Hudson Wisconsin Nightlife

August, 2015Archive for

Friday, August 28th, 2015

It’ll get wild this weekend, and you can be sure to “plant” a bid for seafood a few days later.
– Coyote Wild, playing the Smilin’ Moose on Friday evening, Aug. 28, has all the fun of the movie Coyote Ugly with, dare I say, an almost scholarly PR approach. “Country music has had a massive influence in the history of rock music and rock music has changed the direction of country,” their online bio reads. “You can enjoy both with Coyote Wild.”
– Trouble Maker, I think it was, had a band member that looked just like Robert Plant, (post-Zeppelin days), except that he was on guitar not vocals, and kept his shirt on during a recent, and recurring, gig at the Village Inn in North Hudson.
– There are high-profile meat raffles at various local venues, most notably the Village Inn, but few offer both meat and seafood at the same outing, such as is the case at Woody’s in Bayport. This tasty tandem is held there the first Wednesday of every month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
And I may have egg on my face for not mentioning earlier that as part of the “fully loaded” Bloody Mary at Woody’s, there is egg on the burger tacked onto the top of the glass, and also cheese and bacon.
– The recent version to close the night, by the female lead singer of Dirt Road Dixie at the Smilin’ Moose, found them doing a popular and traditional country song, (I’m sorry, the name escapes me, as it was near to closing time), but it was dead-on in matching the tonal quality of the usually male-sung lyrics. Then, during their breaking down of stage equipment, she hauled away a flag staff with big bright orange cloth at top and bottom that was on the other end of things, being quite unusual. They’re likely to again play the Moose soon, so check out what they have in store.

Thursday, August 20th, 2015

Make no Muss-take about it, there are quality appearances being made locally:
– Woody’s in Bayport is again having one of its periodic guest appearances, and this one is sure to raise a fuss, because it involves a live broadcast by Muss from Country K102. He will on at Woody’s from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21. Tickets will be given out for the Minnesota State Fair grandstand show by Carrie Underwood. The people at Woody’s will as they say, “fire up the party,” when the Miller Lite girls make a showing of their own from 5-7 p.m. There are taps of that brew available from 2-3 p.m. for, you guessed it, $1.02. This is one of several beer specials.
– Recently, Fat Bottom Girls was playing on the juke box at the Cajun Club, while a very tiny dancer did her Queen routine. No comment from me. I will chime in on the dancing showcased downtown, with some styles that were either like that of an amped up Peewee Herman or a karate kick-boxer-dancer.
– The Smilin’ Moose brings back old favorites, both last Friday and this coming Friday. Longtime rockers Audio Circus, who have performed in Hudson many times, were back on last weekend, and now seven days later, its the return of the very solid, top to bottom, strains of the Tim Sigler band. Most people tend to think the cover charge, which isn’t cheap, is worth the price of admission.
– Female-doing-male songs was again the highlight when Solving 27 hit the stage at the Village Inn in North Hudson, twice in recent weeks. Singer Billie Jo did The Stones and a bit later The Police. Then, inserted into the middle of their set list, was Rock ‘N Roll by Led Zeppelin. Besides noteworthy “falsetto,” there were some high-powered, grinding guitar riffs used on Roadhouse Blues, and some guitar fills inserted into a few songs, also. Look for them at The Village again soon. But meanwhile, this Satuday night, check out the down-home, Cajun infused blues of the Swamp Kings there.The dancing showcased some styles that were either like that of an amped up Peewee Herman or a karate dancer.

Food, drink and frolic mean Seasons has synergy with Pepper Fest, which is kitty-corner

Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Seasons Tavern owner Brad chimes in on the Pepper Fest relationship, which plays out again this weekend in North Hudson, as everyone can get a “happy” feeling at the restaurant and bar — even during throat-burn eating contests at both places.
“The synergy between the Seasons Tavern experience and the Pepper Festival is definitely there,” he said. “The whole community is celebrating one of the ‘largest’ small-town events, and Seasons Tavern is right in the middle of that event. If there is a party going on, we want to be a part of it and add to it!”
Saturday, Aug. 15, promises to be a big day full of pep for Seasons Tavern.
They will serve breakfast sandwiches and hot Italian Beef sandwiches outside during the parade, and offer a full-service breakfast inside starting at 8 a.m. The full menu will be available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with appetizers being served until 1 a.m.
The outdoor bar and beer garden will open at 10 a.m., with the Wicked Wing Challenge starting at 2 p.m. and the band Thirsty Camel starting 3 p.m.
Ten people are already signed up for the wings challenge, and that fills up the bill. But there still will be lots of opportunity for spectating this decidedly “hot” food event. Last year, when it was first held, upwards of 40 people watched in awe, giving standing ovations to the best competitors as they finished eating.
“The bartenders are ‘Seasoned’ in the history of Pepper Fest and the name of the restaurant is intentional, to incorporate the experience of the staff along with the history of the building and location,” Brad said.
“As far as parking, we offer parking to Seasons guests only, and do our best to manage that. I think street parking is the best way to go.”

