Alien Boy & GLARE
Thursday, July 6 // Door at 8 PM // Show at 8:30 PM // $15 Advance // $20 DOS Dreams and Queer Feeling. A slogan, a mission statement; maybe a bit of “don’t say we didn’t warn you”—spray-painted in white on black canvas and hung behind the band during a memorable series of 2018 shows, those four words distill the thrill of an Alien Boy set with a directness that perfectly mirrors their fearlessly sentimental guitar music. Though Sonia Weber is often singing about the insecurities and confusion of love and heartbreak, Alien Boy songs overflow with the confidence of a band that knows exactly what they’re going for, and more importantly, know that they’re nailing it. Alien Boy is guitarist and songwriter Sonia Weber, drummer Derek McNeil, and a rotating cast of Portland, Oregon scene stalwarts. As her band’s Wipers-inspired name might imply, Weber is a PDX lifer, and anyone who’s spent time in the last decade’s DIY circuit will recognize something undeniably West Coast in Alien Boy’s sound: a sharpened, focused take on the heavy guitar pop of the 1980’s, chorus pedals and punishing drums the canvas for bold strokes of recollection and yearning. (Nathan Tucker) GLARE is “Texas Shoegaze”. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
(latent) + Witch Bitch (Bozeman) + Ryan King
Sunday, May 21 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket (latent) is a Missoula based band composed of Zack Buchholz, 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 project. Witch Bitch is a two-piece band that leaves your skull in two pieces. Dark, tropical, and fuzzy, Witch Bitch melts tsunamis, ancient pyramids, and corpse effluvium in a sonic crucible. What remains will make your bones rattle – sludgy surf that’s sweeter than sipping a piña colada on a private beach in hell. Ryan King is an artist, mostly with music and poetry, but every once in a while he gets out the paint and makes a mess too. He loves singing a good song and manipulating effects to create improvised chaos/beauty. He just might love you, too. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Kid’s Bops! A ZACC Kid’s Rock Camp Cover Show
Ft. Spaghetti Vampire, BillyWhips, Mido Skip, New Old Future, Western States, Hibernator, & ESPThursday, May 18 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 ZACC Supporter Ticket The Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) will celebrate its first ever Kid’s Bops! Rock Camp Cover Benefit Show. In the style of former ZACC community rock shows such as Rocktober and Rock Lotto, Kid’s Bops! calls for local bands and musicians to sign-up and get together with their bands to cover an assigned set of ZACC rock camp classics – everything from songs about friendship and romance, to Taco Bell indigestion, to playing soccer on the moon, and shapeshifting ducks! This all-ages benefit show features local bands Spaghettti Vampire, BillyWhips, Mido Skip, New Old Future, The Western States, Hibernator, and ESP, all covering original kid’s rock camp songs and the Spring ZACC Kid’s Rock Camp performing their own original music. Proceeds from the show will benefit the ZACC’s rock camp program – from supporting the purchasing of new gear to funding scholarships. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Jolene Green Senior Recital ft. Order of the Sunshine Deity & Tech Czar
Wednesday, May 17 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Order of the Sunshine Deity is a neo soul/ fusion band out of Missoula MT. The band has Connor Racicot on keys, Llwyn Clark-Gaynor on drums, Evan Nesbitt on bass, Cameron Kinney on guitar, Cade Chastain on alto sax, Sean Stineford on trombone and Jolene Green on vocals/tenor sax. The band was started by its frontwoman, Jolene, and plays her original music which is a blend of jazz, low-fi, soul, hip hop, and metal. The band members are all former or current top music students at the University of Montana and use their formal training to create a sound that is new, unique, and informed. This show serves as Jolene’s senior recital as she is graduating with a degree in Jazz Studies this spring. Once upon a time (actually, right now), in a small town nestled in the foothills of a great mountain range, there exists a synth band called Tech Czar. The members of Tech Czar are known throughout the town for their strange and otherworldly sound, which was created using a combination of vintage synthesizers and cutting-edge digital technology. Their music has a hypnotic quality that can transport listeners to another dimension. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
ESP + Motorhome + Norwell – Benefit for Blue Mountain Clinic
Sunday, May 14 // Doors at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // Choose Your Ticket Price ($10-$30) // Proceeds Benefit Blue Mountain Clinic Locals ESP, Motorhome, and Norwell play a showcase benefit for Missoula’s Blue Mountain Clinic. Proceeds will support Blue Mountain Clinic’s mission of service to the community and access to abortion care. They describe their aims as providing “…patient-centered, family practice and primary care services to the local community through a choice based perspective…” “Blue Mountain Clinic strives to provide feminist based approaches to health care, education, and advocacy in the region… [and] on the local level to improve policies that have a negative impact on patients’ economic and political access to health care” (https://www.bluemountainclinic.org/, accessed 12/5/2022). For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
The Rocking Raccoons from Sussex School
