On Broadway is pulling double duty as a live music venue this week, with two acts on the calendar for Thursday, June 25 that cover opposite ends of the sound spectrum. The venue, located at 106 East Broadway in Helena, has become one of the more reliable spots in the Walking Mall area for live performance outside of the summer festival circuit.
Vanguard, a classic jazz quartet, will perform a set blending well-known standards with less commonly heard repertoire. The group plays in a traditional quartet format — the kind of straight-ahead jazz that works as well for people who know every Miles Davis record as it does for someone just looking for a good evening out.
Also on the bill is Desperate Electric, a Helena-area duo that has built a regional following with a sound the band describes as sitting somewhere between Marvin Gaye and Daft Punk. They've been tagged locally as Montana's Hottest Power Disco Duo, which is accurate enough — their sets tend to run loud, electronic, and aimed squarely at the dance floor. Together the two acts make for an unusual but genuinely entertaining Thursday night on Last Chance Gulch. Showtime and cover information are available through On Broadway's website.