Live Bands for West Coast Swing
Al Bedoo Shrine Band. An honest-to-goodness 18 piece big band. Band members volunteer their time to raise money for Shriners charities. This is the only Big Band that plays regularly in our area. They do a diversity of music, including all tempos of swing, waltz, foxtrot, tango, samba, salsa, and cha cha. Catch them at the Al Bedoo Shrine the second Sunday of the month (September-May) from 4-7 p.m.
Bucky Beaver and the Ground Grippers Often thought of as a country band, these guys can also play good rock and roll, funk, and R&B. When’s the last time you heard a good rendition of Journey played by a bunch of guys in cowboy hats? They play what the crowd wants. with a big play list, good musical talent, and good vocals. You can get a lot of dancing in with this band.
Funk in the Trunk. A very talented 10-member band that plays funky music and other classic music that features a good horn section (Chicago, etc.). Lots of opportunity to dance WCS.
Hamilton Loomis. Actually from Texas, but he plays in Billings periodically. One of the best bands for WCS. A modern blues artist. Over half of everything they play is ideal for WCS. No No No is one of the best WCS songs that you’ll ever hear.
The Highlites. This 2-man band specializes in music for ballroom dancing. They have a number of songs that work well for WCS including some old Motown classics and a good rendition of Mustang Sally.
Jared Stewart. Jared is a very talented guitarist with a very good band. They do a lot of blues and rock and roll that works great for WCS (Santana, etc.). They are loud: bring some hearing protection.
Little Elmo and the Mambo Kings. A talented 4-member band that plays swing and Salsa music. They play more swing than their name implies. They have a guitarist/lead vocalist, bass player, keyboard player, and a drummer. They play a variety of classic songs (“Route 66″ and “Tequila”) along with a good collection of original music. When we saw them they played more East Coast and Jitterbug music, but Elmo is a good blues guitarist and they can play some good West Coast if they crowd shows an interest.
Limited Warranty. Classic Rock & Roll with some good blues.
Midlife Chryslers. A good-time 60′s and 70′s rock and roll band with a lot of good material for WCS. They are quite popular, so expect the music listeners to clog up the dance floor.
Scot Holt. A blues guitar virtuoso from Tennessee with a very talented band. You can dance WCS, East Coast Swing, Nightclub Two Step, Waltz and Foxtrot. His latest CD “From Lettsworth to Legend” is a tribute to Blues great Buddy Guy.
Shuffle Bums. From Livingston, MT. A very talented band that plays a lot of classic Rhythm and Blues–perfect for West Coast Swing.
Soul Brat. A very talented local band that performs a wide range of music. You can dance to just about everything they play. Their videos do not do them justice.
Stranded by Choice. A very talented young band from Billings/Columbus/Red Lodge. The current music samples on their website show their talent, but do not show their dance music. Just about every song they perform works for either WCS, Nightclub Two Step, or East Coast Swing.