Nothing says Easter like … Lefse, if you are Scandiwhovian like in my neck of the woods … Or hummus, getting much closer to the root of the food, and there is likely soon yet another Israel war goes on post coming from me as commentary.
But back to how to use lefse, which is a food that you may still have in your freezer, or maybe even if your stomach is not touchy fridge, as it is most popular around Christmas but Google says can extend all the way through spring in its celebration, as such.
What to do? Maybe not Easter fare, but … Lefse can be seen as much like a tortilla, so use it as a base for nachos, as it is torn easily into quarters, and add a little hot pepper of any color for flavoring and melted into your cheese of basically any type, as lefse is to say the least, mild. So hot sauce friendly too. Easter ham if leftover can play in, also. Hey Cinco De Mayo is coming, too, if your lefse lasts even much longer…
And hummus can be a basis for more added such, and used as a dip for lefse. Blend in some hot mustard, or even melted American cheese, like above, or any other thing like that such as certain Indian sauces — theme — if you have them, like mustard for zest, even bits of salmon or certain veggies. And to use more up, and flavor it up in such vein, canned tuna or even chicken can be spread and scattered on the side of such hummus, if on tortilla.

They are now five years old at Ziggy’s Hudson and running, and if you multiply that by seven — as in a touchdown and extra point — you had Barker’s at a recent 35th anniversary, also in the downtown, as King Football will lead to killer taco specials at the first-mentioned venue. Those are from 1-3 p.m. along with drink specials, too, as The Vikings are on the big screens, at this bar that honors Those Purple as much or more then The Green. Longtime Twin Cities weatherman Dave Dahl, living in Hudson all those years and often seen at its nightspots, will again serve as an emcee.

The full fall color season also means even more football, and the ways to grab cool eats as you watch. So if you are at Buffalo Wild Wings, as I have not noted them for a while, there is some truly great grub that’s a better twist on the old staple of liquor-infused buffalo wings, and I must add that anything tinged with Jack Daniels is always cool, though often seen. This new version that is only available for a short time — as in likely football season and more on that below — has the taste buds tapped by BWW bringing back your Bulliet bourbon (or brandy?) BBQ flavorings on the chicken wings. With Badgers? You could grab it when taking in their newly seasonal, as in football season, Saturday and also Sunday and more offerings, as they hawk themselves as being your college football headquarters. Division I especially, and/or top 20 teams. So this only starts with UW and U of M.

But on pro football days, with the two Minnesconsin teams, and BWW is even more of a presence across the way, there is a free shot given on days when Green Bay scores a passing touchdown, (safer bet for them now that Rodgers is gone?), or the new Purple People Eaters record two or more sacks, (enuf said.) But oh, you do have to run up a tab of at least $20 to qualify, so you are sorta sacked.

Across the street at Green Mill, they have a series of specials during such pro games, (with no minimum as with their neighbors/peers), and leading the way is their killer personal pizza, with crust that goes beyond thin, two different toppings chosen, for $8.99.

With the fall color at or just past its peak, more likely, right now are still the peak days for strolling through the streets and doing one way I love to revel in the autumn leaves, and that’s kicking up a clump of them when donning my now-needed boots, and all the better if there are enough of them thick on the sidewalk to keep it going for a few strides. On Second Street in Hudson and some of its side streets, there still is that yard marker.

To wit, as reds and yellows and oranges continue to turn to browns and purples, The GasLite set on many wooded acres just outside Ellsworth might be considered your sponsoring venue to see — such data is listed through their web page — for the official Wisconsin report on where the see the best and when. The main source of the info is the state DNR.

So all you Twin Citians can Head East on State Hwy. 29, then over on Hwy. 10, and that’s Badger not Gopher, crossing the St. Croix River and its beautiful and not nearly just buff-looking bluffs at places like Hastings/Prescott, or even the far wonderous Red Wing, and see what the Wisconsin rolling hills have to offer.

The fall status in River Falls, just a bit north of Ellsworth, for example, still sets at 35 percent of peak, at the time of this first posting, with the full spectacle set for this weekend or early next week. In some nearby areas, however, and moving south generally, the whole shebang is not set to hit until even the fourth week of October. Perhaps the best local gauge, over in Eau Claire, its at a full-blown half of peak, with the best slated for October’s third week.

As chillier temps and winds do not always head straight east-west, just going horizontally isn’t automatically your best bet for fall color. Merrill, for example, weighs in at fading peak right now. This leaves room for local variables.

The Pierce County area prizes views along the many small streams, with trees overhanging the banks. Such is the Trimbelle, where The Gaslite on its banks even has tent and RV campsites, on 17 acres. See go view! And maybe even toss some horseshoes in the fall air.

They just can’t really be that crappy. A group that lampoons themself by going by the name Some Shitty Cover Band will play Ziggy’s Hudson two times before the end of the month, a tough act to follow there, going on stage both Sept. 21, a Thursday, and on the 30th.

The next night, Sept. 22, is a women’s twilight walk, at the Pleasant Pasture Sanctuary in New Richmond. Yet another time to get your spiritual out with a stroll. As another walk of many this month, some covering quite a distance, so taking The Long Way Home?

Get outta bed, even if you partied late on Friday night, Sept. 15. There is a Bloody Good Time promised on Saturday’s Bloody Mary Walk, but you gotta get it moving quickly, as these drinks don’t typically wait until the evening comes. There are two flights, good word, throughout the day, a north walk and south walk, each offering such drinks at four downtown Hudson venues. The downtown has only a few blocks in which to differentiate, so even if you become in essence a Bloody Mary zombie, you can still make the haul, such as it is. The event benefits the Hudson Hot Air Affair.

Forging out the folksy and more during five weekends in September — two of which, last and first, are split between two different weeks, Saturday and Sunday — these are types of events that are ongoing throughout the fall at various venues. So walk our way.

These are hosting, among other things, history walks in some of the bigger area communities, in fact because they trek all throughout the old in their cities, bill the tours as needing the wearing of comfortable-as-you-can-get shoes, tennies and not heels, at times for (if you choose) multiple trips in a single day. Block across block we rock, Victorian and other vintage, finding what went on here, including various hijinks, as early as the early 1800s. Consult local libraries, Chambers of Commerce, city halls, and ad hoc historians and authors across St. Croix County, for details on outings such as these that are too numerous to mention. Thus too is the situation to cross into the many caves built into the bottoms of blufflines in the heart of Hudson, so see spires and sip spirits in September, as cavernous in scope that you might also need added ankle reinforcement as you amble, thus call Casanova Historic Liquors.

Another set, this time fund-raisers that are multiple, is for the NRYHA — and that’s not the NBWOHM or NYPD — as businesses that are mostly in downtown New Richmond will help contribute to the local youth hockey association. Pick a plate and preserve the opportunity to chase pucks. Again, for dates and times and places and other info, contact the local Chamber and Tourism Bureau, etc.

All good things must come to an end. As is with an area set of convenience stores and a host of special deals and discounts, billed to sunset as this week ends. That was listed as, I believe, 9.15, and that could be either the time (a.m. or p.m.?),  the date of Sept. 15, or the preferred price of $9.15. After all, its a silly number’s game and not about winning the lottery.

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Here is where to hit, in varied ways, this summer weekend. And for sure, you’ll love it.

Sunday night marks the return of Jeff Loven to Dick’s Bar and Grill after a (long?) and any amount of time would be too long, hiatus. The ultimate one-man-bander will not clash with my regular-performance-with-him of The Clash, so you No Doubt will see me redo it for the umpteenth time. With maybe a few other and odd flourishes then usual even from me, as I reserve these for when we get the band back together after again, a long hiatus. Like those arena-rock shows that had been on hold since what, 2019? (OK its not been nearly that long for Jeff. And he should be back every Sunday through Labor Day).

Also playing Sunday, at Ziggy’s in Hudson, riding on the coattails of what there was the previous Sunday, at the songwriter showcase, is Them Pesky Kids. The marquee had inadvertently called Them Pesky Kids, The Pesky Kids, which is Them Pesky Kids minus the M. (The M was written in with pencil after the fact, and certainly not long after the fact). Wouldn’t do that with MNM. And they did get it right to put the The at the front of the name, as this is not Foo Fighters (only two words). So anyway, make sure to check Out The(m) Pesky Kids mid-holiday-weekend.

Last and maybe most important, Saturday is a meat raffle to support Kaitie Leising and her left-behind wife and child. The meat raffle for the fallen officer is sponsored by The Hudson Police Department and Jonesy’s Local and runs from 2-4 p.m. at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse. Judging from the outpouring of community support — and proliferating fund-raisers — Kaitie was indeed one of the good guys. Almost made me rethink what I wrote earlier, about not quite all of these guys being good guys. But only for a moment. That other message needs to be heard also. But for now, let’s remember Kaitie. And if there is a conflict, check this out before Them Pesky Kids.

It may not be enough to bend your mind, as in the following post, but the river bender sandwich at The Sub House that made such Hudson sandwiches famous is no doubt approved by the St. Croix boaters that be, such as they are now that weather is warming and they are congregating and later need a bite. It boasts a full eight ingredients, including Chipotle, avocado, provolone and bacon. Get them while they — and the more temperate weather — last.

And with the dawn of summer, new music in Hudson and New Richmond, both in the immediate downtown areas, is soon (and forever shall be?) expanding its reach at each to Thursdays and Sundays. And not just in the eve. More on that as it unfolds.

The kings and queens of 4-20 are getting set to party, and for them that can be a process, and they will rock out just as they chill out.

The Ignite dispensary in New Richmond will have a band from 4:20 to 6:20 p.m., if I heard that right, and you gotta love that symbolism. Oh, the player on 4-20 is Jesse Katzman. And their proprietary race car and race car driver will be out there in the parking lot, just don’t expect any wheelies. There’ll be comfort food, provided by the 65 Bistro just down the street, as we know these types love their munchies when they are in the moment. Just no opening up shop at 4:20 a.m. That is only Old School.

A few other topical tidbits, where it’s list it now or never. Target is offering PJs and loungewear starting at $8.99, with their contactless shopping. But if the shoe is on the other foot, and as we know the lady clerks hawking the merch have their own sense of flashy style to do what they do, hey, do you really want it to be contactless? Wouldn’t you want to meet them?

The St. Paul Saints had to postpone their home opener, as so much depends on the weather. But how did that effect the effort to give away proprietary hoodies when they were still needed because of the cold. No worries — which is back as a buzz word or two — if you had tickets for That Day when the hoodies were to be handed out, you could reticket for a different game and still get your hoodie, as they appear to be in demand, if only at this venue. How so? Long ago, many banks decided that they would not let inside swarmy types wearing such outerwear. So don’t expect such a promotion at US Bank Stadium. But maybe Target Field.

Lastly, Taco John’s sent be a nice set of coupons heavy on their lighter fare for Lent such as bean burritos. Problem is, by the time it reached my mailbox, you’d have to race there same day on Good Friday to even have a (hot) shot. Easter as a much cheaper option to brunches? But don’t fret, as there are many other coupons still in the game, such as two Taco Bravos for $5. (Been a long time since they were 99 cents, back in the day when I’d hit this taco hut virtually every day when driving back home from college classes, last stop on the north end of Wausau, and mom even checked off on the option of adding black olives. Even the supersize mega soda was pricier, but maybe not per ounce, as grandpa thought that amount of sugar water was excessive). But wait on that applicable coupon, as on Taco Thursday you can get a Taco Bravo — and not have to buy the second — for $2.49 and save your penny(s).  Maybe that’s what perked up the bunny ears of many a clerk, like the Energizer Bunny albeit with the top half bent over at a right angle on the left ones, as they appeared on the scene to be seen well before St. Patrick’s Day.

If you can wait for another winter, there will be a 35th version of the Hudson Hot Air Affair, ripe with music but also possibly 2023 cold, come 2024. But until then, you can still see some of that fashion sense while out and about — in particular at Ziggy’s.

