Strange Ranger w/ Bluest (solo) & s_nya
Sunday, September 17 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket In one of the few recorded interviews with the elusive Burial, the producer admitted to spending much of his time walking city streets alone, sometimes in pursuit of an obvious objective, other times because he had nothing else to do. “Being on your own listening to headphones is not a million miles away from being in a club surrounded by people,” he said. “Sometimes you get that feeling like a ghost touched your heart, like someone walks with you.” It’s a disarmingly earnest sentiment, one that has stuck with Strange Ranger’s Isaac Eiger since he first read it years ago, when the band was just getting started playing house show circuits in and around the mountain West. We are taught to believe that life is made up of a series of arrivals, but it is in the liminal spaces where we most often experience the sublime. Strange Ranger’s transcendent fourth album, Pure Music, was made to be heard in private moments between where you’ve been and where you’re going. Though that Burial quote resonates, these songs have a pulse so strong they’re practically breathing; not touching your heart, but gripping it. Recorded at a cabin in upstate New York as a blizzard raged outside, Pure Music elucidates the promise of No Light in Heaven, a mixtape that hinted the band was cocooned in a state of near total transformation. Pure Music emerged from the same sessions, and while No Light in Heaven resembles, in places, bygone iterations of Strange Ranger’s sound, Pure Music is easily their most exciting and ambitious work to date because it was made with so little concern for what anyone might expect of them, as if they were a band without history. It’s an album that feels out of this time, one that lives in a dimension running parallel to ours. Bluest is orchestrated by the diary-scrawled lyrical hauntings of Noelle Huser, paying homage to 90s/00s angst pop and country influences, sifting through dreams and nightmares, emboldened with a hunger to return from dissociation back into the body. Huser finds her head in the clouds, heart on her sleeve and feet on the ground running into the unknown in her debut album Cold Sweat released in spring of 2023 through Anything Bagel. Drummer, producer, and DJ, Cole Bronson (s_nya) has been one of Missoula’s more prolific musical artists in the last few years. Creating under the moniker ‘s_nya’ (sunya) Bronson’s catalog of eclectic, afro-centric, sample-based recordings ranges from hip-hop, to free-jazz, to ambient, and all things in between. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Enterprise Earth w/ Crown Magnetar & Walking Corpse Syndrome
Monday, October 16 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 8 PM // $20 Advance // $25 Day of Show Enterprise Earth is a deathcore band from Spokane Washington, USA. Founded by former members Dan Watson (ex-Infant Annihilator) and BJ Sampson (ex-Takeover) and currently signed to MNRK Heavy, the band name was Watson’s idea, which was inspired by his research into Illuminati and conspiracy theories. In 2017, Gabe Mangold (Delusions of Grandeur / The Harvest Colour) joined, and would eventually take over all guitar duties following BJ Sampson’s departure in 2019. On June 19, 2020, the band surprise-released the Foundation of Bones EP. On September 10, 2021, the band announced their fourth album, The Chosen, would be due in January 2022, and also released its lead single “Where Dreams Are Broken”. Shortly after, it was announced that frontman Dan Watson would be sitting out of the band’s upcoming tours and would be replaced with live vocalist Travis Worland of The Willow and Aethere . On April 12, 2022, Watson announced he had departed the band and on June 2 2022, touring vocalist Travis Worland was announced as the band’s new permanent vocalist. Video / Enterprise Earth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeekED8EAV4 Crown Magnetar is a 4-piece technical deathcore band based in Colorado, USA. Forming in 2017, Crown independently released their debut EP and album, The Prophet of Disgust (2018) and The Codex of Flesh (2020) before signing with Unique Leader Records in 2021. Alone in Death (2021), their third display of technical aggression was released upon signing with ULR. Video / Crown Magnetar: https://youtu.be/Gvqk1XWTVtM Walking Corpse Syndrome is a five-piece progressive deathcore band from Missoula, Montana in 2006. Known for having two drummers and an intense live show with huge sound, Walking Corpse Syndrome is Leif Winterrowd (vocals), Matthew Bile (guitar), Tana Starkey (guitar), Nocktis (drums), and Mr. Grimm (drums). Video / Walking Corpse Syndrome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZONXqmAqVs For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Shadow Basket w/ Cory Fay
