The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-09
SHE LEADS IN MUSIC
MissOula Can Certainly Boast Loud
and Long on This Score y,
DOWN IN THE VARIETY HALLS
There Is One Orchestra OF Unusual
Merit. While In Some Places the
Attempt at Harmony 10
Really Discordant.

Missoula, Dec s.-For the musically
inclined individual. West Front street
after dark is either a delight or a
horror, according to the development
of his taste for music and the size OF
his jag. IL his ear has been TRAINED in
the backwoods, where the only music
IS the mournful wall of the coyote or
the buzz of a cross-cut saw, he will
find delight in all of the noise that he
hears on Missoula's Midway and IL ne
has been made good natured by a suffi-
cient frrigatdon with red liquor, he viii
probably say that 1t is good. But, If
he has ever heard any music at all,
and has not yielded to the influence of
the cup, he will not consider that there
is any great amount of pleasure in the
sounds ne hears on the first block of
West Front street. @g
In this block there are three music
boxes, one piano played by a colored
lady with heather lungs and brass
throat which she uses to deaden the
effect of the piano. two variety thea
tiers and ladies' orchestra. After 8
o'clock in the evening all of these
sources Of atmospheric disturbance are
In almost continuous operation and, IL
a man stands "a few minutes just below
the Florence hotel. he will hear a
blending of ''The Anvil chorus" 'Molly
tore from the three music boxes II
Don't Want to Play in Your Yard"
and "Shoottn' Craps" from the varie-
ties, TIA ra-boom decay" from the
leatherAunged lady, and some really
fine music from the orchestra. 1T is
such pot-pourri as Is sometimes read
about but seldom experienced.
The orchestra takes the curse off the
others for IT is really an excellent or
ganizatfon and Missoula has seldom
been favored with such music as can be
heard there. The performers are all
artists in their lines and the orchestra
is admirably conducted. Those who
are fond of music and can run the
gauntlet of the other music" enjoy
the orchestra concert.
The rivalry between the two variety
shows is getting warmer and may lead
tn better shows, but. as one of the vet
Grams IN the business recently re-
marked, when a man goes to a var-i-
ETY. show he either wants 1t very good
or very bad and it's easier to give 1t Ito
him bad" But the two shows are Of
fering some good attractions these days
and, despite the advent of a hard WIN
tier, both seem to be doing a good bust
ness. Although Fred Ritchie has
brought with him some of the a'ttrac-
lions that have been with him ever
since he went into the tileater business
30 years ago, he has not yet sprung
upon the Mdssoula public the flaming
BATTLE axe" poster that made him fa-
nous in Butte. Jack Hume lis arrang-
ing to open a new house in Wardner.
which he will run in connection with
his Missoula house.
The night shift has found a name for
the place where the leather-lunged
lady sings, and 1T is now called 10
hannestburg." 1t Is hot Joint" and
is always crowded. One can USUALLY
find black. white, red and yellow men
there, drinking beer, playing faro and
listening to the music" The tobacco
smoke and the smell from the lunch
counter in the rear make the atmos-
phere heavy, but this has no effect up-
on the lady ait the piano, for the band
plays on continuously from 8 O'Clock
till early morning
When 1t comes to music Missou,a
wants II understood from now on that
she Is the center. Helena may be the
hub OF all else, society, coal, finance
focal posts and failures and crime. but
the University City claims the cake
when IL comes to music and is preparei |
to defend the proud title for money
marbles or chalk.