Hamilton Performing Arts Center

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Address
327 Fairgrounds Rd.
Hamilton, MT 59840 Get Directions
Website https://bitterrootperformingarts.org/venue-locations/

The primary venue used for the Bitterroot Performing Arts Series is the Hamilton Performing Arts Center within Hamilton High School.  Opened in 2001 and owned & operated by the Hamilton School District, this 700-seat state-of-the-art proscenium theater boasts near-perfect sight lines and modern acoustic design in an intimate setting.  The building is located at 327 Fairgrounds Road, between Eastside Highway and Highway 93.  The theater is located in the southeast corner of the school and can be accessed via the building’s south entrance.  Parking is free.

Doors open for ticket purchase and pickup 60 minutes prior to show time, and house doors open 30 minutes prior to show time.  A direct handicap entrance is provided to patrons through double metal doors on the east side of the building, accessed via the service road parallel to Freeze Lane.

Address:
327 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, MT 59840 — click here for a Google Map

The Hamilton High School hosts the Performing Arts Center, located in the southeast corner of the school building, closest to the soccer fields.

Events at this venue
Today

Five adults posing against a bright yellow background; three men are standing, one woman stands with a hand on her hip, and two men sit on chairs in front. All are dressed in dark or neutral clothing.

Duende Libre

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

WITH NAOMI MOON SIEGEL
Celebrating the connections between jazz and music from Cuba, Brazil, and the Mediterranean. Their stewardship is a natural

A woman wearing a wide-brimmed dark hat and patterned top sits on a wicker chair with a furry cushion, resting her chin on her hand, outdoors by a white wall with trees in the background.

Pam Tillis

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Daughter of Country Music Royalty, Pam carved her own path in music, recording hits like "Shake the Sugar Tree", "Maybe It Was Memphis" and

2024-2025 Series

Shemekia Copeland

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. The multi-GRAMMY nominee is beloved and honored worldwide

Five people, three women and two men, stand in a line against a plain white background. They wear matching dark blazers and jeans, striking dynamic, playful poses. Each person has a distinct hairstyle and tap shoe footwear, adding individuality to their coordinated outfits.
2024-2025 Series

Chicago Tap Theatre

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

A vibrant dance company with a unique mission to preserve the quintessentially American dance form of tap by bridging the gap between tap and other forms of concert dance...

Three women sit on an ornate sofa against a red background, each holding a musical instrument. The woman on the left holds a guitar, the woman in the center has a cello, and the woman on the right has a violin. They wear elegant dresses and pose confidently.
2024-2025 Series

TAKE3

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Whether they are rockin’ the Bach or are classically infusing the favorites of The Beatles, Bieber or Coldplay, TAKE3 are nothing short of exhilarating and have electrified audiences

A man with long hair, wearing a black hat, plaid shirt, and jeans, holds and strums a red acoustic guitar against a plain white background, looking into the distance.
2024-2025 Series

James McMurtry

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Raised mostly in Leesburg, Virginia, McMurty began performing in his teens, writing bits and pieces, and started performing his own songs at a downtown beer garden

A live concert scene with a band performing on stage, illuminated by stage lights, in front of an audience seated in a dark theater.
2024-2025 Series

GAELIC STORM

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

It’s hard to imagine a band just coming into their own after 20 years of success, but that’s exactly what makes a true anomaly. The multi-national Celtic music juggernaut grows stronger with each live performance, and as you can imagine

Two men holding violins pose against a maroon background. The man on the left, in a white shirt, smiles, while the man on the right, wearing glasses and a black suit, looks serious. Both have their violins positioned in front of them.
2024-2025 Series

Black Violin

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Get ready for an unforgettable evening celebrating the 20th anniversary of Black Violin, the groundbreaking duo that has captivated audiences around the globe; harmoniously merging the sophistication of classical melodies with the rhythmic pulse...

A female musician stands on stage, triumphantly raising her fist while playing a large, traditional stringed instrument, dressed in an ornate white and black outfit, under vibrant stage lighting.
2023-2024 Season

Sona Jobarteh

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

The spirit of Sona Jobarteh’s musical work stands on the mighty shoulders of the West African griot musician and storyteller traditions; she is a living archive of the Gambian people. With one ear on the family’s historic reputation, one on the all-important future legacy and her heart in both places, she is preparing a place...

A diverse group of ballet dancers in colorful costumes perform various dynamic poses against a white background. some are leaping, while others crouch or recline gracefully.
2023-2024 Season

James Sewell Ballet

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

James Sewell Ballet was founded in New York City by James Sewell and Sally Rousse and brought to Minnesota in 1993. Combining their expertise, vision and chutzpah they envisioned a close-knit company of dance artists willing to both challenge their physical limits and expand their notions about ballet. Over three...

