Weekly Concert Series, events on tap BPSW in July, August

Music is back on the slate this year at Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild with series of free weekly concerts in the Delaney Mill TeePee Burner beginning on the Fourth of July.

Last year Sculpture in the Wild added music to its annual September artistic offerings, with Composer-in-Residence Adele O'Dwyer curating a series of concerts culminating in a Cafe Music Night Fundraiser. This year, the music moves to the sculpture park every Thursday evening, with a series of five "unplugged" concerts coordinated by Helena musician Steve Gores.

"We all kind of decided we needed to have some summer events, and Thursday seemed to be a day we could gather a lot of the people who were here during the summer months," said BPSW president Becky Garland, who added there's usually something going on in Lincoln Friday and Saturday nights.

BPSW Artistic Director Kevin O'Dwyer and Garland tapped Musician Steve Gores to coordinate the concert series.

"They wanted to put the TeePee Burner to a little more use," Gores said. "Kevin was thinking about having a concert series there. He knew I knew a number of musicians around Montana."

The concert series kicks off in the TeePee Burner with Libby's Back Adit Band.

"They're a cross between folk, country, some bluegrass, and a little bit of jazz thrown in," said Gores, who will be at every performance, to act as an emcee and to introduce the musicians.

"We think this first one is going to be fun because it is on the Fourth of July," Garland said. "Back Adit is kind of a favorite band in Lincoln. They have family here in Lincoln. They played for our first fund raiser we had at the Montanan. We're really looking forward to that."

Andrea Cross Guns of Helena follows the next week on July 11. "She's a singer-songwriter," Gores said. "She plays guitar and sings. She's got some real fun stuff."

On July 18, pianist and singer Josh Farmer of Missoula takes the stage. Gores said his music is all original, "sort of funk, pop, a little bit of jazz."

Chuck Fulcher of Great Falls, who spends part of the year at his cabin here in Lincoln, performs July 25. A well-known artist and designer, Fulcher is also a popular singer and guitarist.

"He's kind of a pop-rock, a little bit of Indie, some folk. He does mix some of his own material," Gores said.

The final concert Aug. 1 features Steve Gores and an ensemble that includes Michael Kakuk of Helena on saxophone and harmonica and Missoulians Ed Stalling on drums and Steve Cowling on bass.

"We do all my original compositions," Gores said. "It's kind of jazz, a little bit of classical mixed in, maybe a little bit of new age-type stuff."

Gores has been something of a fixture at BPSW since 2015, when he became the first musician to take advantage of the unique acoustics of the TeePee Burner.

"I've played in there probably three different times over the past three or four years," Gores said. "The acoustics in there are amazingly nice. Even though it's a steel structure, the top is totally open, there are some vents and a couple of big doors, so everything is not just trapped in there. It's a real nice experience for people. Weather permitting there are a couple big doors they can open. Its pretty amazing it ends up being kind of a surround sound experience."

A taste of Shakespeare

That 'surround sound" will be put to good use after the concert series as a taste of William Shakespeare comes to the Tepee Burner, July 8.

Klara Varga of Lincoln is helping Stacey Berquist, a retired high school theater teacher from Great Falls, put together a troupe of Shakespeare buffs for a "reader's theater" at the sculpture park.

"It will just be reading. It won't be fine acting, but we're hoping it will be really fun," Varga said.

"He and his wife have come through and they love the sculpture park and they brought the grandkids, Garland said. "I was contacted by Stacey a couple years ago. He said 'I would love to do a reading.'"

Varga is still working to organize local volunteers willing to share their favorite piece of Shakespeare's writing.

"Basically, we're going to get together a week before and bring our favorite little blurbs of Shakespeare," Varga explained. "Maybe the witches scene from Macbeth might get somebody excited. Or the the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet .or one of the sonnets people want to read. It could be a soliloquy or something that takes two or three people, and we'll all make that happen."

"If theres' anybody interested in participating, we could certainly use some help," Varga Said. "Males or females, young or old, Shakespearily demented or not."

If you're interested, Varga can be reached at 208-681-6527

This is Montana

Rick Graetz is scheduled to host the final presentation at the TeePee Burner Aug. 15, ahead of the September residency

Graetz, a geography professor at the University Montana and the former publisher of Montana Magazine, will present "This is Montana," his look at the unique geology and history of the state, from border to border.