March 12, 2026 • 5:00 pm @Lost Cabin Beer Co
Some touring bands pass through the Black Hills once and move on, while others thers keep finding their way back. For the North Dakota trio MoonCats, the Hills have slowly become something closer to a second home. The band returns to Lost Cabin Beer Co. this Thursday, continuing a relationship with the region that has grown steadily over the past seven years.
“We’ve built some really strong relationships in the Black Hills,” said Scott Balliet, the band’s manager. “The crowds show up and make us feel accepted. Not just like visitors, but almost like locals.”
That connection grew through the kinds of friendships that form on the road. Time spent with the Camp Comfort crew and legendary host Dana Nordquist helped turn the Black Hills into a place the band now circles back to again and again.
“The Black Hills is like a home away from home,” Balliet said. “The vibe here just fits with what we do.”
MoonCats aren’t really folk, bluegrass, or Americana. Their sound doesn’t sit neatly into any one genre, so they made up their own: “Americonscious Campfire Folk.”
“We all grew up sitting around campfires playing music,” Balliet explained. “Our songs try to capture that feeling. You don’t need a big stage. You just need something that pulls people together.”
That idea shapes their live shows. Banjo, upright bass, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and washboard all rotate through the set as the band mixes original songs with the occasional cover. The goal is about creating a shared moment in the room.
“We want people to leave the burdens of the outside world behind for a while. Detach, unplug, be present, connect… and get lost in the joy.”
Since forming in 2018, MoonCats have released four full-length albums and toured across a dozen states, building a following through the same kind of small venues and tight-knit communities that make nights like this possible. Their current run of shows reflects that momentum. The band is on a short tour that will take them to their first-ever performance in Denver, part of an effort to share their sound with new communities along the road.
Even as they branch out into new territory, the Black Hills remain a regular stop on the map. Lost Cabin this Thursday likely won’t be the last visit this year. The band hinted that they expect to roll back through the region again soon, continuing a relationship that keeps growing each time they pass through.
If their past visits are any indication, Thursday night at Lost Cabin will feel less like a tour stop and more like a gathering of old friends.
The Moon Cats will be featured on Prairie Musicians, a Prairie Public television series that highlights artists from across the northern plains. Their episode premieres March 19 at 9 p.m.
Learn more about the program:
https://www.prairiepublic.org/television/prairie-musicians-2026/