Introducing...
A New Magazine: The New West
Driving past most any Western city these days is a little like watching those time-lapse films back in grade school. Empty fields become bulldozed lots become framed houses become finished homes with trucks in the driveway and new grass in the yard.
It’s a time of dramatic change in the Mountain West. And I’m excited to say that we at NewWest.Net are now launching a quarterly print magazine to help us tell the big story of growth and change in the region.
The best way to check out our magazine is to subscribe. We want to know who’s interested in The New West, so we have made the magazine available free to qualified subscribers who answer a short questionnaire.
We’d love to hear your input and feedback on our new venture. Comments? Criticism? Story ideas? I’d love to hear them. You can email me at . And click “more” below for the full announcement.
[more]Saving Snow, Saving Lives
Avalaunch Launches in Salt Lake City This Week
Sam Porter is on to something; if you want a skier’s attention, talk about snow. Porter (Porterhouse Productions) is about to take this attention-grabber to a whole new level.
Avalaunch – Porter’s latest “medium for change” through the arts and environment– begins this week at the Salt Lake City Outdoor Retailer Show at The Depot, January 24, 25 and 26. The hybrid event is the launching pad for what Porter hopes will be a nation-wide tour through 21 major North American ski communities bringing entertainment, education and sustainability together in an effort to save lives and snow.
“There are 200 million skiers all over the world,” Porter says. “I know skiers that almost love snow more than their kids. Snow reaches a demographic of this planet that is incredibly passionate about this world because they love it.”
The focus of Avalaunch is two-fold: raising avalanche awareness and reducing global warming contributions from the many, many people who rely on snow for fun and survival.
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The Time of Their Lives (Again)
The 6th Annual Bozeman Adult Prom
However perfect or awful one’s prom may have been, the Bozeman Adult Prom proves that with enough willing, nostalgic partners, it’s never too late to experience the big night all over again. For those who never graced the dimly lit gymnasium floor in high school, the Adult Prom provides a perfect chance to unleash those pent up dance moves and ultra-cool attitudes buried deep inside for so long.
The original adult prom went down at a Bozeman house party. The event soon got so big that founder Phil Baribeau had to move the dance to its present home, the Eagles Lodge in downtown Bozeman. After Baribeau moved, current organizers Caitlin Magbee and Julianne Scuman happily took the helm of the prom committee.
The 2007 Adult Prom was unforgettable. There were corsages, crimped hairdos and hairsprayed bangs. There were flasks, frilled shirts, Max Headroom sunglasses and mascara-smeared faces. Glittery bodies grooved to synthesizer beats, and best of all, there was plenty of making out and no chaperones to stop it.
Click here or on the image to view photos from this very special night.
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Two Bozeman Shows Saturday
Band of Horses Find Their Stride
You have to love the indie music community and the speed at which unassuming but talented, dedicated musicians can rise through its ranks. Take, for example, Band of Horses: Ben Bridwell moves from South Carolina to Seattle where he at one point becomes happily homeless, works at the legendary Crocodile Café, plays in an obscure band for awhile, forms a new band with fellow southerners, joins longtime friend Sam Beam of Iron & Wine at a Subpop Records dinner and within months has a record deal. And not only has a record deal, but also goes on to produce a really, really good album that everybody loves.
Such is the life now of Ben Bridwell and Band of Horses. The band just released another great album—Cease to Begin—and are in the first stages of a tour that will take them to Bozeman this Saturday and then across the U.S. and Europe.
Bridwell’s Southern sentiment and love of straightforward rock and roll render a decidedly simple, gritty, guitar-driven sound, and his echoing, sheer voice cuts to the chase of his words. On Cease to Begin, Bridwell fully takes the sound formed in Seattle back to his Southern roots.
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Rawk and Roll Musical
Captured By Robots Go Political
J-Bot from the San Francisco band Captured By Robots has played Missoula over ten times in the last eight years. And every time J-Bot and his band of renegade robots come to town there is a new show theme. There was one time when they acted out the movie The Ten Commandments. One of my favorites was the "Get Fit with Captured By Robots" tour.
Well J-Bot is back and his new tour is aimed at the Bush administration. J-Bot will play our fearless leader George W and his robots will play various administration members. All of the songs will tell the story of the last seven years. So if you ever wanted to see a political robot musical, here’s your chance, probably your last.
Captured By Robots, Bacon and Egg @ The Badlander. Saturday Oct 13th. Tickets are $10. Click here for more information.
Colin Hickey is New West’s Events Editor. Keep an eye out for his “MVP Events” or check here to find your own: www.MissoulaEvents.net.
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cd release party saturday
Sixteen Questions with David Boone
David Boone is releasing his new CD A Tale of Gold this Saturday at the Wilma Theater. Not too many local musicians have what it takes to put on a show at the Wilma. What makes David Boone so special? Well, he's a damn good songwriter for one and an amazing self promoter. For the rest of the answers, I sat down with David via the interweb to find out what makes him tick.
NewWest.Net: Who were your biggest musical influences growing up?
David Boone: I grew up in a somewhat "sheltered" environment early on, but my dad would occasionally sneak me out to his '79 Ford and play me Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced, Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley. Aside from that, I would have to say church hymns. I learned a good bit about melody, harmony, emotion and dynamics from the old hymns, so I guess technically, Fanny Crosby was my biggest influence. Later in life, I got into Dylan, Prine, Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline and then the grunge era hit, and I was pleasantly intrigued with that throughout my teenage years.
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Rawk and roll train wreck!
Sixteen Questions with the Riverboat Gamblers
The Riverboat Gamblers are easily the most exciting live rawk and roll band I've ever seen. Their live show is like watching a planned train wreck. Their music is super high energy punk rawk, and they're bringing it to Salt Lake City, Boise, and Spokane next week. I sat down with lead singer Mike Wiebe via the interweb and asked him some questions. [more]
first the stones, now...
Elton John Coming to Missoula and Bozeman
Rock legend Elton John will perform in Missoula and Bozeman on consecutive nights in late September as part of his "Rocket Man: Number Ones" tour, the AP reports.
Elton and his band will play the Adams Center at the University of Montana in Missoula Friday, September 28th, and the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University in Bozeman Saturday, the 29th. In Missoula, that's homecoming weekend. Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, September 5th at 10:00 a.m.
Click here for UM ticket information, here for MSU information.
Missoula's new old school
Victory Smokes Leave Home
If my memory serves me right, the first time my band ever played with the Victory Smokes it was Nov 12th 2006. They were a bunch of young kids who talked the owners of the Raven Cafe to let us have shows. I remember enjoying their set but thinking to myself that they should play a little bit more. Soon after that show the Raven started having multiple shows a week and it seemed like the Victory Smokes played them all. Soon enough that young bunch of kids made a kickass rawk and roll band.
Two years later the men of the Victory Smokes are putting out a full length album entitled Walkie Trash Talkie. They recorded the album themselves at the University of Montana and mixed and mastered it at Habbilus Studios in Missoula. I’ve heard four songs off the ten song album and I was completely blown away. Not only are the Smokes putting out a new album but they are going on an insanely long tour of two and a half months. I’m been on a five week tour and I thought I was going to go crazy. I can only imagine what twice that long would do to a man. You have a couple chances to see these guys before they disappear for awhile. Check them out before they hit the big time and forget who all of us are.
Friday August 17th- CD Release show @ The Badlander
Saturday August 18th- All ages CD Release show @ Dauphines
Friday August 28th – Tour kickoff show w/ Get Set Go @ The Loft
Colin Hickey is New West’s Events Editor. Keep an eye out for his “MVP Events” or check here to find your own: www.MissoulaEvents.net.
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