21 Nov Round Up: Spotlight: A Space for Song

It’s not necessarily the diminutive intimacy of the venue. And it isn’t always about the presence on the stage. While the melodic storytelling matters, it’s not the entire picture either. Live From The Divide (LFTD) in Bozeman, Montana is a testament to the transformative power of music — the alchemy of sound and soul, of stories and shared experience. Housed in an understated 120-year-old building on Bozeman’s north side, the listening room comfortably seats 50 in an arrangement carefully designed to support the “pure, undistracted” dialogue inherent between artist and audience. “Long live the songwriter,” says cofounder Jason Wickens, “and the space that lets each song be heard in its truest form.”

A fourth-generation Montanan — who is also partnered with his brothers in Wickens Ranch, a direct-to-consumer Montana beef business — Wickens launched LFTD with his wife, Jackie, in 2012, realizing a lifelong passion for music and its making, particularly the Americana genre that’s woven so integrally into the culture and history of the West. Here, he describes the vision behind the venture, its niche in the local music scene, and its more than decade-long presence in a growing southwestern Montana community.

BIG SKY JOURNAL: LFTD offers a unique live-music audience experience, with an intimate venue and a focus on distinctly Americana artists. What inspired its creation?

JASON WICKENS: LFTD was born out of a deep reverence and love for storytelling through song. The goal was to highlight Americana music in its purest, stripped-down form in a space that actively supports and uplifts this vision.

BSJ: How do you determine the lineup of artists, and what qualities define an ideal musician or group for the small, listening-room-style setting and acoustics?

WICKENS: Curation is definitely at the heart of LFTD. I look for artists whose songwriting is honest, craft-driven, and generally connected to the Americana tradition of folk, blues, honky-tonk, singer-songwriter, and bluegrass. Genre aside, ideal artists for us thrive in a listening-room environment where performance, storytelling, and vulnerability can shine.

BSJ: What’s the nature of the artist–audience connection at LFTD, and how does it differ from other local music venues?

WICKENS: The connection here is immediate and personal. In a 50-person room, every note and word is felt. Unlike larger venues, there’s no barrier between artist and audience and, at its best, it’s a shared moment of presence and storytelling for artist and patron alike.

BSJ: What impact do you think venues like yours — and music in general — have on preserving regional identity and storytelling?

WICKENS: Big question! At LFTD, we do host local artists, but most of our focus is on nationally touring singer-songwriters. Each of them brings their own unique stories and perspectives. When you put all of that into a 50-seat listening room, it creates a powerful mix of voices that helps us understand not just who we are here in Montana, but also, in contrast, how we connect to the rest of the country. So although at times the influence can look rather nuanced, the impact of music — and especially live music — along with place, is critically vital for establishing and preserving regional identity.

Renowned American blues, country, and Americana singer-songwriter Charley Crockett packed the intimate venue for his Live From The Divide performance.

BSJ: What challenges have you faced maintaining the venue’s independent, nuanced character within a rapidly growing city and changing listening demographic? What role do you see LFTD playing in Bozeman’s local culture, and how do you see that evolving over time?

WICKENS: The challenge has been staying true to our mission while Bozeman grows and gentrifies around us. As a 100-percent community-supported venue, we rely on sponsorships and, without them, we simply wouldn’t exist. Each renewal or new sponsor is the community voting to keep us alive. Looking ahead, our role is to stay true to the mission and honor every contribution that makes LFTD possible.

BSJ: Are there any specific shows, artists, or moments since you launched LFTD that have felt particularly emblematic of the ethos and intention that drove its inception?

WICKENS: There have been hundreds… From the start, I’ve sought out artists on the “fringe” of mainstream success: legendary in some circles, yet unknown to most. Over the years, we’ve managed to find an audience that shares a deep reverence for the troubadour and the craftsman, which has brought artists like Colter Wall, Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, and Sturgill Simpson to our stage. In short, our role and founding ethos is to create a space where intimacy transforms both performer and listener: That is exactly why LFTD exists.

LFTD is located at 627 E. Peach St. in Bozeman, Montana. For more information about upcoming concerts, call (406) 624-3321 or visit livefromthedivide.com.