Groove Wax to rock 4th Annual Brewfest on Saturday

With the auctions complete and the bellies full of Ray J’s BBQ, a Montana cover-band will take to the stage at the Milk River Pavilion in Malta as the closing act of the Malta Trails, 4th Annual Brewfest this Saturday, September 26.

Groovewax, with members hailing from Belgrade, Bozeman and Billings, will follow Phillips County’s Warren Taylor on the stage this Saturday and the band has promised to deliver a good time as the closing act.

“People can expect a fun, high energy show with lots of dancing,” said Groovewax member Cindy Damjanovich.

Damjanovich will take the stage with Junior “JR” Damjanovich , band drummer and her husband, Nik Damjanovich, her son on guitar, Gary Peterson, best man at her wedding, on bass and long-time friend Steve Melia on lead guitar. The band plays three gigs a month – two weeks ago the group played at a wedding with 150 people in attendance -- around Montana and each of the Groovewax members also have “day jobs.”

I am a second grade teacher in Belgrade,” said Damjanovich. She said her students are all aware that she plays in a band and Damjanovich uses her love of singing in the classroom.

“We sing every day in my class, especially right after the Pledge of Allegiance,” Damjanovich said. “We sing a different patriotic song every day.”

Groovewax’s Brewfest performance won’t be the first time Damjanovich has sang in Malta as she was a member a of band called Rock Montana which played at a wedding in town back in 2007.

“We are very excited to come to the Brewfest in Malta,” she said of her return to Phillips County. "I hope we will be able to partake in some of the beverages.”

Though Damjanovich is partial to Rock and Roll, Groovewax covers a vast array of music ranging from classic 60’s and 70’s rock to Country and Blues.

Each year for the Brewfest, Malta Trails features a different brewery and this year’s event will have beers from The Front Brewing Company out of Great Falls. Pankratz said that there will be six different types of microbrews to be had and added that the Lucky Bullet will be providing domestic beer and well drinks (at a separate cost.)

There will be a silent auction and regular auction at the event which will include such items as kayaks, bikes, handmade coffee tables made from bridge timbers made by Matt Handley, handmade benches which can be taken home or used as memory benches and placed along Malta Trails.

Malta Trails is made-up entirely of volunteers and no one is paid to maintain the trails.

Tickets for Brewfest are $25 in advance (available at all Malta Banks or from Malta Trails members) or $30 at the door. Tickets include a pulled pork dinner – again, catered by ever popular Ray J’s – as well as four microbrews. Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30.