Known for red jumpsuits and high energy: Why Vermont's activist street band performs

WINOOSKI — If you've been to a protest, rally, or community event in Vermont during the past decade, there's a good chance you've encountered the activist street band known as Brass Balagan. Donning red jumpsuits and high energy, Brass Balagan is a community-based marching band of about 15 members. Ranging from young 20-somethings to white-haired hippies, the band is united by a shared love for music and a passion for social justice.

"We're about the spirit of the music lifting everyone up and music being part of resistance," said drummer Erhard Mahnke.

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The band provides music for many events including protests, rallies and other community events. Some of the band's recent gigs include a climate justice rally at the State House, a flood recovery fundraiser in Montpelier, and the Winooski Pride celebration.

Showing up and playing music is Brass Balagan's way of contributing to social movements. The band operates mainly on a volunteer basis and also does not charge for most appearances, except for the occasional performance at bars or bat mitzvahs.

With a name derived from the Yiddish word for "chaos," Brass Balagan's sound is an eclectic mix of jazz including big band music, klezmer music as well as Balkan, Latin, and other worldwide musical styles. The music is bombastic, with improvised solos held together by pounding, upbeat drums.

"It's so loud and there's so many of us playing," said clarinetist Raven Aoyagi. "It's an ecstatic feeling for me."

The band's repertoire includes political anthems such as "Bella Ciao", an Italian folk song that originated with women rice paddy workers and became an anti-fascist resistance song during World War II.

Brass Balagan dates back to 2011 when a group of musicians came together to support solidarity events for Occupy Wall Street in Burlington. Over a decade later, the band shows no signs of slowing down.

"We stand with all the folks that have experienced oppression in the world, and we want to use our music to lift people up," Mahnke said.

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Those who are interested in booking Brass Balagan or joining the band can email: [email protected]

Contact April Fisher at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @AMFisherMedia

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Brass Balagan, a Vermont marching band, joins social movements