Five men in suits interact playfully around a retro cartoon projection featuring animated characters. the setting includes a piano and instruments, creating a whimsical, theatrical atmosphere.
2023-2024 Season

The Queen’s Cartoonists

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

The Queen’s Cartoonists perform music from cartoons! Pulling from over 100 years of animation from around the world, The Queen’s Cartoonists bring animated films to life, perfectly synchronizing their performances with the films projected on stage. The band matches the energy of the cartoons, leading the audience...

Four smiling men in a warmly lit music studio. they sport colorful attire and are surrounded by musical instruments, including keyboards and a guitar.
2023-2024 Season

Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers Sweat Tour

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

For over four decades, the Wooten Brothers have been recognized as some of the most innovative musicians in existence and are collectively known as one of the most talented and dynamic band of brothers the world has ever known. Since they were young, the brothers have been a musical tour-de-force redefining...

A woman plays an acoustic guitar in a desert setting, with sunlight highlighting her and the surrounding bushes. she is dressed in a white blouse and patterned skirt, focused on her instrument.
2023-2024 Season

Suzy Bogguss

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

During the creative explosion that was country music in the 1990s, Suzy Bogguss sold 4 million records with sparkling radio hits like “Outbound Plane,” “Someday Soon,” “Letting Go,” “Drive South,” and “Hey Cinderella." But you can’t peg Suzy that easily.

In the midst of her country popularity, she took time off to make an album of duets with the legendary Chet Atkins. In 2003 she made an album of modern swing music with Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel. An album of original music in 2007 landed Suzy at number 4 on the jazz charts. Her folk music roots showed through in her frequent appearances on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, in the Grammy she earned for her work on Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, and in her critically acclaimed album and book project from 2011, American Folk Songbook. In 2014, she released Lucky, a collection of songs written by Merle Haggard and interpreted through Suzy’s crystal vocals from the female point of view. Her latest offering, Aces Redux, is a re-recording of her platinum selling album Aces, produced by Suzy with fresh arrangements and her signature sparkling vocals. She continues to tour the world, on her own and with fellow country radio divas Terri Clark and Pam Tills as “Chicks With Hits.”

So yes, you can call her a country singer if you want, but really that’s just the beginning.

Rock musician with tousled hair wearing sunglasses and a denim jacket, pointing forward, holding an acoustic guitar, set against a dark background.
2023-2024 Season

Don McLean

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

While “American Pie” is probably the first Don McLean song that pops to mind for many, it's worth remembering that this legendary American singer, songwriter, and composer has written and sung a long list of musical successes in his decades-long career. His extensive discography include hits such as "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)," "Castles in the Air," "And I Love You So," and "Cryin’.'' In 2018, McLean released his 19th studio album, Botanical Gardens, to rave reviews.

A joyful woman with short brown hair, wearing a dark blue t-shirt, smiles warmly while lying on her side against a grey background.
2022-2023 Season

SARA GAZAREK

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Graced with an “impeccable” voice (Winnipeg Free Press), Sara Gazarek has been one of the leading lights of an impressive generation of jazz vocalists since her brilliant emergence at age 20. Gazarek’s experience began in the overcast light of Seattle, where she was originally drawn...

Five men holding musical instruments (clarinet, double bass, violin, guitar) smiling in a cozy bar with shelves of bottles in the background.
2022-2023 Season

Lúnasa

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, Lúnasa was formed in 1997 from members of some of the greatest Irish groups of the previous decade. An early review from Folk Roots magazine described the band as an “Irish...

A band of seven diverse members posing with musical instruments in a room with earthy toned decor, featuring eclectic clothing styles ranging from a white suit to a vibrant pink outfit.
2022-2023 Season

The Suffers

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Founded in 2011, The Suffers built a devoted local following in Houston before breaking out internationally with their 2015 debut EP, Make Some Room, which helped land them performances everywhere from Letterman to NPR’s Tiny Desk. The band followed it up in 2016 with a...

Seven stylish men in fashionable attire seated and standing around a luxurious sofa against a dark backdrop. they exhibit confident poses and expressions.
2022-2023 Season

Naturally 7

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

“A capella group” so vastly underplays what Naturally 7 creates onstage that they had to coin a phrase – “Vocal Play” – to more accurately depict what they do. Naturally 7 is more than a tightly orchestrated collection of great singers. They transform their voices...

Four male musicians pose with their instruments in a bright room. two are standing, two seated, holding a cello, a double bass, and two sit with percussion instruments.
2022-2023 Season

Quarteto Nuevo

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Quarteto Nuevo merges Western classical, Eastern European folk, Latin and jazz with an organic feel that packs a wallop! The ensemble’s razor-sharp precision is enhanced by jazzy interludes, lightly rumbling percussion motifs and mesmerizing rhythms. They effectively meld the music of ancient worlds and faraway...

