It's that special time of year: Music festivals are starting to announce their lineups. So get your bug spray and earplugs and sort out your travel plans, people! One of the first to report in is the Music on the Mountain Festival. Held at the base of Okemo Mountain at Jackson Gore Village i n Ludlow, the fest will run for the second year on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17. Music on the Mountain is a completely substance-free event, so no smuggling in nitrous tanks, you bunch of Wookiees. Seriously though, it's all about good, clean fun, as the event is a benefit for Divided Sky, the recovery center cofounded by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio and the Phoenix, a nonprofit that focuses on fostering a sober community for recovering addicts. Things kick off on Friday with a campfire jam at the resort featuring singer-songwriters Anders Osborne, Daniel Donato and Steve Poltz. The following day is the Divided Sky Fun(d) Run, a 5K race and walk, capped off with a live concert from the "Divided Sky All-Stars," including Karina Rykman, Russ Lawton, Ray Paczkowski and more. For more information, visit musiconthemtn.com. Banjo fans are in for a treat this Friday, March 28, when world-renowned picker and Punch Brothers founding member Noam Pikelny comes to Rutland for a performance at the Paramount Theatre. Considered the preeminent banjoist of his era, the nine-time Grammy Award nominee and winner for Best Folk Album in 2019 resides in Nashville with his partner, singer-songwriter Caitlin Canty. Canty is opening the show at the Paramount, which marks a homecoming for the 43-year-old, who is originally from Proctor. Similar to Noah Kahan, Canty's career has largely taken off outside of the Green Mountains, so it's a great chance to see her on home turf. Visit paramountvt.org for tickets and more information. Burlington rockers Brunch have released two new singles this month. "Dr. Benway" is a grungy rocker shouting out the anesthetist from William S. Burroughs' novel Naked Lunch ... I hope we can all agree that it's about time he got a shout-out, am I right? I needed another song on my "obscure literary character" mix. I can add it after Leonard Cohen's "The Stranger Song," where he shouts out Frankie Machine from Nelson Algren's The Man With the Golden Arm. That's right, bitches — I read books sometimes! The second single is the… ...read more read less