One Ton Pig to Play Concert at the Laramie Civic Center

When I first heard that One Ton Pig was playing at the Laramie Plains Civic Center I was honestly a little bit confused, not knowing that they are a local band out of Jackson, Wyoming. One Ton Pig is know for their Chicken-Fried-Prison-Music, which appears to be a style somewhat closely related to Country as the Civic Center told us that if people are into Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Jerry Reed, Del McCoury, or Johnny Cash, they will love the Pig!

The concert will take place this coming Friday evening, February 3rd, at 7:30 PM in the Civic Center Theatre. If this concert sounds like something you might enjoy, picking up tickets beforehand will save you $3 a piece as they are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Here is a little more information on the band's background and a video showing what you can expect on Friday night!

The band formed in 2006, and is best-known for packing the Silver Dollar Bar every Tuesday night. The scene is literally a Jackson Hole tradition, and it's not uncommon to see local politicians cutting the rug with 20-something ski bums every week!

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Batdorf is one of the most talented artists on the scene today. His songs deal with love, loss, mountains, whiskey, dogs, fightin', and Lewis and Clark, and they come straight from the heart. Batdorf's solo material is critically acclaimed, and his abilities as One Ton Pig's frontman speak for themselves. He's dynamic, and his connection with his audience is unparalleled.

Justin Smith is also a songwriting force in One Ton Pig, and his vocals and guitar make the band what it is today. Smith is perhaps best-known for his work with Mandatory Air, which is one of the most popular groups in the Northern Rockies. Smith's overall verve is largely responsible for One Ton Pig's reputation for being funky, friendly, unique, and outlaw, all at the same time!

Tim Farris covers mandolin and vocals, as well as some seriously funky songwriting. Farris's sophisticated approach to performance and composition truly add a quality to the group that separates them from all the rest. His background includes being the front man for Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit, a crazy-original trio that sounds more like Primus than they do Bill Monroe!

Bassist Andy Calder looooves to hold down the outlaw country grooves, but he's always willing to blaze some soul ala Jaco Pastorius! His other projects include touring with experimental funk/jazz outfit The DJ Logic Band and otherworldly art-metal group Banyan, which is fronted by Jane's Addiction's Stephen Perkins. Calder proudly endorses Schroeder Bass cabinets.

Drummer Jason Baggett is a disciplined, formally educated jazz musician. He's the glue that holds it all together, yet his vast experience allows him to push the band well beyond the normal limits of outlaw country. Listen carefully and you'll hear subtle Latin grooves, jazz shuffles, melodic drum fills, and beats that relentlessly compel butts to shake!

One Ton Pig has released two critically acclaimed and commercially successful cds of original music (High On the Hog, 2008, and Big Norm, 2010). They also pull out cover tunes from their repertoire of over 100, bringing smiles to the faces of bar patrons, festival attendees, wedding guests, prison inmates, cowboys, sailors, barbecue cooks named Grizzly, and the like.

If you're hungry for chicken-fried-prison-music, order yourself some OneTon Pig!