Music Magnet Missoula

It's been a good week for me and the mega-metropolis of Missoula. First, McCartney's concert went off without a hitch leaving smiles on both sides of the action; the audience [U]and[/U] Sir Paul and his production group. The community's sense is that it did itself good (eight years after similar results with the 'Stones) and more big acts will follow sooner. Then, we got to see ZZ Top and Jeff Beck on the same stage at the same time...number 5 (Beck) and #32 (Gibbons) on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists. I'm happy to see any such guitarists but I never expected to see two R&R Hall of Famers together...not here, anyway.

As it turns out there's quite a back story between ZZ Top and Beck...they are long friends, i.e., back to ZZ's beginning, and Beck had a surprising role in fashioning ZZ's sound (guitar choice, amps...). The story is here, http://missoulian.com/entertainment/music/zz-top-s-long-journey-to-beck/article_61bb88b6-1f1c-11e4-97c5-001a4bcf887a.html] .

Also during this week, I passed on seeing Nickelback, the afterparty with Gibbons (I wasn't invited anyway :rolleyes: ), and Trombone Shorty's show at which some expected Beck to drop in after his own concert. Good first week of August for a town with a population smaller than what many football stadiums will hold.

Most don't know that Missoula, Montana is the burgeoning surf capital of the Rocky Mountain West (http://www.kpax.com/news/surfing-the-newest-water-wave-in-missoula/ , http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/recreation/surfing-brennan-s-wave-not-as-easy-as-it-appears/article_f60c1094-0d5b-11e4-bf36-0019bb2963f4.html :D ). Now the big little town is shootin' for music capital. ;)

Three Hall of Fame acts in one week...I'm stoked.