In a performance at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, again courtesy of a friend who had tickets or I’d probably instead be at a rock show … or maybe I was at one! Seems there were some (stodgy?) types who didn’t approve of an orchestra rocking out to Beethoven, and some of these even left at intermission.

The series of microphones hanging from the ceiling seemed to be off to the right side, maybe to pick up certain instruments over others. Maybe could use a bit of help from an acquaintance I met at the old Dibbo’s when taking in a band, who was in charge of not only the sound but more importantly the theatrics such as explosions for metal concerts back in the day, by groups such as Iron Maiden. (There were rectangular wooded constructions that looked like bigger-then-refrigerator-sugar-cubes also hanging from the ceiling, I’m guessing to aid acoustics).
Also, the violinist took to virtually shredding the strings of her instrument with a bow during one furiousity, making me think of in-concert Jimmy Page in long-bygone Led Zeppelin days. Somewhat the same with the bit-gonzo cellist, who sideways and with vigor would rip away the bow from his instrument at the end of a solo, and again that brought the past to mind. My ex-girlfriend played that same instrument, and I said that I’d love to hear the sound if it was plugged into an amp. Not being a rock fan — she really hated Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple — my ex bristled at the suggestion.
There was another Zep connection. One full set for the orchestra was devoted to a single song, not unlike the treatment given to lengthy anthems in the live rock album, The Song Remains The Same.
The people there were dressed to the hilt, with little black dresses being the norm, and one of the guys even sported a braided half-mohawk, like the attendee with a landscape shaved into his buzzcut. But not everyone liked this treatment given to the real composer honored that night; think Roll Over Beethoven.
All this brought back a tidbit from an earlier such show in the Cities, where the somewhat verbose conductor told the crowd that unbefitting his current pro-Twins location, he was really a Red Sox fan. Made me think of the former supermodel hailing from River Falls, Heidi Raider, who told the writers — yes they do have them — at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition that one of her favorite things to do when not off at a shoot at an exotic locale was to take in pro baseball at Emma’s Bar in River Falls — even though her favorites were not necessarily lingerie and heels, but the Bo-Sox.
— A crew of us were on our way up to the Hudson area from Milwaukee to take in the Twin Cities Irish Fest, when a bad accident made traffic mostly stop-and-go for 40 miles. The answer: Put in an Irish CD! It started quite somber, which made sense as we were approaching ground zero for the crash site, but then got more lighthearted, even featuring a humorous take on The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, placing the narrator in a laundromat. There were some whats-in-a-name similarities between this and the rock music to which I usually listen, Anthony Kearns (like Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Percy French (like Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction). French made a name for himself long ago by playing for our warrior soldiers, yet another association with carnage.
By the time we neared Tomah, it became clear that we needed to take an impromptu detour, that being Hwy. 12, even though that took us miles out of our way. Still, we made better time, and as we pulled into Tomah we right away saw a sign for a tavern called Einstein’s. So it was obvious that our choice was a “no-brainer.” Could have probably taken a moment and stopped in for a brew, and still made better time than on I-94.The two acts playing the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt this weekend both pay homage, by their choice of names, the the country or rockin’ highway song.

No political masks were sported on Halloween, although some people with even scarier costumes are having trouble masking their outright fear, or maybe just concern:

— A restaurant manager I know planned to get off his late-night shift and make a beeline for Pudge’s Bar to watch with interest the last election results come in. Knowing his politics, I think he might have had to drown his sorrows, (this was the same guy who exactly eight years ago at the same bar chastised someone who’d had a few too many and made the idiotic proclamation: Bush is the environmental president. Or, the local guy could just focus on all the Minnesota races that you could find on network TV out of the Twin Cities, (after all, as far as all things presidential, they basically fired Trump). Meanwhile, at a bar across town, a local musician was saying this about the ultimate write-in: All things considered, I voted for Jesus.
— Oddly, there were virtually no Trump or Clinton masks to be found on Halloween, a matter that was still being discussed days after. Gaining more attention, based on the buildup various people gave, were the guy-in-the-shower costume, as word spread he’d now done this for 20 straight years and that enabled him to take home major prizes in contests at both the Village Inn and Pier 500, and possibly others. Also mentioned, as a model, was a friend of mine who went as a harem girl/genie adorned in not much more than most people wear in the shower.
— And what do you wear to Paisley Park? All things Prince remain in the news, as do the tales that come from people who’d had a brush with him. A friend said she partied at the Park going back 20 years. Did she ever get a chance to actually talk with Prince? “No” came the answer, as people always had to be hush around him. Oddly, earlier that day, The Oprah Network had an edition of their Where Are They Now show, and featured was the drummer, Sheila E, whose career was launched by Prince. Oddly, there was no mention of his demise. However, when the credits rolled, it was revealed that the episode was taped back in 2012 and now being rerun.
— Ellie’s on Main officially shut down operations and held a sale of all sorts of assorted merchandise on the patio back by the alley, not far from their friendly rivals at Dick’s. This was no “short sale,” as a sign out front listed as examples about a dozen types of stuff they were trying to unload, starting the list with something called ravioli forms (a specialty) and going down the list to crock pots and the like. Not unlike when the old Sandbar that was two blocks up lost its lease, and the regulars were invited to a drink-until-its gone party to get rid of numerous bottles of liquor that no longer served a purpose. The Ellie’s building has reportedly been purchased by the people behind the Smilin’ Moose, located between the former Ellie’s and former Sandbar. Maybe that’s why for several days running, the Ellie’s sign remained lit, for as they say at Motel 6, “we’ll leave the light on for you.”
— People were out in force to root for their favorite World Series team, ‘cuz they don’t get that chance very often. The numbers were smaller at the Green Mill and Buffalo Wild Wings, but more boisterous. At The Mill, there were four guys watching with interest, one of whom kept saying in the ninth inning,” we need just one more. Just one more.” Meanwhile at The Wings, there were seven people at the bar, and more at back tables, who were watching with keen interest. The three closest to me were soon on their social media devices. Maybe that had something to do with the rain delay, which occurred right before the Cubbies were crowned the kings of clout in extra innings.
— And as that goes, overheard about the recent WNBA slight that cost the Twin Cities team another title: “They screwed the Lynx.” That goes along with a comment from some journalism colleagues back in college days, who were dating: “She screws like a Lynx.”
— The sign at Kozy Korner said, “Let’s go Big Red,” in reference to Badger football game it would air the next day. It then added, “we deliver.” Maybe delivering more than some football teams in the region.

