LAUNCHING BREAKFAST BLUEGRASS AT THE BLUE CAT

The first morning of bluegrass at the Blue Cat in Huntley, MT, is now history.  The crowd could have been larger, but then this was the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend. Around 9 to 9:45 AM the place was quite full although there was always a place to seat another customer. The menu was wider than that at the now closed Prairie Winds in Molt. While there seemed to be no huge Molt cinnamon rolls, the Cat offers French Toast, steak and eggs, hamburger steak and eggs or breakfast burritos, in addition to the more typical breakfast offerings. The prices are very reasonable as well. My two eggs over easy with toast was just $4.25.  The manager and staff were working hard to please the crowd and the wait time for ordering and receiving breakfast seemed to be faster than at Molt. The patrons I talked to. including many other pickers, liked the set up at the Blue Cat Bar and Grill. The crowd tended to be older with few younger folks there and no families with children at all that I saw. Of course some may have come while I was absent. I took 45 minutes off to head further east down the highway to Worden, MT, where two of my "kids" own the local grocery, the Project Merc.  After talking to them I came back through Huntley where I could see fewer cars in the lot although the food and music was still flowing.  As mentioned in an earlier post Wayne Long's "Spur of the Moment" is one of the most established bands in this area of Montana.  Here are some of the boys getting ready before the gig.

This band usually plays a wide variety of music, but they dipped into their bag and pulled out a lot of old timey standards including the likes of "Rolling In My Sweet Babies Arms" for this gig. Here they are in action:

 

In the opinion of this blogger in order to really thrive this venue will have to attract more of the older folks who are used to a bar type atmosphere and location. More locals are needed from Shepherd and the Huntley Project communities as well as Billings Heights.  If the crowds increase management may move outside to an adjoining metal structure which might bring in younger people and those with children. That would only be for the warmer months as it is wide open to the elements. At any rate we wish all the best to this new bluegrass and breakfast venue for pickers around the greater Billings area. The next two bands scheduled are the Maverick String Stretchers and Song Dog Serenade on the next two Saturdays.  As the word gets around the crowds should get larger and larger. That is the way it developed at the Prairie Winds. Hopefully it will be the same at the Blue Cat Bar and Grill.