But if creative, you don’t need to wait before getting your bevy of balloon fixes. For and this is not hot air, their photos and artistic renderings are everywhere — especially on the many tapestries hung from street light poles, as their are Street Light People everywhere in this Journey, that thanks to the local and state-wide Chamber types can be seen in major cities all around the Badger State. Just depends on the number of street lights you have in your city/village/town. And you can see multicolored balloons on all kinds of downtown storefront windows and even sidewalks right before their front door.
They can even see seen on the state tourism-department-backed website’s group of images, but among them are the geographical mix-ins that you will on most all such sites, heavy on those picturing pretty little partiers from Belfast, and I think that’s more than just an ode — or ditty — to the recent St. Patrick’s Day. That one lass holding a dark beer was just stunning, as is described below, and was that a leprechaun tattooed on her hand? From a site that’s mostly high-brow, but sometimes come one, come all and not always carefully edited? Make up for it, due to the ladies shown who are quite stout. Mix in a few pix hailing from Leipzig as well. Did the downtown Hudson Winzer Stube resurrect, just prior to Easter?
A last bit of post-holiday posting. The man The Day/Night After St. Patrick’s Day, was fully decked out, but ordered only a regular-size-cup glass of water and was eating — what? — a slice of pepperoni pizza. On this particular weekend? Is that even legal? Maybe salvation though, as it could have had on it some corned beef, or Canadian bacon, (I always get those two meats mixed up!) Turns out he was with the band, but more about him and his group’s stage presence later …

Back to the Eve of the Hot Air Affair, this could be called, if not being objectionable, the land of many MILFS, with carefully crafted, mostly clunky shoe styles that call attention to the entire wardrobe. Al Bundy called it the shoe game. But the queen of this has to be the lady I met on the first Friday of February, frosty as it was, and oh was she friendly. And her look on that well below zero day was made more solid than recent snowbanks as she was wearing … open toed and strappy shoes.
It was OK, she assured me, as she was going to hop a cab to her motel come 3 a.m. But I said, repeatedly, do not wait outside for long for the taxi to arrive — and don’t get trapped outdoors come last call — as more than a few minutes outside would give you frostbite.
So we conversed as I guy I’d met just moments before joined in. She was not speaking in tongues, exactly, but with a strong accent that could be interpreted many ways. Was she Aussie? Or Irish, I asked. The guy next to me took it further, and tabbed it as British, as she responded by using a whole variety of lilts from all around the continent, changing with every other sentence.
And why the expertise?
She had lost a bet. Way earlier in the day.
And what were the terms? She would have to speak in an English accent for the entire weekend. Well beyond when the last of the balloons would launch, and they did this year, as the breezes died down from the time they’d been the source of dangerous nighttime wind chills. That brought enough people into Ziggy’s for them to win the crown, weighing in just during the weekend, of having the best bloody Mary in town — patrons could even cast their vote many different times!
The crowd originally slim crowd picked up, especially on Friday, as the entire evening progressed. Places that catered to families, such as Hudson Tap, saw a reverse pattern. And Smilin’ Moose, and even Dick’s Bar and Grill, which draw different groupings of patrons as the night wears on, showed that predictable pattern even more, so the torchlight parade had traffic more spotty on the different parts of the street than usual.
Weeks later, on Fat Tuesday, obviously the other side of the week, saw similar scenarios of customer traffic pickup. But beads again were not a thing, as I told a bartender more than half my age, and she had very scant knowledge of that New Orleans tradition, although she had the goods and could have ruled such a scene. But no one was milking it on this evening either. Lastly, asked someone behind the bar-rail closer to middle-age, and she was also somewhat immune to such knowledge and the way it had played out in earlier decades.

This could be bigger than what you’ve seen.
The Groove Kings are the those who would be king, and as longtime masters of their style bring their royalty, so to speak, to Willow River Saloon on Saturday night, Jan. 14. That follows up on another gig there that could be gargantuan, name-wise, by Bigly in one of their recurring set of shows locally at various venues.

These are new times. So would it surprise you to learn that there are new ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve, that have not been promoted on these pages before.

And, as voices of the old and new, Mondays had/have been the holiday place to go on Mondays, after the weekend blowout, at Dick’s Bar and Grill in downtown Hudson. That’s all of these days, held in the early evening and going through the start of this new year. Each are on a different theme and taking in topics such as sports and music and games in general, and pairing them with something from Xmas/New Years, as they thought, better think twice.

But going back to a last promo of 2022 … At the ol’ Wild Badger in New Richmond, there are still a few seats left for their ultimate party zone — that being the word just before closing Friday night and via the bartenders — as in your table for two, or more, that feature a personal server and shot girl access (get your head out of the gutter), champagne beyond just a mere glass, midnight munchies, hydration station(s), and more that will put you front and center for the newly added ball drop. Options are pricey, but not nearly as much so as what you’d pay in many other places.
The GasLite in Ellsworth brings back CoCoNut Tiger (their caps mostly) for another madcap performance. How so? By their faces you will know them. That funky lead singer, as referenced in part last year, she’s got the look and attire — that is dead-on for a bartender at The Badger — and for my niece who has been known at attend concerts down in Milwaukee, then Madison, then Tomah for family vehicle breakdown, then Austin, (not band names I know, as a generation gap is to blame for the genre jumping), as yes, she’d gotten busy with using her new BA degree. A metalhead friend maintains that The Badger purveyor of beer and more is pretty hot.
An S-as-first-initial of a supper club name (don’t see them around much anymore, think mostly the Laurel on your way there) in Amery may be a bit far afield, but since its situated on a Lake loaded with Pike, may be worth the trek on the early part of the Eve. They are offering six special entrees to choose from, so I’d guess that represents all the major food groups.
Lastly, next-door to the Badger at Mallard’s they are shutting their doors to regular holiday patron traffic in order to host a wedding reception. So there will be a band, but only privately to be enjoyed — much like the upstairs offerings at Ziggy’s in Hudson prior to the main music act coming onboard. How do we know at Mallard’s they’ll party on, in the tradition of the long-hours holiday? A hint: They don’t open New Year’s Day until 3 p.m.

Then there was that party principal that reached a new pinnacle. Maybe.
Christmas Eve is on a Saturday, which means that the Home for the Holidays crew, lots of them the college crowd, can go out and kick up their heels, or hooves, on the night before, as the 23rd typically serves that purpose. But even moreso having it fall on a Friday? With some of the White Collar crew having a really White Christmas, in advance, as they are able to turn more blue collar in part, as in go party, by even being able to take Thursday off.
But there is that White thing in the holiday, and the snow might put a damper on — or cancel out the advantage — gained for the beer state to do its thing. May depend how close you are to the north end, and freeze is the word even moreso than snow. Follow I-94. Wind appears to be a constant, could gust up to almost over 55. As in mph both ways. More on the impact that has on plans, or on just winging it, in coming posts.
*** But a late-breaking, sorta, piece of news for Christmas Eve, by the venue who had The Tree up around Halloween. Mallards in New Richmond offers a four-course feast from 4-8 p.m. So can do any last shopping before, and if your not too stuffed still deliver the gifts later. This baby is heavy on creative seafood, as its four courses draw from all seven seas, virtually, as some have more than one kind of festive fish in a single entree! It runs you only about $10 a course, as in $39.99 for the whole enchilata, so to speak. Do call for reservations, now! Don’t wait and check the thermometer one more time.

So where’s the best place to be naughty and/or nice this Saturday night, finally, as it is the 17th of good ol’ December?
Get wild in the holiday way, meaning ugly sweaters and more — just don’t go as far as being Coyote Ugly — at the Wild Badger in New Richmond. And of course, the band is, as would be appropriate, My Famous Friends. We all have them. Or say we do. And the more you have the more you have … Its just that I thought mine were A-Listers. Turns out the bring a blushingly bad grade of B-Minus. See if the Badger is better … great name for a group, in any case.

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They’ll be brewing up something big in the north end of the county, and I insist that it’s all about distilling.
The band Distilled hits the Willow River Inn in Burkhardt on Friday night, and the next night its the 100th or so performance — my overplayed joke — of the Zebra Mussels, who never really get old, and could be said to be aging like fine swine, (pigs fly, in thus named many types of ale.) Oh I’m very sorry, I meant to type wine. But this is how they follow-up to Distilled, get it, going for that 101 total number of gigs.
Also Friday, with music from from 5-7 p.m. is the Apple Fest in New Richmond far-south-end, one of the more prominent ones of this type in the region. The Chamber is a bit coy about just who this band at Ready Randy’s is, building suspense, so you’ll have to check it out and report back. And as with Distilled, fermented apples can be dished up in way, lyrically and physically present in your drink, to be very cool. And Apple Fest is also on most of the day Saturday, with all the things you would except from something like this in fall.

All long as were into fall, why not fall for fall fests? The highlight of Bacon Bash in thus a way, is the Free Fallin’ Tom Petty tribute band, who has not fallen here for a while, on Friday night in River Falls. And so many times it is bookends, and this is no different, as New Richmond is lit up all weekend with big facilities, to the south at the 45 Parallel and Lift Bridge buildings with bluegrass and even bourbon, (like a thusly name fest each April in RF).

– Other diverse Bacon Bashers include, and continue forward with their food from throughout the area, the RF main man, Smokey Treats Fusion BBQ, Agave Kitchen (with accompanying third-floor Bullpen Cantina), Benny’s Bigfoot BBQ, Lucky8′s Grill Gyros, Pepper and Fries, Babushka Polish Eatery, and Paddy Ryan’s Irish Pub and Boxty House (with their big foot in both Hudson and River Falls). –

Stuck in the middle in New Richmond is The Wild Badger, with Uncle Chunk and the Dweebs of course owning the evening, but also falling into place with everything German from beer to food to music, so to fill the void left by The Winzer Stube’s departure in Hudson from this usual autumn role. And all this attendance may be dependent, with your plans, on if your high school football or more team — in the form of the Tigers and Raiders, or even Wildcats or Falcons, or maybe the Panthers — is home or away, or taking snaps within a reasonable distance. That means basically St. Croix County.

