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Sounds from Middle Earth
Researched and Written by Janine Weins
(Posted 8/28/07)

Considered by some to be the finest music venue in Vermont, Middle Earth Music Hall is in unlikely space in an unlikely place. In the basement of a building that faces a side street in Bradford, Vermont, Middle Earth Music Hall attracts some of the finest musicians to its cabaret setting; these musicians travel the east coast from New York and Boston to Burlington and Montreal.

The secret of the success of Middle Earth is the passion of the Founder, Chris Jones, both for music and for his love and respect for musicians.

For years Chris, who lives in Bradford, brought live entertainment to Bradford Academy and the Colatina Exit Restaurant. In 2002, when basement space under the Colatina Exit became available, Chris made what many describe as a very fine hobbit-hole for the performance of live music. The doors are rounded. Gnarled tree branches and roots that Chris collected when he worked as a woodworker decorate some of the walls. Other pieces of gnarled wood selected and prepared by local craftsmen decorate other walls and support tables. Wall decorations that look like stained glass windows were designed by a local artist using fiber reactive dyes painted onto silk. Not only is the space visually interesting and appealing, Chris has used the right combinations of stones, bricks, roots and fabric to get the acoustic right.

Middle Earth is divided into two spaces. The smaller is a bar with tables at which patrons can eat and drink. There are 12 microbrews on tap and an interesting collection of soft drinks, including Pippin's Punch, Nectar of Lothlorien, and Healthberry Tonic. A recent weekend menu featured a Beggars Chowder, Mexican Pork, Hommy Soup, Gorgonzola Walnut Salad, a variety of Paninis, and their Dragon Egg dessert made with vanilla yogurt, peaches and maple syrup.

Music is performed from a 8 by 22-foot stage that overlooks a red oak parquet dance floor. The area in front of the stage and around the dance floor seats 100 patrons. If the dance floor is not being used, the room can seat 150.

Middle Earth lives up to its motto, "It's all about Music." Often they have Open Mic on Wednesday night. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Middle Earth usually hosts local, national, and sometimes international live music performers. Janis Ian, Tempest from San Francisco, Tom Rush, Richie Havens, and Patty Larkin are among the hundreds who have performed at Middle Earth Music Hall.

At a recent performance by The Gully Boys, the audience included senior citizens and at least one patron who was about two years old. The youngster spent much of the time sleeping beside his parents—only occasionally to awaken, smile, wiggle his toes in time with the music, and then go back to sleep. During the evening, dozens took to the dance floor.

A visit to Middle Earth should be on the schedule of every music lover who visits the area. Because the hall is sometimes used for private parties, it is best to visit their website, http://www.middle-earth-music.com/ and click on "Schedule" before planning an evening at Middle Earth Music Hall in Bradford, Vermont.

About a block south of the Middle Earth Music Hall on the west side of Route 5 is the dam at the mouth of the Waits River where the river meets the Connecticut River.	(Above and to the Right) The walls of the Middle Earth Music Hall are decorated with gnarled tree limbs. Some of the gnarled wood that decorates the Middle Earth Music Hall were prepared by local Brafford area craftsmen.