Bottom of the Barrel celebrates ‘Montana Time’ with concert

By Tyler Allen EBS Senior Editor

BIG SKY – Bottom of the Barrel, Big Sky’s own outlaw country band, will play its long awaited album-release party on Saturday, July 11.

The Gallatin Riverhouse Grill will host the event, which will also be a celebration of the restaurant’s second anniversary in business on the banks of the Gallatin River.

“Montana Time” was a Big Sky effort in its entirety, recorded and mastered at Skylab Media House behind the Bugaboo Café on Highway 191. BOTB began recording in October 2014, and finished a mastered copy of their first official studio release in January.

The band received finished albums in April, but decided to wait until summer to celebrate the release.

“We were super anxious to get the CD out and throw a big party to celebrate,” said BOTB guitarist Jeff Bellino, noting the offseason in Big Sky wasn’t the ideal time. “We knew a lot of our friends would be out of town [during April and May].”

The band has played the Gallatin Riverhouse Grill nearly a dozen times before, and enjoys performing in the space that has “the best dance floor in town,” according to Bellino.

Big Sky bluegrass band The Driftwood Grinners will open the show at 7 p.m. and BOTB will take the stage around 9 p.m., followed by a “Driftwood/Barrel” country jam featuring members of both groups.

“It’s going to be awesome,” said Gallatin Riverhouse Grill co-owner Greg “Carnie” Lisk. “I can’t believe it’s our third summer [in business] and second full year.”

Lisk added that the restaurant has been cooking 400-500 pounds of meat per day this summer to meet the demand of its patrons, and is hosting free music four to five times a week.

“I think every town needs a place like this, and I’m just happy [that in Big Sky] it’s ours,” Lisk said.