Pine Creek performers: Old 97’s, Corb Lund & more
The beautifully situated Pine Creek Lodge in Paradise Valley offers an extensive slate of live music to keep guests and others entertained through the summer.
Enjoy the sounds of The Swingley Jazz Project on Wednesday, August 2nd at 7pm. The local homegrown jazz ensemble takes the stage with the intention of creating music for the pleasure of all! The group is comprised of John Morford (bass), Matt Ridgeway (piano), and Garrett Stannard (drums).
Following on Saturday, August 5th, check out Philadelphia-based rock band Stolen Rhodes at 7pm. Several words and phrases come to mind when seeing one of their live performances for the first time: fiery, sensational, tough as nails, hotter than a rattlesnake in a toaster oven… Rockers Kevin Cunningham (guitar), Jack Zaferes (bass), Matt Pillion (vocals, guitar, keys, saxophone) and Larry Shotter (drums) are know to combine blues and rock with a touch of country and a heap of nostalgia with every performance. With their fiery, gasoline-laden live shows and catchy songs, the guys will blow your mind, and quite possibly bruise your soul as well. Stolen Rhodes released their latest album, Bend With the Wind, in 2016. Tickets are $5.
Catch a solo show from Missoula musician Leif Christian on Sunday, August 6th beginning at 6pm. He’s a vocalist, songwriter, blues guitarist, and classical pianist, who began playing piano the age of 6. Leif plays extensively throughout the region with his blues/rock trio, Ticket Sauce. He co-founded the Montana Musicians and Artists Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the music and art scene in Montana, and is the brains behind the popular Zoofest, a free community music and art festival held in Downtown Missoula.
Texan rockers Old 97’s will perform with help from Vandoliers on Wednesday, August 9th at 7pm. Since the band roared out of Dallas over two decades ago, Old 97’s have blazed a trail through alt-country and power-pop, led by the piercingly observant lyrics of lead singer Rhett Miller. The band draws inspiration from a broad range of genres, including the twangy stomp of cowpunk and the melodies of power pop. Their latest album, Graveyard Whistling, released in February. And with it, the group has earned the respect and veneration as one of the pioneers of the alt-country movement, while still retaining the raucous energy, deceptive cleverness, and knockabout spirit that first distinguished them from the pack. Tickets for this evening of music are $15.
Tennessee-based Slim Pickins Bluegrass stop by for an afternoon show on Sunday, August 13th at 1pm. The 5-piece bluegrass band hails from Chattanooga, opening eyes and ears across the Southeast. Their fast paced, lively shows are reminiscent of the diverse musical influences the band shares. They combine the talent, instrumentation, and song selection of a New Grass Revival, Doc Watson, or David Grisman with an energy level not seen since the Ramones. It’s this combination that pushed the band into recent nominations and subsequent awards from FYI for Best Bluegrass Band and Best Live Band. The band features John Boulware, Tennessee State Fiddle Champion, leading a group of up-and-coming hot shots. Slim Pickins’ music is upbeat, unapologetic, and most importantly — fun!
Rain City Ramblers introduce their Emerald City tunes on Wednesday, August 16th at 7pm. The acoustic trio hails from Seattle, and features the talents of Forrest Marowitz (upright bass), Daniel Ullom (mandolin), and Jim Horbett (guitar). The group makes a point to trace the lines between bluegrass and country, jazz and folk, old-time and the blues, distilling their favorite elements of these traditions and blending them into finely-crafted songs.
Canadian country artist Corb Lund hops the border for a show on Thursday, August 17th with Bus Driver Tour opening the night up at 7pm. Recorded with his long time band The Hurtin’ Albertans, latest album Things That Can’t Be Undone is a self-assured and mature set of songs that pairs Lund’s characteristically sharp songcraft with a bevy of new sounds, thrusting his mix of earnest Americana, rollicking honky tonk and rousing alt-country to new heights. The collection is a lively and loose record influenced heavily by ‘60s and ‘70s rock and country and steeped in the kind of narratives Lund is beloved for. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate.
Mark your calendars! The 2nd Annual Pine Creek Lodge Music Festival will take place on Friday, August 18th beginning at 5pm. This year’s lineup includes Tales From Ghost Town, Dodgy Mountain Men, Christy Hays, The Two Tracks, and Laney Lou & The Bird Dogs. Tickets are $20.
Please visit www.pinecreeklodgemontana.com for ticketing information, to reserve your cabin, and learn more about these and other upcoming events. Pine Creek Lodge is located at 2496 E. River Rd., just outside of Livingston. Call (406) 222-3628 for further information. •
