KSMQ-TV will celebrate its 40th anniversary as an Austin-based public TV station with a free concert featuring two popular bands at the Paramount Theatre. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, with Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, followed by Bethany Larson and the Bee’s Knees. Both groups have personal ties to Mower County.

“We value community at KSMQ-TV and with both bands having local connections we thought it would be fun for them to play in front of hometown fans,” said Eric Olson, KSMQ president and CEO. “For us, this concert is a terrific way to celebrate 40 years of KSMQ-TV’s service to Austin and the surrounding area.”

The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra is a unique and powerful musical ensemble that fuses an eclectic mix of original and traditional bluegrass-edged tunes with jazz and world/fusion elements. The mix ranges from highly accessible bluegrass tunes to extreme arrangements of East Indian ragas. GCO’s instrumentation, versatile and accessible to all ages, includes guitar, fiddle, bass and drums. Band member Elisa Wright is a native of Blooming Prairie.

Bethany Larson and the Bee’s Knees, known as “one of the Twin Cities’ best kept secrets,” brings a minister’s daughter from Austin to the forefront of the regional music scene. Bethany grew up with three older brothers singing in Austin church choirs. She picked up the guitar at age 15, began writing songs and soon after college hit the stage. In the process of recording her sophomore album she joined forces with the Bee’s Knees — comprising her brother Chris Larson on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals, Sara Horishnyk on drums and Brennan Goetzman on bass.

The public is invited. No tickets will be issued and seating is first-come, first-served. KSMQ will be recording the performance for a later TV broadcast and DVD distribution.