The Flynn Announces Hurly Burly Outdoor Concert Series

The Flynn is excited to announce Hurly Burly, an outdoor concert series taking place at different locations around Burlington from mid-August through September, co-presented by UVM Lane Series and Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. Hurly Burly, sponsored by New England Federal Credit Union, will feature a variety of beloved local musicians, bands, and arts organizations-all valued Flynn favorites-performing free pop-up concerts from a makeshift stage on the back of a flatbed truck.

Hurly Burly kicks off on Saturday, August 15, with local Latin jazz icon Ray Vega playing with his quartet. The following day, Sunday, August 16, saxophonist and Middlebury College professor Matthew Evan Taylor performs. Hurly Burly continues the following weekend with a performance by Ro Freeman on Saturday, August 22, and a collaborative show from Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Theatre Company on Sunday, August 23. The series picks up again on Saturday, September 12, with KeruBo, followed by Burlington Taiko on Sunday, September 13. On Saturday, September 19, Mal Maïz performs, and on Sunday, September 20, Hurly Burly wraps up with a climactic show from Dwight & Nicole, featuring special guest Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR).

"Hurly Burly is an experiment. We always say we're more than just a building, and now that our building is closed, we have a chance to prove it. If people can't come to the arts, then we'll bring the arts to the people, and we'll do it as safely as possible," said Flynn Artistic Director Steve MacQueen. "We want the series to focus largely on voices of color in our community in order to reinforce the Flynn's commitment to equity and anti-racist practices. I love this group of artists, and I am really excited to see how the whole hare-brained scheme works out."

The location and time of the Hurly Burly events will not be announced until the day of the show. The details for each concert will be posted on the Flynn's social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and communicated to all Flynn email subscribers the day of the show.

Hurly Burly represents the first live performances the Flynn has been able to put on since March, when the pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season. All eight shows will take place in public spaces, and social distancing and other safety measures will be enforced throughout the spectator area. Chalk circles will be drawn six feet apart from each other and signs will be placed all over to reinforce the measures that are expected. Masks are required for all attendees.

The new Flynn logo, purposeful mottos, and a flashy color palette will be prominent aspects of Hurly Burly's look and feel. For Hurly Burly, we've created audience giveaways, including cool pins and bandanas, as well as a stage setup that showcases elements of the new Flynn branding. Hurly Burly is a transformative moment for the Flynn, as we take stock of where we are and map out where we're going. These new visual elements are meant to reaffirm the Flynn's core values while proclaiming a vision for the future that welcomes change and embraces openness.

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