We may safely be able to say that summer has arrived in the 406, and with summer comes music! We’ve gathered an undoubtedly short list of area music events for your listening pleasure.

Music in the Mountains
Thursdays, June 23rd- September 8th
Big Sky, MT
The Arts Council of Big Sky will once again bring Music in the Mountains to the Center Stage at Town Center Park. These family-friendly concerts are held every Thursday from June-September starting at 6pm (park opens at 6; music starts at 7). The series also includes the annual July 4th concert, the Bravo! Big Sky Music Festival, and a free performance from Montana Shakespeare in the Parks! Get to Big Sky for New Orleans Suspects, Will Hoge, The Nth Power with Jennifer Hartswick, The Last Revel, Pink and the Floyd and more!

Pine Creek Lodge
June - September
Livingston, MT
Pine Creek’s 2022 music season is your Ace in the Hole for outdoor Montana music this summer, from national favorites Hayes Carll, Floodgate Operators, The Young Dubliners, Deer Tick, Matisyahu, Neighbor, Shinyribs, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers & Leftover Salmon to beloved locals The Fossils, Chandler Huntley, Pinky and the Floyd, Peter King, Dan Dubuque, Dead Sky, Ian Thomas, Katherine Taylor, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, and The Lil Smokies. Cabins and nearby camping fill up fast, so make your reservations asap. Ticket prices average $30/per show; many local favorites are free.

Outdoor Summer Concert Series
Pilgrim Congregational Church
Bozeman, MT
Pilgrim Congregational Church will host a variety of FREE outdoor concerts this summer including Ukephoria Montana. Thurs., July 7 from 6-7:30pm, this local Ukelele Quartet and Vocal Ensemble will play a plethora of ukuleles and a song list that spans the 1960s through the 2000s.
Megan Makeever, singer/songwriter and flautist, will perform an eclectic evening of music on Thurs., July 21st from 6-7:30pm. Bring a blanket and a BYO picnic along with your friends and family to enjoy a relaxing evening of free music on the lawn.
Pilgrim will also host Contemplative Vespers evenings this summer. Held outside, on the northeast side of Pilgrim Church, these will be reflective events that include music, story, dialogue, meditation, and poetry. Free, and for adults.
Kate & The AlleyKats will bring their original eclectic mix of rhythm & blues, classic country, Americana, folk rock and jumpin’ jazz to the Pilgrim lawn on Thurs., July 28th from 6-7:30pm.

Music on Main
Six weeks during July - August
Main Street, Bozeman, MT
The Downtown Bozeman Association is proud to present the 22nd Annual Music on Main summer concert series this summer in Historic Downtown Bozeman. Music on Main will be located on Main Street from Rouse Avenue to Black Avenue. The fun will last from 6:30pm until 8:30pm on Thursday evenings from July 7th to August 11th. This event is hosted by the Downtown Bozeman Association and is free and open to the public. This year’s performers will include Wildermiss, The Waiting, Rose’s Pawn Shop, Float Like a Buffalo, Cole & The Thornes, and The Brevet.

Warren Miller Performing Arts CENTER
Big Sky, MT
This summer, the arts are in full bloom at the WMPAC in Big Sky. Enjoy world-class dance, music, and theater in the comfort of a state-of-the-art, air-conditioned theater nestled in the beautiful Gallatin Canyon. July features a brand new collaborative ballet from the inventive James Sewell Ballet and the world-renowned Ahn Trio. Bozeman’s Angela Ahn, on violin, is excited for this second collaboration and to begin the process anew. WMPAC audiences get an early look at the work-in-progress on Saturday, July 16th at 7pm. The completed piece will be presented as part of WMPAC’s 10th Anniversary later this season.

In August, WMPAC is thrilled to welcome back the two-time Grammy Award-winning chamber choir The Crossing (“America’s most astonishing choir” - NY Times), this year teaming up with renowned singer/songwriter Shara Nova of My Brightest Diamond. As a vocalist, Ms. Nova has recorded with musicians such as David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, and The Decemberists. She is also known as a unique, original composer, collaborating with both vocal and visual artists. The Crossing and Shara Nova’s partnership is also part of the Bravo!

