Pine Creek Lodge’s summer concert series is officially underway, with the Paradise Valley venue once again set to bring a plethora of touring acts to its outdoor stage this season. Read on to see who’s performing this month.
Seattle-based dream pop project Coral Grief performs June 5th. Crafting surreal, playful and catchy songs, the group’s sound generates reverie with intense focus, built upon a krautrock pastiche and brought to life by drummer Cam Hancock’s dynamic sensibilities. Ambient guitars and weaving synths create the space for Lena Farr-Morrissey’s melodies and Sam Fason’s guitar work to flourish.
Colorado College Bluegrass Ensemble take the stage June 6th. The instrumental and vocal band was created to provide for students a challenging and creative environment in which to develop material with the feel and structure of bluegrass music. The ensemble draws mainly from traditional sources including Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, and the Stanley Brothers.
On June 7th, Keller & the Keels are set to entertain with their brand of Appalachian psychedelic bluegrass. Of the project Williams says, “Award winning flat picker Larry Keel and his rock solid, in the pocket bass-playing wife, Jenny Keel, make up two thirds of this super fun trio I started in 2004. With three albums recorded together the handful of gigs we play a year turn into acoustic picking parties. We vowed from the beginning that we wouldn’t do it often so that when we did, it would be special and it is.”
Returning to Southwest Montana on June 8th are Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons. Joseph is prolific and accomplished songwriter who’s written hits for Widespread Panic and has released dozens of albums in his decade-spanning career as a solo artist and member of numerous groups. Flanked by the Jackmormons, the band comes to the Treasure State in support of their new album, Mouthful of Copper.
Casper Allen performs with support from Nathan Xander on June 9th. Detailing his experiences in the Texas songwriting tradition of his heroes Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, with a raw and aggressive bluesy vocal styling reminiscent of the Texas bluesmen Freddie King and Albert Collins, Allen explores themes of addiction, life on the road and the ups and downs of a life well-traveled.
On June 12th, enjoy the stylings of Jakob Alexander. Paying homage to both the folk and singer/songwriter genres, with his beautifully captivating voice and acoustic guitar, Alexander performs honest covers and his own thought-provoking and heartfelt originals.
Based out of Birmingham, Mountain Grass Unit are set for June 13th. Playing bluegrass tunes and adding a bluegrass touch to country, jazz, funk, rock and even metal, the group has established the firm foundation to take on not only the vocal harmonies of traditional bluegrass tunes, but also the freedom to adapt songs from various genres to an all-acoustic format.
Visiting the Lodge for back-to-back shows is STS9 on June 14th and 15th. The Atlanta-based project is known for their captivating live shows and constant touring, and have gained fans from both the jam band world and across the United States. STS9’s music is described as “post-rock dance music” and mixes live rock instrumentation with electronics, favoring group rhythm over individual solos.
Tyler John Kraehling shows off his stuff June 16th. Drenched in the tradition of American troubadours, his sultry voice and crafted words tell stories that speak to the novelties and banalities of what it means to walk this earth. His clothes and guitar are second-hand, his songs anything but.
Old Crow Medicine Show perform with help from The Timber Rattlers on June 18th. The group got their start busking on street corners in the late ‘90s, from New York state and up through Canada, winning audiences along the way with their boundless energy and spirit. They eventually found themselves in Boone, North Carolina where they caught the attention of folk icon Doc Watson while playing in front of a pharmacy. He invited the band to play at his festival, MerleFest, and the rest is history. Their new album, Jubilee, released last fall.
On June 19th, The California Honeydrops deliver an energetic show. Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, the retro-soul outfit are an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn, navigating through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation – a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of set lists with no two shows ever the same.
As We Become open up for the Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience on June 20th. The group embodies Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones in their spirit, tightly wound talent and authenticity. Their live shows are not about simply playing the right notes, they are about aura and feeling, harkening back to the unique atmosphere Led Zeppelin created.
