Holiday favorites, and some new-found glory, will be featured this Fourth:
– JazzSpring will again play at Pudge’s Bar on Friday night, but since they have an ongoing booking every first Thursday throughout the year, another veteran jazz duo will take their place on the Fourth of July. “Our subs,” as Ann Marie McIntire of JazzSpring fondly calls them, are the pairing of Connie Dussl, vocalist, and Herb Reinke, jazz guitarist. Both have performed 40-plus years, and as a duo for at least 20 years. They feature jazz standards, but there will be some patriotic songs in their repertoire. Fireworks (in Stillwater) will follow their show, which begins around 7:30 p.m., or maybe even start before the show ends.
– Dick’s Bar and Grill will step up their live music for the holiday, with Brian Naughton playing on Wednesday night, and in an early 6 p.m. start, Practical Goods on The Fourth. The latter band makes a shift across the river from their previous hot spot, Hefty’s Roadhouse in Bayport, which has closed its doors. As far as Naughton, a recollection I have from one of the first times he played Dick’s is his performance of Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix, which fit his guitar style very well when he struck the instrument with vertical finger action while jumping on his tip toes at the same time — then agreed to tackle a request of another Hendrix classic, Hey Joe.
– Hudson’s Booster Days also ups the ante, with eight bands over four days in Lakefront Park — starting Wednesday, July 3, with country acts — that are a bit different than the festival’s norm as far as diversity. However, the pop rock of Uncle Chunk, regarded as one of the top cover bands coming out of the Twin Cities, will be back as a featured act on Saturday night. Newer to the fest is Caleb Hawley, Hudson’s own American Idol top 16 artist, with his eclectic pop. Noticeably absent from the typical lineup during previous years is the tribute to disco and ’70s music of Boogie Wonderland, which did play at Roberts Good Neighbor Days a few weeks back. Booster Days headliner bands start at 9 p.m., and the openers at 5 weekdays and 6 on the weekend. Prior to Uncle Chunk, these bands play: Wednesday, Scarlet Country and Buck Tucker Band, Thursday, Kingsview and Caleb Hawley, Friday, Rizer and Devon Worley Band, and Saturday, Parachute Empire and Uncle Chunk.

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