Around the Town: Helena-area arts and entertainment news published Dec. 23 | Local

Join David Casey & Friends for a holiday show of upbeat Christmas Classics 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23.

This will be a special full-band show featuring Jeremy Slead on drums, Josh Loveland on pedal steel and trumpet, Nathan Casey on bass, with special guests, cellist Katie Cavanaugh and Ten Years Gone guitarist Robert Doughty.

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist David and his wife, Deidre, are from Helena, with 10 albums of lush and harmony-rich songs spanning 20 years of music.

David recently completed a “365 Daily Song” video project, posting a different live performance daily to YouTube for an entire year.

David’s music has also been featured on the Emmy-award-winning series Montana PBS’s 11th and Grant, Sweet Pea and Festival at Sandpoint as Watercarvers Guild.

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs with The Recession Special play Americana with a rock ‘n’ roll drive and vibe 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30. Tickets on EVENTBRITE. $12 advance/$15 day of.

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs consists of Lena (Laney) Schiffer on vocals/guitar/percussion, Matt Demarais on vocals/banjo, Ethan Demarais on bass, Brian Kassay on fiddle/mandolin/harmonica and Josh Moore on vocals/guitar. Their most recent album, “Through the Smoke,” recorded in February of 2021, is one of personal transformation.

For info: Lewis & Clark Tap Room, 1535 Dodge Ave., https://lctaproom.com/ or call 406-442-5960.

Narrate Church holds its annual Christmas Eve program of Christmas tunes at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. at the Helena Civic Center, 340 Neill Ave.

Gatherings will run for 75 minutes and include lots of great Christmas tunes. They will spend some time exploring the first Christmas, and have free coffee and sugar cookies.

For more info, visit narratechurch.org or find Narrate Church on Facebook and Instagram.

Legendary band, Three Dog Night, now in its fifth decade, performs at the Helena Civic Center, 340 Neill Ave., Thursday, Feb. 17.

In the years 1969 through 1974, no other group achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets than Three Dog Night.

Their songs like “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Black and White,” “Shambala” and “One” continue in popularity.

This Grammy-nominated band has sold a million copies of a variety of its releases this decade.

The band maintains an aggressive, year-round touring schedule of over 90 dates a year. Their hit-filled concerts are performed for generation-spanning audiences by Danny Hutton (founder/lead vocalist) and Michael Allsup (guitar) with Paul Kingery (bass/vocals), Pat Bautz (drums),) David Morgan (vocals) and Howard Lavarea (keyboards).

The band’s now-famous name refers to native Australian hunters in the Outback who huddled with their dogs for warmth on cold nights; the coldest being a “three dog night”.

Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including three #1 singles, 11 Top 10’s, 18 straight Top 20’s, 7 million-selling singles and 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs.

Its records continue to sell around the world, reaching beyond the borders of the U.S. into Japan, Canada, Holland, England, Germany, Spain and elsewhere.

Tickets are available at the Helena Civic Center box office, HelenaCivicCenter.com and Pepperentertainment.com

For more information, visit: https://www.helenaciviccenter.com/

Join Grandstreet Theatre as it rings in the new year and raises funds to complete its HVAC renovation.

This year’s party is a Backstage Holiday Bash at the Grandstreet Theatre Scene Shop and Helena Avenue Theatre, 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at 1319 Helena Ave.

Light refreshments will be available.

Curt and Ann Swenson and their company, FutureSYNC International, have offered to match Grandstreet’s end-of-year giving up to $10,000.

The Helena Avenue Theatre and Grandstreet Scene Shop is across the street from the Vanilla Bean. Free admission.

The Montana Historical Society is offering free admission all December to Montana’s Museum every Friday and Saturday, including the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Enjoy the Original Governor’s Mansion decked out in its holiday finery.

Free tours are offered Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30.

OGM tours begin on the hour at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The mansion is at 304 N. Ewing, and MHS is at 225 N. Roberts.

MHS hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Both are closed Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The Montana Historical Society received five recent substantial gifts totaling $525,000 that are helping the e museum reach its private fundraising goal for construction of the Montana Heritage Center and updates to the existing building.

Bruce Ennis and Maggie Davis of Kalispell made a significant donation recently.

Ennis is a former MHS Board of Trustee member, and Davis previously volunteered as a docent at MHS.

The family of Bob and Genevieve Morgan contributed $115,000 in their honor. Bob Morgan, a noted artist from Helena, was an MHS museum curator and acting director, and served on the Board of Trustees. His wife, Gen, also was a longtime supporter of MHS.

“The entire Morgan family is thrilled to honor our parents’ and grandparents’ memory and legacy with this gift,” said Bob and Gen’s son Bob Morgan. “The preservation and presentation of Montana’s history and culture was paramount to them. They would be delighted to see this endeavor moving forward.”

Another substantial donation of $100,000 came from Stockman Bank, which is Montana’s largest family-owned community bank, with 36 full-service locations across the Treasure State.

Two additional gifts totaling $60,000 also were received.

MHS is committed to raising $15 million for the project, and has already raised close to $7 million.

The state’s lodging facility use tax will provide an additional $41 million, and a $7 million bond from 2005 also is contributing to paying for the project.

“We can’t thank everyone enough for their dedication in making the Montana Heritage Center a reality,” MHS Director Molly Kruckenberg said.

More information on the project is available at MontanasMuseum.org.

For more information, contact Eve Byron, public information officer, at 406/444-6843 or [email protected]

760 Great Northern, 442-4225, cinemark.com

● American Underdog, PG

● West Side Story, PG-13

● Spider-Man: No Way Home, PG-13

● The Matrix Resurrections, R

15 N. Ewing, 443-0287, myrnaloycenter.com