Reggae heavyweight Ziggy Marley takes the stage Aug. 6
Magic City Blues rocks the 2500 block of Montana Ave. once again Aug. 5-6 with Montana’s 15th annual urban music festival, which attracts thousands to historic downtown Billings for two nights of blues, rock and reggae on two stages.
The festival opens Friday with headliners Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Elle King. Shepherd, a five-time Grammy winner, pays homage to the roots of the blues with his genre-defining sound; King’s single, “Ex’s and Oh’s,” garnered two Grammy nominations, and her album Love Stuff is lauded as “frank and fearless, tender and rowdy.” Friday’s line-up also includes Otis Taylor, Guthrie Brown and the Family Tree, Karen Lovely and Missoula’s own Kevin Van Dort.
Ziggy Marley is Saturday’s crown jewel. The five-time Grammy Award-winning reggae artist and eldest son of music icon Bob Marley is celebrating his sixth solo studio album, ZM. Other performers include The Record Company, Matt Andersen, Fiona Boyes, the Altered Five Blues Band and Jared Stewart.
Gates open at 5 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $49-$95 per day or $89 for a two-day pass (must be 18 and over); call 534-0400 or visit www.magiccityblues.com.