On February 19 in Brattleboro, six musicians played an excellent concert at the Hooker-Dunham Theater, the town’s best live music venue. The theater was almost sold out, and the audience applauded the music warmly. The musicians sang and played Scottish smallpipes (like bagpipes except, rather than blowing into the instrument, the player pumps it like an accordion), a wooden flute, piano, guitar, and a lute. The absence of drums was pleasing.

A highlight was a cover of “Do You Love an Apple,” sung by Charity Houghton, who sounded very much like Natalie Merchant. On other songs, the group sounded like the legendary London band the Pogues.

The other musicians who performed at the Brattleboro concert were Dan Houghton www.cantrip-music.co.uk, Libby Garofalo, Iain MacHarg www.vtcelticarts.org, Julia Slone www.juliamusic.com,
and Bekki Szlosek. Anyone who gets a chance to hear these musicians, solo or together, should go.