Big Sky Brewing’s First Summer Show Includes Surprise Ozzy Moment

Missoula showed up last night. Coolers, camp chairs, and blankets were spread at the Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater for the first major summer concert of the year. Slightly Stoopid and Iration filled up the lawn with that loose reggae punk feeling they’ve been playing on for over a decade now. Sunshine, cold beer, a pack of people who smell this morning of sunscreen and maybe … something else.

Then came the Ozzy moment

Everything changed right at the end. The band paused the party for a minute and paid homage to the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne. I won’t spoil it if you weren’t there, but a reggae band doing an Ozzy tribute in Montana? That’s nowhere near anyone’s bingo card. And yet, it worked. The crowd was singing along, and it felt like the right farewell.

Ozzy is still the name on everyone's lips

Well, as it happens, Montana isn’t the only place where people are paying respects. Wolfgang Van Halen tore up a tribute on tour. Even Kermit the Frog, yep, that Kermit, covered “Crazy Train” on TikTok and somehow gave it emotional heft. So many artists seem to be tipping their hat to the man who brought us bat biting and anthemic heavy metal in equal measure.

Summer’s just getting started

Big Sky Brewing has a few more shows on tap this summer, and if last night’s audience was any indication, it’s going to be one of those summers that you regret missing a single show.