Why picks of the week? It is now the first day of school and students everywhere are celebrating the options — and not which algebra class to signup for. If they only include a chance to again make time with that cutie you saw across the lunch room back in May. Or what will the teacher be like, or look like, this year? Same turf. Not just football.
So in New Richmond, the busses runneth over with kids trying to again find their way. Maybe a new school? New cutie, maybe in a new place or classroom? Or a slightly new configured bus route as the area grows? And getting there, now, if mom and/or dad have yet another of the job changes we see so often these days, and the family a.m. plan gets again, reconfigured. Hey, the local company can help. With a name like Kobussen, you gotta figure they know their road plan.
The first time I saw this was uhm, yeah, last May. I beheld the caravan of busses heading in tandem, of course, toward the Newer School Central Hub, and leading the way was something I’m guessing you will only see in NR, although their could be others. There was a pickup truck that led the procession, intended or not, with a few flags flying and message to go along with. Hey, in Hudson somebody would sue over that.
Of things still needed by that new freshman going away to school, if only across the state, and at last mast there is the mattress. Or get two for the discount, and throw one the way of that new roommate you will try so hard to get along with. The multiple brands at multiple stores of several different kinds runneth over with other discounts, such as one where you get a whole bunch of accessories essentially thrown in with your purchase. Like an extra pillow case to catch your tears as you go out on your own, and for that reason also the Ultra Mega laundry soap. But don’t worry — attitude adjustment — soon it will be homeroom and more organization and wait! There’s that new cutie assigned a seat right beside you! Break the ice fast, to strike when the iron is hot, and invite her to the new student dance mixer with not only whatever kids listen to this term, and this is truly old school, the Ultra Mega heavy metal band. She will think you are so old — as in past teen years — and wise.
What, the show sold out? Last ditch effort as you will not be saved by the bell. Culver’s not far from NRHS recently has had as their daily specials to essentially close out summer, various cool sounding ice cream dishes. Andes cool mint meets blackberry compote. On Labor Day proper, the place was open but the sign did not list a special. But today is a new day …

The problem presented to the world as we know it via my home page, is actually a clue for a little ol’ local place, in Boardman. That would be Meister’s, and OK they do have as much space as most, when you factor in the back room and porch and spilling out toward a cornfield.
So what’s the problem?
The owner, whose bar takes his name — sat hi Dave — adds that his bands that now, for at least the second summer in a row, are drawing in a crowd so big that he really doesn’t need the publicity. That’s almost every weekend and even the Thursdays leading in. So trek on over to Boardman and continue to his pretty good problem to have. And I was happy to help.
To make it a fuller night, there is the Willow River Inn in Burkhardt on the way over, which also has bands (plural) every weekend, and the Boardman Bypass across the street and their offerings that include — uh, going sans bands. And for Meister’s, there is more than one venue by that name in the north end of the St. Croix Valley, so you can make your full experience even fuller. (Is that a word? Hey spellcheck took it).
Roaming forward, you can check out a full night at the opera by veering over to downtown Stillwater on Saturday, July 30. It features 13 singers in that genre — and since this is opera, we have to wonder if there is some significance from mythological tales to that usually unlucky number. For more information, contact the local Chamber of Commerce. (But wait, they are out of the office on a European tour to find more chamber musicians! Just kidding).
We’re not kidding when we tell you other events of the weekend, into the next month and beyond is killer!
Fiddlers Green Run, to aid veterans in need, is Saturday and includes several stop-off bars around the northeast quadrant from New Richmond, even Star Prairie, but does not venture into Tiger country. An earlier run was a bit the same, shunning Hudson but hitting many venues just to the north.
The Hudson police are keeping it home when offering a get-to-know-your-friendly-neighborhood-cop event on Aug. 2, and it even features a dunk tank (no, this is not a typo, there is no R). But seriously folks, if you were pulled over by That Guy, now you can send him splashing, let him explain over a soda why he did so, then let it be water under the bridge.
Then on Aug. 8, its the Jonesey-Local-based “High Socks” golf tournament, to help monetize his charity fund, which has a broad reach that is shown by the full wall of thank you notes at his venue. His style of foot and ankle and calf wear never has worn out its welcome.
Nor has Them Coulee Boys, a local group that’s been playing gigs down near Milwaukee, Wauwautosa to be specific. As for Beer City, its current Summerfest lineup has not an once of metal, rather its well representing various genres with less volume.
To call it a wrap, or maybe just rap, the Wild Badger in New Richmond boasts several weeks running of Friday evening solo acts on the patio that represent women of various ages, and therefore likely music styles. There’s Hailey James, Trandy Blue and Samantha Grimes, in order of appearance.

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The Hudson Boosters are at it again, and their Days have been actively googled prior to this holiday. And those days are numbered, as in five (stars).
By that man at Starr’s Bar — in that complementary and/or enemy locale of North Hudson — who was overheard a full week ago saying that the bands this Fourth of July weekend that is Booster Days are even more stellar than usual. He specified those on Saturday and Sunday. To the point that he did some research, curious as he was. So he got online and watched some of their videos on YouTube, and methinks they were not the extended versions that are available. Or checked out both?
The name is cool, and if the music is anything like it … Latria and then Tim Butler, reverse order, that is in the afternoon as the fest starts winding down. Save the best for (near) the last?
Going on late on Friday, also, is the band Sugar Buzz. More ADHD rock stars? And at other times in the weekend and its music acts that extend close to a dozen in number — and that’s only at the bandshell — there are tried and true names that are more familiar.
And this may go against form as far as a three-county area on the east side of the St. Croix, but the Hudson fireworks over that body of water as always are Sunday night, so more bang for your buck in what that wise NH sage said there would be musically.

Do then best rides come in threes? That’s even better then having that hot babe on the back of your bike, which makes it a twosome.
There is the Alzheimer’s Run on Saturday to end at the GasLite in Ellsworth, followed by — a birdie told me while trying not to get nipped by the flame — another charitable motorcycle rally a week later and yet another on Aug. 20 that goes by the name of Scotty’s Run. And at least for June 18, there will again be their musical friends Coconut Tiger, so check out at 7 p.m. the seventh annual event and see their haughty hot babe, who may just be dressed in a combo of black and white, and blue jean shorts, and various sizes of fishnet holes on arms and legs, tights and otherwise, like shown on the Facebook page. A breath of fresh air after a 90 mile ride.

It has it all, starting with a music act that characterizes its multiple styles with being Hootenanny, and even the fest they formed in honor of that to ply the trade.
But we’ll start with what’s at the GasLite in Ellsworth this holiday weekend, to in retrospect throw out there Saturday night’s band, Alex Zachary and the Highway Starz, and this is more than Classic Deep Purple. We’ll let them describe their style: “It’s been a long time, but we are back! Enjoy everything from the 50s all the way to today’s hits classic new country rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, funk, and even some originals!”
The night before, on Friday, its back to the core at the GasLite with Hitchville. Their songs have been penned by some of Nashville’s biggest hot hit-makers, including two-time Grammy honoree Ben Glover. You may also, between gigs in western Wisconsin, hear their tunes played at Twin’s games, or at big music hoedowns such as WE Fest. And they are fresh off from — spring break style — a Hard Rock Hotel gig in Cancun.
There is attention to detail here, like describing one of their mates as a “primary” backup vocalist to support the man and woman duo who lead off the way.
And off topic — would we? — a toss to something I’ve considered as an occasional mini-feature here. As far as such, this in the dead deer suicide index, and that’s not a metal band. We could see that across the highways and byways going to see bands, there was about one per mile that tried to battle a vehicle and lost and ended up along the roadside. Not highway stars?

What, I just got googled that this is perhaps the most checked department on this website? Continue to check The Headliner also, as we will often place — as the dearth of music gigs continues to wax and wane and still slowly come back — what we do have to offer right up front, since its just too good to bury inside.
And there will soon be a new club with a lot more music coming in an already well populated area for nightlife. So get to it guys, so people can go to it. When that time comes, read about it in The Headliner. With band-by-band updates in this department.

Halloween, and other seasoned, costume parties can be for adults, but tricks also are for kids. Here are things to do that don’t involve zombies coming to life so they can dance to a wailing guitar.
– The Phantom of the Opera will come alive to the organ/piano of Dennis James and a silent movie to boot, courtesy of the Phipps Center for the Arts on Oct. 31. This is not your mother’s version of the tuneage, which given her decade would be the same song by Iron Maiden, in which case the frontman pleads to those in their maiden voyage into such concerts, if you don’t get this song, you don’t get Iron Maiden. So ye are forewarned.
– Up the street is a family function at The Living Word church, which from 4-8 p.m. will feature all the many things you would expect of a party on this holiday.
– Various TV networks are in the midst of an offering of Halloween movies, from scary to silly, running anywhere between 10 and 31 days. Otis my horror movie friend and fave bouncer, where are you now? Kicking zombie butt during enforcement of rules, somewhere else?
– All over the place are kiddo parties, possibly at your favorite haunt, where the prizes and freebies take a different turn and are not in the vein of a free beer.
– And then that pumpkin patch sale, both nearby and at the same time off the beaten track, and it is location, location, location. It is a half-mile south of I-94, when you take the Somerset exit. And it is across the road (less traveled?) from a warehouse that at one point housed dozens of many-hundreds-of-years-old, terra cotta soldiers exhumed in China. Fitting way to finish a post on Halloween activities.

I’d like to think that soon he will be playing Austin City Limits, being enough of a success to ease gently from his Austin to his Bentley, like late Deep Purple.
He goes by the playing name of Austin, and there could be some Austin Healy thrown in there too. Those names should frame the style you will see and hear, but right now he is just looking for gigs, and based on his quickly-learned groove for those styles and others, that should not be difficult, said his friend, who bartends at The Smilin’ Moose (but not been around long enough to help Austin get a gig there as part of their at least three shows a week, varying a bit by season).
What is atypical of Austin is he just got a guitar thrown his way about three months ago by a friend, but is a quick study and has championed enough chords to throw down some rock and roll with extra rhythm, said the server buddy as he looked over his shoulder from the lower patio to assess what kind of music would soon be going on in Lakefront Park. Austin is one of the occasional up-and-coming local players who we will feature on this website from time to time).
For now, on Thursday, Oct. 21, the act at Urban Olive and Vine is St. John Ash, who looks a bit more like a punker then most who appear in this place, but has a higher level of sound then most in that occasionally stripped down genre coming from a standard-looking guitar, and his various music styles carry forward over and above that.
The next night it is Phil Berbig and what you hear is more like this: The usual classic acts you love plus leading the set list with a few less-often-catered-to choices like another one-word wonder, Train.

The qualifications the judges will weigh at the BBQ cook-off on Saturday at T-Buckets just southwest — interesting that I invoked that style — of Somerset are their tasting of one of your ribs and/or wings that you provide.
(We know that you have more than that one rib, broadly speaking as in Adam in the Bible, and whether that holds true of your wings depends on how literally you think).
Bring your own equipment to create your Masterpiece, as there is judging at 6 p.m. and random tasting drawings of more than drawn butter. Also, the band will play on from 5-8 p.m. There will be prizes for the best BBQ bonanza that cooks like you boast; there is a $25 entry fee.

This weekend The Gaslite will feature all kinds of sights and roars, and we are not just talking about the sound of music.
The Rumble on the River Part 2 was held last Saturday, as in a cool sequel to an event earlier in the summer. Featured are “heavy and hot” farm tractors and trucks, as She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy. And this is not a delusion, although it is uncertain if you are supposed to bring your Cab Cadet.
But in case you missed that, this Saturday, this time The 25th, at the spacious area adjacent to The Gaslite’s actual bar and grill, are the grass drags put on with the capable help of the Indianhead Motorcycle club.
Then at 8 p.m. its the Dweebs with their songs from as far back as The 60s with their partying and interactive show. Crazy stages antics and colorful costumes just in time for Halloween are mixed in with the songs: To give you an idea, their set list includes an AC/DC tinged Hokey Pokey, and they have a good dozen originals as well.

On the 18th, there’s music as part of Derby Days in Bayport, as well, going above and beyond the Mighty Duck races that are always faves. Just don’t expect the speed of breakaways with a puck. There are The Mockingbirds playing Sept. 18 in the late afternoon, part of a street dance series, (Okay we’re only talking two days and nights), as pitched at Not Justa Bar and Cafe with a big flowing-sideways sign less then ten feet from the main street.

Follow the (somewhat) long and winding road past torn-up-all-around-the-edges Hudson and continue to Burkhardt to see Mike Poot on a break from his headed west tour at The Willow River Saloon on Saturday night, (with Justin Burk possibly added as a largely impromptu pop-up). This acoustic show on Aug. 28, following up one of theirs at the same spot when it had its annual corn and chicken feed in early August, could also steer you way over in the direction of Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse north of Hudson around one of its detour routes. But wait, the music has died there in July and August after a respectful showing for largely Minnesota folk in the spring, as one of the few venues then doing this. But their largely loved BBQ can still be had.
If you brave the construction in downtown Hudson a few blocks to Ziggy’s, there is Candy Shop on Friday night (off a stint in New Richmond not long ago), and another food themed band on Saturday evening, Sushi Roll, following up an act that could be seen as really eating them up on Thursday, Jawsy. Its leader and singer has been working the nightclubs since a teenager, and now has as many years logged on stage as one of the month-long newer servers in the bar area below has on the planet.
And there will not be a redo up on The Hill — of what had been pulled over from Eau Claire and again focusing on what could have been this weekend — of the bringing in of Naked Sushi a couple of years ago.