Wednesday, August 12th, 2015

While the staff at Seasons are as “Italian” as anyone in backing the traditions of Pepper Fest, they offer North Hudson alternatives as far as food, drink and fun.
Granted, there is Italian fare aplenty at Pepper Fest, and also at Seasons, but man does not live by that alone. On Saturday, Season’s puts on its Wicked (Buffalo) Wings Challenge, where you can test your where-with-all to consume a variety of the wings — and have a bit more time to complete the task then during spaghetti and hot pepper eating contests across the street, which although largely similar have their own appeal.
You also might try the noteworthy walleye entrees at Seasons, when combined with sauce give a food variation to cool your palette.
While the music at Pepper Fest doesn’t start until evenings, a versatile band begins at Seasons at 3 p.m. Saturday. This means patrons can listen to some live tunes while enjoying appetizers, as an alternative to eating contests next-door that just might leave you queasy.
Two of the three majorly-striped pedestrian walkways on the main Hwy. 35 intersection that needs to be negotiated, lead directly to the curb-cutout that’s the entry point to the large parking lot at Seasons. It’s probably easier to get to the restaurant and bar — as a patron — than the festival itself.
There’s ample vehicle parking for Seasons patrons, including a big overflow lot, on this weekend where some people walk for blocks to get to the Village Hall park and places nearby. They also can set-up their remaining parade seating after indulging in breakfast or Bloody Mary’s.
To that end, Seasons and some other venues have Pepper Fest buttons on sale for only $2, a savings of a buck over the price at the gate.
And especially if you’re a first-timer from out-of-town, Seasons bartenders and wait staff can tell you about the history, heavily loaded with community Italian lore, of the building in which you are a patron. From the varieties of past decor, which also include the newer log-cabin-style motif, to the past owners, this is something to be regaled in.

