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Rise up and listen … about just how that big head arose on that beer:
— Rizer, a classic rock and blues band that will play the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Friday evening, Feb. 26, has a long history that dates back to a group called Wire that formed in 1969 in Hastings, although it also has members who are more local. Through the years the name changed from Wire to Storm to Sunrise, and finally to Rizer, to make Hastings in recent times the Land of the Rising Sun, so to speak. Regardless of the name, the band has rocked thousands of weddings, clubs and other events over the years to the delight of tons of fans — maybe as many as the entire population of Hastings. Rizer’s talented musicians still bring a great show wherever they play, and you might recognize some of their local names from this and other bands, namely Paul Gavic on guitar and vocals and Charles Huntley on keyboards and vocals.
— Have fun, drink beer and learn all about it during The History Happy Hour, which is part of the Wisconsin History Tour, an effort criss-crossing the state and spending a fair amount of time in Hudson. Join author and State Historic Preservation Officer Jim Draeger at Dick’s Bar and Grill at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25. Yak it up over a Wisconsin-made brew, decorate your own beer labels and learn something new about Wisconsin’s beer history. Signed copies of Draeger’s best-selling book, “Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars and Breweries,” will be available for purchase. Wisconsin Historical Society Members get a free drink.
— Mel Travolta may not be as wellknown as his namesake, in part because he has not played nearly as much in Hudson as lots of other bands, and his act appears to be to a large degree an unknown even amongst the staffers at Dick’s, where he will play Friday evening, Feb. 26. All of this does really make you want to check it out and see what it’s all about. I joked with one of the servers, who craves heavy metal bands, that maybe he has opened for his beloved Slayer? (Seems unlikely, too acoustic). Then with another, that maybe the jukebox was at that moment rolling out some Mel Travolta? (It actually was a group called Yelawolf).

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