All different kinds of choppers can be cool.
An actual such copter, which flew missions over Vietnam not too many decades ago, will be the highlight at The Gaslite during a China Beach gathering that whirs virtually all day Saturday, Aug. 14, not just motorcycles, although those will be there too. Its fly-in at the annual event at the Ellsworth bar, which also features camping availability, helps support the pilots and their families, and includes types of benefit opportunities to contribute to the cause. It namely is the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, and if you did not know the breadth of the service they provided, the group has more than 17,000 members nationwide. The Midwest chapter is the main sponsor for the gathering, which is open to the public and can provide an opportunity for information and education, support and sustenance, camaraderie and conversation, to the degree to which the veterans wish to share their stories.
The actual helicopter that will make a landing is the same one, or at least a similar style, to a machine also making its appearance on the Gaslite website, showing a large bulk of carefully crafted metal in the foreground of the photo, and tail angling to the back way past the impressive rotary blades. It strikes quite a pose. The helicopter is dark enough to fly its mission, but has a colorful logo on the side door.
All the usual amenities that accompany such an event, of course, are available at The Gaslite.
– All this would give The Moose a reason to smile. But the venue on the north end of the Hudson downtown also continues to supply its own version of camaraderie, via the acoustic shows playing with their late afternoon starts Outback, and having names that might trip your trigger. All have been there earlier in the summer, so they are experienced, and now hope to cap it off: Blake Zak on Aug. 13 will show the flipside of heavy metal’s guitarist Zakk Wylde, Walden Pond on Aug. 15 will invoke Thoreau in their own way, and Glen Everhart on Aug. 20 will try to keep pace with redheaded-model namesake Angie. All these references go Way Back in the Way Back Machine. So they are experienced.

The Tommy Bentz Band is taking it to the limit, on the road again.
If they keep this up, they might be able to buy that Mercedes Benz.
To wit. And don’t wait. Or they will be in another town.
First, the Bentz Bros. will be in River Falls Days at 12:30 on Saturday, July 17. Then later that same day, they will trek to Trempealeau for a B-Day Show (this is so important that on their schedule, it is added-in special for their printer version) for Howard “Guitar” Luedtke of blues fame and Dave Rogers.
After a Sunday show at 2 p.m. at the Rush River Brewing Co. its a Wednesday gig in Tomah for Americana Music in the Park, (an ad I saw two different times at the truck stop there during my own recent travels). The very next evening, its Vino in the Valley at Maiden Rock, then rockin’ at the Hop ‘N Barrel Brewing Co. in Hudson the next day at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday evening sees barreling to Barley John’s Brew Pub in New Brighton, Minn.

Some guys and gals have all The Luck. Or at least the great genes. Or location to go further into Wisconsin for your partying. THAT BAND will play the Wild Badger in New Richmond on Saturday night, following up on the Great New Reopening when they had Trandy Blue and Sunday’s Regret in for Fun Fest, that being earlier in June.
You can also go eastward more and see what’s happening in Luck, an hour northeast of the Twin Cities. Or wait for country rockers Lady Luck to come around again. Or travel out of The Two-State Region and catch another band called The Luck, and this is where the great genes come in: This is the best looking duo, brother/sister or otherwise, you will ever find/see.
Or just stay closer to home, minutes past the Stillwater bridge, and catch The Band That Is Luck, and as Judas Priest would say, put your bid in, and Head Out On The Highway to catch their diverse genres, right here in New Richmond.

There are bands that open for national acts on an occasional basis.
And then there is Hitchville.
Maybe it is the diversity that comes from having a seven-member lineup, which boasts two different lead vocalists. But the Minneapolis-based band has a much broader reach than the Twin Cities.
Hitchville has opened for some of the biggest superstars in country: Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, and Luke Bryan, to Big & Rich, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, and Blake Shelton. Led by vocalists Heidi Owens and Matthew Kneefe, the group is known for both their harmonies and vocals, and unforgettable instrumental solos.
They came to the Gaslight in Ellsworth twice earlier in the spring/summer, and they conquered. It is worth the trip a bit eastward into Wisconsin to catch their act, as they will likely be coming again soon before fall arrives.
– Where do the cabbies go for a break, and they of all people should know the lay of the land. One such driver said she was taking a fare a fair distance away, in Afton, and then wound up with a second fare on the other side of the St. Croix. So what’s a girl to do? Get a steak made on the noted wooden stove at Uncle Mike’s Em Pour E Yum in the town of Hudson. Or so she said.
There then was the Tom Bernard comment on KQRS on im-peach-mint being, actually, a real food. (Like Mike’s Em Pour E Yum?) I guess we all have to see the fruits of our labors. And was it not the Georgia election that indirectly led to all such impeachment talk anyway? And this is the peach that’s the state fruit, after all as I digress, that originated none other then Jimmy Carter.
– Lastly, the Purple Tree in downtown Hudson is a mecca for social-justice-based merchandise of all types, like your favorite band might sing about. And they go beyond the sacred fifty-percent-off figure. That’s right, their winter gear — theme here? — was being sold at a full 60 percent off!

The restaurants in the Twin Cities have largely opened up again, but the pub end from the isle as far as being open means that Irish eyes are not smiling, as bars still cannot serve inside seating, at least past 11 p.m.

So the answer as often in the east end of the metro is Paddy Ryan’s in the town of Hudson, just about three miles over the St. Croix River. They are the only such game to be had that’s currently open, fully, as far as very affordable eating (with some prices under $10) and drinking in the Irish way, especially with St. Patrick’s Day just over a month off. Second up in this vein is Charlie’s Pub in Stillwater, but the prices are quite a bit higher and the customer experience can be challenging if they are too full of patrons, according to many reviews. Still, if you want to have an affordable dinner served with many types of Irish drink, you can hit Paddy Ryan’s first as they are open until nine on Tuesday through Saturday, and then hustle over to Charlie’s and see if you can get a last call drink, but all pubs in Minnesota are placed in a different category than just bars as far as being allowed to be open for long inside, and rules are often in flux. (There is no such restriction in the township of Hudson, as it is not in the city limits where different rules apply, and as far as themed restaurants in the Hudson area these factors put Paddy Ryan’s in a unique category). To be fair, wines at Charlie’s are prized by some and said to be more affordable than the food.

To get to Paddy Ryan’s, travel east on Interstate 94 and take the Somerset exit and make your way north. Take the first left and travel your way through a couple of quick turns to get to the Paddy Ryan’s building. There is no good through route to Charlie’s, which is near the St. Croix River in Stillwater. The only other real Irish option is a venue in Woodbury, but it doesn’t seem to be anything to get your Irish up. Other Hudson area ethnic restaurants have more regional competition as far as consumer options, or they are still under certain closure restrictions.

<Back to the music, both here on this web site and serving in a semi-sorta capacity the 32nd Hudson Hot Air Affair, which has retooled its more than a dozen offerings and spread them out six ways from this Sunday, which is when the festival shuts down for the year. Alas, there will be no music shows claiming the banner of sponsorship in this 2021 version.

At Ziggy’s, which now has its Friday closing time moved ahead again, to midnight due to the actions taken at a Feb. 1 meeting of the Hudson City Council, its celebrated tumbler-style with none other than The Whiskies. Music starts at 9 p.m., going back to what could be now. The band logo has a guitar — and not a flying V — shown with Skynyrd flame-type images shooting from it sideways, and sticking down as part of the letter H in their name, so you know what you are getting into
Up The Block at Urban Olive and Vine the same night is Dustin DeGolier, a fresh-faced freelance musician serving northwestern Wisconsin — golly that’s a range, but we know he’ll be back. His youth is served, as he not long ago achieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in jazz guitar.
The following night it will be Alan Busby, back again alone this time — you’re solo, you ain’t a trio — and then an encore that will have to wait to the coming Thursday.

The more things change the more they are the same, such as when band members and their names sound like each other, with bonus points if at the same venue on the same weekend?

Shooters Pub in River Falls, as we have not plugged them for awhile because of the Pierce County 25 percent occupancy rule, so they say get there early, has bands on Friday and Saturday that sound much alike name-wise, but couldn’t be much more different as far as stage presence, if this is shown by sheer numbers. First there is the one-man-band of acoustic country, Travis Thamert, then the next night a four piece that rocks out a bit more, Bantix, with both country and yes, rock.

Urban Olive and Vine on Thursday night is where there is Aldo, who will be playing tunes from his new CD, Note by Note. The man looks much like the late Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, with a bit more gray and in the hair and lightness in skin tone, (a look aided when Looking Through the Front Window Glass by the vaporized streaming). They both resemble the musician who stands tallest in Lady Luck, who played the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt land week, and will soon have a return engagement, so with a little trekking around here and there, on more than one weekend, you could see if you agree with my assessment of their features, because both rock and especially these days country, place a premium on appearance. That is underscored by the good looks of the lady in Lady Luck.

Hudson has succumbed to the wayward, (that’s a purposely vague term, I get it), coming from Minnesota, but now because of various types of added rowdiness (read more about boatloads on information on this here, and you’ll only get it here as much of this analysis comes from being on the local beat for decades, once all the various municipalities redact their ways) … the Hudson City Council has decreed that on the big bar nights of each and every weekend, there is a mandatory closing time of 10 p.m. through Jan. 3. (Ouch for New Years all-night-and-well-into-the-morning celebrations that have been typical). But it was decided this decision would not take effect until Friday night, which means there is still tonight to get your “rocks” off. It would seem that front and center is the on-and-off open mic session at Dick’s Bar and Grill — now that type of service is more the latter — but it is officially off tonight, via the co-owner. Thanks for that heads-up Rochelle.

That music was heavy on folk, light rock and even jazz, but sprinkle in some old-time music and you’ve got the one last thing that is appears to be a go, although things change by the hour. And the weekend closures at 10 are not only Friday and Saturday, but also Thursday, as high customer-traffic-weekend is defined, so Time Is Not On Your Side. But with that said, at Urban Olive and Vine, there is a duet or duo by that style that will indeed be on from 6-8 p.m. tonight, that being Thursday. (All such things seem to be wrapping up sooner than they had been, so maybe no third set or especially an encore). So you have to get their earlier than most typical rock shows that are being held locally. They also have killer food in styles you don’t always see — but hey, that is one of the greatest things about Hudson — so the tunes likely start when you are indulging in one of their trademark desserts. These days, food choices are being topped off to bring in a recurring base of customers, and that now is more vital then perhaps ever before. This option should be open on Thursday nights through the remainder of the year. Stay tuned for updates. When I called this venue and talked briefly to a staffer, she said, and go figure with the onslaught of Minnesotans, that they were so busy there was no time to talk. What band was playing? Couldn’t really tell and the owner/chef didn’t have time to look it up. But A Message From Above, you get the genre(s) you are likely to hear. Last before I go scope all this further, and will report back, it is the CRITICAL need to note that all that’s at play for music and nightlife depends on the fact that the CITY of Hudson is not the only game in town, there are the adjoining villages and towns by the same name, and even the county as a whole that are not effected by the city’s weekend early closure action. Skies still basically the limit for weekends there, except for the mask and distance and capacity requirements that are often ignored anyway.

And there is the Cowboy Country every Thursday night at Ziggy’s; haven’t heard of any changes although they can occur at any time. And ongoing as-far-as-day piano bar and acoustic one-man shows will not be belabored because they are done playing, including encore, before the closure shuts things down (and will the local cops be out in force to enforce such things)?

