Every Avenue
On their loop through the Northeast, en route to Canada and back to the upper Midwest, the band Every Avenue made a pit stop at Higher Ground in Vermont.
A “pit stop” is an apt way of putting it: the crowd was, for better or worse, under 100 people, which seemed about the size of the crowd they might be able to gather at an actual pit stop at a busy gas station or something. It meant there was no jostling for position, no mosh pit, and great sightlines, but it lacked a little bit of the energy and excitement that comes with a packed house. But on the flip side, it had the feeling of a small intimate show, almost like a coffeehouse performance (if the coffeehouse booked rock bands).
The band is probably best known for their song Tell Me I’m a Wreck [YouTube link], which they performed last, at the end of their encore.
Opening for Every Avenue were SayWeCanFly, MAKEOUT, and City of Auburn, who all did a great job.
The band’s wikipedia page describes Every Avenue’s musical style as “pop-punk,” which was perfect for late on a Saturday night (they didn’t take the stage until almost 10:30 pm). I wasn’t the only one who would normally be in bed by then, but between the lead singer’s appreciation for Vermont, and mixture of good-natured jokes about the audience’s tiredness and gratitude for us being so polite, he managed to get us waving our arms, clapping, and (by the end of the set) jumping up and down to the beat.
His stories about missing the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour or getting stuck with the Lake Champlain ferry en route to a show ten years ago added a little local flair to the performance, and he shared that he was almost two months sober from alcohol (congratulations!)
The music was high-energy, heartfelt, and was performed well. If I missed the mysterious lyrics and unusual musical choices of something The New Pornographers, it was just because I needed to shift into more of a punk mindset.
It has been great to be able to enjoy live music again post-covid and I encourage everyone to check out who’s playing in your area!
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