Completing WMPAC’s summer triptych, audiences are invited to keep an eye out for on-location, site-specific pop-up theater, coming to a Farmers’ Market near you! A collaboration with Bozeman’s Nervous Theater, WMPAC presents The Tiny Theater, a beta test of a small, traveling theater space offering surprise short performances to those who wander by. In the spirit of food trucks and van life, The Tiny Theater will offer free live theater that comes to you, wherever you may be. Get tickets for all WMPAC summer performances online at warrenmillerpac.org.

Red Ants Pants Music Festival
July 28 – 31
Jackson Ranch, White Sulphur Springs, Montana
Named the “Montana Event of the Year” by the Montana Office of Tourism, the 11th Red Ants Pants Music Festival boasts an excellent main stage selection this summer. Acts include Grace Potter, JJ Grey & Mofro, Corb Lund, Allison Russell, Son Volt, Martin Sexton, Joseph, Sunny Sweeney, John Craigie, Riddy Arman, The Local Honeys, Kris Delmhorst, Sera Cahoone, The Last Revel, Margo Cilker, Counting Coup, The Dirty Shame, Band of Drifters, along with 15 side stage performances! This event sold out in 2021, early ticket purchases are recommended.

 
Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons
August 5th, 6th & 7th
Virginia City, MT
“Joseph has led [fans] into battle for years, building a cult whose passion any stadium-filling act would envy. He rewards that loyalty with boundless onstage energy and searingly personal songwriting.” - Willamette Week
Tickets at: www.jerryjoseph.com

Sweet Pea Festival
August 5th, 6th & 7th
Lindley Park, Bozeman, MT
The 45th annual Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts is happening the first weekend of August! Purchase your wristbands now at the advance purchase price of $25 for a three-day pass. If purchased at the gate, the cost of a three-day pass will be $50. Kids 12 and under are free. There is a lot going on at Sweet Pea: theatre, artisans, a kids’ corner, and a flower show. But the biggest shows are on stage, where this year you will find the Bozeman Symphony, DeVotchKa, Matt Wallin & His Nervous Breakdown, Kiltro, Kaleta & Super Yamba Band, Black Joe Lewis, Railroad Earth, STiLGONE, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, and Houndmouth. Wristbands are on sale at local retailers and at sweetpeafestival.com/

SLAM Summer Festival 
August 6th & 7th
Bogert Park, Bozeman, MT
Support Local Artists and Musicians (SLAM) is a family-friendly event that is FREE to attend, and celebrates the talent of Montana residents in many forms. An artists’ market showcases the fine craftsmanship of 50+ artists in mediums including jewelry, ceramics, woodworking, sculpture, painting, printmaking, photography, textiles and leather, glass, drawing, mixed media, and furniture. A selection of artistic processes will be highlighted throughout the weekend at the artists’ demonstration tent, while musical and movement acts grace the main stage. Whether your musical preferences tend toward country, jazz, rock, or classical, the SLAM festival has something for everyone to enjoy. Quench your thirst at the Montana libations garden; choose from a variety of craft-created beers, wines, and spirits all made in the Treasure State! Grab some delicious savory and sweet bites from one of our culinary artisans under the pavilion. Family activities, a bike valet, and a silent auction will round out your experience at the 2022 summer SLAM. Please visit www.slamfestivals.org for a full list of participants, schedules, and volunteer opportunities. 

Rockin’ the Rivers
August 11-13
Three Forks, MT
Montana’s Home-Grown Ultimate Die-hard Rockfest is happening this August at The Bridge near Three Forks, MT. This year’s lineup includes Jefferson Starship, Vixen, Buckcherry, Quiet Riot & Daughtry. New for 2022: Tickets, campsites, and additional parking passes will all be sold separately to allow flexible package-building to fit your needs. Get all the info at https://www.rockintherivers.com/

There is an exciting amount of music events happening this summer in and around Bozeman. As stated, this is an undoubtedly short list. See all of the best local events at https://bozemanmagazine.com/events/ 

Co-publisher of Bozeman Magazine, Angie Ripple has been a stagehand for 311, Bob Dylan, Widespread Panic, James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, WWE, and many more awesome artists.