Hudson Wisconsin Nightlife

September, 2017Archive for

Bands proliferated on a recent Friday, and are coming back, and it’s really country that has taken the stage

Thursday, September 28th, 2017

It’s Waylon, and maybe some Willie, and the boys, and a girl too.
– The title of the band says it all with renown: Waylon. Obviously with songs of other like artists mixed strategically in. And were not talking about the Lindsay Whalen of the ever-becoming more popular Lynx pro basketball team. Anyway, this Waylon is at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Friday evening.
– Speaking of Friday evenings, when is the last time when there were three reputable bands — not just DJs — playing downtown Hudson at roughly the same date and time and also importantly, bringing in crowds. That was the case last Friday when Chris Miller started things off rather early, acoustically, at the Smilin’ Moose. That was followed by soulful Big Fat Groove taking the stage at Pudge’s, which has now entered into the scene, and they will be back there on another Friday in October, somewhat fitting on the Thirteenth, for another show. A week later, on Oct. 20 for a 7 p.m. start, country-leaning Chaunte Shayne will reprise her performance at Dick’s Bar and Grill that had been the trifecta of the aformentioned music night. On that note, look for her Sweet Trouble CD to be coming out soon. That title seems to fit her, to a degree.
– The death of Grant Hart of Husker Du seems to have brought back the use of the umlaut over the letter U. Fittingly, and with good timing, there is a special at Dick’s of the Jager Barrel, consisting of two shots of this most popular-in-St. Croix County brew, along with root beer. It is termed, Here’s to the an Unexpekted Call. And yes, all this creative spelling includes umlauts over vowels, complete with one over the noteworthy U.

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Since Bacon Bash laid out the meat, there are big pigs everywhere, if even if in huge truck-window logos, or the even bigger baker in a ‘Big Guys’ BBQ easy chair?

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

Then there was a big pig on the highway, and a big chair that was passed by that was separate from the one in your vehicle:
The Bacon Bash festival was located in River Falls, since its now mid-September, but the greasy droplets of its presence were all over the area. A truck for a local food company was seen with a three-foot-wide pair of eagles wings adorning its back window, with a different creature positioned in the middle. You guessed it, a pig. And the following could be from that old school CD, “Songs from the big chair.” On a sidewalk not far away, a big easy chair was positioned for pickup by anyone who would want it, saying “Big Guys” about where your neck would go. Is that a reference to Big Guys Roadhouse BBQ, which also is nearby? After all, one of its proprietors, by the name of Jethro, is not lacking for girth, (he’s more than just a little wide shouldered). Synergy there?
– When in River Falls, for All Things Bacon, you’ll see a small banner for the music group The Upper Cuts pasted just below a street-corner “walk” signal at a height about the same as a basketball hoop. It is a similar distance to the front door of Maverick’s Corner Saloon, which often has live music, including the aforementioned group, and I’m sure many people checked them out during the fest.
– Another band that plays locally, Bones Gang, (like those bones on ribs?), has a comparison to Bacon Bash concerning its music on its web site, although it may not be intentional. “Awesome. (Like being) dipped in awesome-covered bacon. Bacon even makes awesome more awesome.” Could be very presidential, just like Bacon Bash.
– It is a new school year, which brings to mind one of the educators at a local Catholic school. During a welcoming potluck a year or so ago, she told me that — breaking from form — she’d held a job when around college age as a bartender at a biker bar. She said that the cyclists were actually quite nice to serve, even on the rare occasion if someone like herself got the change wrong. Fear God, not the bikers.
– Getting the change wrong? Nickelback, a “rock group,” as the St. Paul Pioneer Press reviewer so vaguely referred to them in his report that — as is typical of him — was nothing more than a recycled press release, played the state fair recently. That may or may not be important to the fact that I bought a six-pack the other day that came to a total of $5.05, and I didn’t have the nickel in addition to my five-spot and bigger bills. This is something that has happened before, even though as a relatively-poor-ink-stained-wretch freelance writer I don’t generally have those twenties and higher. So my joke for the clerk as your favorite punster? I don’t have the nickel back.
– A foursome of women who were at Dick’s Bar and Grill, celebrating something or another, were all wearing sombrero-style hats that were about two inches wide, about the same size as the magarita-salt plastic containers on the other side of the bar. The Jimmy Buffett tribute musician who plays there frequently would probably expand that girth to three inches. The whole scenario reminds me of an old Far Side cartoon, which I’d love to describe, but wouldn’t convey without you seeing it. In any case, I hope the quartet had as much fun as Buffett typically does, and not Warren Buffett, as he gave most of it away.
– At the Village Inn’s party to celebrate their 12th anniversary under current ownership, there were four people needed to carry in the main raffle prize, a big TV. Similarly, as Mallard’s in Bayport marked their anniversary of existance, a favorable online commentator was named of all things, Bonnie Clum. With that kind of star power, things must be just ducky!