‘Fight the good fight,’ whether in a held-up theater or in the ring

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

One was shot during heroism, another’s valor took much longer, and you could only see it at Buffalo Wild Wings if your timing was right.
– A man at The Village Inn chimed in on the “Batman” shootings in Colorado, where a couple of his relatives were some of the first ones shot at with guns. This is timely because a recent court action put one of the shooters behind bars for life. One of the members of his family managed to protect another from death by draping himself over them but still, one got bullets in the leg. The main heroic figure, though, went on to save others.
– A highly billed, Ultimate Fight night broadcast ended up going much longer than forecast when some of the bouts were slow in completion. The TV fight package, as viewed at Buffalo Wild Wings and other venues, for that reason did not wrap up its airing until after bar time. That was especially challenging for a very packed B-Dubs, since the establishment closes down earlier than most, at 1 a.m. It did mean, however, that they had a full house virtually all the way to the end.
– Some of those people, however, had to do without their Wings for about four days when the place underwent an extensive remodeling, which had workers going night and day. Two of those stalwarts, who are almost always there near last call, had to find other digs for a day or two. Myself likewise. We all ran into each other at a logical replacement across the street, that being Green Mill. The two women noted that they’d been seeing the dumpsters, so knew it would be pointless to trek over there. That didn’t keep one of them, though, from spreading the closed window awning with her fingers and looking through, just to make sure.
– Just prior to the remodeling shutdown, a worker was placing a sign across an archway, and that meant a ladder was temporarily blocking the main exit. I said to him that there was no way I was walking under it, as that could bring seven years of bad luck to myself and possibly my team, (probably if they are the Vikings?)
– Bartender Darren at the Village Inn replicated the actions of Kelsey at Agave, a fellow Canadian, and returned there to visit family recently, getting back just in time to play in multiple softball tournaments in multiple venues, (his mates just kept calling with late-breaking schedule changes). And after that is said and done, he has to work all Pepper Festival weekend, he stated with just a touch of a grimace. As the sign at the Village says, celebrate “the madness” here. As Darren told me this, a woman came up to the bar wearing a scarf around her neck that just might have (accidentally) been like Pepper Fest colors.
Just like at a place he worked before, Green Mill, where the Canadian parents of a Twin Cities network anchor, from KARE 11, came in and they all celebrated.
– The Kozy crew was out in downtown Hudson, all decked out in bright colored T-shirts that included blaze orange, to celebrate what one of the shirts said was: “The first anniversary of the second annual Hillbilly festival.” Again, is there an inside joke that I’m not getting? What I do get is that the suit-and-tie shirts, with the tie painted on, might not suit everyone.
– You might find it advantageous to quiet down a little bit! Part of the whole idea of trivia is to guess answers before your opponents at the same bar, so don’t go loudly showing out the Buzztime answer and giving it away well ahead of time, like was happening at Buffalo Wild Wings the other night, before the remodel gave way on the many screens to B-Dub TV.
– Rarely since the ’80s have I seen a couple of guys, in the same room at a bar, with the same really tight, form-fitting T-shirt that shows off their big pecs and biceps. Might they be members of the Minnesota Vikings, such as a group of very prominent linemen, one whom had been voted all-pro, who showed up at Green Mill back in the days when their running game was primo? And you know, the parents of one of their cheerleaders were at The Mill recently, (OK, I know there are rules against fraternizing, but isn’t that type of thing why some athletes and others come to Wisconsin?)
– The other night at Dick’s, a guy with perfect blond and coffed hair said, prominently, that he was from Sweden. A bit later, my self-described “artistic” dancer friend added that, since there was no one around to dance for presently, that maybe the Swedish Bikini Team would happen by. Coincidence?
– On the Saturday night of RiverFest, the city was crawling with older folks, some of whom seemed to easily loose track of just where they were, and where the rest of their party was. One woman, however, was right on top of an important matter, adding that she had worked in a bar for 17 years and knew what to do to get served just like that. She must have been onto something, because right at that moment both our drinks came.
– A bigger-than-usual bus, with a trailer behind it, was part of the Sonshine Festival entourage that traipsed back through Hudson from Somerset. That bus was even bigger than the ones you’d seen from OzzFest in years past. There also were smaller trailer-trucks, but hey, not all of these guys are big league rock stars.
– With the prominence of other area festivals that weekend, the downtown scene picked up considerably right after midnight on the final fest day, although it varied by venue. A bartender at the Village Inn in North Hudson said that when he was working an earlier gig on The Hill, set-up workers would come-in all during the week before the extreme mudder fest and party until close, then go back at it the next day. They were not needed during the fest itself, but would show up for tear-down, and partying down, very late in the weekend. A whole bunch of wedding parties came into The Village earlier in the evening, and considering the fact that just up the road was a Christian music fest, maybe that is not surprising.

Fly like an eagle, hundreds saw it unfold in memory of ‘amazing four’

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

 

A fly-over, circular fashion, took place at the memorial service for Dan Ortner, the pilot in a plane crash that tragically killed himself and three others, two of them children. Flight seemed to be the theme of that Monday night, as when the crowd gathered outside of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church to see the jet go, they first were fittingly buzzed by a wayward sparrow that flew just a few feet over their heads across the length of the assembly.
Later that evening, when I was leaving the house to go to a block-party turned extension-of-the-memorial that took place in the Cherry Circle cul de sac, a small bat buzzed me. Still later, dozens of balloons were let go in Dan’s honor, some big and some small, but they all eventually looked just like pins of light as they rose in the night sky. The cul de sac portion of the night was almost as well attended as the earlier service, with enough people there to fill several 747s.
Also dying in the crash were Eric Larson and boys Matthew and Michael; the memorial for them was held at the church three days earlier. The memory of the four has lived on, for most cases for over a week, in the signs on places that included haunts where the adults used to hang out. At the Village Inn in North Hudson, where Eric’s wife works as a bookkeeper, the sign simply says “Community Heartbreak.” Across the street at Kozy Korner, the moniker on the marquee read, “Word Can’t Express How Heartbroken We Are.” At Season’s Tavern in North Hudson, the well wishes were a simple “With You.” On Agave’s sign, there was a recitation of the first names, and at The Nova was the longest of the messages, starting with “Our Community Will Stand With These 4 Amazing Men ….”
– Planes and Automobiles, but no Trains. There have been some interesting former cop cars out on the street at night, as law enforcement meets up with the public in a different than usual way.
A State Patrol vehicle parked locally had only its front half still painted in the traditional blue colors and shield logo on the door. The back half had been turned into the yellow color and decals that go with, of all things, a taxi cab. Granted, this was last month, but at that time there were still some lights across the top of the vehicle, and on top of them was a “taxi” globe.
Oddly, in the same neck of the woods, one can still see parked late on the street what appears to be a former police cruiser, painted black except for some white doors, and turned into a private vehicle.
And then at Historic Casanova Liquors, things got even more historic, with a police vehicle parked in the lot that appeared to be from the Capone era — you’d think that was the now resort that’s Up North where he used to hole up. This car had only a small single light that used to flash, and it was set off to the side on top of the roof.

