Barbacoa at Summervale!

Welcome to week two of Summervale 2022! Week two means double the community, double the fun and double the amp. Get ready to dance because this Thursday, July 14th is local surf rock legends Barbacoa’s official Summervale debut! While this may be the band’s first Summervale, Bill, Kirk and Jeremy are no strangers to performing on the Vermont green.  

Barbacoa is composed of a powerful trio: Bill Mullins on guitar, Kirk Flanagan on bass, and Jeremy Frederick on drums. The members are a little foggy about the exact history of Barbacoa’s origin, which is completely understandable given that they have been playing gigs together for almost 30 years!  

Barbacoa has seen it all. Bill Mullins, who originally found his way to Burlington through the University of Vermont, has been performing at Nectars since the 80s. They have performed at historic Burlington venues such as Toast, the Front, and the Outback. A band favorite is Burlington’s long standing dance club, Nectar’s. Kirk Flanagan even noted that “Nectar’s was still there carving Turkey in the window” when they first started playing the venue.

From the band’s nearly 30-year career, members noted that playing alongside “The King of Surf Rock”, Dick Dale, was a sensational highlight. Bill describes their music as “a fluid spontaneous thing.” They play a lot of genres, but their true love lies with an instrumental surf-rock sound guided by many guitars. It’s a true feat to have been together as a band for as long as these men have, and that commitment comes with perks. There is a certain telepathy that occurs between Jeremy, Kirk, and Bill when they play. They strive for an open and dynamic relationship between listeners and the music, which can lead them to extend or tweak their original songs to fit the energy of the venue. That being said, they should in no way be confused with the common Vermont delicacy – a“jam band” 

 You can find Barbacoa’s music on Spotify and Bandcamp. They currently have three albums available to listen to and a fourth in the works. Fans can be on the lookout for their new album to be released just in time for the winter holidays.   

 We hope to see your smiling faces and dancing feet this Thursday at the Intervale Center to come rock out with Barbacoa!