Video summary
The Footworks concert series at Montpelier was made possible through the generous support of a diverse array of local businesses, including the presenting sponsor Hunger Mountain Co-op and partners like Capitol Grounds, The Drawing Board, and Woodbury Toy Store. The event organizers emphasized that without these community contributions, providing high-quality music to everyone for free throughout the summer would not have been feasible. Before the musical performance began, the host also promoted upcoming after-school music programs at Montpelier Music School, which cater to students from rising first graders through eighth graders, and announced the return of Porchfest in September, inviting attendees to spread the word about these local initiatives.
The band Footworks, a family group from Vermont consisting of Tori on guitar, her brother Jake on fiddle, and their father John on penny whistle, took the stage to perform traditional music rooted in Cape Breton culture. They explained that this style of music serves as a time capsule preserving Scottish traditions from the 17th and 18th centuries, brought to the island by Scots who emigrated with their instruments and border collies. Their setlist featured a mix of jigs, reels, and songs, including instrumental pieces like "John Brennan" and "Collia House," as well as vocal tracks such as "Tramps and Hawkers," which tells the story of migrant workers moving between Scotland, Ireland, and England, highlighting both the freedom and hardships of that lifestyle.
Throughout the performance, the band shared stories behind their songs, noting that many tunes are named after admired individuals to honor their legacy, while others reflect specific cultural phenomena like the long parties in Cape Breton where it seems to get dark again and again despite the passage of time. They also performed a song about reconciliation to express joy after resolving conflicts with loved ones and played a piece called "Fox Hunters," which mimics the stages of a fox hunt. The musicians maintained a lighthearted atmosphere, joking about family dynamics during their performances and even making a humorous comment about the difficulty of playing while horseflies buzz around, before concluding with wedding reels and other traditional favorites that showcased their deep connection to the music.
Read the full video transcript
Uh, our presenting sponsor is the Hunger
Mountain Co-op. So, I just always want
to remind everyone who's swinging by,
who put it on their calendars, or who
just happen to be walking by, that we
couldn't present these kinds of amazing
concerts with high quality, just
wonderful musicians all summer without
the support of our sponsors. And I'm
super proud that all of our sponsors are
right here, so local. As a matter of
fact, I think you could walk to each of
them if you're a walking person. Um, in
addition to the Hunger Mountain Co-op,
who's our presenting sponsor, I want to
thank in rapid succession Capitol
Grounds, The Drawing Board, Montpillar
Alive, Positive Pie, The Point FM, The
Print Shop, Sarduchi's Restaurant,
Skinny Pancake, and the one and only
Woodbury toy store right down the
street. Thank you. Let's hear it for all
these guys. It's not easy to be a small
business in this world right now and
they still throw a few hundred dollars
our way or more to make sure that this
free amazing music is available to
everybody. So let's give them the love
when we can. Um I'm from Montie Music
School and I just want to remind
everyone that our afterchool programming
registration just opened yesterday
finally. It's a little late this year
but we have some very cool programs that
we needed to take a little extra time to
make it right and get the right
teachers. So please, if you have small
people in your life, um we have music
for everybody from a rising first grader
to eighth graders and it's some really
cool programs. So please spread the
word. And before I get these guys
started, the last thing I want to remind
you is we are bringing Porchfest to
Montpielar this fall. It's going to be
so much fun. Please go to
Montpillarporchfest.org.
It is going to be on Sunday, September
20th, noon to 5. Spread the word. Tell
your friends. Montpillarporchfest.org.
That's it. Without further ado, please
enjoy some wonderful music from
Footworks.
All right. Thank you so much, Jolinda.
We are going to kick it off here uh with
some tunes starting with a tune named
John Brennan.
Heat.
Hey la.
Heat. Heat.
Hey,
hey, hey.
Heat. Hey, Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Guys, thank you so much. Thanks
everybody for coming out. Some of your
lunches look delicious.
So, uh, we're playing a lot of Kate
Britain music here. Um, and as I'm sure
you know, Cape Britain is an island off
the coast of Nova Scotia. And a couple
hundred years ago, the Scots, um, had a
lot of them had to leave Scotland. And
so a whole bunch of them went to Cape
Breton and they brought their super cool
border collies and uh they brought their
instruments and uh they stayed there
essentially making a time capsule out of
uh 17 1800s Scottish music. So that's
what we specialize in. We are from
Vermont. We are a family band. This is
my brother Jake on fiddle and my dad
John on penny whistle and I'm Tori on
guitar. and we really love this music
and we're so happy to be here playing it
for you today.
So, we're gonna go ahead and play some
jigs here, including the first pint and
a tune called Collia House.
Heat. Heat.
Hey, hey, hey.