A man in a business suit playfully lifts his knee, pretending to climb an invisible step, while smiling and looking forward, isolated on a white background.
2022-2023 Season

Steve March-Tormé

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Steve March-Tormé has an extraordinary talent for moving audiences with his stirring vocals and dazzling them with his technical facility. Drawing from a background steeped in the entertainment industry, Steve performs some of the most enduring, well-crafted songs ever written, beautifully arranged to appeal to...

Two smiling violinists, a man and a woman, standing in front of a corrugated metal background, holding their violins. the man is wearing a suit and tie, and the woman is in an orange dress.
Special Performance (non-season)

“MARK O’CONNOR DUO” WITH MAGGIE O’CONNOR

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website “Mark O’Connor Duo” with Maggie O’Connor: American Classics identifies the cornerstones of repertoire, style and wonderful diversity of A New American School of String Playing. Mining a huge body of repertoire that has made its impact on American music, the selected tunes and...

A smiling woman in a floral dress leans on a concrete railing, with a blurred background of green railings and trees.

AOIFE O’DONOVAN

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website Aoife O’Donovan is an Irish-American singer and Grammy award-winning songwriter and musician. She is one of the most sought-after singers and songwriters of her generation. She is best known as the lead singer and co-founder for the band Crooked Still and has...

A diverse group of twelve male musicians in formal wear, with various instruments like saxophone, trumpet, and drums, posing together on a concrete stairway, with one man pointing towards the camera.

ORQUESTA AKOKÁN

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website Straight out of Havana, Cuba comes a blazing ensemble of deeply soulful mambo reminiscent of Benny Moré, Pérez Prado, and banda gigante of the 1940’s and 50’s.  The album boasts all original songs recorded at the historic state-run Estudios Areito with Cuba’s finest players, young...

A man in a black t-shirt holding a classical guitar smiles gently with closed eyes, leaning against a textured ochre wall, lost in thought.

OTTMAR LIEBERT & LUNA NEGRA

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website Ottmar Liebert has said that “flamenco is a music both romantic and dangerous; it is an attitude as much as it is a musical genre.” The guitarist is renowned for harnessing the emotional fire and mournful tonalities of traditional flamenco music, updating...

Joyful man wearing a straw hat and suspenders laughs while leaning on a vintage jukebox in a room filled with nostalgic memorabilia.

JON CLEARY and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website Jon Cleary’s love and affinity for New Orleans music goes back to the rural British village of Cranbrook, Kent, where he was raised in a musical family. In 1981 Cleary flew to New Orleans and took a cab straight from the airport...

Three musicians smiling and playing string instruments; one with a violin, another with a viola, and the third with a double bass, against a taupe background.

TIME FOR THREE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

View artist website Bonded by an uncommon blend of instruments and vocals, Charles Yang (violin), Nick Kendall (violin), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass), have found a unique voice of expression. To experience Time For Three live is to hear the various eras, styles, and traditions...

A group of six men standing together in front of a brick wall, smiling and dressed in casual summer attire. some are wearing hats and sunglasses, with a bicycle leaning in the foreground.

STEEP CANYON RANGERS

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

With Out in the Open, Steep Canyon Rangers affirm their place as one of the most versatile bands in contemporary American music. The Grammy Award-winning sextet has spent nearly two decades bending and shaping the bluegrass aesthetic, wedding it to elements of pop, country, and folk...

A split image featuring a woman with long dark hair and a man playing a violin, both gazing intently at the camera, set against a dark, industrial backdrop.

TIM FAIN & SIMONE DINNERSTEIN

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Virtuoso musicians, violinist Tim Fain and pianist Simone Dinnerstein thrilled concertgoers at Bitterroot Performing Arts Council just a couple of seasons ago. Now the talented pair returns, in an electrifying program called Patterns in Time, which explores the many ways that composers use nonlinear time.  With...

Group of six men and one woman, all smartly dressed, around a black piano. one man plays piano, others cheer, one woman holding a glass, all smiling, on a white background.

THE HOT SARDINES

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Fueled by the belief that classic jazz feeds the heart and soul, The Hot Sardines are on a mission to make old sounds new again and prove that joyful music can bring people together in a disconnected world. In the talented hands of the New...

A woman with a gentle smile leans against a weathered wooden shack, wearing a grey knitted shawl over a blue top, exuding a relaxed and confident pose in a rustic setting.

RITA COOLIDGE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

After ten years during which she bore witness to some of her life’s greatest joys and deepest sorrows, Rita Coolidge is back with Safe in the Arms of Time, her 18th solo album and a reaffirmation of her indomitable spirit and unquenchable creative thirst. Safe in...

A jazz band of nine men dressed in suits and fedoras posing with their instruments, including saxophones, a guitar, and a double bass, in a dimly lit room.