So where to go tonight (Friday) and Saturday? There are music hot spots that fall under a different municipality’s rules, or lack of new ones to this point. In the town of Hudson, note that’s different than the city, there have always been band(s) every weekend at Uncle Mike’s in the old JR Ranch building across from the truck stop, and closing time is still roughly the same closing time. Much the same at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse, and the last word should tell you where to look, halfway between North Hudson and Houlton, as they’ve typically had at least one band in a weekend. And all kinds of different music-and-otherwise-based offerings are at T-Buckets, are just a jog to the northeast. As you push eastward into St. Croix County there are other small bergs that also are under different rules, and they should till be fair game for full bar time on the weekend, although again, things could change on a dime, so maybe call first before venturing over, or just hit one of the other spots, still open, in the vicinity. And at least as far as municipal rule, Willow River Inn in Burkhardt can strive forward with their not one-but-two band a weekend regimen. To actually name a name, there is Blue Moon Drive there tonight (Saturday) for what regrettably could end up being a gig that’s once in a blue moon. And then there is ol’ Village of North Hudson, which appears to have bars taking much the same tack as their counterparts to the south in the city as far as hours, although not quite as stringent — depending on the day or the week.

Back several days, the bars in one fell swoop in both the city and village decided to close at 2 p.m. on weekends, not 2:30, to lessen the rush of people from the Twin Cities running northward to get a one last drink at last call. Phone lines were open between the various bars to see who might be still coming by, and brace yourself if in the village for a bit of possibly questionable behavior. Thus, Starr’s Bar has been closing down at midnight on most nights, but even moreso they do go right up to the last few minutes before showing people the door, and being nice while being assertive. Across the way at the Village Inn, a 10 p.m. limit has set for weekends for people to enter, and while that is being enforced almost to the minute if your party is large, regulars might be let in on the QT up until say, 10:15, bartenders said. In what may be a first for North Hudson, there will be a doorman watching the clock. How long to stay open is a grey area, and may depend largely, as you would guess, on just how many people are inside into the wee hours. In the middle of last week, it was said that although being totally slow at around the witching hour, there had been big spurts, so the possibility of holding out until 2 p.m. was still being held open. Same on Thursday night, but after being busy, then very slow, the hoards all piled in around 12:30. But Starr’s was as busy at it has ever been on a weekday, and maybe even more.

Now to speak of Sunday, Jeff Loven at Dick’s indeed brings on a whole new surge of immediacy, as the 10 p.m. curfew is — and will be — lifted as of the day before, as it’s no longer considered the weekends we have all been working for, but a new day into the next week. And the one-man-band just might need just a bit of backup, as he is broadening out for the first time to at least one other Hudson venue. It’s in the works. Read about it here. And the other option you might consider, again variable, is the music at Madison Avenue Spirits, tucked away on The Hill just past Fleet Farm, and you want to talk about additional comfort food? They have cool candy for about half the price of other stores, when on special. As for Sundays, they typically have had bands early, Like Urban Olive and Vine does on the other side of the week, so they have the new rules kicked both ways.

<<There still are trophies to be had and tunes to be heard here, maybe, as the virus deaths over yonder have hit a new level. What is old is, also, new again>>.

But with that said, on Saturday, Dec. 12, there is a makeup for the dearth of bands in some places with Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse going back to the roots of rock and more with its first band in December, Rubber Monkey, not be be confused with Rubber Soul by The Beatles or Shock The Monkey by Peter Gabriel. Also, the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt bucks the trend and pushes onward with two bands EVERY weekend. (They do skip Dec. 25). There is the Centerville All-Stars (Saturday, Nov. 28), which are a throwback to old musical/baseball type stuff, methinks. More on that bit later. And if you missed Dean Weisser the night before, take heart and soul, he will be back there on both Dec. 18 and 31, at that’s the big New Year’s Eve party, of course, like I have to tell you.

And if you have had too much turkey (leftovers count) and it makes you sleepy, or from partying too much on biggest bar night(s) or sitting in the deer stand or even in front of the football TV screen too long, or maybe all three of those (mere mortals can only pull off two), there is 99 cent coffee at both the old Freedom Station and the nearby just-to-the north Kwik Trip, but its at the old Freedom that it specifies in big ads it includes all coffee sizes and the Big C version too.

So, you need to do the quick remake of a Thanksgiving dinner. But the guests will soon be here, before the halftime shows resume, and some stores for those last ingredients may have closed early anyway. So what to do? Make it indeed a remake, as I will show you, again, how to use what you likely have in the fridge already, and if nothing else, pare down what you need from the store to round it out, in the time taken by a timeout — as its so easy for the people you are welcoming to food and Packer football. And I am not going to list specifics of how many cups for each ingredient, as I will leave that up to you and yours, to taste, and maybe a bit of trial and error with adding a bit more of a thing to balance out the mix — as you have the time.

Start with turkey, and as has been pointed out in flyers, you have to get the smoked flavorful of this ingredient Just Right, and we are not talking about the Old School cereal. And by the way, just what is “natural smoke flavor.” Seems contradictory, but you can win it as a cook by taking a few toothpicks and pointing one into the bird where light on this seasoning, two for a middling amount, and three for getting hotter for all to see as a guide. Just have to make room on the countertop. But less contradictory, at least for Wisconsin, is the idea of beer baste in the turkey where stuffing should go — and maybe still could. The recipe that my sources tell me — and I will not reveal in case their idea tanks and you wasted a whole can of brew — calls for just flipping open the pop top, Jimmy Buffett style, sticking it in and allowing the juices to mingle. OK I get it, that does not sound good.

What sounds  better is that old holiday staple, cranberries, and here I do have to invoke going to the store and while their at my fave, Kwik Trip, you can also buy a low-priced and likely discounted take home meals — again in a pinch. But the old question of jellied versus whole berry? Hey, cans of it can be found for about a buck, so offer both, the difference in texture shown by using a fork for propping up the berries. And maybe do what my mom used to with her hard steel grating grinder, mix in a batch of oranges and apples for an extended version of the taste.

In the following half-baked recipes, there is plenty of chance to spice up and then chill out, with these things that just seem to go with anything and, again, can likely be in plain view in your spice rack: Oregano leads the way, and also minced onion, garlic of course, red pepper flakes if used sparingly, all spice, breakfast topping and basil, which can be within. For your ham, if you are a ham family and not a turkey-goer, consider this for a new glaze: a slightly creamy salad dressing such as hummus-based, goddess, or some Italian, with yellow and brown mustard mixed in and can be used in combo with horseradish or stone-ground base, and then the topper, literally, of hot sauce or maybe chipolte, then all stirred together, although The Last In Line can be used as a drizzle. Some of that leftover hot sauce, you don’t want to overdo it and offend Odd Uncle Sid and his well-known blandness that’s part of his old-guy act, can be drizzled over French cut green beans for a bit more zip. Or on regular cut green beans, top off with a few of the glazed and sliced pecans that are atop the pie that I know you as a chef supreme are offering later.

Stuffing can be used as essentially salad croutons, all sorts of zowed up green and red bell peppers and sliced onions and even bits of hot peppers (watch out Uncle Sid) as a garnish on relishes and pickles and olives, the forementioned minced onion on sweet potatoes with the brown sugar that should be in greater supply for the dish, and vanilla to amp up your desserts.

Two things: With your regular deserts add a new variety of ice cream, in the form of sea salt caramel as a friend swears by; and for Thanksgiving Eve, slice small tomatoes and take the cauliflower that is always the first veggie to fade and apply olive or canola oil and mix in any of the above spices that can include cilantro, and then can be zapped in the microwave for an even two minutes. Add slices of cheeses from our state, or serve separately, and can be given a bit of extra sizzle when applying those spices.

Hope these quick and inexpensive dishes can make your dinner shine and even clean out the fridge as you go. You don’t have to be a pro, as I know. Joe.

What? He’s given you the news? Because Super Bug contamination has proven to be only growing, that would be the soon-to-be-finalized decree coming out of Minnesota that there will be renewed closures, thus going back to the future, although targeted in an anti-virus response leaning very far to what have been identified as the worst offender categories, and it starts with bar and grills, and in ways that may continue onward the 25 percent rule of capacity. Whew! That’s written contamination, as needed with Walz as the culprit. Hey, New Richmond was schooled on that — even if its not old schooled — and the response of taverns over Halloween was to have a Hard To Handle Now approach toward managing numbers that can be gained via use of that old standby, making it only private parties. So what to do? The answer is not Blowin’ In The Wind, rather not blowing smoke when I say its Three Doors Down (or blocks?) from the Village Inn in North Hudson Into The Southland residential area. And yes, we are talking garage band stuff, literally, if you can find the right garage. That’s where there have been regular jams led by that Old Tyme leader of the band, strummer Bob, in the vein of taking his beyond-classic-rock guitar to heights if not new, then scattered, followup to open mic days going back before the Millennium switching. They want to hone their act, he and his old standbys, by rehearsing, before taking their act on the road, even if that road is only the St. Croix Valley, but who knows could even find them among the weekend music lineup that continues to the north, unlike some, at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse. And could you join in when The Boys Are Back in that garage. Well, yes, if you can find it as one might the old Safehouse venue. Just bring your voice and/or an instrument and they will likely accommodate you with an albeit small stage or platform for your talent, unlike the standards that have to be met if they bring you up mid-concert at one of their actual concerts.

Want music all day? Then jam for Jayme, the exuberant and energetic and longtime sprite of a fast-moving server at Next Stop Bar in Houlton, who has been diagnosed with cervical cancer. A benefit at Ziggy’s in Hudson will go on virtually all day on Sunday, Nov. 8, with band stacked upon band and beginning at 2 p.m. so you can check out just a bit of football first, also. There also is a large-scale silent auction. And if you can’t wait that long for music, Apollo’s Beacon is playing the night beforehand until 1 a.m.

What plays in Vegas stays in Vegas, but it starts with winning a killer costume contest at T-Buckets in rural Somerset on Halloween eve, that gets you three days and two nights in the city offering the best in entertainment in the U.S. — after T-Buckets that is.

The contest judging is at midnight, the witching hour, although the party will have been rolling for four hours by that time, and it goes on to bar close. Second prize in the costume contest is $100 and third $50, and even that would get you 25 of the jello shots that will be sold all night for $2 in this, the seventh annual Halloween party on Saturday night. There also is a DJ and karaoke from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., a full five hours worth, as well as hauntingly good specials on snacks and apps.  The show is so pumped up that one of the staff members at T-Buckets has been given the exclusive assignment of coming up with frightening ways to make your evening fun.

Then on Sunday, it is pro football, in this case the big Border Battle that stretches just a bit away from the boundaries into western Wisconsin, taking center stage, and with it a potluck and huge drink specials — in the T-Buckets tradition that always has happy hour prices going for a whopping 3-for-1. In this case on Game Day it’s on volumes of beer and $5 Captain Morgans and you get to keep the mug.

Sweet Beets in New Richmond is far beyond a bakery, and they will show it midday on Saturday, as Halloween comes calling. There are “dark” (chocolate) black pieces of eight-or-more of cool, decked-out-for-the-holidays desserts that are as great to look at as eat. There also are holiday themed cakes in which to indulge, and can be ordered ahead if you really get going and follow up on this post, and the trio-or-more include one that has Frankie written all over it, and can be sampled just like the big hands of a zombie, That Are Pointing Right At You, with their fingers that are also an edible, or so says Iron Maiden. And they will be made from scratch as the dawn rises, just like from the trucks of flour that arrive every morning. What is all the fuss with these treats, and more of the more typical things you would expect to see, in addition, to get the kids juiced on sweets? Check these out before trick-or-treating …

Kozy Korner has bought Guv’s Place and there are changes for his holiday in North Hudson … or are there? The same over-the-top Halloween decorations are in place, plus that skeleton that has been seen hanging over and out on one of the many sports bar TVs, but at an angle so he could watch the Wisconsin teams. (More on that in a bit). And that beastie has been slumped in its place for awhile, at which time its this-year, new creator and arranger said she had more coming, and there were dozens of creatures already that were pinned to the ceiling that would vouch for that. Its old creator and former owner had passed the torch, but left it in good hands, before she decided to give a shot to moving her game on down to Texas — to follow as No. 1 fan a Little ‘Ol Band methinks, but hey that actually is Motley Crue. One could say this kinda, sorta amounts to Jessie Does Dallas? And the game that lives on at the New Guv’s with new owners is both darts and sand volleyball, and they had gotten going with the two-on-two bumps in the night as one of the first, and most legal, ways to reopen after virus, when the weather first starting making it seem like an option. And your other option to take in the haunt is the Halloween party, so mark your calendars for Friday night as we all could not wait, when there will also be a duo playing tunes (mostly acoustic) and a hint — it’s not Kyle who had been the standby for many a such gathering, so there will be — dare I say it — new blood!

