Big Music Night

I usually start Friday mornings with KBGA listening to Swim Lesson with the Mermaid. This morning's show featured an interview with 10yoGF (10 year old Girl Friend), who will appear tonight at the Badlander as part of the Total Fest program. This may be one of your last opportunities to see this band,

because the drummer is leaving town. 

What these other creative folks will do without him, only the future will tell.

These images came from their Endathon performance on February 18, 2011.

Total Fest is the biggest event of this weekend, and expands beyond the Badlander/Palace complex to fill some other venues with the multi-faceted music its famous for. The complex will be jamming tonight from top to bottom, the Palace, the Badlander, Central, Golden Rose, the Savoy Casino, music, food and alcohol.

Japanther returns to Missoula, tonight, and will be over at Zoo City Apparel with four other bands, including Goddammitboyhowdy.  This, too, is Total Fest.

Goddammitboyhowdy is another local (or are they back in Browning again?) band I've enjoyed listening to and photographing.

Zoo City Apparel, in addition to iconic t-shirts, is making a name as an underground music venue. They are providing space lost with the closing of the BSMT and other shifts in the local scene.

This is one of those days when there is too much available in Zootown, and hard choices must be made.

Tom Catmull will be on the Union Club Stage tonight, beginning at 9:30.

Mudslide Charley will be at the Top Hat, along with the Frederico Brothers and Full Grown Men.

Back in Zootown

And so glad to be here.

My road trip lasted six weeks, and by the end I was mighty homesick for Zootown. I drove back into Missoula Thursday, and the next day was First Friday, featuring art and music everywhere. Next day--Saturday Markets. Sunday, in addition to the market by the carousel, Higgins was closed from the Hip Strip to the Xs for all kinds of family activities.

I don't know the young man, but that is Bethany playing the saw and Caroline on the banjo.

Kate Davis with a red-tailed hawk from the Raptor Refuge appeared at Fact and Fiction on Saturday.

Jav performed second in a music show at Zoo City Apparel with art by Abe Coley on the wall. Pyro Spyders opened, and Goddammitboyhowdy finished that show.

Abe Coley hands on hips. Abe had art up in six venues around town for First Friday. He also has some pieces in a window at the old Macy's store. That must be some kind of record.

Meanwhile, Zeppo was playing over at the Union Club.

This batch of rascals are known as the Dodgy Mountain Men, and they produced their usual fun show at the Palace on Friday night. See the previous post for coverage of their appearance at the Top Hat with Hillstomp.

Not to be outdone, the Skurfs introduced a new look, as they capped the action at the Palace on First Friday, June 3, 2011.

Oh yes, there have been some additions over on the flickr archive. Check it out.

It's summertime in Zootown, and it doesn't get any better than this. I'll see you in the streets, at the markets and in the music venues.

Before Bellatrix, There was Endathon

One week before Bellatrix lit up the Winery, KBGA threw a terrific party to celebrate the end of their annual pledge drive. Endathon inhabited the Badlander/Palace complex on Friday, February 18, 2011.

The Count caught his plane this time, and Rooster Sauce reunited to play for the first time in many moons.

Hello. Welcome to Endathon. Would you like to buy a raffle ticket?

DJs downstairs in the Palace,

and 10yoGF on the Badlander stage,

where Green Horse followed.

Kitty Deyo is one of my favorite people. You can see her on flickr in the Cabaret and Bellatrix sets, also.

To summarize: Endathon was a rousing party, and a good time was had by all.

Afterwards, however, the coat check area turned into a major cluster fuck.

There are two sets on flickr with Endathon and Rooster Sauce. Check those out, too.

Dodgy Mountain Men Torch the Palace

The Dodgy Mountain Men are a bluegrass outfit with a tabla player providing the percussion. That certainly isn't a standard band formation, but this fun loving group makes it work. On Saturday, January 29, 2011, they launched into a free-wheeling set, which ignited the crowd, which fed the band, which led to one of those energy tornadoes which lift venues right off the ground. When it was over, many participants had to drink considerable amounts in order to recover.

There's a set on flickr with more shots of these guys, and a set for Voodoo Horseshoes who released their CD, Flight of the Platypus, at this event.  Horseshoes also turned in a rip-snorting set on this night.

I  bring this up now, because the Dodgy Mountain Men will be playing the Badlander's Live and Local evening on Tuesday, February 15, tomorrow, as I write this. Peoples is also on the bill.

Since the Badlander music will start at the usual late hour, one could easily enjoy the open mike program at Brooks and Browns (in the Holiday Inn at the river end of Pattee St), 7-10pm Tuesday, and then cruise to the Badlander for even more good home-made music.

Voodoo Horseshoes

First Friday--Feb, 2011

Wolf Redboy @the Break

Wolf Redboy has consistently produced some of the most original music in Zootown. On First Friday, he brought his newest music and songs to the Break. He also had some new players with him.

Nate Biehl

Mickie

Louie Bond was on sound and waiting in the wings for the right number to join in. Previous commitments took me elsewhere, and I'm wondering when we will see more of this combo.

Family Friday and DIY @the Hat

Ello played a tight, rocking set for the early 6-8 show at the Top Hat. 

The Top Hat has family friendly hours every Thursday and Friday, 6-8pm. Kids are welcome and sometimes take over the dance floor and the pool tables. Thursday performers rotate on a monthly basis, while Friday nights are  individually booked. I'll be covering more of this soon, and catching up a bunch. I have images of Stellarondo and Butter, previous monthly artists, as well as the current group Black Mountain Moan. 

DIY is a First Friday arts and crafts fair. On this night, February 4, 2011, Jason was creating a new painting, and the place was full of beautiful homemade crafts and beautiful craft persons.

Ax Raccoons @the Palace

Madison Schroeder leaped back into the Palace action with her latest band, Ax Raccoons. 

Yes, Mary is back from Minneapolis. She played in previous bands with Madison, and also with Thomas Pendarvis.

Each of these events has its own set over on the flickr archive, with these and more images captured on Friday, February 4, 2011.

When I was young, old folks sometimes described down times as "being under the weather." Since I've loved the weather in all it's diversity this winter, I don't want to use that phrase. I have, however, not been firing on all cylinders for a few months. It is time to start moving again. I have a ton of photos to review and so much more to say about the Zootown scene. 

Go Comics is a large alphabetized listing of comics; Arcamax is a smaller listing, but has some not on the other list. I put those links up in the right column. I recommend starting every day with a few laughs. Laughter really is the best medicine, and music is a close second. Therefore, I also recommend getting out to a local venue to support your favorite band, or to check out a new band, and to support Zootown health and happiness.

Favorites @the Palace

Hillstomp is another group I try to see every time they come to town. This hard driving blues duo plays it like no other, like there's no tomorrow. Their repertoire starts with Robert Johnson back from the crossroads with a new sound and continues through delta blues greats like R.L. Burnside.

Hillstomp's loyal followers packed the Palace for their performance on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

Earlier, Timmy Arrowtop led his band, Birds Mile Home, on stage to open the event. I covered this band in a previous post, and mentioned then Timmy is one of my music heroes.

There is a set for each band in this post on flickr.