CHRIS JORGENSEN/Gazette Staff
Country scribe Chris Stapleton is coming to Missoula Aug. 3 with three 2018 Grammys in hand.
Western Montana’s the place this summer for By CORY WALSH cory.walsh@lee.net Western Montana likely hasn’t ever seen a summer with this many concerts. In Missoula, two outdoor venues are lining up full seasons of performances by touring acts. If that wasn’t enough, there’s shows at the ballpark, in downtown and in the Adams Center on the University of Montana campus. In the midst of it all, grunge icons Pearl Jam will play to some 24,000 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Aug. 13. If you throw in the Montana Folk Festival in Butte, there’s more than 30 big outdoor concerts and counting. Here’s a quick overview to some, but not all, of what’s ahead:
ARTHUR MOURATIDIS/for the Missoulian
The grunge legends Pearl Jam, one of the few acts to have played Washington-Grizzly Stadium, are back for another show 20 years later on Monday, Aug. 13.
LIVE MUSIC music? There’s Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and the Wood Brothers on July 12; Trampled by Turtles and the Lil Smokies on July 21. Country? Justin Moore on Aug. 16. Heavy music? Alice Cooper on Aug. 18 and Primus and Mastodon on June 21. For the full line-up, go to logjampresents.com. Shuttles are available from downtown Missoula before and after the concerts.
Bon Iver
pacity venue is nestled along the Blackfoot River in Bonner, a quick drive outside of Missoula. The custom-designed space, constructed last summer, has three tiers: An outer, grassy bowl KettleHouse Amphitheater with great sightlines; a middle tier of reserved stadium seating and For a scenic concert experience, boxes; and a general admission it’s hard to beat the KettleHouse pit area in front of the brand-new Amphitheater. The 4,000-castage.
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Rock ‘n’ roll Hall-of-Famer Alice Cooper is playing Bonner’s KettleHouse Amphitheater Aug. 18.
This season, owner Logjam Presents has booked a diverse lineup of acts. With some announcements pending, it may be a total of 15. It opens with back-to-back indie rock acts Bon Iver (May 31) and the Flaming Lips (June 3). Elsewhere, there’s a show for fans of most any genre. Reggae? See Slightly Stoopid on June 7 and Dirty Heads on June 22. Roots
Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater On the western edge of Missoula, the newly renovated amphitheater will have between nine and 13 concerts. An undeniable highlight last year was the inaugural Traveler’s Rest, a two-day festival curated by indie-folk band the Decemberists. Frontman Colin Meloy, a native of Helena who attended the University of Montana, and company hand-picks the line-up, which
SPRING/SUMMER 2018