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

There will be some runnin’ and rockin’ by bands all of this weekend:
– There is a rare opportunity at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt this weekend, as the same group plays on both Friday and Saturday nights, Aug. 14 and 15. The music, with their fitting band name, will be Still Runnin’ on until the wee hours of Sunday morning. Still Runnin’ plays a lot of country and country rock, but also steers into classic rock and pop on its long play list that includes dozens of songs. (Unfortunately, this “double trouble” option was shortlived. As a late addition, the Twin Cities band Touch Tunes has been added as a last-minute replacement to Still Runnin’ for Friday night).
– The Border Battle thingee kicked back into gear already at Green Mill a couple of weeks ago, where a woman who was with four other people, had a shoutout done on her behalf, “there’s a Vikings fan here,” as if that was that unusual. The woman then stretched out and waved over her head a purple keychain strap. The next night, some similar banter happened. Maybe one must invoke the sign at Agave (self-serving?) that basically offers counseling to “delusional” Viking fans. Maybe some of those were present on Sunday night after Minnesota beat a Pittsburg team the rested some starters, 14-3. A quick check of the downtown afterward revealed only two Vikings jerseys being worn, (and it should be pointed out that there were that many shirts for backing even the rapidly fading Twins).
The Packers, in turn, are scheduled to take on New England and their deflated balls on Thursday. Be at the sports bars for the 6:30 p.m. start.
– And of course, in what’s become a tradition, it is the Dweebs playing Pepper Fest in North Hudson on Sunday night (enough said). Other music is by country act Buck Tucker on Friday night, rock and pop by Rhino on Saturday night, and Trandy Blue starting at 4 p.m. Saturday in what’s billed as beer garden entertainment. Hey, this combines the Pepper Fest and beer, so I don’t think entertainment will be in short supply.

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

This weekend, it’s The Truth, and not just Kyle’s Two-Chord Truth, or in a quasi or rumors type of way.
– The band Truth & Rumors, consisting of a female lead singer and three guys on instruments, specializes in rock-a-billy, roots music and blues, and they will play at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Friday evening, Aug. 7. In case you want to know more about what they might play that night, there are available on online web sites 17 cover tracks and dozens of photos. The group also plays fairly frequent gigs at another inn, The Village, in North Hudson.
– The band Quasimofo, playing at The Village a few Saturdays back, had some of the most funked up jazz you will ever hear. It was largely and crazily keyboard fueled, and during a several-minute run, the man seated behind the electric piano had to stand on two occasions to belt out his groove. Look for them at various places in North Hudson, including Season’s Tavern, throughout the year.
– The lead singer of Smokescreen, which played the Smilin’ Moose recently, bears a resemblance to another vocalist who has had a look-alike around town in recent times, Scotty Ian of Anthrax, (you have to look a bit with your creative eyes, as the Smokescreen singer has a longer not stringy beard, but overall, this is not just blowin’ smoke). As far as the band’s lead guitar, they have a ways to go before cranking it up like Anthrax, but featured some pretty creative textures to their riffs, on “Centerfold” and also with the grinding treatment given to the last part of “Walk This Way.” And also give them kudos for going beyond overplayed classics, when diving into “High Infidelity” by REO Speedwagon. That last choice really got the attention of my good friend Tom, who said he has all their albums.
(As far as these look-alikes, I swear, singer Ian of Anthrax walked into Dick’s Bar and Grill a while back with reality TV star Bruce Jenner, who — since then — has become Caitlin. Maybe they will be there amongst the dozens displaying at the Brit car club show that goes on 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, on adjacent Walnut Street).

Recent Comments

Archives