LIVINGSTON — At the Empire Theatre in Livingston, audiences are used to watching movies and snacking on popcorn. Now, they can enjoy live music in the same space — and still have their popcorn too.
A few weeks ago, the beloved Bozeman music venue Live From the Divide announced it would be moving. On Thursday night, the new location kicked off with a special event, and I was invited to see it for myself.
WATCH: Take a tour of Live from the Divide's new home at the historic Empire Theatre in Livingston and hear from the musicians who kicked off this exciting chapter
“I think this will be the best place to come hear live music,” said Andrew Feltenstein, co-owner of the Empire Theatre.
“Ownership is the wrong word — it’s more of a caretaker,” Feltenstein joked.
Feltenstein and Tyler Erickson bought the 91-year-old theatre about two years ago.
“Our goal was to bring fresh life to it, and for everyone to kind of get lost in that Hollywood spirit,” Feltenstein said.
About a year ago, Feltenstein got a call from longtime friend Jason Wickens, co-owner of Live From the Divide.
“Were you excited?” I asked him.
“Oh yeah, ecstatic. It’s a no-brainer. It’s one of those things that just fits,” Feltenstein said.
It was decided. Live From the Divide would be moving to Livingston.
“It’s been amazing and really exciting for us to be able to welcome everybody into a little different room, but with similar faces and the same Live From the Divide experience they’ve come to love,” Wickens said.
The night began with a tour of the 105-seat theater — double the capacity of the original venue. Guests also explored a second theater with more than 200 seats, which Wickens hinted could become another music venue down the road.
After the tour, the audience settled in for performances by Lena Marie Schiffer, former member of Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, and Bozeman native Ella Rae Cole. Both have played the original Live From the Divide location and say venues like this are crucial to musicians.
“Listening rooms are just such powerful spaces where music can be heard,” Cole said.
“We spend so much time poring over our lyrics. It’s a sacred thing to have a captive audience that’s really listening and appreciating the words I took so long to come up with,” Schiffer added.
When asked to help launch the new location, for both musicians, it was an immediate 'yes'.
“It’s kind of an honor,” Cole said.
“It really makes sense to me that this is a natural move for Live From the Divide. It’s just going to continue the legacy,” Schiffer said.
WATCH: A new chapter begins for Live from the Divide as they relocate to Livingston's century-old Empire Theatre (Jan. 22, 2026)
As music lovers gathered Thursday night — the scent of popcorn in the air and songs filling the room — it was clear Live From the Divide had found a unique new home in Livingston.
“It’s not just venue meets opportunity. It’s community meets soul,” Feltenstein said. “It was a fit for the love of the arts, and a fit for an old building that needed new life.”
Folk band Briscoe will play the first show open to the public this Sunday. That show is already sold out.
Feltenstein is also restoring KPRK radio in Livingston, which will eventually broadcast all Live From the Divide shows to Park County.
Check out our video to get an inside look at the KPRK Radio restoration project and hear from the owner about its importance to the community (June 20, 2025)
