, co-led with his wife, saxophonist Jessica Jones, and the group Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness with violinist Charlie Burnham.

Most Vermonters know Harvey through his group the H-Mob, and small bands with younger players like Gabe Jarrett, John Rivers, Jennifer Hartswick, and Nick Cassarino.

The show is this Saturday, Oct. 17, at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15-30 on a sliding scale. Admission is free for youth under 21. See more details and purchase tickets in advance at sevendaystickets.com.

*Myra Flynn performs in Waterbury Oct. 18 in a benefit for The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall. Courtesy photo*

Oct. 18: Myra Flynn plays Waterbury to benefit The Phoenix

The Phoenix announces a special benefit concert by Vermont singer-songwriter Myra Flynn for Sunday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m.

Proceeds from the show will support The Phoenix owners Joseph Pensak and Anna Black in their ongoing legal proceedings regarding their leases for the building at 5-7 Stowe Street, where The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall is located, along with additional gallery and office spaces.

Flynn’s most recent album, “Shadow Work,” was released in 2023. Flynn, who splits her time between Vermont and Los Angeles, sings of mothers and daughters, romantic relationships gone wrong, and the people who get us through the hardest times.

In addition to her music, Flynn has a jewelry line made from recycled piano parts and recently partnered with Shelburne Vineyard to create a namesake wine, Flynn. More information at myraflynn.com.

Seating is limited. Tickets ($20) are available in advance online at sevendaystickets.com.

Oct. 17-18: Vermont Philharmonic in Greensboro & Barre

The Vermont Philharmonic’s fall program features a concerto for piano four-hands and a brooding late romantic symphony with performances scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 17-18, in Greensboro and Barre.

Led by Music Director Lou Kosma, the orchestra and soloists will perform at 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Barre Opera House.

Those who have studied piano are likely familiar with Carl Czerny, whose exercises are central to many courses of study. His concerto for piano four-hands (two pianists, one piano) was first performed in 1829. Honored Vermont pianists Sylvia Parker and her favorite student, Alison Bruce Cerutti, will share the keyboard for this performance in the program.

In addition, the orchestra will perform Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ first symphony, which was completed in 1900 with haunting melodies, colorful orchestration, and powerful rhythms for the Philharmonic’s strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion to bring to life.

The Vermont Philharmonic is celebrating its 68th year of making music in Central Vermont.

Tickets: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $5 for students; available online in advance at vermontphilharmonic.com or at the door.

Oct. 16-25: Lamoille County Players present ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’

In the Lamoille County Players' production of 'The Diary of Anne Frank,' tensions rise after a food thief is discovered, and desperation erupts into an argument over the dwindling supply of potatoes moments before news of the Allied invasion arrives. Cast members, L to R: Mrs. Van Daan (Keshia Gordon, Newport),
Mr. Frank (Richard Mann, Morrisville), Anne Frank (Rain Bickerstaff, Morrisville), Mr. Dussel (Kris Johnson, Fairfax), Margot Frank (Drew Theoni, Hyde Park),
Peter Van Daan (Zach Phillips, Jeffersonville), Mrs. Frank (Marie Olsen, Hyde Park). Courtesy photo

Lamoille County Players present “The Diary of Anne Frank” on stage at the Hyde Park Opera House over the next two weekends, Oct. 16-25.

This is the 1955 classic stage adaptation of the young Jewish girl Anne Frank’s famous diary that she kept while she and her family hid from Nazi occupiers in Amsterdam during World War II. The play won a Tony Award and its script won a Pulitzer Prize.

Chronicling years of family, fear, resilience, humor, and hope, director Meredith Gaines stated that the play today still speaks with remarkable clarity and humanity. “This production invites audiences not only to remember history, but to reflect on empathy, courage, and the responsibility of remembrance,” Gaines said. “Anne Frank’s words remind us that even in the darkest moments of history, the human spirit searches for light. This play brings audiences into the hidden lives of eight people who continued to hope, laugh, argue, and dream while the world outside their walls was collapsing.”

Evening showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Tickets can be reserved online in advance at LCPLayers.com, or purchased at the door on show nights. Direct any ticket questions to info@lcplayers.com.

Oct. 21: October Jazz Jam at The Phoenix

*Saxophonist Jake Whitesell’s Quartet will play TURNmusic on October 23. Courtesy photo*

Each month, TURNmusic’s Anne Decker and band leader Nina Towne host Jazz Jam (third Wednesday of the month), which has become a signature inclusive community gathering for players and music lovers of all ages.

Bring a dessert to share, charts to call, and your instrument or voice for a relaxed evening of standards and community jazz.

Jazz Jam runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall. Suggested donation is $10; students are free.

Oct. 23: Jake Whitesell Quartet plays at TURNmusic

Saxophonist Jake Whitesell leads an all-star quartet featuring Andrew Moroz on piano, Gabe Jarrett on drums, and Robinson Morse on double bass, playing original compositions alongside fresh interpretations of the Great American Songbook and classic jazz repertoire.

This group’s sound is built on improvisation and rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic interplay. This is their first performance at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall in Waterbury on Friday, Oct. 23. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m.