Twiddle just wrapped up their second annual Tumble Down over the weekend, which brought sets from Fruition, Madaila, Aqueous, Midnight North, Lucid, Strange Machines, Holly Bowling, Teddy Midnight, Navytrain, and The Mangroves all along the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain at Waterfront Park in Burlington, VT. On Friday night, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh joined the Vermont quartet for “Eyes of the World” and Twiddle’s “When It Rains, It Pours” and “Subconscious Prelude.” The two-day event was a resounding success, with late night performances from Everyone Orchestra, conducted by Matt Butler, and featuring members of Twiddle, Fruition, Midnight North, and Holly Bowling, as well as a very special Mihali and Friends jam with the Gang of Thieves, Lespecial, Backup Planet, and Pitch Black Brass Band.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders was appreciative of the event, penning a heartfelt letter to the band and their fans for the second year in a row. “Homegrown musical groups play a significant role in promoting Vermont’s culture and values,” he writes. “I am so pleased to see the success of this festival and very much appreciate the role that music and the arts play in making Burlington the wonderful city that it is.”

Sanders takes the opportunity to address the contemporary moment, emphasizing that “now, more than ever, citizens must become involved in the political process.” Read the full letter below, uploaded by band manager Ben Baruch:

[cover photo by Adam Straughn]