Heat. Heat.
Thanks very much.
So a lot of what we do is tunes and that
just means sheer instrumental work. Um
but we also do songs. Uh so singing with
the voice. Um
this this is a song called Tramps and
Hawkers all about the migrant workers of
Scotland, Ireland, and England. uh those
jacks of all trades masters have done
show up, follow the work, do the work,
and then move on.
There's a lot of beauty and freedom in
that life. And there's also a a bit of
uh rain and starvation, but I guess
that's how it goes.
of the tops the country round and round
and this one a melody rolling tails like
that I have seen or yes way up in the
snowy north and south red
I'm laughing to myself when the road
tower feet my face is brown as well with
lumps and cake and daddy's gold and
waxing
where I' been less where I'm going to
all
the round
up in the snow and south red I've got my
lumping with the doctors on the I helped
the bucky hollering to the side. I
helped to build a mighty bridge as far
as the busy for and with many an
farmer plow the young. So from all your
traps and also
way up in the snow
Well, I'm happy in the summertime
beneath the bright blue sky. Thinking in
the morning where at night I'm going to
lie. And by anywhere I go, I'm on the
hay. And if the weather takes me right,
I'm happy every day. Circle all your
trades
that I have seen. Oh way up in the snowy
north and south
way up in the snowy north and south the
green.
Thank you very much.
All righty. Uh here's a great sentence
D. Uh includes a tune called The High
Drive and uh also one of my favorite
tunes called Lucy Campbell. Um, some of
these tunes that we're playing for you
are written modern and some of them are
the 1800's top 100. So, uh, we're happy
to be here playing them today and we're
going to go ahead and give you some
more.
One, two. Ready.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you so much.
That might seem like some fast playing,
but you should see us when we have a
couple pints in us.
All righty. So, here's another blast of
tunes here and includes a tune called
Captain Campbell, the McKenzie
Highlanders and uh Shawn Maguire's. And
so, the big fat is if you write a great
tune uh then you name it after somebody
that you really admire. And what's cool
about that is that it immoralizes them.
So, a couple hundred years later, some
of these tunes, we're not sure who wrote
them, but we still know the names of the
people that the tunes are named after.
Hey,
heat. Hey.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Hey,
hey, hey.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you very much.
All right. Uh this there's a lot of
rzing that goes on. Uh cuz we're a
family band. A lot of joking. Um but it
always gets worked out too. That's the
that's the great thing about the family
that plays together stays together.
We're going to do a Cape Breton song
called Getting Dark Again. Um the Cape
Reners are renowned for their fabulous
parties. Weddings might go on for five
days. Czech liver lights are coming on.
Uh and they might get up and play music
all morning, all afternoon, all night,
all morning again. and before they know
it, it's getting dark again. So, this
was written by Keith Breer about that
phenomenon.
There's a piper in the corner. There's a
dancer on the floor. There's a drink
upon the table. There's the one who
calls you more. And there's ga in the
filling like the ga in the blend. And
the songs take on new feelings. Boy,
it's getting dark again. Getting dark
again. Getting dark again. For the
second time since we got up, it's
getting dark again.
Now there were tea and tunes this
morning. Or was it yesterday when
the fiddles play? There were lots of
those were good times. And do you
remember when now it's jigs and reels
go? It's getting dark again. Getting
dark again. Getting dark again. For the
second time since we got up, it's
getting dark again.
Now, if any of you were slighted by the
deeds that now were done, by the foul
shim of music and the fantasy of fun.
Well, we'd like to say we're sorry. Shed
a tear for you. But then we haven't got
the time. Right now, it's getting dark
again. Getting dark again. Getting dark
again. For the second time since we got
up, it's getting dark again.
Now there's a piper in the corner.
There's a dancer on the floor. There's a
drink upon the table. Oh, there's the
one who calls reform. And there's Gaelic
in the fiddle like the Gaelic in the
Glen. And the songs take on new
meanings. Boy, it's getting dark again.
Getting dark again. Getting dark again.
For the second time since we got up.
It's getting dark again.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you so much everybody. I saw some
uh fancy footwork there in the back. So,
thanks for dancing.
Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.
Heat. Heat.
The house.
Okay.
All right.
Yeah.
Heat.
Christmas.
Heat. Heat.
Hey,
hey,
hey.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you very much.
and her brother is six.
All righty. Uh, this next set contains a
whole bunch of tunes that are in the key
of A, which is a great tune. It is a
piping key. Uh, so these are some great
tunes, including a tune called
Reconciliation. And if you ever had an
argument with somebody that you really
care about and then you get over it, uh,
and there's that feeling of joyfulness,
well, that's what this tune is all
about, reconciliation.
>> But first, we're going to start off
slow.
