Twiddle is gearing up for the third-annual edition of their homegrown, hometown festival Tumble Down in Burlington, Vermont. The festival, which is scheduled for July 27th and 28th, will take place along the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain at Waterfront Park and will feature performances from Matisyahu, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Billy Strings, GEM (featuring Grahame Lesh and Elliott Peck of Midnight North and Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle), and several other up-and-coming bands in the jam scene, including the Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band.
Brandon “Taz” Niederauer formed the band, which includes Mat Godfrey (guitar), Matt Fox (bass), Kendall Lentz (drums), Mark Rechler (keys), and Elise Testone (vocals) almost two years ago. The 15-year-old guitar prodigy likes to keep it fresh with his takes on classic blues covers and funk favorites and has even been road testing a hefty amount of his own original material for fans across the country.
Taz himself has a growing history with Twiddle, having first performed together in 2016 and collaborated five times since. Looking forward to Tumble Down, we caught up with Taz to see how he’s feeling before the festival debut.
Live For Live Music: When did you first discover Twiddle?
Brandon “Taz” Niederauer: I first discovered Twiddle through a friend named Greg Horowitz, a photographer that’s very well-known up here in the New England/New York/Pennsylvania area, and he asked me if I wanted to play with them. Not knowing anything about them, I thought maybe this will be fun. Something new. So I said yes, and I met the guys and they were all super nice even though they never met me before.
They let me play with them. It was at Irving Plaza a couple of years ago, and the whole place just erupted. It was so much fun. It was like a 20-minute jam, and I think I was probably 12 at the time. It was just so much fun. Everybody just having a great time. All the guys were super nice to me in letting me go up there. I was super grateful.
Twiddle with Taz – “Lost In The Cold” – Irving Plaza – New York, NY – 2/27/2016
[Video: Greg Horowitz]
L4LM: How has your relationship with the band members evolved since you met back three years ago?
Taz: The relationship has evolved a lot; it’s kind of like a friendly relationship. They have my back. We talk on Instagram direct messages, and Mihali Savoulidis even came to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner last year.
L4LM: How did that come together?
Taz: My dad just invited him. He was in New York, and there was nothing for him to do that day since he lives in Vermont, so he was like, “Yeah why not?” It was fun; my family welcomed him in. It was really cool, and the fact that he would even come is amazing. The relationship has evolved to the point where it’s not just a band that I’m sitting in with; there’s more of a mentorship happening where they are giving me advice and I’m taking it in. I’m just so thankful for all the opportunities that they’ve given to me over the past three or four years.
L4LM: What kind of advice have they given that’s been meaningful to you?
Taz: One piece of advice that they’ve given me is to always play with the utmost intentions, and I learned that just by listening to them play. I mean, they are always just having so much fun because they are buddies. They go way back. They’ve just been playing for so long, and every time they hit a note or strike a drum or play a key, the whole crowd just erupts, and everybody is having a good time. They also taught me if one person in the audience is moved by your performance, then you’re doing something right—because everybody in the audience is just forgetting about everything that they have in their lives and just coming together with this beautiful thing that we call music. Rocking out with that.
And they take the time to meet their fans—do meet and greets and whatnot. Their schedule is jam packed all the time. They are always working and always grinding and always doing all this stuff, you know? Making themselves better and making the fans happy. They put the fans first. They really do.
Twiddle with Taz – “Shakedown Street” – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY – 11/25/2017
[Video: Relix Channel]
L4LM: What’s the best gift Mihali has given you?
Taz: Mihali gave me his size eight Jordans. He gave me size 8 Jordans two years ago, and I still wear them.
L4LM: They fit you?
Taz: No, they used to. They used to. They had the Tasmanian Devil on them, so he thought of me and gave them to me. Whenever I sit in with them, I always have those shoes on my amp. It’s so funny, you know. He’s given me some stuff, but that was crazy.
L4LM: And you’ll keep them forever and give them to your children one day?
Taz: Yes, I will give them to my children.
L4LM: What are you looking forward to most about Tumble Down?
Taz: I’m most excited for Tumble Down to play with my band in front of the Twiddle fans, because a lot of them that live up here in the East have seen my band open for Twiddle in Long Island, but I am excited to show the fans outside of the Northeast that are flying in. I’m excited to reach a whole new fan base with my band, but I’m also really excited—equally excited—to hopefully play with Twiddle and see what things happen. I mean, I just can’t wait to hang with the guys, they are just an amazing band. I mean, I’m a fan, so I cannot wait to see them.
L4LM: Tell us a little bit about your band right now.
Taz: If people reading this have never seen my band, well, it’s my band. I’m playing with adults: a guitarist, a keyboardist, drummer, another singer, and a bassist and we’re just rocking out. I’m writing original tunes that we’re debuting all across the country. It’s kind of like soul, blues, funk, and jam music, and I can’t wait to show the Twiddle fans what we’re all about.
L4LM: Is there anybody on the Tumble Down lineup that you want to play with that you haven’t before?
Taz: Everyone Orchestra. I hope to play with them. I mean, that would be awesome. I know guys who’ve played in that, and even the main guy, he’s just such a musical genius. I would love to play with them. Also, Matisyahu. That would be really cool.
L4LM: To conclude, what do you think Twiddle means?
Taz: I have no idea what Twiddle means. I don’t know what the words means. I will find out though.
L4LM: It is now your duty to find out.
Taz: Yes. I honestly do not know, but it’s a cool name. I like it. I dig it. It’s cool. It’s original. It’s not like anything else, but I do not know what it means.
L4LM: Anything else you want to say about Tumble Down?
Taz: Just, for all the fans reading this, get ready for some un ordinary things about to happen at Tumble Down.
You heard the man, don’t miss Tumble Down on July 27th and 28th along the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain at Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vermont. Host band Twiddle is slotted for two sets each day, heading the lineup on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, Tumble Down will also host performances by Matisyahu, Billy Strings, Broccoli Samurai, Pappy & Frends, Eggy, Adventure Dog, and Doctor Rick. On Saturday, leading up to Twiddle’s headlining performances, the bill is rounded out by Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Ripe, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, GEM (featuring Grahame Lesh and Elliott Peck of Midnight North and Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle), West End Blend, Brickdrop, and 2%.
In addition to the main festival lineup, the event will include separately ticketed late-night parties at Higher Ground and Nectars. On Friday night, Mihali & Frends featuring Matisyahu and a number of yet-to-be-announced special guests will take over the Higher Ground, while Kitchen Dwellers will hold down the late night at Nectars. The next night, on Saturday, July 28th, Everyone Orchestra will be stationed at Higher Ground while Hayley Jane & The Primates and Formula 5 close out the festival at Nectars.
The two-day music event on the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain will also include yoga, a charity disc golf competition, a Phanart exhibition, and other activities, while also leaving room for fans to explore the wonderful town of Burlington and everything it has to offer. For more info, head to Twiddle’s website.
