Whether you are a music lover, a community member, or just looking for something to do with friends on a Saturday night, engaging in a Beatles sing-along might be the perfect event for you.

On Saturday, May 12th at 7 p.m., everyone in the Bozeman community is welcome and encouraged to be involved in a Beatles sing-along and KGLT Radio fundraiser at Wild Joe’s Coffee in Downtown Bozeman where people can enjoy singing together in a casual setting. Whether you are looking for a simple date-night out or a fun group outing, there is nothing more communal than a local social and sing-along. It is also a great way to support two of Bozeman’s local businesses, Wild Joe’s and KGLT Radio. Wild Joe’s, being incredibly generous, has agreed to host the event, and it is also donating 10% of its food and drink proceeds from the event directly to KGLT Radio.

The Kate & The Alley Kats trio, with Kate Bryan, Cliff DeManty and Ron Schimpff, is organizing the event, donating their musical talents and leading the sing-along with guest musicians from the Bozeman community. The inspiration for the KGLT Beatles sing along follows the success of the KGLT Pete Seeger sing-along a few years back, when people of all ages packed Wild Joe’s and raised their voices for a rousing night of music camaraderie followed by enthusiastic inquiries of “When can we to this again?”

While being interviewed, Kate Bryan, one of the members of Kate & The AlleyKats, described why she likes to engage in group singing and performance with the band. “My life’s mission is to be a catalyst for creating connection and community through music for people of all ages.” This speaks to her authentic passion for music and her genuine love for her local community. Wonderfully said, Kate wrapped up what every artist aspires to do. The success in her past sing-along is a testimony to her will to reach her goals of gathering communities and strengthening local bonds in a creative and fun atmosphere. She also explained her childhood growing up with The Beatles as a trendy band. “Every lunch hour in first grade, I would come home and dance and sing along to the first Beatles album titled Meet the Beatles. Cliff DeManty (keyboards) and Ron Schimpff (bass) also know about every Beatles song ever written and so it’s a trip down memory lane for all of us!” Singing classic songs help the past come to life once more, and for some, it may aid them in revisiting old sentimental memories. There is nothing more moving than singing the songs that resurrect feelings from the “good old days.”

The Beatles sing-along evening will include a wide variety of Beatles songs recorded into our collective memory after the Beatles detonated a cultural explosion of music and energy that still reverberates today!  Songs chosen for the evening will be handpicked from the Beatles’ many albums including (but not limited to) “She Loves You” (Meet the Beatles), “Norwegian Wood” (Rubber Soul), “You’ve Got to Hide your Love Away” (Help!), “Obladi Oblada” (The White Album) and “Eight Days a Week” (Beatles for Sale) to name a few. You’ll be transported to a time when every lyric had a deep meaning, every verse told a story and every chorus had you singing along!  Song lyrics will be provided for the Sing Along. 

Many people relate to Beatles lyrics on a personal level because there is a lot of truth in the messages behind the songs. The lyrics written reflected what was going on in the world at the time. They were also, in a way, the story line of the band’s phases through life, such as feeling rebellion, feeling experimental, and falling in love. This is something the majority of society can relate to at one point or another. Even now, new artists pull from The Beatles’ song writing style and are inspired by their sound. Plus, the band’s music has always been fresh, controversial, and cleverly written, which is what has kept their music alive through newer generations. What better way to appreciate and remember this incredible band and their songs than to have a community sing-along.

If a sing-along is not usually your scene, then consider this: singing in groups brings many health benefits. It is shown to improve happiness and well-being by releasing hormones such as oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. This is by no means a new concept. The fancy word for this social phenomenon first came about in 1912 called “collective effervescence.” However, a fun night out with the gang will sum up this event in much more relatable and upbeat terms. All-in-all, you and your friends will have an absolute blast.

Performing as a group, even with no audience, is thought to be associated with the activation of the brain’s reward system, especially the dopamine pathway, which motivates people to keep coming back for more. Do not worry if you are tone deaf and have never been able to hit a single note, it is the action that your body recognizes as a reward. Oxytocin is said to help relieve anxiety and boost feelings of bonding and trust. It allows for people to connect as they sing together, and creates a social body that lets people practice their day-to-day interactions, and builds acquaintances or business connections. Kate Bryant points out, “Not only do people experience the joy of expressing themselves in song, but time and time again, we have witnessed the wonderful connection and friendships created when people make music or sing together. For instance, Seniors in my Singing Souls Chorus develop new social connections and Music Together parents and their young children create strong personal bonds and musical memories that last a lifetime when they connect through music. There is a sense of belonging and togetherness created between people that flows from the shared energy of the music.” This may be one of the many reasons why 32.5 million adults participate in choirs every year in one way or another, and the numbers continue to increase.

According to Time Magazine, “Our heart rates may sync up during group singing, this could also explain why singing together sometimes feels like a guided group meditation.” Time Magazine also brought up, “A very recent study even attempts to make the case that ‘music evolved as a tool of social living,’ and that the pleasure that comes from singing together is our evolutionary reward for coming together cooperatively, instead of hiding alone, every cave-dweller for him or herself.” One must admit, having a fun outing with friends will always trump a night in, scrolling through the newest episodes on Netflix.

The KGLT Beatles Sing-Along will have some surprise musical guests participating and leading alongside Kate & The AlleyKats. A suggested donation of $10 will be requested at the door, and 100% of all proceeds will be donated to our local station, KGLT Radio. We hope you venture out to sing with community members and friends and support KGLT Radio and Wild Joe’s Coffee in downtown Bozeman, May 12th at 7 p.m. Come get your oxytocin pumping and your feet tapping!