Last two concerts feature neo-soul and Pink Floyd covers
By Sarah Gianelli
EBS Senior Editor
BIG SKY – If you’ve been lackadaisical about making it to the Arts Council of Big Sky’s free Thursday night concert series in Big Sky Town Center Park, there are only two more shows left in this summer’s line up and both are worth coming out for.
On Thursday, Aug. 23, The Dustbowl Revival comes to Center Stage, bringing what they describe as “Americana soul,” an era- and genre-defying mash up of New Orleans funk, bluegrass, soul, prewar blues, and roots music meant to get people kicking up dust on the dance floor. Dustbowl’s eight band members are currently touring to support their self-titled, fourth studio album which spent three weeks on the Billboard charts, hit No. 1 on Amazon Americana & Alt-Country, No. 2 on Amazon Folk, and has been on the Americana radio chart for 13 weeks, where they crested in the Top 20.
Founded in 2008 in Venice Beach, California, Dustbowl’s original sound had more of an old timey, bluegrass bent, but has since evolved into modern soul music in the vein of popular neo-soul contemporaries Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats; and St. Paul and The Broken Bones.
Today’s Dustbowl fans appreciate the band for free-flowing, uplifting live shows that marry a funk rhythm-and-brass section with fast-paced string-picking to create their unique sound.
Dustbowl has opened for a diverse array of musical acts including Lake Street Dive, Trombone Shorty and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. They have toured China as a guest of the state department, and headlined numerous festivals such as Delfest, Floydfest, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and Scandinavia’s Bergenfest and Tonder Festival. Their music video for “Never Had to Go,” featuring performer Dick Van Dyke, garnered over 10 million views. That video is now airing in an HBO documentary starring Jerry Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, and Dick Van Dyke.
The final Music in the Mountains on Thursday, Aug. 30 is sure to be a light-show dance party like only Bozeman’s Pinky and the Floyd can deliver. Hailed as the “Northwest’s Hottest Pink Floyd Tribute Band,” and renowned for electrifying live performances, Pinky and the Floyd was founded in 2007, and has since won a loyal fan base across the state and beyond.
All 10 Pinky members are professional working musicians—together they are part of more than 20 bands, spanning genres from Americana and vintage swing to hip hop, jazz, country, salsa, funk, rock, blues and beyond. They bring their varied backgrounds to create strength in diversity in their cohesive unit, Pinky and the Floyd.
The band’s repertoire includes more than 60 songs and four full albums of Pink Floyd. Expect to hear an album in its entirety and a tune from every Floyd genre—from the earliest days of Syd Barrett to selections from the 1994 album “The Division Bell,” and anything in between.
Town Center Park opens at 6 p.m., with music commencing at 7:15 for both concerts.
Visit bigskyarts.org for more information.
