Missoula concerts: Chris Stapleton, Pixies, Decemberists' fest and more Decemberists

The Decemberists - Severed

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The Pixies are performing at the KettleHouse Amphitheater on Friday, Aug. 3. 

Missoula concerts: Chris Stapleton, Pixies, Decemberists' fest and more

The Pixies are performing at the KettleHouse Amphitheater on Friday, Aug. 3. 

It's not that every one is going to be at concerts all next week, but you can guess that around 25,000 people will. Pixies and Sleigh Bells are playing Friday at the KettleHouse Amphitheater. Chris Stapleton has a show that same night at the Adams Center. On Saturday and Sunday, the Decemberists are bringing their Travelers' Rest Festival back to Big Sky Brewing's amphitheater. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats play the KettleHouse Amphitheater on Thursday the 9th. Every one take a breather, and then get ready for Pearl Jam on at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Monday.

Stapleton won a pile of Grammys earlier this year, in part relieving the pressure on Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell, who similarly endured countless think pieces declaring them the "savior of country for people who don't like modern country."

That's unfortunate since Stapleton seems like the sort of big-tent artist who's best left to his own devices rather than getting involved in real country squabbles when he has fans in both camps.

There was a limited release of more tickets on Wednesday. You can try your luck at 406-243-4051 or

or beg and plead on Facebook. They run $79.95 plus $21.50 worth of fees. The openers are guitar shredder Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb.

Decemberists , punk and screamed Spanish. Since Pixies songs can clock in under three minutes, keep in mind that that is a lot of Pixies songs. The opening act is Sleigh Bells, a duo with an oddly catchy amalgamation of vocal hooks, noisey guitar and distorted beats. For more information, see

The show is at KettleHouse Amphitheater. Tickets run from $37.50 to $55. Go to

See this week's guide to the Decemberists second-ever festival at Big Sky Brewing Company.

Melodic synth lines rise above deep, corroded basslines and drum machine sounds in the music of Avola, which released a new album, "Zone," in July.

"A Good Deal" shifts droning synths into nearly funky, constantly mutating rhythmic shapes that eventually descend into noise. It's like the end of "Annihilation" if there was dancing. The pleasant arpeggios of "Sunrise" match the innocuous title, but are soon joined by sheets of humming, droning synths. "

"Zone" will appeal to fans of Oneohtrix Point Never or other acts where synths and noise are the main event, not a textural addition. The act has played at Total Fest, the now-defunct underground music festival held in Missoula. According to organizers, Decemberists , Vern Avola will have percussion courtesy of a member of Dead, an Australian two-piece.

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Those two have an album, "Back at Home," of slowly building, improvised duets.

The other acts on the bill are Elrond and Synesthesia.

The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at Free Cycles. It's all-ages with a $6. It's also a potluck. Bring some food.

Two Texans with big catalogs of songs take the stage on Wednesday: Keen, now an elder statesman of country songwriters, and local opening act/troubadour Tom Catmull. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $30-$35, available at

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (Thursday, Aug. 9)

Since this was the first show at the KettleHouse Amphitheater's 2018 season that was announced, it's been sold out for some time now. 

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