Thursday, August 31 // Doors at 8:30 PM // Show at 9 // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Shadow Basket is a 4-piece Dog Rock/Indie Folk band from San Juan Island, WA. “BUNGALOW” their debut album released in October 2021, features a collection of moody folk tunes and dynamicly driven rock songs that evoke the essence of dreams, place-based memories, and fables. Their performance brings artfully crafted sound elements, grounded harmonies, and beguiling droney jams to any live music setting. Described by The Bay Bridged, “Within their music is connection and care, which makes it all the more compelling.” Friends of the band have described the music as raw, spirited, foot stomping, and drenched in love. Collaboration is a key element throughout the project and can be seen in the music videos, album artwork, and merch designs that always showcase the work of artists and friends. Cory Fay is a cosmic lullaby-core songwriter, record producer, sex advice personality, and emotional support animal. Just kidding. But not about a few of them. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Generifus w/ The Pond & Rob Travolta
Wednesday, August 30 // Doors at 8:30 PM // Show at 9 // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Generifus is the music project of Washington State native Spencer Sult. Beginning in 2005, Sult has written, recorded and released around twenty LPs, Eps, Singles and Compilations. Generifus has toured the USA multiple times and Japan once via car, train, Greyhound bus and plane. On June 2, 2023, the most recent Generifus album “Rearrangel” was released on vinyl and cassette in collaboration with Missoula’s Anything Bagel and Portland’s Bud Tapes. The Pond is Tender slowcore meloncholy. They’ve got a new album coming out sometime with the band fka Bombshell Nightlight. Rob Travolta is the ideal soundtrack for road trips through space and time. Drummer / beat producer Cole Bronson creates dynamic shifts within bassist Rob Cave’s bass lines. Fresh from releasing their new record “Landscapes and Soundscapes” Rob Travolta’s aim is to create thought provoking / heart-felt compositions that keep you on your toes. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Red McAdam w/ The Vervains & Lucas Yatch
Tuesday, August 29 // Doors at 8 PM // Show at 8:30 // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Although he was born in the industrial heart of New Jersey, Red McAdam’s mother Maggie made damn sure that he would be reared on folk and country music. She served up a steady diet of American songwriters from Karen Dalton to Shania Twain to Dwight Yoakam on the kitchen radio day after day. Red’s father, a lifelong bass player, took it from there, teaching him mandolin, banjo, bass, and guitar. Forever restless, Red ventured through dozens of genres before returning to his Country roots. He ventured out West on the heels of heartbreak and made a home in the high desert of Northern Arizona where he now lives. The Vervains play off-kilter folk music, shooting for goofy, head-scratching, and sometimes melancholy, while showcasing three-part harmony and flatpicking guitar. An alliance of open mic’ers in Missoula, the Vervains are Shane Coburn, Jade Taylor, and Read Barbee. “Stomp-clap your way over the broken bodies and the bones!” Lucas Ray Yatch is an American singer songwriter from northern Montana. Mixing honest and heartfelt lyrics with bluesy guitar riffs. Playing as a one man band. Lucas transcends the traditional singer songwriter with a driving lush sound. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Pictoria Vark w/ Bluest
Sunday, August 20 // Door at 8 PM // Show at 8:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Pictoria Vark is the project of Iowa City-based songwriter and bassist Victoria Park. Growing up in northern New Jersey and cutting her teeth on the NYC music scene, Park’s first solo extended play surveyed the innumerable niceties of interpersonal relationships through ruminative, personal songwriting and bass-forward indie rock performance, a practice she has continued on her debut full-length record, The Parts I Dread. Beyond her outputs as an individual artist, she’s also served as a touring bassist for Squirrel Flower, having opened for the likes of Soccer Mommy, Julien Baker, and more. Bluest is orchestrated by the diary-scrawled lyrical hauntings of Noelle Huser, paying homage to 90s/00s angst pop and country influences, sifting through dreams and nightmares, emboldened with a hunger to return from dissociation back into the body. Huser finds her head in the clouds, heart on her sleeve and feet on the ground running into the unknown in her debute album Cold Sweat released in spring of 2023 through Anything Bagel. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Goochslam w/ The New Nightmare & Senterline