<<Welcome back to the hottest who are cool! Lipstick Dynamite is at Ziggy’s in Hudson on Friday night, and you know what you are getting from this party band by the name, specifying the lead singer, who looks like, and has the looks, of two other women I know who are always hot on the local scene. In addition in that vein and well deserved vanity, and I hope I don’t hit a vein, just where are you these days, AJ of Boogie Wonderland? Haven’t seen you, twice, since Hudson’s Booster days shut down, and I was in the crowd — a recall back to a backstage brief encounter at the old Dibbo’s, in the cafe really, when the millennium was turning. Maybe tonight …

And as far as the famed sorta namesake, Bonaparte, from way back in France? Google called him a “statesman.” He came up sixth on my hits list search, as far as having a stature complex. And I gotta say it again, the late Ronnie James Dio, from the trusted source of Maxim magazine — don’t see them on the shelves much anymore — ranked as 16th in the top short people of all time. Some are revered, moreso, only after their death. More on this in a coming post, and the connection that has local tangents, from knowing Eddie Van Halen, also now deceased. Also, the ways decades-long local musicians are chomping at the bit to get playing again … with sparse opportunity.>>

The host of a radio music program said the song Don’t Fear The Reaper will be played to death, sorry, throughout this month, which also features the fall solstice in that old cable concert series. He was in the band Black Crowes, and their big hit was referenced in my lead to some political satire in The Headliner, about Trump’s demise, rest his soul — oh wait a minute, that’s getting ahead of ourselves.
But until then, this about the full month of October, and it’s already underway, so bear witness: St. Croix Valley magazine (not the one that doesn’t pay, To The Reaper or others) has outlined in their current edition this: 30 ways to create Halloween treats. So I will pump them by saying, hey, October has 31 days so that gives you that full month to get your kitchen together, and try out your creations on your family and friends, before the primo gathering on the 31st that rounds out the bill, numerically. Or, as says the metal song The Wicker Man, “The ferryman wants his money, you ain’t gonna give it back …” Which practically yells out another metal song and such video game, “Doom.” And the cereals spoken of, and for which you can get a dollar off coupon, that enables you to buy more, feature the Green creatures that are from more than one Hollywood movie. And we can forego the old, staid candied caramel corn.

Make a Joyful Noise, in any number of different forms. A recent retiree from the Twin Cities, a step that allows him to partake further into in his many music endeavors, Alan Busby with his trio called Joyful Jammin’ plays Urban Olive and Vine on Saturday evening, Sept. 19. Busby, whose makes us recall the Alan Parsons Project, leads three trios in the region and other acts that include a Carole King/James Taylor tribute band.

The leader of this band is definitely not five-foot-three? Especially on the Newly Reopened Gridiron to be celebrated this Saturday night. But more of that in a moment. The newest of the new bands to crash Ziggy’s in Hudson is Grand Theft Audio, and you can’t miss the reference to the popular video game you can play while cooped up inside, and now that you venture out can see many more others who are also kicking stir craziness, by getting behind the wheel. In in sports cars of all colors of the rainbow, like a comfort food icy or three gone wild, and in size everything from roadsters that won’t go up much higher than the waist, (more linkage to that Big leader of the band referenced right off the bat). to those old Big Boat cruisers that were actually made of real heavy metal. And oh, about the Audio thang, they have a guitarist that appears to me, at least in a somewhat blurry photo, to look like Aaron Rodgers, and I swear I’ve seen such a guy or three at Dick’s on weekends. Take that QB Cousins.

Next is the Saturday Night Live of Urban Olive and Vine, featuring a small group that starts a bit earlier — maybe have dinner there? — so you don’t have to wait long to continue the quest for music and can take in both acts downtown, with the latter band boasting everything from marimbas to congos to flute. Oh yeah, the band name is Easy Groovin’ and not to be confused with that rockier song, Easy Living, from back in the 1970s. That I dare say is before the venue I described was in existence.

And regarding any inferred QB rivalry, were there that many music acts in the three-day weekend? You do bar math and decide. And I will suck up and try not invoke a reference to that venerable local rock group, Eight Foot Four, although its tempting. Ziggy’s put the zang (is that a word? It is now), in the holiday again, with a new raft of rock and even dance tunes, which is somewhat new to them.  The pop-ish end plays out too, with Drink 182, you read that right, invoking the best of the 1990s on Saturday night, and what better way to cope with the end of summer than to down a few. On Sunday night its “MPD” dance stuff and we are not talking the Minneapolis Police Department, and if you hurry its the new hurrah of an old act, 5 Minute Major, and HudsonWiNightlife gets a 2 minute minor for cluing you in late. And to round out the analogy, there is more dance music at the Smilin’ Moose and Dick’s all weekend, with acoustic music to boot, and to push it one number past, the new wave of Urban and Olive music throughout.

You won’t want to cry if you lay eyes on him now, as the thrill may not be gone, but the beard is — and has been.

Caught up with the one known as The Younger Of The Two Basketball Brothers when things were closed and opening still seemed Like Just A Day Away. This server and the elder (did I say that?) statesman and bartender at Dick’s grew out his still very black beard with the promise of not trimming it with more than a well-placed clip or two, (the ladies assumed), until the drink again flowed indoors at his longtime place of employment. But it wasn’t as long as November, as far as the vote of the opposite sex, and the chance to hit the woods where the virus was we hope as spread out as the prey being hunted, that the fairer sex among owners teased to stuff that idea and trim away any resemblance to James Harden. So no go for now on, say, anything more than a slight goatee — unless later going goat hunting on a mountaintop.

But also during this downtime, in which Dick’s was one of the few places that didn’t jump into a takeout tack right away, they retooled their dance music area to have far more than Tool, if they ever did, and also shore up the restaurant and front bar room. That’s where you would come in and make your way around by visiting the north side horseshoe and entering the middle area where young men and women strut their stuff; and even an old guy can show what he’s got by picking a dollar bill off the floor with his teeth and very little bend of knee. And we think that skill is more essential then the much younger gent who tried to skirt the cover change of — again — a dollar bill by making a limbo move. But wait, there’s more and its really less, to be of service in these virus times and who knows, to bring in more men and women from Minnesota than even on the re-opening weekend, the cover has been waved.  So it would have to be elsewhere to raise some revenue so all could be clean-shaven and given no quarter, as that’s the added price of a whiskey sour these days. But you’re still 75 cents ahead …

<<Floating another idea that actually took root before being pre-empted by The Black Crowes a year or two later when their rock tunes were rock solid, but their loading up of other mainly odd instruments to push the boundaries of rock toward  folk, but went up in a cloud of dust; or was that some other Purple Haze that brought That Smell?>>

It has been a few Metallica-less years at Float-Rite Park, but their flat-plane surface will greet Lars and the like on the evening of Aug. 29 in the band’s first concert this year, but it will be on the big screen literally, as a drive-in theater motif will be the method of delivery. Its been decades since I covered the metal of Metallica in a story for the Eau Claire-Leader Telegram and every note and word was as clear as a whistle — even when the lead guitarist started off “One” atop a huge triangle of blazing scaffolding, ax slung below between his legs being all that could be seen. As for the local connection to Hinder, the band at one point also long ago was on the verge of playing a gig at the iconic old Dibbo’s, as a stopgap stop between performances in the Twin Cities and Milwaukee-Chicago. But as deals sometimes go, it fell through, perhaps because of the going rate for Hinder was not on the hind end, and it had largely been suggested by a man from Hudson who knew the band, not always a standard channel. Another part of this touring concert mix has been the lighter tones of the band Daughtry, fueled by a near-total-take on meet and greets with him. In these grim virus times, I guess it can’t always be OzzFest, although the alleged Prince of Darkness (I would dispute that as a source for downplaying Daughtry) might have some pull here. Better to go to Ziggy’s in Hudson on Saturday night and thereby approach Critical Mass in a constructive way, before it leaps into into critical condition — for an encore?

<<To take what is Kozy and expand on it around town, with the focus being fantastic food and drink that started with early spring holidays, and may now elicit memories of such traditions as they played out in earlier (better?) years, check out April and May postings — sorry about the breadth and depth of those pieces, or should I just cut the crap and add they’re just long — on The Headliner department. As for celebration of this Fourth, as all but the grilling again basically crapped out, you can still be left with the recall of the sights, sounds and smells of all the holidays prior to mid-summer — and can also be enjoyed all year with a little creativity — and relive the ongoing tastes they put in your mouth via vicariously the best of times. JW>>

So close, to July Fourth and with standard stuff going bye bye, here’s a possibility for a festivity of a different but much related type, originating in a different country, different flag (see later) … different food:

For Cinco De Mayo, get with dishes and drinks that are truly in sync with being Mexican and on The Fourth, get wrapped up in a phrase that can be viewed two very different ways, Tex Mex, although they go way beyond that experience. As they are indeed experienced.
Habanaros on The Hill is the real deal, both because their Mexican food is more authentic then virtually all places that make such a claim, and when you look at what you get for your money, rivals even other places nearby such as Taco Johns and Taco Bell. That is because in their extended, broad happy hour, it’s max out true Mex. Want festive food now that the virus has taken hold, this is your place, as shown by the accurately Aztec god standing between signs of specials. There are 2-for-1 specials on hump day Wednesdays, not just their competitor’s buy one and get 50 percent off the second, to make you truly happy, on not just the usual stuff, but also house margaritas and other margaritas based on actual Corona Premium (aptly named these days on two different fronts). The specials go beyond the usual Mexican fare in this country, and feature names such as Pastor (like a spiced up shepherd’s pie), Cartinas (often using pulled pork and branching off far beyond the usual taco meat), Pollo (with main items and spices of other ethnicities often inserted), Arroz (adding tomato laden rice), barbacoa, and other meats such as chicken and beyond — and don’t forget the steak — and cheeses. Plus, there is a dish spelled like the fajitas that are part of the list of specials but again, beyond. For the record, this is flauta, with again, chicken being central.
Make this your target and trek here, just north of Target.

So Close, So Close and Yet So Far? Not for the lovers of the ‘Korner’ pizza, where you can get delivery, for no extra price at all in the vast majority of cases and places, or just a sheckle or two more than if trekking out with the Kozymobile and hitting the nearby townships.
– Want to get your gourmet pizza delivered to your door and the cheese is still bumbling? Or if you don’t want it so spectacularly simmering, have so much “dough” left off your delivery cost that you can pile on enough added toppings to help the underlying cheese serve you a solid for thickness sake and simmer down slightly, to just the right doneness? Enter Kozy Korner in North Hudson and their delivery within that same village and also the city of Hudson free of charge, and the pies are not pricey to begin with. And if their delivery guy, and maybe its the cool main owner himself Ryan who pulls up, has to extend his route a little further, toward Houlton and also into the towns of Joseph and Hudson, its only $1 to $3 more than if you’re eating inside the multi-roomed pizzaria, which of course is being the subject of reopening. So you can still have a good douse of extra pepperoni and/or other Italian sausage for your tummy and change remaining for your pocket.
– These days you can still find your music fix if you know where to look, as actual concerts are nary a few. And we at HudsonWiNightlife will guide you there, even though you may have to live without that loud guitar. So what gives? Book-readings of the totally intimate setting so many singers love can still be found, but you may have to go spoken word, and those words might actually be only in your own head. And you now know what I’m getting at. Hey, Old School before even The Stones, pick up a book! So this is the way you win that war against False Metal, so to speak, grab the thingee in bindings and open it up. It will not be actually read aloud at Hudson Bagel on Carmichael Road for you non coffee-shoppers, as the temporal power of the virus has for now shut down that kind of book recitation, but in this and other cases locally, you can turn loose the power of your own mind ala Bruce Dickensen, the prolific author and swordsman turned long-time lead singer of Iron Maiden, and buy a copy of many such a treatise by many authors. That gets you acquainted (or-reacquainted), with symbolism that forms the mysticism of metal, or the verbage on many different fronts that indeed gets your creative juices flowing by unlocking the power of your mind. The one book cover that really intriqued me got my groove going with subject matter that seemed to be framed with mythological beasts, sword and sorcery, and vamps of all kinds. Like many a concert I have listened to and seen with all sorts of props amongst the band members, but without going so far as to cause stage fright. Ozzy would likely endorse this sense of balance, which he has said is found in his collecting of both crucifixes and demon figurines.
Buy hey, the live music in some forms and venues has now, finally, come back. For example, Ziggy’s has brought back their music performances of many kinds, from soloists to full bands, culminated in quartets or quintets in-concert on Friday nights. The latter is also again present, usually in a like time frame and style of classic and modern rock, or southern rock or new country — at The Smilin’ Moose, starting on the very evening of this written piece.

