Editor’s Note: Rotaries around New England usually bring to mind vehicle congestion, road rage, and endless stop-and-go delays waiting in the queue. This past weekend in the scenic Vermont city of Winooski, the sixth annual Waking Windows mapped out a large-scale music festival of indie rock proportions around the downtown region’s center, creating a walkable, entirely enjoyable experience that, dare we say it, felt like a manageable, more condensed version of South-By-Southwest.
In addition to the positive festival vibes and all-around chill atmosphere, the Friday to Sunday lineup was stacked, and it was impossible to see everything, even as one circled the rotary from venue to venue and outdoor stage to outdoor stage. But the closeness of it all was Waking Windows’ biggest advantage — for example, when Waxahatchee’s Saturday show at Methodist Church hit capacity, a walk across Main Street to Scout And Co. to catch Brooklyn’s Beth Head and Boston’s Burglary Years was a fine alternative. When that room filled up, a 45-second jaunt to catch Vows at Oak 45 off East Allen Street was in order. Across the downtown center and on the other side of the rotary, Exploding In Sound’s showcase at the Monkey House kicked off with a set by our new favorite band, Brooklyn’s Washer, and before we headed back to the main outdoor stage to catch Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan and the always enchanting Lady Lamb, we wandered over to Misery Loves Company’s tent stage to catch Burlington’s Cave Bees. And all that happened in roughly a two-hour period as the sun set on Saturday and low-flying planes roared overhead. We didn’t even need comfortable shoes.
Elsewhere throughout the weekend, festival headliners Yacht performed perhaps their last live set before that whole sex tape hoax nonsense (their set was cut short after Winooski police pulled the plug; they later apologized), and the day also features sets from Protomartyr, Eskimeaux, and Rough Francis. Friday night’s slate saw performances by Speedy Ortiz, Hop Along, and Ian Svenonius’ Chain And The Gang, while Sunday’s closing session was highlighted by Besnard Lakes and Low Cut Connie going back-to-back at the Monkey House.
When people arrived at Waking Windows, they were handed a yellow, DIY pamphlet that outlined all the set times and showed a map of the rotary and all its participating clubs and show spaces. But on Page 3 it also provided some stats: 152 bands, 14 venues, 43 DJs, nine comedians, 10 showcases, 25 artists and artisans, 10 food vendors, three days, and, of course, one rotary. Upon scanning those figures, it was maybe the best course of action to toss the guidebook in a bag, and just venture out along the rotary to go be surprised at what was unfolding, and maybe find a new favorite band or two.
Vanyaland’s Ben Stas was doing just that, hitting up pretty much all of the shows to bring what is likely the largest photo gallery we’ve ever run. There was a lot to see. We’re sure we missed a lot of other stuff. But that was maybe the best part of Waking Windows; there’s “no fear of missing out” when you’re totally content witnessing what’s going on where you’re at right at that very moment, knowing something else rad as fuck awaits at your next step, somewhere along the rotary. We already cannot wait for next year’s edition. — Michael Marotta
