Russ Nasset and the Revelators

Russ Nasset and the Revelators just played Downtown Tonight in Caras Park. Russ will be playing solo, starting about 10p tonight, at the Old Post. And tomorrow night for First Friday, July 1, this whole group will be playing at the Union Club, starting at 9:30.

If you aren't getting down to Caras Park for the great, free and family friendly events there such as this one on Thursday evenings and Out to Lunch on Wednesdays at noon, shame on you.

And if you haven't seen this band, check them out at the club, Friday, July 1.

Ho, ho, ho, maybe I'm not so old and slow after all. They quit playing at 8:30 and I have this up less than 90 minutes later. There are a few more images from this event on the flickr archive, along with approximately 8000 others of this and other Missoula bands.

One Zootown Week--June 12-18, 2011

Summer Carnival

The carnival kicked off the week with jugglers, kids' games and other family entertainment early,

moving on to more adult themes in the evening, including my favorite fire eater

with a soundtrack by Voodoo Horseshoes.

Meanwhile, at the Missoula Winery

The Ed Norton Big Band,

under the direction of this man,

was swinging away in front of a happy crowd.

Jazz Martini

Later, Margi Cates joined the Front Street Jazz Band on stage at the Badlander, during Jazz Martini Night. For those who don't know, Jazz Martini is a weekly, Sunday night event at the Badlander. Bands alternate weeks, and Front Street will be back tonight, Sunday, June 26.

This night was fun for all.

Out to Lunch

Members of Zeppo also had a good time on the Caras Park stage for Out to Lunch on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. Anybody visiting Missoula should plan on Wednesday, for lunch, or Thursdays 5:30-8:30pm for dinner. Lots of vendors offer their foodstuffs, and the live music is free at both events. 

Hot Harleys

On Friday night, the annual Harley rally brought a bunch of hot bikes to Caras Park. 

Mudslide Charley was one of the bands providing the music,

and, of course, a good time was had by all.

Christian and the Sinners

Overlapping the excitement in Caras Park was a show at the Top Hat featuring a group new to me, Christian and the Sinners. That's Christian up front, and there are some marvelous musicians backing him up, including Bethany on the cello and Grace Decker on the fiddle. 

More images of every band and event in this post has a set on the flickr archive. Grace also performs with Cash for Junkers, while Bethany seems to be everywhere, but particularly with Wartime Blues and Butter in the archive. 

In the Streets

In Zootown, you can find music everywhere, and some of the travelers playing on the streets are very talented, not to mention varied and diverse in material and style.

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.

Stompin' the Hat

Hillstomp brought their hard-driving blues to the Top Hat for the first time on Friday April 15, 2011. To say the crowd was appreciative would be an understatement; ecstatic and blown-away would be closer to the truth. Is there a duo anywhere who plays faster and louder? This is rompin' and stompin' stuff, creating an audience/performer vortex, which threatens to lift the roof off. 

The buckets are plain enough in this image, but you can't see the brake drum and some of the other toys tucked away in this far-from-standard drum kit.

Henry Christian

                                                      John Johnson

Hillstomp gave everything they had for a lengthy set, with much howling, growling and dripping sweat. I think their performance and the crowd reaction gave them some satisfaction. 

The Dodgy Mountain Men were feeling their onions on this night, and deserve much credit for warming the crowd up for the headliners. One unique aspect of this outfit is percussion provided by tablas.  

  

As usual, there are more images of this night on the flickr archive. Each of these bands has a set, as does Black Mountain Moan, the opening band. All three bands have previous coverage on this blog, and at least one set from an earlier performance on flickr. Hillstomp now has five sets on flickr, counting two performances at the Palace and two at the Badlander. 

In a previous post about Black Mountain Moan, I labeled this young man Zak, but, according to his emails, he uses the more traditional Zach. I apologize, Zach. 

I can't end this post without mentioning the "free and family friendly" 6 to 8 time slot every Thursday and Friday at the Top Hat. On this Friday, the Jen Slayden Family Band performed, and as usual kids running, dancing and playing contributed to a very different bar experience from the usual. The Family Band included Jen's son, daughter and niece. They also have a set on flickr. 

Who Opened for Johhny Winter?

Zeppo

With the old master up front

The grandness of the Wilma all around

Chuck Lester

All their fans know these guys playing the horns, but who's that behind them?

Hey look. There's a new bass player,           Lee

a new drummer,                                  Reggie

a new guitar player,                                 Pat

and the same rocking rhythm and blues that makes folks want to dance.

Your next opportunity to hear that sound and dance your ass off will be at the Union Club on Saturday, April 30. Zeppo usually plays that venue monthly, and that is their next scheduled performance there.

Many more images of this grand night at the Wilma are on the flickr archive.