(Virus or not, is there a vigil in the village? Look elsewhere my friend, such as on The Headliner — is that God?)

When they say they open at open, they mean it … And the prices will really open your (bleary) eyes:
– The sign at Kozy Korner in the village of North Hudson has on most days said they open at either 11 or 8 a.m.,
depending on whether its a weekday or weekend, and now-needed “delivery starts at open.” And that’s for certain
not a few moments in time later, but truly on the hour. These last couple of days they are redacting their verbage to
make it better serve customers, who can venture into the double-door gathering area and then a couple feet inside
before being stopped by a series of velvet ropes, theater style, that thus indeed look kozy and prompt patrons to
give their order for pickup — and that often might include a special breakfast pizza. Or the Wednesday wonder of
specials, a K-esquedia, if you have Mexican on your mind. And Monday welcomes in each new week with $10
wings and beer, hard to beat. Plus, on each of the five days of Monday-Friday, from 11 a.m. to 6 pm., the koziest of
all extended Happy Hour Specials. But wait, there’s more, because as they’ve recently said, and you’d have to wait
and see the sign, there is an additional offering that’s very kozy with your money. Surprise? Well, we knew this was
coming, there now is limited seating available inside, to compliment the roomy enclosed outdoor patio, and
accommodate both rules and our recent rain. They can even use a slice of their hearty pizza to prop open the door
so you can come in. But, really, you’d rather eat it.
– Just up the way is the special advertised at Village Liquor for a fizzy, we’re assuming but in a good way, drink called
Vizzy, and I have to wonder if it is endorsed by Ozzy himself. But this brew is in various medium sizes, meaning you
can get it for pennies on the dollar for what it would cost for a Black Sabbath ticket, plus have enough left to get
one to go, to boot, after listening to the iconic-but-not-fashion-statement Fairies Wear Boots. But guesswork also
suggests that Mr. Osbourne, also known for helping write Mr. Crowley, and they both are known for their excess,
would want the full 30 pack — and another to go.

Get started with your St. Patrick’s Day experience early with a duo that for many years has brought in the green for scores of prominent nightclubs all across the metro and into Wisconsin. The duo The Jorgensons join an ever growing lineup of big bands, so to speak, that have brought their locally popular strains to the burgeoning scene at the roomy Village Inn in North Hudson, making other often even larger clubs green with envy.
That acoustic male and female combo is doing a nightcap on Friday night, Feb. 13, that goes well.

<<But then hey, there’s more festive in a big way coming up, for Cinco De Mayo, to get with dishes and drinks that are truly in sync with being Mexican.>>

That said, Habaranos on The Hill is the real deal, both because their Mexican food is more authentic then virtually all places that make such a claim, and when you look at what you get for your money, rivals even other places nearby such as Taco Johns and Taco Bell. That is because in their extended, broad happy hour, it’s max out true Mex. Want festive food now that the virus has taken hold, this is your place, as shown by the accurately Aztec god standing between signs of specials. There are 2-for-1 specials on hump day Wednesdays, not just their competitor’s buy one and get 50 percent off the second, to make you truly happy, on not just the usual stuff, but also house margaritas and other margaritas based on actual Corona Premium (aptly named these days on two different fronts). The specials go beyond the usual Mexican fare in this country, and feature names such as Pastor (like a spiced up shepherd’s pie), Cartinas (often using pulled pork and branching off far beyond the usual taco meat), Pollo (with main items and spices of other ethnicities often inserted), Arroz (adding tomato laden rice), barbacoa, and other meats such as chicken and beyond — and don’t forget the steak — and cheeses. Plus, there is a dish spelled like the fajitas that are part of the list of specials but again, beyond. For the record, this is flauta, with again, chicken being central.
Make this your target and trek here, just north of Target.

And now that that’s mentioned, back to retro, so to speak, going back to the Jorgensons and their longtime hold on the local and regional music scene. into the evening at the Village Inn nightclub. This song example can show the quality that has stood the test of time, but not nearly as long at The Jorgenson tenure, that you are likely to hear: In a recent gig at another spacious inn, named the Bungalow, that is across the St. Croix River in Lakeland and one of the many Minnesota venues to benefit from the band that can be a veritable pot of performance gold, The Jorgensons covered a song in their set of a standard by one of the bands in the classic Alanis Morrissette style. This time around the vocals were shared by both Jorgenson and his somewhat younger sidekick. A special added feature was the way their vocals of somewhat different levels, high and low, but of much the same texture, waned up and down and then drew together again to match each other and at times to briefly take on their own distinct sound.
A band played near here a bit back that featured a duo with a style and look that could be seen as similar, although both older, to a degree. The also still quite comely Pat Benatar, has quite the same look but shorter locks that fall in a way that’s less straight. The guitarist who plays his instrument a bit louder and faster paced then Jorgenson, has hair a lot more tinted with grey and again shorter, this time by lots. They were seen posed with faces close together in a sizeable newspaper ad for a casino concert. In a different image outside the Village Inn, in their big and colorfully lighted neon marquee pitching the performance, their was much a same appearance, but even more of a resemblance.
The band will be back at The Village two weeks later, another Friday in March, this time the 27th, and use largely the same format – -they noted from the stage early in their show — and that’s no April Fool, as that Day is five days later, a number that is barely more than half the size of their full band, which has almost as many musicians as, say, The Doobie Brothers. And yes, that’s No April Fool, but right now a Lucky March Leprechaun.

Speaking of which, also at The Village, another totally experienced act for the St. Patrick’s Day foray, now finally begun in its full form, has another band who like the Grateful Dead meets ZZ Top-with-shorter-beards, and all get tighter harmonies with age. The Old Feral Cats, which despite the name has the cool and verve of the Stray Cats, has also played the main gig in Bayport, the American Legion Hall, to rave reviews that crossed to the other side, that being North Hudson, where patron Whitey holds court, as well as a relative of the ownership family at the Village Inn, and they all feel downright harmonious with one another, musicians or not.

Then there are the mountains of music that include Ten O’Clock karaoke and other revelry flowing from a hilltop, as high as can be, to a waiting Pot of Gold on its very end. It forms an isle that’s set aside from the rest of hill and dale, as the host there, T-Buckets, brings the party back to the area of Somerset. We’ll bey you’ll see it all on the 10 O’Clock news.

The place and people are all brimming with various forms of gaudy green garb. That will get you some gold, as well, as the best outfit of the Irish and beyond gets a $25 bar tab, which can then be back in turn used to buy drinks, a couple of which are a wee bit on the end of some you rarely see, so tuck in your kilt if that’s all right and come on over until close, and throw down some grub so you can Irish gig it away from those leprechauns with gobs of glee on a full gut.  Such status is now obtained here by the chugging of $4 Black and Tans and $5 Car Bombs  — get them before the more sensitive of the Irish folk note that indeed they are not kosher, as their Jewish pals might say, and call for somewhat sobering consumption consequences. That might not sit well with the best of Irish imbibers and could be a tad difficult to get going now that the hand has struck the hour. That tad is helping the players negotiate the trifecta of power hours, formed to consider the best of hard-hitting specials of 3 for 1.

This may be chiefly a church concert, part of an ongoing series that recently started, held mostly every Friday which is more than some nightclubs do, but people there really rock and are not stuck in the mud. They are led by a jazz group that are also often club performing parishioner musicians in their own right and own way at, yes, a quite conservative church who still rip through it raucously resembling rock stars. There is an Elvis show, not the only act that will be covered over time, that is there somewhat later in the evening, as you would expect from bar nightowls, held at the First Baptist Church on Friday, March 6, featuring the long-running and popular show of Joe Sir and the Rockabilly Rebels, and its cool that a church — hey, they too have have limited funds, like everyone these days, including financially struggling rock musicians — can book a band of this caliber. (Much like the every other Thursday community dinner at Bethel Lutheran Church, which also draws types from all over town, and is funded by contributions from almost all of the area churches, and they share the wealth and also the financial pain). That last style is something we don’t hit that often, although we try and every once in a while at HudsonWiNightlife succeed in that form of tuneage (is that a word?) if our musical information sources in low, or in this case somewhat low, come through (like groupies?)
But still, this can hit the church end of things well, in kinda a Nashville tone, as Elvis was known for catering to the Gospel motif, although they can rock out, as heavy metal bands often lyrically do and their fans can be spiritual if not sometimes churchy, to hit a broader clientele than the church people. That’s much like the attending Ashwood family that consist of three largely fusion based jazz musicians who prize their popular pace that can be over the top. This is not always just your traditionally-based cool jazz. The son who is their main leader and promotionalist, Chris, told me about this while sporting a T-shirt pumping a somewhat obscure festival featuring, as is typical, some oddly creative named groups.
As its getting quite late, even if you can’t hit the show tonight, you can — to make another religious reference, in God’s time — come back to this in one of the few downtown churches offered on basically recurring gigs most every week, as this is called A Slice Of Friday, great for Lent. Hey, sorry, it starts at 7 p.m., but even as a musician type and fan who can dally with time, I thought you would like to know as in any case because this musical mission that goes in very frequently. For that name and other reasons, as there are snacks and more afterwards, so you still can have a late-night window to get there and take in the experience — like the Jimi Hendrix Experience that can be jazzy motivated? — before you move on to other nightspots, which as always are chronicled by HudsonWiNightlife for your reference. Because like aging rock bands, and the elder Ashwood — and their endeavors have long been printed, and I know this is not paper but social media, on these pages — is getting up there, endless opportunities to see them exist because of the recurring retirement tours. And it will vary from the Second Coming of Elvis, although he will also be in concert here frequently. This make this your regular Friday night gig, and we will announce the other groups playing, along with the Friday fish fry. For much more information, and this by contrast  is a very short email address, unlike a long sermon, visit fbhudson.org (wait, even though a longtime print journalist, and I referenced this above,  did I get more into the social media end of things?). This is billed as a free concert for the whole community. That’s you. So as a popular even secular song says, Take Me To Church. Especially around 7 p.m., when the music starts.

