Wild Joe*s opens doors to visiting indie acts, Open Mic night
Jeff Queebis
The summer sunshine has the multi-block stretch of Downtown Bozeman bustling with locals and visitors to the Treasure State this season. Shopping trips, friendly gatherings, or walks up and down Main call for some caffeinated goodness from Wild Joe*s Coffee Spot – and perhaps a tasty panini to go with! The shop is also a great place to check out acoustic sets by local and traveling artists. Here’s a look at what’s coming up.
Jeff Queebis performs on Friday, July 19th from 6–8pm. Formed in the woods of New Hampshire, the project is the merging of songwriter Jesse Black and beat enthusiast Daniel Queeb. The two quickly began to play for small audiences in Maine as well as right here in Montana, soon meeting members Ellie and Adam. The group describes their sound as mellow groove-rock. Grab a beverage and check them out!
The next Open Mic Night will take place Saturday, July 20th from 6–8pm. Come for an evening of music performed by local musicians. Bring your guitar, sitar, zither, poetry, comedy, or theremin and take a turn up at the mic. Show Bozeman what you’re made of! Individual set lengths depend on the number of musicians who want to play. Sign-ups start at 5:30pm – first come, first served. Be sure to bring your friends and support live music in Bozeman! A modest contribution to the kitty will be divided by participating musicians at the end of the night. The more people who come, the more money in the pot. An additional Open Mic Night is set for Saturday, August 3rd from 6–8pm.
On Friday, July 26th, Albuquerque-based acoustic rocker Benny Bassett entertains from 6–8pm. The former frontman of Chicago group Vintage Blue comes to Southwest Montana in support of his spring-released EP, Words for Yesterday, following extensive touring in the United States and beyond. The collection examines missed moments in our lives, times we wish we could have said or done something differently. The songs are honest, engaging and well-crafted.
Project: Constellation follows on Saturday, July 27th from 6–8pm. Hailing from North Dakota, the original acoustic folk/rock and punk duo is comprised of singer/songwriters Christina Rosebrough (violin) and Santiago Silva (guitar). The pair enjoys traveling and performing at new places and supporting local music scenes. New single “Up and Down These Roads” is available now.
Roving singer/songwriter and guitarist Chris Aguayo is set for Sunday, July 28th from 3–5pm. He blends various fingerpicking and percussive guitar/ukulele styles with his smooth baritone voice and mesmerizes audiences whether on stage or in the streets. He’s a road-tested performer whose solo acoustic set is one not to be missed!
Mandy Rowden opens a new month of live music on Friday, August 2nd from 6–8pm. She’s an Austin-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who’s been compared to Lucinda Williams, Kim Richey, and Stevie Nicks, to name a few. Her latest album, When That Day Comes, is a collection of warm, engaging songs about life and loss. Its easy pace and vulnerable lyrics roll out a welcome mat of raw, emotional accessibility revealing a world textured by hurt and hope alike.
Wild Joe*s Coffee Spot is located at 18 W Main St. in the heart of historic Downtown Bozeman. Learn more about these and other upcoming events at www.wildjoescoffee.com. •
