The Reason We Fall / EP Release Concert: Azure Larkwood w/ Nyon & Ravi Marsolek
Thursday, April 11 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15-$20 Artist Supporter In celebration of the release of their brand-new EP, The Reason We Fall, Azure Larkwood has brought together an ensemble of Missoula’s best, with openers Ravi and Nyon Marsolek. Hear songs from the EP in a new light and be the first to hear selections from their unreleased follow-up EP, Father Watches News. Azure Larkwood is an award-winning poet, musician, and performing artist born and raised in the heart of the Missoula Valley. From brooding piano ballads to eclectic folk tunes, Azure’s bare, confessional music is laden with the deeply personal color of a small-town singer-songwriter. Shaped by the folk, flora, and fauna of their mountain home, Azure’s sharp, stirring lyrics poetically articulate the intolerable love, debilitating grief, and existential longing of the holistic human experience. Their newly released EP, The Reason We Fall, is a cathartic dissemination of regret and forgiveness; a love letter to the bittersweet memory of youth. Nyon & Ravi Marsolek are two up-and-coming Missoula area musicians each exploring their own unique musical style and artistic expression. They’ve been creating and performing music since they were very young and have a large repertoire of original songs and compositions written over the last decade. Multi-instrumentalists both, Nyon and Ravi were raised in an environment of music-making, rhythm workshops, and numerous road trips with the world fusion group, Drum Brothers. Since 2021, they have been performing and touring with the band, contributing greatly to the group’s new sound with bass, electric guitar, percussion, and vocals. Inspired by many artists in the singer-songwriter tradition, they bring to the stage a wide set of influences ranging from Joni Mitchell, CSNY and Jeff Buckley, to Phoebe Bridgers and The Tallest Man on Earth. All tickets are general admission. Artist Supporter Tickets are a way for patrons to provide more financial support to performers. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
‘The Reason We Fall’ EP Release Fundraiser Concert
Sunday, January 7 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10-$30 Sliding ScaleIn celebration of the impending release of Azure Larkwood’s debut EP, “The Reason We Fall” – join local musicians Maria Zepeda, Britt Arnesen, and Azure Larkwood for an evening of songs and stories to help send their new EP out into the world with a bang! Be the first to see the new music video for Azure’s first incoming single from the EP, “Broken In”, and stick around after the show for a chance to ask any burning questions about the writing, production, or distribution process.Azure Larkwood is an award-winning poet, musician, and performing artist born and raised in the heart of the Missoula Valley. From brooding piano ballads to orchestral folk tunes, Azure’s bare, confessional music is laden with the deeply personal color of a small-town singer-songwriter. Shaped by the folk, flora, and fauna of their mountain home, Azure’s sharp, stirring lyrics poetically articulate the intolerable love, debilitating grief, and existential longing of the holistic human experience. Azure’s critically acclaimed work as an independent composer, lyricist, and performing artist has been presented in theaters, clubs, and galleries across Montana. To learn more, visit https://azurelarkwood.com. Maria Zepeda lives to express through creation. Through song, advocacy, community, or connection, their larger than life expression invites you to take a closer look at the ways we can live in love with ourselves, each other, and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.mariazepedamusic.com. Missoula multi-instrumentalist and producer Britt Arnesen is known as a great sideman, but also writes and performs her own music. In addition to her well-known bluegrass stylings, Britt also enjoys composing sea shanties, punk tunes, and even sometimes in the French language. To Learn More, Visit https://youtube.com/brittarnesen. All tickets are general admission. Artists are supported at the a the price level purchased, with 70% of box office sales paid directly to the performers. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
The Wright Sisters & Sierra Cistone
Wednesday, January 3 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15-$20 Artist Supporter The Wright Sisters have been performing living room concerts as a duo since they could both walk. With roots in musical theatre, Bella and Evie grew interested in songwriting. Self-taught on guitar and piano, the sisters enjoy remixing or arranging songs, usually packed with harmonies. They are excited to be able be performing with one another (outside of the living room) with a set of their new, original music.Sierra Cistone is passionate about telling stories of connections between people and the rest of the natural world. If you haven’t heard Sierra sing, you need to, we promise. All tickets are general admission. Artist Supporter Tickets are a way for patrons to provide more financial support to performers. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Montana Songwriter Showcase w/ Susan Gibson, Tom Catmull, Jenn Adams, & John Floridis
