As any local musician can tell you, booking shows around Vermont is as difficult as ever. Venues are struggling with predatory insurance companies thirsty for profit, as well as unpredictable crowds that, post-pandemic, rarely buy advance tickets for smaller shows. It all leads to a hesitancy by venues to book anything other than proven and reliable seat-fillers. Even when artists do book a show, they're often expected to handle most of the promotion. And then there's the growing practice of venues taking cuts from artists' merchandise sales. (Before any of you email me with a "not in Vermont" rant again: Yes, many of our local venues take merch cuts.) As someone who has played music in this community for well over 20 years, I can tell that while some challenges are new, it's always been a slog for local talent to book good shows at top venues. I've had to buy and sell tickets to my own band's shows just for the "privilege" of getting to play a local stage on a Tuesday night with a handful of other Vermont bands. I've watched as touring bands get fed and paid while local acts are relegated to a 10-minute sound check, with two drink tickets for draft beer for dinner. It's always been the way of things. Working to change that are Seth Soloway, executive director of Spruce Peak Arts at the base of Stowe Mountain, and local singer-songwriter Troy Millette. The two are collaborating to make the performing arts center a welcoming home to Green Mountain musicians by pairing local acts with top touring talent for the Spruce Peak Unplugged series. The new initiative kicks off on Saturday, October 12, with a show by Philadelphia rockers Deer Tick and an opening performance by Millette. "When I took this job, I knew my mandate was to elevate Spruce Peak to the level of a national performing arts center," said Soloway, who joined the Stowe organization last year. "But I also didn't want to forget about the local music scene, which I knew was incredibly robust, from Noah Kahan to the buskers on Church Street. I didn't want anyone thinking I just showed up from New York City and kicked out all the locals — that's exactly how you piss off a local scene." Soloway met Millette when the Americana artist opened for folk act Josiah and the Bonnevilles, aka Josiah…