IDAHO GREEN.

"Punk" and "Billings, Montana" typically aren't three words that get paired up that, errr, regularly.

Montana's "Magic City" is a place of commerce, a place of Republicans, a place of canyon rims, a place of lots of things, but one doesn't typically just kind of think, "Jeesh, Billings. What a town for some punk music!" And I guess I should qualify that by "one" I mean "I." But, Billings has got its good music, frankly. The guy who wrote "Hippy Hippy Shake" is from Billings. His name is Chan Romero and he's got that track on Dave Martens' soon to come out Lost Sounds Vol. 1 compilation!
 And then there was Noise Noise Noise and the Budgets from out there, who were both really great. And Megagiant. Unquestionably, Billings has got some weirdos bashing out some tunes. And for that, we thank them. It's a tough row to hoe in a place like Billings, with its nu metal and new country obsessions and car show culture.

A couple of years ago Richard Dreyfest came around, and it was the Idaho Green fellers, and a handful of others that made it happen. I've never been out, but both Marty and Kate have, and they report it's an absolute blast of a time, with great tunes, good vibes and plenty of parking. The set of bands they put together for this year's Dreyfest was awesome, and the vibe was thoroughly all-ages and DIY. Sort of just popped out of virtually nowhere, too. all of a sudden, you were thinking, "Man! This isn't nu metal! What's up, Billings?" 

And, anyhow, that's my way around an introduction to Idaho Green, with whom TF just inked up some contracts. Idaho Green play something akin to the of shambolic high plains pop punk (Godammit Boyhowdy, King Elephant, Reddmen, Noise Noise Noise)  that I've grown to both accept and love! When they put out their first 7", they were kind enough to send one over the the Wantage HQ and I was pretty thoroughly blown away by the fact that the band was pretty tight, played short songs, and had their thing pretty damn well dialed. That's what you call a debut, as far as I'm concerned. Roll all that forward by six or so years, and Idaho Green is a force!