BUTTE, MT - We live in a world defined by categorization.

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"Where should we eat tonight?" is a question usually answered by a genre of food, whether it be Italian, Chinese, burgers, pizza, or even vegan. "What do you want to do?" is answered by a genre of activity, usually encompassing walking, hiking, bowling, reading, or any other something (always ending with an -ing).

"What do you listen to?", on the other hand, is a question that has changed over time. In a time shortly before the present, genre dominated the music scene. It was a different market back then: instead of having a world of music at your fingertips for a relatively low monthly cost, you had to go by word of mouth, radio DJs, and what album art looked cool. Genres dominated because they were typically a safe bet, a cost effective bet.

But now, in the current music landscape, genres are set by the wayside in favor of "subgenres," with bands like The Last Revel—who you could assign 50 different genres/subgenres to, including contemporary folk, bluegrass, Americana, country, Western, and even some cowpunk—finding themselves performing for a wide-ranging audience at every show.

Ryan Acker, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist for The Last Revel, talks with me about how the band navigates the new scene; a scene they've navigated professionally and respectfully for the past decade. Spoiler: Ryan mentions it's by use of their dramatic soundscapes, their deeply-tuned harmonies, and just being who they are: something that they know, and know well.


Ryan Acker was nice enough to take some time to converse with me ahead of his show with The Last Revel at The Elm in Bozeman, MT, on Friday, November 8th, 2024, and The Wilma in Missoula, MT, on Saturday, November 9th, 2024. You can buy tickets now at logjampresents.com.

Here is the full interview with Ryan Acker (recorded October 24th, 2024) and Devon Brosnan, presented by Logjam Presents and Townsquare Media.