 

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Death plagues us again, but exactly who do tell is Husker Du, as I came to the Cities scene a year too late, and even a similar-age friend is iffy on their relentless fame

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

Just who clarify for me, is Husker Du? Even if you have a “heart” for Hart, it may depend on an umlaut.

– The latest death on the rock scene, Grant Hart of the so-termed iconic and influential Twin Cities-then-national alt-punk group Husker Du, has me wondering — since I’m from central Wisconsin and didn’t move to Minnesconsin until 1989 when the band quit performing together — Just who exactly are these guys? I’ve heard plenty of praise, but few actual songs. The question was posed to a friend who grew up in Edina — and like me is almost exactly the same age as Hart — and she initially said she didn’t know of him either, and then changed her answer up, down and around when wondering out loud how you pronounce the first “U.” That’s the first of two umlauts in their band name, which might make for the odd bedfellows of Scandinavian punk. At least their subsequent side projects went by the names of more standard English, which generally might make them more recognizable, even to someone like me, who is known for knowledge of obscure rock trivia.
– As football makes its return, people just get excited. This was the case with a fan at Buffalo Wild Wings that looked just like Nick Saban, the Alabama coach, but with a crewcut. Minutes earlier, Saban had gotten just as animated in a postgame interview, and even had to be bleeped. Then his buddy also became talkative, noting that in a different sport that was on a different TV, the Brewers were closing out their win, but needed to get an out from a batter who the guy said was notorious for fouling off pitches. Even with two strikes on him, I was told that there’d likely be ten more foul balls. It turns out there were four. Is that a Big 10-4? Lastly, the coasters that were setting in front of us had a Vikings logo. I guess their season-opening victory held more weight than that of the Packers. But then there was last weekend’s losses by both teams. What a difference a week makes.
– Here’s a sneak preview of the venue coming into the old Ellie’s, which you can’t see very often, since it is now shuttered in plastic. But that didn’t mean you couldn’t look through a single small window when its late night. That’s unlike the rest of the storefront, which has been shrouded in plywood during construction. The bottom line, based on my viewing: The general layout, as far as which walls are where, has not at this point changed from the previous user. But there is outside scaffolding that extends to the upper floor.

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For three straight days there is music at Pudge’s, of all sorts, and that doesn’t even include Saturday night

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

Pudge’s bar and eatery is rapidly becoming your go-to place among local nightclubs with special offerings virtually all week long.
Starting on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. and continuing every hump day is live piano music, ala Bill Joel and Piano Man, in their two-story venue, which has differing facets such as lounge, bar and pool hall, depending on the location of the offering inside Pudge’s.
Then on Thursdays, starting at 6 p.m. and going as long as there are musicians, is an open mic night, a singers’ dream that for most of the last several years has been somewhat hard to find, but usually features the same old stalwarts. But now you can try out Pudge’s and mix and match with a relatively new house band, and show your musical wings with a newer variety of songs on the set list.
Then there is the trifecta, the appearance on Friday night, Sept. 23, of the band Big Fat Groove, playing songs that are old school R&B, rock, blues, soul and jazz, and having scores of tunes on their 54-song set list that dig deep into the vault and are hard to find on anyone else’s play list, rather than being the same-old, same-old. They pride themselves on being able to put on a stellar show despite the nature of the venue or event, so Pudge’s should show superior musicianship. They say they lay down a tight groove, as their name suggests, and add sweet soulful harmonies, being fully functional in their stage production with an all JBL and Mackie PA, great stage gear and a light show for any room.

