So KIm and I took a trip down to Brattleboro, VT Wednesday night to check out a show at Stone Church. I had been wanting to check out a Vermont artist who goes under the moniker, Dutch Experts. We found out that she was opening for Then Comes Silence and Vision Video, both of whom we collectively are into.

 Stone Church is exactly what its name proclaims, it is an old church made of stone that has been turned into a venue for live performance. The inside is beautiful. The pews and alter have been taken out and replaced with a stage, tables, and an open floor area for the audience to stand. There is also balcony seating and a bar. The original stained glass and ornate tile work are intact.

 Dutch Experts came on promptly at 8. The first thing I noticed is how good the room sounded. Even with a nice and loud sound system everything was balanced and clear. Dutch Experts play infectious, darkwave synth rock. Hannah has great vocal range and sounded even better live than she does on her recordings. That is no small feat. The crowd was enthusiastic, and the performance was energetic. We were even treated to an unreleased song from the upcoming full length album. Dutch Experts are clearly a force to be reckoned with and if you get a chance to see them you should make the effort to do so.

 Then Comes Silence is one of my favorite goth bands. They have been around for a while and went through some lineup changes that have them now performing as a three piece. They were incredibly tight with much thanks in that department to the drummer. With the crowd already riled up by the Dutch Experts performance the energy on and off stage during Then Comes Silence's set was palpable. The dreary hooks of their dance oriented rock were offset by the easy mannered personality of the groups frontman. The whole band was clearly enjoying the show as much as the audience. They played several of my favorite songs and left Kim and I impressed with their showmanship and musical ability. 

 By the time Vision Video started their set we were totes energized by the first two bands. We were ready for more. Vision Video did not disappoint. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia this band has some opinions about the state of the world and they are not afraid to voice them. I forget the singer's name right now but before starting a band he served in the military for some time and then worked as an EMT for the Atlanta fire department. These life choices and the fact that he is a keen observer of the human condition color his poignant lyrics with brutal honesty. For a black clad goth band espousing some pretty dark subject matter their onstage banter was very upbeat, positive, and inclusive. This band has risen to being a national act quite quickly but after seeing them perform it is easy to understand why.

 In conversation with the bartender I learned that Stone Church is there to support all types of music. This is a great venue with a great staff and the will to serve the art as the artists present it. Kim and I will definitely be going back for more shows and I highly recommend the whole experience to anyone who wants to support music and the musicians who play it.