– Also at First Baptist on the weekly basis, this time Wednesday nights is a community dinner that is billed as a great way to socialize with other often like-minded folk and, as the title suggests have the community come together in a quite special way regularly. But indeed it started back in the day when the economy first went bad, and some of those people and others that  in many cases were struggling heard of this great social and song scene, as yes there is always a piano player plinking out light tunes during many of such offerings — and no offering donation is ever asked — for not only the regular music gigs each two days later, but of this fantastic way to eat for no cost with very good but not fancy food, and really stretch the budget. Not as long-running as the first and third Thursday of each month at Bethel Lutheran a few bl0cks away, but each serving a much needed purpose in a slightly different way with slightly different food, the content of which is changed up on occasion to never get dull, especially at Bethel where the entree that always has at least some meat even during Lent is altered every time and not often repeated. But more to the point, one meat entree that you can always count on at First Baptist is loads of fried chicken, filling at least two oversize aluminum pans with even more brought out and bagged by the diligent church ladies who also stuff more into big plastic Baggies to take home. Hey this choice is befitting a (Southern) Baptist group, and is donated by I’m sure KFC, who adds to that southern flair with not only their well known still-some-what-secret original recipe and also of course newer extra crispy that is maybe even more appropo. Lesser known around here than down south is the Popeye’s franchise that recently opened a branch on a newer part of the hill’s most bustling area and is situated north of Crest View Drive. The point I’m getting around to is one Wednesday a small group of eaters hit on these points and more in what started as casual conversation and turned into thorough review of those two chicken shacks. They agreed that Popeye’s is a cool alternative, but also is somewhat more spicy, moreso than one of the older gents tastes can take, than hit into a bit more of the KFC breading to wash that recollection away. Yes, Popeye’s is that famed down there Louisiana style, possibly a bit Cajun infused, so I thought I’d go check it out for myself, and interestingly many if not most of the patrons were black women, and lets face it there are not scores of them who live in Hudson, so this is a popular style with this loyal but not large clientele who I’d guess know from much experience this kind of poultry is far from fowl. This was at the end of the Monday noon hour, a bit past one and there were still a lot of people munching the stuff in their cars before going back to work. Yes an extended noon hour, but most of them were taking their time because this also apparently Finger Lickin’ Good. In other nearby eateries it was much the same, with even more people using up the bulk of their noon hour in their cars, largely economy versions from people who I know, know how to use a frugal deal well, and some trucks. Lastly here, there is back at First Baptist the first time around each month, there also is an even greater supply of all varieties of pizza, including but certainly not limited to pepperoni, from EJ’s, who also provide their brand at the above mentioned First Friday concerts. And you know what, it is can include, of course, BBQed chicken. Things get going at each community dinner around 5:30, and at Bethel a bit earlier.

– Today is the day when they will take it all back to you, and your sports sense, as Kozy Korner in North Hudson is your Oasis. That being Sunday, when their will be a bus to the college women’s hockey playoff game in the Twin Cities for the Badger team that fights like that state animal, and is always prominent with such contests and in the title hunt, and that non-commuting transport to the Cities as this is a weekend leaves at 1 p.m. (Also by bus, this time arriving and not leaving, is the Badger marching band that will play at Kozy on Saturday morning, as was detailed at length on a post in this web site’s Friday edition, so you can check it out and see what you are missing if you don’t skate on over the Kozy right away, as being work ethic Wisconsin farm boys, like so many Packer linemen in the past, they always give a full-length concert, and will do more than the occasionally typical one or two encores — if you buy the ones over 21 a beer, especially that killer cute and quite curvy clarinetist, if that is a word, and Spellcheck did recognize it. And there is the chance that traffic will back up on Interstate 94 and they will arrive late and that kicks in another chance get their before kickoff — wrong sport? — to both see the band and listen, and even have another beer, even though they say you shouldn’t. And yes, even after the band, there’s a version of the after-bar party promise, a great free drink if you arrive before kickoff, or the first faceoff, of all the other game(s) on Saturday and Sunday beyond, many of them playoff caliber, that can even reasonably considered local or regional, and even say the Vikings and non-Badger-state squads). And the bus may even travel as far as Fargo to take on the hated, I assume, North Dakota-based college teams and their tiny prairie dogs, not big Badgers, who always seem to be a quite bogus blip in the way of the UW and their championship quest that who knows, might even have a few local players featured. Also upping the ante across the street, the these two sports bars piggy back on each other, easily flipping across the two-lane main drag and its only moderate traffic, at the Village is the killer deal and party that takes people by bus to at least one Packer game a season, and they can pig out on some prized pizza prior to leaving. And a perk especially for the local people helping populate the state, is that you can even drink on the bus on the way to Green Bay — as this is not the big Greyhound or Megabus franchises with in some cases ownership in Europe, where you think they would get it, you in the U.S. you can’t have a beer on board, as they ban that even in Wisconsin! Anyway, get there or make your reservations early, as the tickets or seating can go fast. And since it appears the spring weather has arrived, but not enough to melt the ice rink, and you don’t want to be inside, don’t drop your smile or your puck or breezers, as the Badger band will always be back at Kozy again soon, possibly both later in this season or certainly the next, as this as they say is big! View this web site for updates on when and on who the Badgers are going to beat badly — and take heart, that free drink offer ALWAYS stands.

– They say that, to add the possibly bluesy band to the mix, rockers called quite incredible Blue Dream are finally back at Ziggy’s after a time. For a time reference, its the Hudson version of Ziggy’s and not the Stillwater place that is part of the same chain — OK, they”re not that big of a corporation — and has existed in the enemy state for somewhat longer. although the cool Hudson place is now open on more days a week, seven to count. And the time, to use that word again, is now, Friday night. That seems to be a music lover’s dream and cure their blues.

Three bands plus one, and they are largely new, mark the scene this weekend, and there are DJs you don’t always see as well:
– A longtime Hudson fixture on the nighttime scene is suffering from liver cancer, and there is an over-the-top benefit for him that is drawing attention everywhere, that will be held at Dick’s Bar and Grill for most of the day Saturday, Feb. 29, featuring two rock on the light side bands that are new on the scene — so there is a listening opportunity here — and a nighttime DJ until close. Jay Langer is a tattoo artist who goes back more than two decades locally, long before tattooing really became big, and the signs about his benefit are up everywhere at local night spots. (He also occasionally sits in and plays a mean guitar in some of those places, and has been with a rock band). The band that will play on his behalf at Dick’s are the Dirty Press (who that sometimes be me?), and The Other Baldwins (gotta love that name and it evokes from a music sense the days of the actor’s friend Bill Clinton and his sexy sax playing, ask Monica Lewinski). Then there also is a meat raffle in the afternoon when the bands start and other draws.

A lengthy aside: Jay celebrated a similarly big event awhile back with his tattoo shop, located a block down the main drag and prior to that a couple of blocks further down, in the building where the Madison Avenue brew and wine now sits. The reason for that big party at Dick’s was 20 years in business, and he was a standard bearer for tattooing, in part because of very creative designs of his own where I loved the often spiritual nature, back then when there were few other such places outside of downtown Minneapolis in the region. I broke that new business story, a full page with as you might guess cool spread in the old Hudson Star-Observer — now so part of the bigger Rivertowns, Red Wing and Forum corporate conglomerate as to be locally unrecognizable as far as weekly newspapers go. Some of the stayed longtime locals raised a few eyebrows. I was offered a free tattoo as a –try it out myself — part of the story, and a prominent party friend from all across the Cities said, Oh What Did You Get? My wife put an end to that fast. Anyway, I offered to do with Jay, who has more than made up for my lack of tattoos, a 20-year-triumph article on how does one stay in this business so long. and how do you evolve to stay so very valid in the next 20 years. It never happened because of busy schedules, but here’s to say bury the hatchet as far as a bit of the publishing bath I took, and lets hope there is another anniversary. So, be one of the more than 300 pe0ple at the party, an RSVP tally taken that was in place all the way back midweek and has been sure to grow.

– In this era of DJs everywhere who are mostly hip-hop, there is an old school answer, that being Chopper DJ, who you can guess from the biker style name is a rocker more into stuff like classic rock and country rock. He is back after a hiatus at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Saturday night.

– There are trio of big triumphs to be celebrated by the Tommy Bentz Band, with its bluesy rock, at Johnnie’s in River Falls on Friday night. The local band coming off its showing on a stage of an international blues festival, is performing its ninth annual tribute to the Beatles George Harrison on his birthday and is also marking the release of its new CD at the same night. On a flyer around RF is a lighthearted depiction of Harrison on the left side and Bentz on the right, side by side, suggesting a resemblance in appearance, and they do look a bit alike, especially the long hair (Harrison’s is farther down the shoulder). The local band’s music is largely drawn from the Beatles, although Bentz says their style is just as much like that of Van Morrison.
– Another local favorite is back an Urban Olive and Vine, that being their mulled red wine concoction — we use that term in a good way — simmered with five different ingredients that start with oranges and get even more diverse from there. Perfect for something different to warm your palate until the weather truly gets warm.
– Buffalo Wild Wings has an opportunity that is so good it comes around once in a blue moon. That is the chance to again have your beer and eat it, too, as they say. That is wings with sauce tinged with Blue Moon Beer, in this case their light version flavored with citrus and wheat, which is what they say feeds the world, and hey Buffalo Wild Wings is everywhere. And the wings are listed as the BBQ version, which is one more thing to heat your cockles. And, BWW is now adding brisket to their menu, just in time for St Patrick’s Day, and will be leaning more toward craft cocktails, although they obviously will keep beer as a stalwart. And the server that told me this, let it be known, says on the QT that she actually likes the Green Mill version of traditional boneless wings, served across the street, more than the variety at her home store. Ouch …

The storied long-time River Falls tavern, Emma’s, is again hosting its storied chili cookoff, and with the experience that comes with being one of the longest running events of its kind in the area, it knows how to bring the diverse tastes people have come to expect — and in some cases bring the heat, although their are milder varieties also for the weaker of palate and the kiddies. No problem here if they may like more subtle tastes.
The ingredients in the Saturday event, that runs all afternoon and more, include all different kinds of not only vegies, and not just many types of peppers, but meats that in some cases even include seafood. The variety can be fantastic, and mom’s style will be available, although with the diversity you will find, it is not necessarily your mother’s Wisconsin chili. So check them out in the south end of the downtown, since they have been around for decades and also have a lot of history behind them. And the prices for things such as drinks to wash down that chili, especially if its hot, are among the lowest in River Falls, and definitely the drop-dead lowest in the entire region.
– The Snow Daze festival in Somerset held for most of the day Saturday offers what might best be described as alt country; think what kind of music you will hear when the headliner, Enticer, is the model for fans to emulate in a best mullet contest. There are also other music acts, bar stool races, of course, good grub, and the chance to meet the latest babe from radio station 93X and their Half-Assed morning show. We assume she has a full butt.

– But back to chili. Read to the end for the spicy “rub.”Hey its Fat Tuesday, also known in Catholic circles and they are big on this, as Schrove Tuesday. Its a bit late and far afield, but go gotta love this tidbit from Rice Lake — that being Twin Cities way east, and not the local truck stop by that name. Their chili feed with various varieties also features the cooler and different offering of either cole slaw or corn bread, and a grilled cheese sandwich. And other Catholic churches that are closer by I’m sure have something similar, as they love to pig out before fasting, even if its not on a poke. So, all you readers of HudsonWiNightlife who may have quasi-questionable morals, its not too late to redeem yourself before Lent. Go save your soul by contributing to the local parish coffers and buying something tasty but largely meatless, still tonight. But wait, midnight has passed and its too late. I guess we, me too for being tardy and I understand this is one of the seven deadly sins, will see you in Hell, along with Michael Jackson, who a wayward women said spent 23 hours there and spotted him. Hey this was a long way round and about to go for a music reference, but hey HudsonWiNightlife never rests. Well sometimes. And of course this dry rub, referenced right off the bat of this item, is meatless. Because, you know, Ash Wednesday is a fasting day, usually defined as one full meal and two small ones, for everyone under 60. Two things: You can forget late night happy hour appetizers, and two, if you are a senior just go for it. And one last thing, I assume I got the whole Ash Wednesday timing thing right. Because I was born a Lutheran, and most of them simply don’t care as much about things like fasting, and even church attendance, so I often tend to think gee, is Ash Wednesday at the other end of Lent, right before Holy Thursday, which we called Maundy Thursday. With a name like that, I think that’s when you should fast.