EVANSTON — Evanston’s local music and arts organization, Arts, Inc. is the force behind multiple community events, including the Celtic Festival, MAT Camp, the Young Musicians Festival and the annual Arts, Inc. Concert Series. This year the organization is proud to be hosting fall concerts at the recently-renovated Evanston Cultural Center, formerly the Strand Theatre. 

Arts, Inc. Executive Director Carolee Bowen said the two concerts will feature musicians of different musical styles than those typically featured in the concert series. While the concert series has often included musicians from the classical or folk genres, the concerts at the Strand will feature blues and classic country.

She said the concerts are possible because Arts, Inc. received support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the IMTour Program of the Wyoming Arts Council and the Western States Arts Federation. 

The first concert, on Friday, Sept. 7, will feature Native American musician Cary Morin with his fingerstyle guitar and blues. Bowen said Morin is “super amazing” and the community is lucky to have him visiting. She said Native American traditions are “in his blood,” and concert reviews have described Morin as “one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today.” 

His music is described as acoustic Native American with qualities of blues, bluegrass, jazz, jam, reggae and dance. 

Morin will offer a free guitar workshop at 4 p.m. that afternoon prior to the concert. The workshop is open to anyone who would like to bring their guitar and participate or just observe. 

On Friday, Nov. 2, Wyoming’s own Brand 307 country band will roll into town. Brand 307, out of Cheyenne, has a sound described as “red-dirt country.” Bowen said she thinks fans of country music will really enjoy the performance. 

Members of the band say they are “rooted in the rebel tradition of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson,” and they were nominated for 2016 Album of the Year by the Rocky Mountain Country Music Awards. 

Brand 307 will also offer a free workshop at 4 p.m. the afternoon prior to their show, with this workshop focusing on songwriting. Again, anyone interested in participating or just stopping in to watch is welcome. 

Bowen said the hope is that people will make an evening of it and visit downtown businesses for dinner prior to taking in the shows. “We just really hope people support the idea of concerts at the Strand and the shows bring people downtown.” 

Tickets to the concerts can be purchased online at www.theartsinc.com, at Mountain Music or Home Décor in Evanston, or at the door.