Saturday, August 19 // Door at 8:30 PM // Show at 9 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Goochslam is a kinky surf punk power trio that will leave you with emotional whiplash and hit you right where it matters. The New Nightmare is a hard rock band out of Missoula Montana sharing tales of living thru the new nightmare. Thrash metal / grunge / and psychedelic influences with haunting vocals and driving riffs. SenterLine is a punk trio with grunge roots. Their sound is a blend of rock, punk and funk – blended together to serve as a soundtrack to moshing and dancing. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Lupine w/ Calamity Cowboy & Cosmic Sans
Thursday, August 17 // Door at 8 PM // Show at 8:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Lupine is an alternative/indie rock band from Bakersfield, California. Composed of 6 members this high energy group brings a wide variety of sounds ranging from indie pop to psychedelic rock. Calamity Cowboy is the colloquial name given to a group of viscous homunculi believed to have originated sometime in the early 19th century. After aimlessly wandering for a couple hundred years they decided to start a rock and roll band together. They play a blend of country and psychedelic rock that has garnered them tens of fans. It’s the real deal! Cosmic Sans is an evil psychedelic rock five piece from Missoula, MT with Jake Howell on vocals and bass, Cole Bronson on drums, Lane Ulberg on bass, Seamus Jennings on lead guitar, William “Stos” Stoskopf on ambo-guitar! For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
The Pettifoggers + (latent)
Saturday, August 12 // Door at 8:30 PM // Show at 9 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket The Pettifoggers are a folk-rock supergroup of farmers and poets. Look for their debut album, “Small Claims,” to be released in summer of 2023. (latent) is a Missoula based band composed of Zack Buchholo, Nick Togliatti and Jake Swank. These three fellers have been playing music together for nearly a decade and this band is a culmination of their endeavors to incorporate absurdity, sincerity, and high energy music into a single intense project̆. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
County Conservation District w/ Jeremy Drake & Billy Kautz + koby.
Wednesday, August 9 // Door at 8 PM // Show at 8:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket County Conservation District is an experimental noise pop act hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. CCD’s music comes from influences that at first arose from rural environments and vintage halloween ephemera. Using synth noise, tapes machines, pedals, and samplers he crafts environments that range from serene to dancey. Koby is a heart-song sorcerer, delivering story through the tender simplicity of guitar and voice. His music ferries listeners down a slow river where each song is a dream materialized through melody, magic made manifest for the enjoyment of forever. Sometimes, he does other things too. Jeremy Drake and Billy Kautz create improvised sonic encounters exploring texture, rhythm, melody, noise and space. Through the use of acoustic and electric instruments augmented by effects, an intricate and multi-layered web of improvised music is created for the listener. Guitarist Jeremy Drake was deep in the Los Angeles experimental music scene from the late 90’s to the late 00’s playing with the likes of Nels Cline, Vinny Golia, Jessica Catron and countless other visionary sound artists and improvisers. Then he started composting. Now as a dad, partner, and Zero Waste consultant, he lives in Missoula and occasionally freaks out his kids with the sounds coming from the basement. Trumpet/cornet player and composer Bill Kautz has worked in a variety of creative music projects in Missoula including work with Cole Bronson, Justin Matousek, Michael Musick, Naomi Siegel, Tricia Opstad, and as a leader/composer for his ensemble crosstalk. He is a co-founder of The FreeSessions with Naomi Siegel, a DJ and producer of KBGA’s Something Else!, a music educator and a proud stay at home dad and husband. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
