Memorial Day and summer is now here, so there are many more entertainment offerings locally than what you would find in cold weather.
— As of mid-May, Dick’s Bar and Grill is back with its weekly Wednesday night music, and on tap on May 29 is soloist Darren Caster, with guitar and vocals. Darren is well known from his days playing with the band Deviant Distraction, which also did some open-mic night hosting a few years ago. I first met him on one of those nights, and teamed with him for a duet version of one of his favorite songs, Rebel Yell by Billy Idol, which Deviant bassist Tall Paul, all 6-foot-8 of him, said was simply killer. Prior to his Wednesday gig, you might catch Darren going a cameo with Jeff Loven, the One Man Band, on a Sunday night gig that with the Monday holiday is sure to be rockin’ and packed. It will likely feature cameos by musicians who only drop in infrequently.
— P.D. Pappy’s is now open for the summer, and on most Sunday afternoons again this year has featured the Kurt Jorgensen band, with its scores of musicians ala the Doobie Brothers and varied instrumentation. This Sunday is no exception with a “Kurt Jorgensen marathon” from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. All this reminds me of an old friend, Jacque, who with about a dozen of her friends has followed the band all over the world to take in its gigs. (Okay, actually as far as Iowa, but she says that was quite a road trip). Jacque also was known, a few years back, for being the first female engineer in her category in the history of Andersen Windows, but I have not seen her since proposing that as a business story to various editors. As Jeff Loven is so well known to say, “hey, let’s get the band back together!”

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