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Meeting a musician with Death Angel on plane made for anything but a Wisconsin Death Trip for California couple

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

San Francisco might be a world away from Hudson, but they seem to have to same difficulties with their bridges, and the answer proved to be Wisconsin beer!
A couple from California who were in Elk River, Minn. for a wedding, said that as long as they were this close, they just had to make the trek to the Badger State to get a real Wisconsin beer. So Spotted Cow was their pick of the litter when they crossed the river. And, they were pleasantly surprised that here, you even get a beer chaser with your bloody Mary.
But even more so in the conversation that ensued, the couple said that on the long plane flight here, they ended up sitting next to a hard-core rock star. When finding that I sing metal, they immediately asked if then, was I familiar with the band Death Angel. That was the band of the guy in the next seat over. At first, he was surprised they didn’t recognize him, but then opened up and they found him to be well spoken and intelligent. The guy said he actually is into country and jazz as far as his off-the-job-listening, not metal — kind of like Ozzy, whose fave is of all people Whitney Houston. Death metal is the harder of those genres, and he has been playing with Death Angel since a teen in the ’80s.
But back to the new Stillwater bridge that got them over to the The Next Stop in Houlton. They thought the span was impressive, even beautiful, unlike the crumbling although still famous Golden Gate in their community. That one, turns out, is much more like the fading lift bridge a mile up from the new one.
I also met a guy at The Next Stop who had one cigarette in his hand and another atop his ear, that’s double trouble. (And he actually put the one down to strum on his guitar). But more interesting is he has a friend from Hudson named Jeff, who is in a band that actually opened for Fear Factory, a popular act in the heyday of metal, and as the guitarist, Jeff totally shreds it, it was said. The other band ties to him are a guy who now lives in Boyceville and does a popular annual Neil Young tribute, and someone who has played with a iconic band from the other side of the river, The Replacements.

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It’s bacon in every possible — and impossible — way, and oh, don’t forget to mix in the caramel corn

Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

It’s in many cases several times more than just the bacon, although that’s always the centerpiece of the food, when Bacon Bash hits the area for the fifth time.
– Celebrate everything bacon at River Falls fifth annual Bacon Bash. This two-day festival, centering around this Saturday, Sept. 16, allows you to sample bacon-inspired dishes. The bountiful bash features numerous pig-themed activities for the entire family, live music from several bands, and merchant vendors.
This is an example of the food, which in the spirit of the event is both tasty and quirky, that you can expect at Bacon Bash — with a Badger State twist. “I will have a stand downtown for Bacon Bash all weekend,” said Tony Leone, owner of the West Wind supper club, which is located near the busy north end of the festival area. “I will be serving ‘Wisconsin Cider Beer Cheese and Bacon Soup with Caramel Corn.’ And yes, that is one item.” Although it has about five main ingredients, and it is these combinations that make this extravaganza a true bash, with activities starting in the downtown and working their way all around town.
In other places, like Johnnie’s Bar, you can get stuff like bacon in your bloody Mary, or elsewhere around town, there are fast becoming favorites like bacon ice cream and other bacon-wrapped delights.
– The band Kevin’s Cousin plays the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Friday night, Sept. 15, and Blue Moon Drive on Saturday. Kevin’s Cousin — not to be confused with the Cousin Kevin band out of California — plays balls-to-the-wall classic and current rock ‘n roll, they say. You can tell that by the name of their record label, Hairy Nipple Records. The band consists of — cool name — Baibi on lead vocals, Tommy on guitar and vocals, Randy on bass and vocals, and Charlie on drums and vocals. And yes, you read that right, all four members of the band share the vocal responsibilities. Then, Blue Moon Drive hits the stage with a far different style, straight-up honkytonk, although there again is the similarity of not being confused with a band of the same name out of a little ol’ Texas town. However, you might recognize some of the names of this group, who truly look the part, straight out of River Falls. “We’re Dave Snyder, Al Canfield, Bob Feyereisen and Dave Feyereisen. And we’re always looking for one more perfect gig that can change the world,” they say in a possibly overstated manner online. Influences they name are Merle Haggard, Dale Watson, Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, CCR, Hank Williams Jr., The Mavericks, The Valley Boys and Larry Schorn.
– This sure beats a selfie. In what is probably a first for downtown Hudson, have your picture taken with — and just hobnob with or buy their calendars — members of the Viking cheerleader squad at noon on NFL Sunday game day at the newly revamped Pudge’s bar and eatery. That’s when Minnesota faces Pittsburgh.
– An online announcement has a typo and refers to a popular event as the 0th annual car club show. However, the Willow River Car Club will indeed host its longtime yearly gathering, showing off dozens of vintage cars, this Saturday afternoon at Uncle Mike’s in the town of Hudson.