Heat. Heat.
Rest.
Heat.
Hello.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Hey, hey, hey.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you guys so much.
Uh, whenever anyone asks me what the
hardest part of being a musician is,
just kidding, no one ever asked me that.
But, uh, the hardest part about being a
musician, I think, is the bugs. The
bugs, the the horse flies that go on
your elbow and don't move no matter
what. And you can't really let your
audience know that it's going on. So, if
like an ant was to crawl up your leg and
go up your skirt and bite you, none of
you could know. So, now you don't know.
Thanks for suffering for your
>> and and making everyone else suffer. Um,
all right. I'm going to play a Steve
Earl song called Gway Girl.
>> Took a stroll down your long walk with
me. I
Little girl
and I as you
fellow to do
your hair was black
and then right then I'll be taking a
world
with a Oh,
we're halfway there. When the rain came
down,
she invited me up to her downtown.
And I asked you friends, what's about
you?
Cuz her hair was black and her eyes were
blue. So I took her hand and I gave her
a twirl.
I lost my heart to the window.
When I woke up, I was all alone
with a broken heart in a ticket home.
And I ask you now, tell me what would
you do?
If her hair was black and her eyes are
blue, I've traveled around,
been all over this world.
Boys, I've never seen nothing like girl.
No, I ain't never seen nothing like a
girl. Take it away.
Heat. Heat.
Thanks so much.
All righty. Uh, this next set contains a
Liz Carol tune uh called Whistah Hicken
Drive.
And uh that's a sobriety test. So if you
can say Whiz and Drive five times fast
um then it must be silver and uh ends
with this tune called Fox Hunters. This
is a five-part tune and uh it's said
that the parts of the tune mimic the
parts of the fox hunt um in our version
of the tune the fox gets away. So really
like this tune. I hope you will too.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Awesome.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you very much everybody.
Hey everybody, let's hear it for
Footworks. These guys are so so good.
My name is Joe Linda. I'm with Monte
Verie Music School and we are producing
these concerts this summer. This is the
Brown Bag Lunch Summer Concert Series.
We go Wednesdays at noon all the way
through September 9th. Um, and I just
want to really thank all the people that
make this popular uh popular possible
for us. Um, all local businesses are
sponsoring this music series so that we
can pay um, our artists what they're
worth. We can get excellent talent here
and I want you to know who they are so
you can always support them. We have the
Hunger Mountain Co-op is our presenting
sponsor, followed by Capitol Grounds,
Drawing Board, Montpillar Alive,
Positive Pie, The Point FM, The Print
Shop, Sarduchi's Restaurant, Skinny
Pancake, and the one and only Woodbury
Toys. Let's hear it for local
businesses.
Do what you can to keep them afloat
because they're keeping this uh concert
series alive. I don't want to take up
any more time. Uh Monty Birdie Music
School does have some fall after school
classes that just went live for
registration. So if you have uh people
between first and eighth grade in your
life who need some music, please go to
montymusic.org.
And finally, I want to remind you that
we're bringing Porchfest to Montelier
this fall. Please save the date,
September 20th. It's a Sunday between 12
and 5. We're going to have music all
over town. Montpelarporchfest.org
for more details. Thanks for coming and
we'll see you next week.
>> Thank you so much, Jolinda. Uh, now we
play music, but I can tell you that when
we were kids, we played non-stop with
the toys that our parents got us from
Woodberry Mountain Toys. That really is
a fabulous toy store. And, uh, we're
going to go ahead and speaking of play,
play you some more tunes for a few more
minutes here. So the next set uh is it
starts off with a tune called the
lilting banshee goes into old hag you
have killed me and then brace yourselves
I buried my wife and I danced on her
grave
I don't know who wrote that I don't know
his wife but I got a lot of questions
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. N.
It's time.
Heat. Heat.
Thank you so much.
Thank you very much.
>> All right, here is our last set here.
And uh as usual, there's a whole bunch
of tunes strung together. Uh but we've
put in two different wedding reels. So,
Jenny's Wedding and Tin Wedding
among others. Starts off with a tune
called MacArthur Road.
>> Thank you for your watch.
Hallelujah.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
What are you doing?
Yeah.
Thank you.
Heat. Heat.
I
want you.
Heat. Heat.
There we go.
Come
on.
Come on.
Thank you guys so much for coming out
and tuning in. Jelinda and Ailia, thank
you so much for having us with
Footworks. We write some Cape Britain
music here today. And if you like what
you hear, you can look us up on
Facebook. We love going around to all
sorts of different fun places. And if
you play trad music, check out the Bent
Nails Roadhouse open session every first
Wednesday. Come to play. Come to listen.
Cheers, everyone.