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Take to the river and beyond with dreams of blue oceans and the music and otherwise-driven events that befits them. Both here and across the country, and across the lake and land and sea.

Don’t feel blue and head down the river — Huck Finn if lower than the Upper Midwest? — if you did not catch Blue Dream at the Willow River Inn earlier in July, as they are again in the Hudson area on July 22. Catch them at Ziggy’s. And down a few blocks by the waterside, other river-based events wait throughout the week.
And there is a lot more going around that time. Nextdoor, a full five-person comedy lineup is at Hop & Barrel.
Down in Milwaukee, the Brewers are known for themed baseball nights, and this one is at once a bit controversial and welcoming. It is Christian night at the ballpark. On a possibly different end of things is the Korn Ferry golf tour. Cross that black underworld river anyone?
Must mention also the Trump International Scotland tourney. Politically speaking, that just has to be on the Saudi-sponsored LIV tour. Does that stand for Likely Instigating Violence?
Back to locally, karaoke is or was Thursday through Saturday every weekend in downtown NR. The Wild Badger has axed its offering that used to start it rolling, but it remains on the weekend across the street. And now Thursday is the only non-event day or night of the week at Gathering Games. So there is a void right after hump day. (Can the Games Gap be filled with that cool hipster clerk who grabs a smoke on the sidewalk between the gigs?)
Just to the north, the Wild Badger on Friday has a band, returning, with one of the best names I’ve encountered for a long time, Two Right Brains. No word if the copyright bug has been bitten when it comes to Iron Maiden drummer Nico McBrain, and if he has gone the route of metal acts like Black Sabbath, who have blocked some of their songs from being played, at least in full form, by online first-reaction reviewers. And I have to make this joke: What is the consequence if someone is not in their right mind? What’s left? Is this a non-sequiter?
The next day, the Octagon House in Hudson has, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to name times that span both the morning and afternoon, an event that mixes get this — a pie social and Civil War Day.
Also on history, and this one is the most current as far as when it will be reinacted, the River Fest in Lake Front Park from July 19 — gee that’s today — to the 23rd has the usual things but also a Native American Celebration, river cleanup recognition and The Longer Table picnic.
For more on any of these events, see their websites, which are not bowing to the space constraints of my profit driven website. After all, I am as Vin says of Sori, a filthy capitalist among reactors.

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