Put together a Bard from the South, a Goddess from North-of-the-Border, and a bellydancer-authoress from somewhere in between, and what do you get? Let's find out at this MUSICKAL EXTRAVAGANZA in Missoula!!
Renowned mystical singers-songwriters S.J. Tucker and Leslie Hudson synchronize on tour with mutual friend Tempest (Laura Zakroff: a pioneer of Gothic Fusion Bellydance) on 7/29 at the OAO Temple Haus's annual "Friends & Family BBQ." S.J. and Leslie will dazzle the crowd with fantastical, high-energy and multi-layered tunes while Tempest and friends entertain with bellydance and musick while also promoting a new book on Llewellyn ("The Witch's Cauldron").
This party is not to be missed! ALL are welcome. There will also be an Open Library Day this day: come see the new volunteer-built bookshelves at OAO's newly renovated Eagle Bear, White & Green Library!. This musickal extravaganza, Open Library Day and Friends & Family BBQ all begin at 7:30pm! Come and enjoy the sunset with us -- this is gonna be big, so bring your friends and bring something sustainable for the BBQ, drinks (alcohol is ok) or yummy snacks to share if you wish (not required, but it IS technically a potluck, so anything is great, if you can -- the more sustainable the better)!
*Tickets NOT required! Sliding scale donations requested at entry for the Temple and the performers!* Suggested donations: $10, $15, or $20 per person, or more if you can swing it! (However, this is a FREE EVENT regardless -- it is simply donation-based.) Thank you for your presence and your support!

HERE'S SOME INFO ABOUT BEAUTIFUL GUESTS!

S.J. TUCKER:

S. J. Tucker, self-motivated singer-songwriter, poet, author and actress, came flying out of the Memphis music scene in 2004, guitar in hand and voice at the ready, and her feet have hardly hit the ground since. Come Monsters, Misfits, and Mythpunks! Come Witches, Pirates, and Literati! Come Dreamers fair and Schemers foul! S. J. Tucker's got a song for you. Slinging every sort of tune from a Murder Ballad about robots and thieves to a Shapeshifter's Riverboat Shanty, this steamy siren slings 'em all from her drumming hands, her dancing guitar, and her soaring voice.

On the road across the continent full time for a fourteenth year, S. J., called "Sooj" by fans and friends, deftly binds together the varied elements of jazz, folk, and fairytales in her original tunes. No two of her concerts are the same, but listeners and critics compare her guitar work to that of Emily Saliers, her vocal delivery to KT Tunstall and Joni Mitchell. The body of her recorded work spans more than thirteen years and features frequent guest performances by other hardworking indies. S. J. often travels solo, but also shares concerts with her 3-piece band Tricky Pixie, Toronto's Heather Dale Band, Seattle's Dogwood & Johnstone, and now the lovely Leslie Hudson!

"Tucker is not only fantastic; she's like a character out of a fantasy novel. She weaves myth and magic into her lyrics as easily as a strain of cello, a lick of something electric, the chuffing of a train engine...Tucker has a knack - no, a genius - for weaving old ways with new." -C. S. E. Cooney, Blackgate.com

LESLIE HUDSON:

Leslie Hudson is a powerhouse performer and prolific songwriter bringing rock, jazz, metal, blues, folk, filk and funk to conventions and venues across Canada and the USA. The body of her work illustrates the mosaic of the feminine spirit across culture, history and myth, digging into the dirt, traversing the shadows, and bringing the truth to light. There's a Goddess Revolution going on and this rebel redhead is voicing the stories of characters who continue to inspire it, from archetypes to Inhumans, without apology. Hudson's influences, woven into her voice as well as her fingers on the keys, glide from Tori Amos to Loreena McKennitt, Metallica to Simon & Garfunkel. Armed with a synesthetic palette, she invites her listeners to see through the eyes of heroines, villains, lovers and liars alike, as she breathes new life into stories less often told.

In 2017 Leslie embarks on a six-month North American tour with stops in more than 20 states and 3 provinces. On tour as at home her performances range from solo shows to singer-songwriter showcases to 10-piece band showstoppers. Her recent albums are rooted in the diversity of sci fi, pop culture, folklore, myth, and the lessons life brings. Find out more at http://lesliehudson.com/

"Hudson seeks to get under the skin of [her] characters, probe their fictitious souls and, through the raw power of her music, to make them flesh-and-blood, to honor them with real human angst. And the results are nothing short of spectacular." -Daniel Jun Kim, Pop Mythology


LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF:

Tempest can be described as a professional artist, author, dancer, designer, muse, mythpunk, teacher, and witch. She holds a BFA from RISD (The Rhode Island of Design) and her artwork has received awards and honors worldwide. Her work embodies myth and the esoteric through her drawings and paintings, jewelry, talismans, and other designs. As Tempest, she has been a major pioneer of fusion bellydance for over fifteen years. Her fascination with sacred and ritual dance lead her to bellydance, and she strives to help others connect mind, body, and spirit through movement.

Laura has been a practicing Modern Traditional Witch for over two decades and revels in the intersection of her various paths with witchcraft. She blogs for Patheos as A Modern Traditional Witch, Witches & Pagans as Fine Art Witchery, and contributes to The Witches' Almanac. The Witch's Cauldron is her first book, with a second book on sigil witchery due out in 2018. Laura resides in Seattle, Washington, with her partner Nathaniel Johnstone and at least three cats.
Find out more at www.lauratempestzakroff.com

About Tempest & friends' performance: THE MECHANIST & THE STAR GODDESSS is a dynamic music & dance project with Tempest, Nathaniel Johnstone, and Davis Petterson. They create improvised music and dance on the spot, inspired in the moment - as well songs from the repertoire of the Nathaniel Johnstone Band. The project title/inspiration evokes the exploration of the liminal space between the confines of the precise concrete world and the limitless divine.

Nathaniel Johnstone is a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso (violin, viola, guitar, banjo, mandolin) whose music pulls from myth, fantasy, and folklore with a vibrant sound crosses boundaries & borders, resulting in a blend of multicultural folk rock. (www.nathanieljohnstone.com)

Davis Petterson is an Atlanta G.A. based drummer who has performed and recorded with groups such as The Ghosts Project, Juliana Finch, The Sweet Meat Love And Holy Cult, and The Changelings.

Project Website: http://nathanieljohnstone.com/tm-tsg.html
Project FB Page: http://fb.me/TheMechanistandTheStarGoddess