– This Saturday, all day, is also a time of competing motorcycle rallies. There is of course the annual Flood Run, but also being featured is a rally to benefit our troops that starts and ends at the Star Prairie Sports Bar, and for a reasonable price both before and after the riding there are also plenty of eats. But we still recommend that caramel-corn soup thing in River Falls, for eating while along the route.

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There are now officially three days a week of pro football specials, to go with those three days of Moose music, plus three gigs in a week for Chaunte Shayne, all local

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

Pro football is here, whether or not you’re a Lite weight:
– You can celebrate the best of NFL football with Miller Lite beer at The Mill, to kick off the new season. Their variety of specials include a pair of 16 ounce cans for $6, a offering that in terms of volume is noteworthy for being far-between the one drink and full-bucket options you see most places (think of it as one beer for each half). The Green Mill offers these and other such specials virtually any time pro football is being played, Sundays, Mondays or Thursday nights. But its only good for the regular season, so don’t wait, and it might be observed if you’re a Vikings fan hey, the your team might not be around with their season through the postseason.
– Jeff Carver will play Mallory’s on Saturday night, and be the fairly new guy sandwiched between Wade and Ella last Saturday and Kyle Kohila next Saturday.
– And that pattern continues on the patio at the Smilin’ Moose this weekend, with Tim Howe on Friday evening, Andrew Hanson on Saturday evening, and Wally Joseph on Sunday afternoon. Hey, I swear I’ve seen that last guy around! Simply said, that type of local recognition will help when competing with football.
– An ad seen at various places across the area, in which the Leinie’s Summer Shandy brew is hawked as the last gasp of warm weather hits us, even if the boys of summer are gone — switching to pro football — to invoke Don Henley: “Wings and beer don’t have a season, and fans have no off-season,” the ad reads, and so the story goes …

– Chaunte Shayne, who will play three local shows in the period of a week, is largely country styled and has a distinctive voice, at times soft and soulful, and at other times ranging widely up and down within a few notes to go on a higher intensity run. She has just the right, minimalistic amount of country twang in her voice, and along with it the sass to take on a tune like Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine.” That noticeable yet low-key attitude is apparent in stories introducing songs, which show her great intonation and ability to hold notes. She’s an unforgettable and beautiful, leggy and darkly exotic young woman with just as beautiful a voice. Both are impossible to miss, as is the fact that she’s a workhorse when it comes to playing a lot of gigs. To see for yourself: At Art on the Kinni in River Falls at noon on Saturday, Sept. 9, then later that day at 6 p.m. at the Village Inn in North Hudson as part of their 12th anniversary party (along with smoked brisket and ribs, and prizes and a visit by shot girls), then back to River Falls for the Bacon Bash at 1:30 on Saturday, Sept. 16.

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