By Adam Davis
Friday Night Live opened with the first show in its outdoor summer concert series in downtown Rutland on Friday, July 26 with the Jimmy Buffet cover band Captain Mike and the Shipwrecked. In addition to the free live music, the event featured multiple food trucks, vendors, and activities for the whole family lined up along Center Street and Merchants Row. A portion of businesses along Center Street stayed open well past their typical closing times to cater to the bustling downtown crowd, and restaurant patios were filled with patrons making for a vibrant nightlife scene.
Captain Mike and the Shipwrecked, flanked by fluorescent palm trees on stage, contributed largely to the party atmosphere by playing beloved hits like “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and “It’s 5 o’ Clock Somewhere.”
The large nine-piece group dug well into Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer’s catalog, playing deep cuts with high energy enthusiasm that pleased parrotheads and novices alike. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based group were thrilled to play their first show in Vermont, frequently remarking on the beauty of the area and the event, as well as the low humidity weather.
A variety of food trucks and family-friendly activities drew an audience of locals and tourists to downtown in addition to the music, with giveaways and giant kids games like Connect Four and large-piece chess, face painting, a bouncy castle and slide, as well as a dunk tank.
“This is a beautiful event,” said Kevin Olson, a part-time resident who owns a vacation home nearby. “This is our 38th wedding anniversary, and we wanted to celebrate it with dinner and some live music.”
Center Street merchants like Mountain Music and the Grateful Vermonter kept their doors open well into the event taking advantage of the extra foot traffic that Friday Night Live brings. Attendees took advantage of the additional time to shop as well, with both stores seeing a consistent flow of people in and out.
“We always stay open during Friday Night Live, it’s always a good turnout,” said Meshach Tourigny of Mountain Music. “We do some extra sales and it gets more people in the store. It definitely adds some visibility.”
Brooke Caputo, owner of the Grateful Vermonter, echoed that sentiment.
“I wanted to stay open and be a part of this. It brings out the best people and some of the best music,” she said. “And it’s such a safe atmosphere, it’s just a lot of fun.”
The next Friday Night Live will be held on Friday, Aug. 16 from 5 to 10 p.m. in downtown Rutland and will feature the Grateful Dead cover band Zach Nugent’s Dead Set. For more information, follow Friday Night Live on Facebook.
