A not-so-Tiny Fourth of July, soulful Commonheart in Big Sky
As July begins, the Arts Council of Big Sky continues to present another amazing summer of Music in the Mountains. The Thursday night concerts and supplementary events take place at Center Stage in Town Center Park. All performances are FREE and open to the public.
The Tiny Band
A special Independence Day Celebration on Thursday, July 4th, will again feature a performance by The Tiny Band. With a lineup of Bozeman’s most accomplished musicians, their repertoire is a blend of Motown, rock, soul and pop standards that keeps the dance floor pulsing. They’ve entertained thousands of audience members to rave reviews since 2010. With hits ranging from Stevie Wonder to The Beatles and Michael Jackson to Adele, they’ll get you out of your seat and onto the floor. The Tiny Band brings big vocals, high energy and anything but a tiny sound. Celebrate America’s birthday at Big Sky’s biggest event, complete with the region’s best fireworks show at dusk.
Following on Thursday, July 11th, enjoy the funk and soul sounds of The Commonheart. With gritty vocals over rock riffs and horns, the band delivers an emotion-packed, soulful sound that lights up any stage. Frontman Clinton Clegg is a powerhouse who commands full attention with his limitless onstage energy and vocal range. Their recent album, Grown, is a remarkable display of each member’s talent interlacing heavy blues, soul, and gospel influence across trumpet, saxophone, keys, guitar, and singers. The Commonheart’s sound is a true testament to the past while completely holding its own as one of today’s most promising acts.
Los Angeles-based Orgone deliver their funky, soulful sounds to Big Sky on Thursday, July 18th. The 8-piece soul machine is driven by Dan Hastie and Sergio Rios, once two kids from the San Fernando Valley united by a hunger for raw soul recordings. Drawing on their love of Funkadelic, Santana, Muscle Shoals, and all things Stax, the duo sought to create the band that, if they were to hear for the first time, would be their instant favorite. For nearly twenty years the band has churned out gritty funk and soul recordings and toured relentlessly across the United States and Europe. Orgone’s live show captivates audiences and packs dance floors – whether on sold-out headlining tours; sharing the stage with The Roots, Al Green, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and Galactic; or appearances at fests like Bonnaroo, New Orleans Jazz Fest, High Sierra, Bear Creek, and Jam Cruise. Orgone’s new album, Reasons, released in January.
Future weekly concerts this summer include: Hayes Carll on July 25th; Marcia Ball on August 1st; Town Mountain with special guests Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs on August 8th; Mt. Joy with special guests Upstate on August 15th; Honey Island Swamp Band on August 22nd; Ron Artis and the Truth on August 29th; and Pinky and the Floyd on September 5th. In addition, the ninth annual Big Sky Classical Music Festival, with special guests Angella Ahn, Jonathan Gunn and Dallas Brass, will take place August 9th–11th. A free performance of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will take place at the park on August 19th, and the fourth annual Mountainfilm in Big Sky event caps the summer September 13th–15th.
Town Center Park opens at 6pm for each Thursday concert, and there will be food and beverage vendors (including alcohol) and an arts activity tent for kids. Please be aware that NO dogs or glass containers are allowed in the park. Music typically starts at 7:15pm, but please visit www.bigskyarts.org for more information on these events. Further details about the summer lineup and other Arts Council happenings are also available through the website. •