Tuesday, August 22 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $17 Advance // $20 Day of Show What has over 30 albums, a Grammy Nomination, multiple “Best Musician” awards from the Missoula Independent, a USA Songwriter Grand Prize, and a Northwest Emmy Award? The combination of singer songwriters Susan Gibson, Tom Catmull, Jenn Adams, and John Floridis. These four singer songwriters began their careers in Missoula, Montana in the early and mid 1990’s at the dawn of the movement toward independently produced CD’s and recordings. Though they’ve all pursued their paths individually, they’ve frequently shared billing with one another, recorded together and even occasionally played in each other’s bands. Ten years ago they joined each other on stage for the first time, and the show was so well received they’ve made it a yearly event. Susan, Tom, Jenn, and John became friends through meeting at open mics, shared gigs and recording projects in the mid-1990’s and immediately came to respect each other’s work. All but Susan Gibson still live in the Missoula and Bitterroot area. Susan makes a yearly pilgrimage from Austin, Texas back to Montana, revisiting the route that inspired her to write the Dixie Chick’s huge hit single “Wide Open Spaces.” When she does the four friends have made it a now yearly tradition to gather to trade songs old, new, and “in the works”, and share stories of their journeys with music and songwriting spanning over two decades. One of the true highlights of ‘Montana Songwriter Showcase’ is the experience of these artists in a true “listening” environment – as opposed to a festival, club, or tap room. Every nuance of the artist’s singing and every subtlety of their guitar playing comes forward in a setting like this – where the dynamics of a solo performance take on even greater depth. When a musician can use silence and space to enhance their music it is akin to an author suddenly having access to vowels after trying to write without them. www.susangibson.comwww.tomcatmull.comwww.jennadams.comwww.johnfloridis.com For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Austin Britton + Gabrielle Tusberg + Renee Ross
Wednesday, April 5 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15 Artist Supporter Ticket Austin Britton is all about writing a good song. He has opened for the likes of Mason Jennings, Simon Joyner, and Jake Bellows. He resides in Missoula and keeps writing songs with mystical lyricism and searching melodies. Gabrielle Tusberg is a singer songwriter from Portland, OR. Her inspiration comes from female songwriters like Lucinda Williams, Fiona Apple, and Sara Jarosz. Gabrielle’s songs tell a story about her life experiences, relationships, love lost, love gained, and a changed perspective – all with wit, sadness, and charm. Her songs will make you cry and laugh with her deepest thoughts and unleashed secrets. Renee Ross has been a lover of all things “pizzaz” from a young age. Her passion for the performing arts originated at the piano, and scribbling in her first of many songbooks at age 5. She went on to receive a BFA in Musical Theater, and has since enjoyed dancing on the Wilma Stage as Janet in Rocky Horror Picture Show 2022, and AM Theatrical’s Next to Normal as Natalie Goodman. She has been fortunate enough to bring queer representation with Pips in Hearth: A Yuletide Tale with the Montana Repertory Theater and most recently as Lulu in Stumptown Stage’s Cabaret in Portland, Oregon. She is so excited to be back performing at the ZACC to sing original music that is honest, deeply personal, and not usually shared. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
WOW Songwriters Showcase (& Bake Sale!), A Fundraiser for the Literary Podcast Words Out West
Sunday, March 26 // Door, with Bake Sale & Songwriters Merch Sale starts at 6:30 PM // Showcase begins at 7 PM // $10 // $15 Podcast Supporter Ticket Enjoy an evening of music and support the literary podcast, Words Out West! Hosted by Cole Grant, this Showcase boasts five Montana-based songwriters – Sean Howard Burress, Rebecca Kelley, Greg Owens, Gabrielle Tusberg, and Maria Zepeda. A bake sale by friends of WOW and artist’s CD and merch sales start at 6:30 PM. The Showcase starts at 7 PM. Words Out West is a nonprofit literary podcast, bringing listeners original writings from the Rocky Mountains and beyond, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, songs, audio plays, and more. Listen, subscribe, and donate at wordsoutwest.org, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. The Words Out West podcast is produced by Jay Kettering and Cole Grant in partnership with Montana Public Radio. This event is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: Montana Public Radio, The Bell Pipe & Tobacco Shop, & Gallery 709 (Montana Art and Framing).For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Benefit Concert for The Poverello Center w/ John Floridis, Jennifer Slayden, & Ed Stalling