KAHULANUI

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

There is a new wave coming from Hawaii, a blend of traditional music and the Big Band Swing brought to the Aloha State by U.S. servicemen during World War II. Its leading exponent is Kahulanui, a nine-piece band: four horns plus guitar, bass, ukulele, drums...

An elderly woman with long, wavy gray hair and a warm smile, wearing a black outfit, against a deep blue background. her hands are gracefully positioned on her shoulder.

JUDY COLLINS

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions. Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame....

A female ballet dancer in a blue dress performs a graceful leap, supported by a male dancer in brown trousers and a white shirt against a light blue background.

SMUIN BALLET

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Smuin pushes the boundaries of contemporary ballet within a distinctly American style, combining classical ballet training, technique, and artistry with uncommon physicality and expression. Smuin offers audiences an experience of ballet that is entertaining, evocative, and original. Debuting in San Francisco in 1994, Smuin immediately...

Split image: left side shows a man playing an electric guitar on stage, while the right side features another man passionately singing into a microphone, both under stage lights.

ELVIN BISHOP & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Elvin Bishop is on a roll! Besides being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, he also won a Blues Music Award for Album of The Year and Band of The Year, and his classic rock song Fooled Around & Fell...

A man wearing sunglasses sits at a grand piano in a recording studio, with his hands clasped and a thoughtful expression. the room has warm, ambient lighting.

A. J. CROCE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

A.J. Croce has been inextricably linked to a version of his own story by his name. He’s experienced a lifetime of comparisons to a father he lost at age two, whose music bears little resemblance to his own output yet still serves as a reference...

Three asian women smiling at the camera, two holding violins, seated casually in a bright, airy room with sheer curtains in the background.

AHN TRIO

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Hailed as “exacting and exciting musicians” by the LA Times, the three sisters of the Ahn Trio (Lucia on the piano, Angella on the violin, and Maria on the cello) have earned a distinguished reputation for embracing 21st century classical music with their unique style...

Five male musicians perform with acoustic instruments including guitars, a violin, and an upright bass, in a room with a dark, rustic aesthetic.

THE TRAVELIN’ MCCOURYS

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

The Travelin’ McCourys do not stand still. No other band today has the same credentials for playing traditional and progressive music. As the sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin and Rob McCoury on banjo continue their father’s work—a lifelong dedication to...

Three smiling men playing folk music inside a cozy wooden cabin, one with a guitar, one with a violin, and one with an accordion.

DE TEMPS ANTAN

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Since 2003, this trio has been exploring and performing time-honored melodies in the stomping grounds of Québec’s musical past. Playing fiddle, accordion, harmonica, guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, these three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable “joie de vivre” found only...

A woman in an elegant, floral print gown and a black jacket sits beside an antique trunk, her dress flowing beautifully over a white fur. she gazes confidently at the viewer against a plain gray backdrop.

PHOEBE HUNT & THE GATHERERS

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

An accomplished Americana instrumentalist with foundations in jazz and swing, Rolling Stones Country named Phoebe Hunt as one of their top 10 “new country artists you need to know.” Her new album, “Shanti’s Shadow,” is a culmination of her five year journey through Music Row,...

A group of eight people, dressed in formal attire, stand together in a wooded area. the group, consisting of seven men and one woman, exhibit a variety of styles, from suits to a hat.

THE DUSTBOWL REVIVAL

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

The Dustbowl Revival has become known and loved for their free-flowing, joyous shows, which combine New Orleans funk, bluegrass, soul, pre-war blues, and roots. With a fresh new album released in June of 2017, this eight member band is ready to hit the road and...

An elderly man with glasses, wearing a beige suit and patterned tie, sits beside a grand piano, smiling gently with one hand on the piano keys in a dimly lit room.

ELLIS MARSALIS TRIO

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Recipient of the NEA’s prestigious Jazz Masters Award and honorary doctorates from Dillard University and Ball State University, Ellis Marsalis is regarded by many as the premier modern jazz pianist in New Orleans. Ellis is also recognized as one of the most renowned music educators...

Three smiling men in formal wear, one playing a violin and two holding upright basses, stand against a light gray background, sharing a joyful moment.

SIMPLY THREE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

This electrifying string trio has been dazzling audiences with their high-octane performances that genre-hop through artists like Adele, Gershwin, Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots, Ed Sheeran, and more! Combining old school training and new school sonics, they mix original works with innovative arrangements and have been...

A man rests his head on his arm, gazing thoughtfully along the fretboard of an acoustic guitar, with focus on the strings and instrument while the background is softly blurred.

LEO KOTTKE

Hamilton Performing Arts Center 327 Fairgrounds Rd., Hamilton, MT

Acoustic guitar legend Leo Kottke has been similarly bending notes and bending his guitar’s capacity for syncopated, polyphonic melodies over a prolific career that spans more than four decades.  Beginning with his debut LP, “Twelve String Blues,” recorded live at a Minneapolis coffee house, Kottke...