Music
A vagabond turned mailman, Jay Gilday has searched for himself in the depths of folk, blues, traditional, rock and most recently piano pop and soul music.
Canadian singer Jay Gilday makes Montana debut Jan. 27
This is a voice you don’t want to miss.
Canadian singer/songwriter Jay Gilday makes his Montana debut 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at The Myrna Loy.
While some may have heard his award-winning rock music, he will play a solo act at The Myrna Loy that will tap into his large library of folk music – most of it original.
Gilday will also be playing some of his newer folk-pop-rock music from his new album, “The Choice and the Chase,” accompanying himself on guitar and piano.
Gilday’s second full-length record, “Faster than Light” (2016), earned the Indigenous Artist of the Year award from the Western Canadian Music Awards (2017), plus Singer-songwriter of the Year, and Artists to Watch from the Edmonton Music Awards (2017).
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Tickets are $22 and available at 15 N. Ewing St., https://themyrnaloy.com/.
For more information, call 443-0287. Face masks required.
Nakamatsu performs Ravel with Helena Symphony
The Helena Symphony Orchestra performs Ravel’s Piano Concerto with pianist Jon Nakamatsu, a Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Helena Civic Center.
Also being performed that evening is the captivatingly lush Fifth Symphony of Englishman Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Nakamatsu, known internationally for the panache and elegance of his solo, concerto and chamber performances, has become a favorite with audiences throughout the world.
A high school teacher of German with no formal conservatory training, Nakamatsu’s electrifying performance of Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto won him the Gold Medal at the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition amidst a field of experienced competition warriors.
In addition to the live concert, Homestream Your Helena Symphony Presented by AARP will livestream the concert into homes free of charge.
It will be available on YouTube, the Helena Symphony’s website, and the Symphony’s Facebook page. An option is available online and through Venmo to donate to the Helena Symphony.
Single concert tickets can also be purchased ($55-$15 plus a $5 transaction fee) online at www.helenasymphony.org, by calling the Symphony Box Office (406-442-1860), or visiting the Symphony Box Office located on the Walking Mall at 21 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite 100, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.
Subscribers will receive a new Bring a Friend Pass, The Art of Listening Newsletter, first access to Non-Series Concerts, and several other benefits.
The Justin Case Band serves up ‘70s to ‘90s rock, 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at Lewis & Clark Tap Room.
Rock, country, open mic and more at Tap Room
The Justin Case Band serves up ‘70s to ‘90s rock, 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at Lewis & Clark Tap Room.
Levi Blom, an emerging country music singer/songwriter from Butte, plays original music 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21. His latest single “Wild One” was released on April 28, 2021, and can be heard on Spotify and other streaming services.
The Waiting, a rock ‘n roll band from Bozeman that celebrates the music of Tom Petty, plays 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show and are available on EVENTBRITE.
Banshee Tree & Hardwood Heart perform 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23, sponsored by Keeper of the Green. Banshee is a fully electric band that blends its early influences with modern dance, rock, pop and indie soul. Hardwood Heart is a string band serving up exploratory bluegrass/folk/jazz/americana.
Open Mic is back, 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, (the second and fourth Tuesday of every month) for a showcase of Helena’s best home brewed tunes.
Rick Wine at Metropolitan Dinner Club
Rick Wine will be performing Thursday, Jan. 27, in Jorgenson’s banquet room at the next Metropolitan Dinner Club, 1720 11th Ave.
Wine performs a series of songs using voice and guitar while interspersing commentary and history of the music into his 60-minute presentation. He performs for many Helena community events including music festivals, fairs, private parties, weddings, funerals, fund-raisers and benefits.
Currently, Wine plays primarily at assisted living facilities, retirement communities, senior centers and nursing homes.
He played for years with both the Helena and the Bozeman symphony orchestras. No-host cocktails are at 5:30 p.m., dinner is at 6, and entertainment is at 7. All are welcome. Dinner and entertainment for nonmembers is $35. Reservations are required. Call Patti at 406-202-1766.
Art
Helena photographer, Anne Baker, is showing her striking winter photographs at Queen City Framing & Art Supplies during January.
Anne Baker is featured artist
Helena photographer, Anne Baker, is showing her striking winter photographs at Queen City Framing & Art Supplies during January.
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, Baker decided to travel to places that gave her peace, especially Yellowstone. She is now in remission.
Baker’s inspirational images take the viewer along to enjoy peace and beauty in nature through photography.
“I finally discovered a lifetime love for capturing inspirational, God created images through photography,” she said.
Baker’s Winter Scenes show will be up during January at Queen City Framing & Art Supplies, 400 Euclid Avenue from 10-6 Monday through Friday and from 10-4 on Saturdays. For info, call 442-2760.
History
MHS author talk
Thursday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m., Jon Axline, the Montana Department of Transportation historian, will reveal “Scandal at the Montana State Highway Commission.”
Axline explores malfeasance allegations in 1936 at the highest government level, which eventually involved the Montana Supreme Court and Helena newspaper reporter Paul Maclean, who later was memorialized in “A River Runs Through It.”
Thursday, Jan. 27, at 4:30 p.m., Charles Rankin discusses the “Battle for Butte Journalism” and argues that the beginning of big money’s domination of Butte’s mining and politics started well before 1883, during a raucous, more chaotic time for Mining City newspapers.
The programs are held at the Montana Historical Society, 225 N. Roberts and are also livestreamed. Or find the archived recordings on the MHS YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/MontanaHistoricalSociety/videos.
Theater
World premiere of ‘A Real Boy’ at Grandstreet
Grandstreet Theatre presents the world premiere of “A Real Boy,” an imaginative new spin on the classic fairy tale of Pinocchio.
Written by Grandstreet artistic director Jeff Downing, the play opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at Grandstreet Theatre, 325 N. Park Ave.
It runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. through Sunday, Feb. 13.
In this tale, when Geppetto’s latest wooden creation magically comes to life, a new story begins for an unlikely father and son.
Pinocchio learns that it’s not only his wooden frame that makes him different from the other boys; he must look within himself to discover what it truly means to be a real boy.
Tickets are $27 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings; $23 on Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinees; $17 for kids 18 and younger.
To order, call the Grandstreet Box Office (afternoons) at (406) 447-1574 or order online at www.GrandstreetTheatre.com.
Face masks are required. Show recommended for ages 6 and up.
Helena movie listings
Cinemark
760 Great Northern, 442-4225, cinemark.com
● American Underdog, PG
● West Side Story, PG-13
● Spider-Man: No Way Home, PG-13
● Redeeming Love, PG-13
● The Matrix Resurrections, R
The Myrna Loy
15 N. Ewing, 443-0287, myrnaloycenter.com
