The sprawling basement of the Bozeman Hotel oozes history, from the old original brick walls and archways to the 100-year-old bar. In more recent history the space has housed celebrated hangouts like Rosa’s Cantina and  Rock’s Bar, but for the last twenty years the establishment has been the Zebra Cocktail Lounge, acquiring its own legends along the way.

The present owner, Bryan Hovda, says that when Brett Cline bought the bar in 1995, he also had in mind a goal of sparking the nightlife back into downtown Bozeman, using live music as a main avenue to that end. Hovda, who bought the Zebra and Colonel Blacks from Cline in 2014, says he believes Cline achieved his goal. Live music venues can now be found on every block downtown these days, and outdoor music events like Music on Main have become a summer staple of Bozeman life.

Hovda, who worked for Cline for over 10 years before purchasing the place himself, says he wants to make sure that the Zebra remains a vital part of the downtown entertainment scene, and to that end, he has added a new booking man, Trevor Luisi, to lend a hand on the entertainment end of the spectrum.

“Trevor is more familiar with booking bands, and with the talent typically touring our neck of the woods,” Hovda says. “He wants to up the level of performers we showcase. And he truly believes this is one of the best venues in town.” The Zebra features a dance floor with a large space set back for the band, and the venue can host over 200 people.

Luisi says he is looking forward to getting started with his new duties, and he’s excited about the opportunity.

“[Bozeman’s] music community will definitely benefit,” says Luisi, who has over seven years experience in the business, and has worked with hundreds of bands. “Working with everybody, all kinds of musicians, is my focus. We want to give everyone a chance to play.”



Hovda said another goal is to keep the music free at the Zebra on weekends.
“We’ll book the cover shows on weekdays, unless we know we’ll pack the place [on a weekend],” he says.“Weekends we want to feature free shows, because those nights are usually busy already, and live music is something we want to offer our customers.” Hovda is hopeful that, with Luisi’s help, the Zebra will retain the reputation it gained for live music during the years Cline owned the business.
May looks lively at the Zebra. Scavocado brings their brand of roots, reggae, ska, ska-punk, swing, and a smattering of classic R&B tunes, as well their own originals, to the fore on the 1st. The jam-based electronic blues funk sounds of North Dakota’s “O’ FASHO” come to the Zebra on the 8th, followed by Bozeman’s Modern Sons and their alternative indie bent, with Hell City Kitty, on the 9th. The Zebra features the roots-driven, acoustic funk-rock innovations of the John Adam Smith Band on the 15th. Tomorrows Today is five musicians focused on progressive roots music with an emphasis on improvisation, and they hit the stage on the 22nd, followed by the Metallica Tribute band Blistered Earth on the 23rd. The month closes out with the electronic dance music production company Moonlight Productions on the 25th and the 26th. The Bridger Creek Boys will also be bringing their traditional bluegrass music to Colonel Blacks every Monday in May.

All the shows at the Zebra and Colonel Blacks are free in May, so beat feet downtown for live entertainment as well as a comfortable array of roomy relaxation in the historic bowels of the Bozeman Hotel.