Wednesday, May 3 // Door at 6:30 PM // Show at 7 PM // $10 The Rocking Raccoons are an ensemble from Sussex School, an independent progressive school here in Missoula. They have seven members coming from grades fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. They play the bass, guitar, drums, vocals, and keys, and have been working together for seven months now. The Rocking Raccoons will be performing eight songs during their performance at the ZACC. The songs will vary from slow, to upbeat, to fast, and will include different arrangements of pop and rock songs. This show will be their culminating performance for all of the work we have done this year, so they really hope to see you there! Watch out, because the Rocking Raccoons are about to start rockin! For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
The Empty Pockets (Chicago) w/ Mudslide Charley
Wednesday, September 6 // Door at 7:30 PM // Show at 8 PM // $15 Tight and gritty Americana quartet The Empty Pockets play a soulful, 70’s-inspired blend of exploratory grooves, shifting time signatures and distinctive vocals. After earning their first Billboard #1 with the acclaimed 2022 release of Outside Spectrum (topping the Blues Albums Chart), Chicago Roots Rock band The Empty Pockets are back on the road with a new full length album in the works. The husband and wife fronted quartet are at the peak of their musical skills. The Empty Pockets are a live band at heart, and it shows. Photo credit ©GraceCoudalPhotography. Mudslide Charley is a Missoula, Montana born band that plays gutbucket blues and house rockin’ roots rock. We draw inspiration from a more antiquated era when Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker first fused the rough and rural vibes of Southern acoustic blues with modern electric instruments. The band writes and performs original songs pumping with vital relevance and emotional fervor that exude a true reverence for the blues musicians who have paved our way. Using gritty electric guitar, elastic bass, chest thumping backbeat, and rich soulful vocals punctuated by harmonica, piano, and saxophone, Mudslide Charley creates a musical gumbo that rattles bones and loosens limbs. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Points in Time Album Release / Skyler Mendell Sextet, w/ Connor Racicot Trio
Sunday, May 7 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket // $5 Students (Door Only, Griz Card Required) The Skyler Mendell Sextet plays all original, high energy, creative jazz. The group was formed by Skyler when he moved to Missoula to pursue a Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance – and he will graduate in May. Since November 2021, they have played all around Missoula. The band is Skyler Mendell on trumpet, Aidan Robinson on sax, Sean Stineford on trombone, Dylan Bautista on piano, Connor Racicot on bass, and Llwyn Clark-Gaynor on drums. The Connor Racicot Trio brings a fresh perspective to great American standards. Featuring Owen Cleary on the upright bass and Sam Purvis on the drums and cymbals, the trio distills nearly 80 years of influences into a modern and exciting sound. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Bummer + Disease + Rank and Vile + The Follies
Sunday, April 30 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Bummer is a two piece grindcore/fastcore band from Seattle, WA that started in 2017. Influences are Gutalax, Poomp and (Hed)pe. We have 7 releases and are workin on a 3rd demo with our new drummer. Disease is a 2 piece grindcore band from Seattle, WA which started in 2016. They play old school grind with some new school tricks. Influences are Unholy grave, Insect Warfare, Superbad, and PizzaHiFive. We have 6 releases, done 4 tours and are currently working on an LP. Rank and Vile is a politically charged deathgrind quartet from Portland Oregon. While they wrap up the release of their second full length, you can see them across the western US this year. For fans of Rotten Sound, Trap Them, eating rich people, the separation of church and state, and Chris Dorner. The Foilies are a 4-piece, Montana-based speedrock/punk/rock ‘n roll band bringing tight riffs, sick leads and an always driving bass line with a full on assault to your ear drums from a relentless machine of a drummer. They balance this by exchanging lead vocals between three people and having backing gang vocals to match. This sonic attack will make you feel like you’re about to go off the rails on every song right before arriving at your abrupt destination. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Blue Dream + Erin Szalda-Petree + Wailing Aaron Jennings
Friday, April 21 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Blue Dream is Ann Szalda-Petree and Clark Grant. The duo met through community radio and have been playing together since 2009. They have released two records: Blue Dream and Timeless Time. Their unique sound combines elements of dreamy pop and indie rock, using layers of acoustic delay and reverb to sculpt original songs about sleep, self-loathing, and the nature of friendship. Their music is surprising, powerful, at times funny, and emotional. Erin Szalda-Petree is a musician from Missoula, MT. Frequently, she can be seen playing around town in local bands, Bluest and ESP. Her songs are a collection of moments from her personal life, exploring themes of embarrassment, confliction, and familial relationships. A third-generation Montanan who had the good luck or bad timing to be born in Texas, Wailing Aaron Jennings is a singer and songwriter living in Missoula. Inspired by a book of songs and poetry written by his great-grandfather, a singing cowboy in the 1920’s, and the words “Yodel Here”, this young punk unplugged his guitar and started hooting and hollering in the mountains, valleys, and tunnels. Jennings’s songs champion the traditions of Honky Tonk and Western Swing while giving a knowing wink and a nod to the modern world. Every song is a story whether it’s a rambling waltzing exposition, a dance tune punctuated with acrobatic yodels, or a rockin boogie woogie – the ghosts of the past are jumping, shouting and dancing right along with Wailing Aaron Jennings (and YOU!). For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