June 21st sees the return of Cactus Cuts with openers Salty Gravy. The five-piece Americana folk band draws inspiration from the harmonious melodies of the Milk Carton Kids and the virtuosic guitar stylings of Doc Watson. The band weaves together intricate acoustic arrangements, compelling storytelling and lush vocal harmonies that are the perfect musical combination of modern bluegrass and old-time Americana. Their new EP, Lies Are Sweet, released last summer.
Melvin Seals & Jerry Garcia Band will perform June 22nd. From blues to funk to rock to jazz, Melvin Seals serves up a tasty mix with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up. Joined by JGB, the project brings an intuitive, expressive style, soul, spontaneity and remarkable chops to the table. With acoustic and electric ingredients and unique combinations of Dave Hebert’s guitar and vocals, Pete Lavezzoli’s hearty drums and, of course, a heapin’ helpin’ of the wizard’s magic on Hammond B-3 Organ and keyboards. Along with backing vocals, the result is a most satisfying blend of natural organic grooves that challenges genre boundaries.
James McMurtry is back in Southwest Montana on June 23rd with opening support by Bonnie Whitmore. On his latest effort, The Horses and the Hounds, the acclaimed songwriter backs personal narratives with effortless elegance and endless energy. This first collection in seven years spotlights a seasoned tunesmith in peak form as he turns toward reflection and revelation. Familiar foundations guide the journey. “There’s a definite Los Angeles vibe to this record,” McMurtry says. “The ghost of Warren Zevon seems to be stomping around among the guitar tracks. Don’t know how he got in there. He never signed on for work for hire.”
Modern Grateful Dead tribute Cosmic Charlie transports audiences on June 26th. Rather than mimicking the Dead exactly, the band chooses to tap into the Dead’s energy and style as a foundation on which to build. The result is healthy balance of creativity and tradition, where both the band and its audience are taken to that familiar edge with the sense that, music is actually being MADE here tonight.
June 27th brings Executive Dysfunction to the Pine Creek stage. The Bozeman guitar duo plays acoustic original material and covers of everything from Otis Redding to Metallica.
North Fork Crossing deliver a show June 28th featuring opener WC Huntley. Their genre resides somewhere in a strange untapped musical realm between traditional bluegrass, psychedelic rock, Americana and folk. The quintet are drawn to bluegrass reaching a younger generation, priding themselves on their unique sound being the “evolution of string band music.”
Abby Webster will warm up the crowd for The Last Revel on June 29th. A threesome of powerfully talented multi-instrumentalists, The Last Revel naturally blend the genres of folk, rockabilly, old time string-band and rock to create a sound equally original and timeless. They’re known to consistently deliver “bombastic live performances,” as well as delicate and haunting folk ballads. Their latest release, Dovetail, is available now.
Declan Banko closes out the month on June 30th. The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Deco & the Dusters hails from Roscommon, Ireland and the Fingerlakes region of upstate New York. Banko’s vocals transport audiences from western honky-tonk saloons to Galway pubs on a mighty session, with old-school baritones, yodeling and an Irish rasp.
And looking to a new month, the ‘Pine Creek Summer Concert Series’ continues with a full spread of shows. Performing next are Walcrik on July 3rd, The Fossils July 5th, Red Elvises with Emma & the Ledge July 6th, Wes Urbaniak July 7th, Rich Hall with the Cow Magnets July 9th, Stormgrass July 10th, Pinky & the Floyd July 11th and 12th, Ryan Adams July 13th and 14th, Shakey Graves with Futurebirds July 16th and 17th, Cole Decker July 18th, The Young Dubliners with Doublewide Dreams July 19th, Emma & the Ledge July 21st, Cruz Contreras July 24th, Josh Moore July 25th, moe. July 26th and 27th, Kailey Marie July 28th and Erik Stucky on July 31st.
All shows begin at 7pm with some free of admission. Please visit www.pinecreeklodgemontana.com for ticketing access, details on Pine Creek’s acoustically enhanced “Food Truck Brunch” series and to learn more about other upcoming summer concerts. •
