If the seemingly swift change in season has you looking for ways to warm up, a stop into Downtown Bozeman’s Wild Joe*s has just the ticket. And if you’re swinging in for an evening boost, the Coffee Spot is also a great place to check out acoustic sets by local and traveling artists. Here’s a look at what’s coming up.
Head downtown for the art opening event, “Colored West,” on Friday, October 18th. Photographer Jan Richter will be showcasing his work from 6–8pm accompanied by live music courtesy of Elisha Mann. Free and open to the public.
A native of Prague, Richter is an old fashioned guy. He likes old cars and old buildings, things that have character and a story. He also likes old cameras: he shoots on a Minolta and a Pentax from the 1980s, and sometimes buys expired film. It’s cheap and it also has a grain that he enjoys. He only shoots photographs, though, when he is in the United States: The open landscape inspires him in a way that the historic churches and buildings of Europe do not. His fascination with the American West started when he was young, courtesy of the classic American export: pop culture. His father listened to Johnny Cash and Woody Guthrie, and watched Hollywood Westerns.
Despite his fascination with the openness of the West, Richter is not a landscape photographer. He has more ground level interests. He likes shooting old railroad tracks and seedy bars, grain elevators and old signs. When it comes to shooting portraits, he favors truck drivers and people he meets on the street. He also shoots portraits of friends he’s made here, carefully blurred to suggest a night that’s gone on too long.
The next Open Mic Night will take place Saturday, October 19th 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 Friday, November 1st from 6–8pm.
Local artist Darla Sweeney is back on Sunday, October 20th from 1–3pm. She grew up in the mountains surrounded by music, spending much of that time playing guitar and writing songs. Darla’s original, thought-provoking lyrics speak to a variety of audiences, whether to those young at heart, struggling to find their place, or looking for a sweet story to listen to. With country and folk roots, her simple singer/songwriter style makes for an enjoyable experience for all.
JEB performs on Saturday, October 26th from 6–8pm. The local singer/songwriter, guitarist and producer brings his vibrant, red hair persona to his indie pop and hip-hop inspired dance music. His debut single, “This L Is On Me,” released in April.
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.