Thursday, December 15 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // Pick Your Ticket Price $10-$50 // Box Office Proceeds Benefit the Poverello Center Missoula guitarist and singer-songwriter John Floridis, along with percussionist Ed Stalling and cellist Jennifer Slayden, will be performing at the ZACC to benefit the Poverello Center in Missoula. The trio will play material from Floridis’ two seasonal releases ‘December’s Quiet Joy’ and ‘The Peaceful Season’ both of which feature his fingerstyle acoustic guitar arrangements of traditional Christmas/winter melodies, as well as original compositions. The trio also includes seasonal vocal tunes, both original and by other artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Patty Larkin, Ben Harper, and John Gorka in the performance. The songs feature lyrics speaking to the journey from darkness to light, seasonally, emotionally, and spiritually. This concert is one of four benefit concerts scheduled by Floridis throughout the week in Missoula, each focusing on a different nonprofit and highlighting different musicians. The concerts welcome the audience to escape the frantic stress that too often pervades the holiday season and relax in an intimate listening environment with music to warm the heart and soul. Floridis is a 25 year Missoula resident and has been recognized as one of the state’s most popular and respected musicians, having performed in a variety of venues, festivals, and concert halls in support of his eight independently released albums. He will be releasing a ninth recording, ‘Thankful’ in early 2023. Floridis has been featured in an Emmy Award winning episode on ‘11th and Grant’ on Montana PBS and is also the host and producer of ‘Musician’s Spotlight’ on Montana Public Radio and ‘Live From Home’ as well, on Montana PBS. This performance is sponsored by Main Street Realty. https://www.mainstreetmissoula.com/ For more information about the concerts and John Floridis visit www.johnfloridis.com. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Montana Songwriter Showcase w/ Susan Gibson, Tom Catmull, Jenn Adams, & John Floridis
Wednesday, August 24 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $17 Advance // $20 Day of Show What has over 30 albums, a Grammy Nomination, multiple “Best Musician” awards from the Missoula Independent, a USA Songwriter Grand Prize, and a Northwest Emmy Award? The combination of singer songwriters Susan Gibson, Tom Catmull, Jenn Adams, and John Floridis. These four singer songwriters began their careers in Missoula, Montana in the early and mid 1990’s at the dawn of the movement toward independently produced CD’s and recordings. Though they’ve all pursued their paths individually, they’ve frequently shared billing with one another, recorded together and even occasionally played in each other’s bands. Ten years ago they joined each other on stage for the first time, and the show was so well received they’ve made it a yearly event. Susan, Tom, Jenn, and John became friends through meeting at open mics, shared gigs and recording projects in the mid-1990’s and immediately came to respect each other’s work. All but Susan Gibson still live in the Missoula and Bitterroot area. Susan makes a yearly pilgrimage from Austin, Texas back to Montana, revisiting the route that inspired her to write the Dixie Chick’s huge hit single “Wide Open Spaces.” When she does the four friends have made it a now yearly tradition to gather to trade songs old, new, and “in the works”, and share stories of their journeys with music and songwriting spanning over two decades. One of the true highlights of ‘Montana Songwriter Showcase’ is the experience of these artists in a true “listening” environment – as opposed to a festival, club, or tap room. Every nuance of the artist’s singing and every subtlety of their guitar playing comes forward in a setting like this – where the dynamics of a solo performance take on even greater depth. When a musician can use silence and space to enhance their music it is akin to an author suddenly having access to vowels after trying to write without them. www.susangibson.comwww.tomcatmull.comwww.jennadams.comwww.johnfloridis.com For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
UM Songwriter Showcase
Sunday, May 29 // Doors at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 UM students and alumni present ‘UM Songwriter Showcase’, featuring the original music and lyrics of Stephen Jay Clement, alongside recent UM graduates Arwen Grace Baxter and Diego Solan Kjelland. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Renee Ross + Stephen Jay Clement + Gabrielle Tusberg
Wednesday, April 27 // Doors at 7:30 PM // Show at 8 PM // $10 Renee Ross has been a dedicated lover of all things “pizzazz” from a young age. Her passion for the performing arts originated seated at a piano, while simultaneously training as a competitive figure skater at the age of 6. Attending Fresco Arts Academy as an adolescent artist, she studied voice and music composition through her teenage years. After landing the role of Hope Harcourt she realized the magic of putting all her passions together: dance, song, and expression. Since then, she went on to be highly involved in many of University of Montana’s dance productions, straight plays, and musicals while earning her BFA in Musical Theatre Performance. Stephen Jay Clement is a Missoula-born singer, songwriter, and actor. With a background of undergraduate studies in musical theatre, music composition, and ecomusicology at the University of Montana, Stephen draws inspiration from a broad variety of musical, theatrical, and environmental influences. Gabrielle Tusberg is a singer songwriter from Portland, OR. She has been writing her own music since high school and enjoys conveying deep emotion with her raw and honest lyrics. She is inspired by female artists like Jewel and Fiona Apple and hopes to come out with a complete album by fall of 2023. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
