Twilight Series: The Big Takeover with Lilly Golden

6PM: Opening act Lilly Golden (she/her) is a Vermont-based singer-songwriter whose music puts a bubbly, sapphic spin on indie pop and Americana. With a clear-toned lyrical mezzo-soprano voice, her songs feature lush harmonies and intimate lyrics that feel like a glance into a private diary. Golden’s music spans from pop songs to tender folk ballads, exploring themes of coming of age and navigating relationships in the Green Mountain State. Her warmth and musical style invite listeners to pull up a chair and stay awhile.
Lilly released her debut EP, Instar, during her junior year of college. The six track EP was met with critical acclaim, featuring both standout vocals and emotional writing. She followed it up next year with a full-length demo album, Roadside Attraction, featuring eight tracks chronicling a road trip across the country.
7:30 PM: Traditionalists or progressives? The headliner, fronted by the charismatic Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Nee Nee Rushie, the seven-piece New York band The Big Takeover plays original music that is rooted in and reverent toward the genres and rhythms of Jamaican pop: reggae, rocksteady, ska. They are devotees of Desmond Dekker and the way the old school did it. At the same time, The Big Takeover crosses lines and blends traditions as global pop fusionists. Their deceptively complex arrangements and big hooks connect with the spirit of Motown and the uptown sophistication of the 21st century retro soul and R&B revival scene.
That rich sound, along with their rigorous performing schedule and studio work, has been paying off. In 2018, the Big Takeover completed a successful 12-state tour. They were enthusiastically received by 10,000 fans at Omaha’s Jazz on the Green festival and delivered an outrageously infectious and nuanced acoustic performance on the popular reggae-centric Sugarshack Sessions. Their single “Rainboots” has earned airplay across National Public Radio stations nationwide.
Lounge on the lawn as the sun dips low and enjoy live music with luminaries from all corners of the Vermont music scene. Twilight Concerts light up the park once (or twice) a month.
Summer in the City is made possible in part thanks to Underwriters at the Pomerleau Family Foundation; Supporters Burlington Telecom, Myti, Soundtoys, and Lake Champlain Chocolates, and Community Partner American Flatbread Burlington & Mothership Brewery. Media Sponsors: Seven Days and WCAX.⁠