JACKSON, Wyo. — Original-minded acts tend to live on fringe stages in Jackson, often at self-produced shows in nontraditional spaces, or the occasional venue opportunity that is built for pure artistic expression. For the second year in a row, KHOL is co-presenting the Wyoming Artists Showcase, giving regional artists the platform to perform on one of town’s premier stages, The Center Theater. Co-presented by The Center Presents, the four-act bill is this Friday, featuring church bats (Jackson), De Gringos y Gremmies (Laramie), Missy Jo (Jackson), and Bryan Piironen from My Model Airplane (Wilson).
Having seen church bats and My Model Airplane recently at Noisy Nora’s — a series of late-night DIY shows at Nora’s Fish Creek Inn over the summer — the evidence of a local heavy music scene has not just sprung roots, but has arrived, and continues to grow an audience. The ensuing mosh pit of sweaty, angsty twentysomethings was more than fair game on the same hardwood floors serving tasty huevos rancheros. The darkly lit, under-produced lo-fi atmosphere didn’t seem plausible in Wilson in 2026. And now, it feels necessary.
What started as coworkers getting together to make noise turned into church bats — David Gorka (guitar, vocal), Andrew Skinner (drums) and Louis Grassell (bass). Blending the energy of classic garage rock with unexpected psychedelic and groove influences, the trio is “unapologetically heavy, danceable and utterly their own.”
Laramie-based De Gringos Y Gremmies channel their love of all things tiki, surf and Western into a unique brand of spaghetti-infused western surf garage rock. They performed on the Center lawn a few years ago at another KHOL-sponsored event. Featuring Shane Wallace on guitar and vocals, Dusty Richards on bass and baritone guitars, and Dan Walker on drums and other percussive tools, De Gringos Y Gremmies is crafted for fans of the Shadows, the Ventures, Man or Astroman?, Davie Allan, Link Wray and Ennio Morricone.
Born and raised in Jackson, Melissa Elliott is a singer, songwriter and music teacher performing under the alias Missy Jo. Her songs explore observations on the human experience – romance in the midst of apocalypse, her affinity for thrift shopping, the consequences of being in love and getting banned from a small-town post office. Between her lyrical vulnerability, genre blending, and soulful voice, Missy Jo’s music welcomes listeners into her world. Her debut album, Songs to Make Art To, was released in July, a follow-up to her 2025 EP, Talk to Me, Baby.
Chicago-native Bryan Piironen’s band, My Model Airplane, is a writing and recording project exploring analog technology with a DIY spirit. Inspired by bands Guided by Voices, Spoon, Black Keys and others who produced their own records, MMA recently released the eight-track album, The Loft, recorded on cassette 4-track in a Wilson loft. A video for a song on the album, “Miles,” was released just last week. MMA has been experimenting with songs and textures to share directly with the audience. It’s about the process and experience through DIY shows, cassette tapes and self-released projects via Bandcamp and YouTube.
7 – 8:10 p.m.: Sets from Missy Jo and Bryan Piironen
8:15 p.m.: De Gringos y Gremmies
9:30 p.m.: church bats
KHOL and The Center Presents the Wyoming Artist Showcase, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at The Center Theater. Doors at 5 p.m. $25. JHCenterForTheArts.org.
