By MARTIN J. KIDSTON - IR Feature Writer - 06/25/04
original posting: Helena Independent Record online

It's Saturday night when Tom McLean rolls into work at The Jester's Bar in his calm and tempered way. With his long hair and beard, his tattoos, and the way he works the crowd, it's easy to see how McLean, a 32-year old music promoter, has turned this watering hole with a rugged reputation into the city's newest hot spot.

"I thought it was going to be hard," McLean said last week, preparing the stage for another night of music. "I started out with nothing but cover bands. Now it's all original, and I'm getting all kinds of calls."

McLean has his finger on Montana's musical pulse. The beat he's picking up isn't country, jazz or blues. It's a new sound — at least in Helena — and it's something Jester's diverse crowd is eating up.

But if you ask McLean exactly what this music is, even he has a hard time naming it. Heavy metal is a thing of past. The grunge scene died with the '90s. If you're looking for a tribute band, you might as well try someplace else.

"It's a lot of punk, but it's a morph-punk," McLean said. "It's got some hard to it. You don't even know what to expect anymore."

Devin Rau of run8records in Missoula, and a member of Viscosity Breakdown, stood by Saturday night, waiting to take the stage by storm and get the music rolling.

Rau's band, which includes drummer Dave Beaudin, formerly of Helena, was on its way back to Missoula from Bozeman when the phone rang. On the other end was McLean looking to fill a last-minute cancellation. Viscosity Breakdown was up for the task.

"There are a ton of bands out there just dying to play," Rau said. "But there aren't many places to do it, so everyone puts their heads together and you're network just grows."

Rau described his band's own music as heavy with a shot of punk. At 10:30 p.m., when he stripped off his shirt, picked up his guitar and took the stage, the crowd responded with its own dose of noisy appreciation.

But like most Saturday nights at Jester's, there are other bands waiting in the wings — bands like House Arrest headed by Rayn Brock.

Getting a place to play is a big deal, Brock admits, especially for bands playing this genre of music in Montana. So when opportunity knocks, the amps get turned up and the crowd can't help but listen.

"Jester's has gone from a watering hole to a hip, underground place to hang out," Brock said, looking around the dark and smoky bar through dark sunglasses. "The crowds here are really receptive."

Brock points out one surprising fact — there is no cover charge. That, he said, brings people to the show, setting the stage for a loud and energetic evening.

"Jester's only got its reputation for music in the past few years," Brock said. "It's making the other bars in Helena stand up and take notice."

Over the past few months, McLean's effort — and the success of several new bands — has placed Jester's at the epicenter of a punk/metal touring circuit halfway between Missoula, Bozeman and Great Falls.

McLean praised open-mic-night for much of the bar's early success, and he hopes to keep the talent coming. The bar is already booked through the end of July.

"Open-mic night has become a showcase for local musicians," McLean said. "Three to four bands have formed out of that. Montana is a music scene getting ready to bust open wide."

McLean's list of promising Montana bands continues to grow. To date, he said, that list includes The Throbbin' Lovin' Band; the JC Auto Band; and 3% Rhino, among others.

Two hip-hop bands — Filth and Foul and Ambedext — are also high on McLean's list. Ambedext opened for the Wu Tang Clan and N2Deep at recent concerts. His luck hasn't stopped there, as Ryan O'Donell of Buzz Records in Missoula released his first CD titled "Unusually Skillful."

Ambadext, a 25-year old rapper from Massachusetts, was on hand Saturday night at Jester's. By 11 p.m. the bar was hot and loud and the music grew faster by the minute. Over the noise, Ambedext said he started rapping at the age of 12, listening to groups like Run-DMC.

"Opening up for the Wu Tang concert and N2Deep was the biggest thing ever for me," Ambedext said. "I just did a show in Missoula with Cold Nuts and DJ Chill."

Live hip-hop and rap may be the last thing you'd expect to hear in Helena, along with original punk and metal. But McLean thinks he's on to something big, and the crowds filling Jester's on Saturday prove he may be right.

McLean hopes to take that energy one step further, holding Helena's first "Extreme Music and Sports Festival" by summer's end. He's also looking to open a place with live music for those under 21 years old.

"What I've been trying to get going is to make this part of the Montana music scene," McLean said. "We've got all kinds of things going on."