Everybody looks like somebody, and it ups the ante when its Halloween:
— There were some people out last weekend who were in “costume,” but accidentally, since they looked the part just by being themselves, and going as themselves. There was the woman from the coroner’s office at the CSI television show, complete with the dark makeup and hair and Gothic looks, but wait, that’s the way this patron looks in real life. The same was true of a couple of everyday Elvira lookalikes on the dance floor, and guy decked out in his usual manner to look like Bumblebee from the Transformers movies, and another “leading man,” if I can use that term, from the movie “She’s Outta My League,” which had aired on TV earlier that afternoon. Lastly, patron Shane pulled a superhero trick by wearing his Superman shirt for the second year in a row, and a hottie similarly rocked the house by sporting high heels with corn-like tassels covering the heel.
— A clerk at Holiday, sporting colored hair and piercings, said he was really into working in the last few weeks while the continuous strains of Halloween-style music played in the background, courtesy of a set of pre-programming. He added that his enthusiasm might wane when the overlong two months of Christmas music takes over once November comes.
— An area store loaded with Halloween gear advertised its wares by having a guy dressed as a skeleton dancing out front while holding a sign. He was doing the moves from Saturday Night Fever. Does this mean that John Travolta is undead? Or coming back to life?
— A bartender friend says she is wholly into Halloween, to the point that in her family, someone once gave birth then a day later went trick-or-treating with the newborn in a stroller, and both were in costume.
— Moving on to football, a big guy at the Village Inn in North Hudson, who was wearing a referee jersey, fittingly made it known by waving his hands above his head that the home team should accept a penalty. Add to that the sheer size of his large jersey, and you have a spectacle in the midst of a packed house.
— Across the street at the Freedom Value Center, a cashier had on accidental Green and Gold, in the form of her sweatshirt. When asked if this wardrobe choice was intentional, considering that it was game night, she was surprised, noting that the shirt’s logo said San Francisco. I said I’ve had the same experience when scores of people always ask me about (1) a Colorado Bulldogs sweatshirt from my sister-in-law, about which team many seem to think I’m a fan and (2) an old Mr. T’s Bar T-shirt from back in the day when I played on their softball squad, which still is amazingly intact (the shirt not the team).
— The Dahmer fans/critics/jokesters are out in force, and considering that its Halloween … Many people have told me that I resemble old Jeffrey, and part of the joke is that my friend Tom looks like Michael Moore, and that I just might come back from the dead to restart my evil deeds, and have Tom make a documentary film about it! But recently, there were four Dahmer “sightings” that he could put in his report. A woman whom I did not recognize said to the cute shot-girl at The Smilin’ Moose, as I stood near them waiting for the bathroom to open up, “there’s Dahmer behind you!” After a moment, I stepped forward two strides and said sarcastically “I heard that.” There was a similar remark made about me the next night, at the other end of the bar, far, far away, thinking I would not hear. Then the night after that, friend Rich regaled me with a Dahmer comparison, then did it one better, pretending to introduce me to someone at the bar who also has a look-alike: “Jeffrey, meet Alan Harper.” But where is Charlie Sheen! Add to that the teasing Jeff Loven gave me after calling me up to sing (death metal?) in the midst of this time period, and you have to wonder if all these commentators are “dead-on?” Or this should, someday, by put on MY tombstone?

— If you venture into Pudge’s these days, because of ongoing renovation, you can’t use the off-sale back door. So to invoke a World Series reference made Midwest topical because of Brewer announcer Bob Uecker, you “must be in the front row” and use the front door next to the sidewalk. Unless a zombie intercepts you en route.

— A few more late breaking tidbits from the “candy-like” grab-bag. Both Green Mill and the Village Inn have police do-not-cross lines in places where you would normally want to “go.” One is on the rest room doors and the other on the door to the beer cooler, so someone definitely had a sense of humor. At Green Mill, that tops the sign on either side of the front door, one referencing the entryway to the establishment, the other exiting with a drawing of a trick-or-treater’s bag getting a gaping hole and spilling all the loot. What might you want more than such candy, and still be in fitting with Halloween? How about the Surly Darkness Day that was hawked on a sign in front of the Nova, or the duo at Dick’s over the weekend that has them dressed up as Devo?

Like insurance companies, many local night spots had “riders” concerning those who they let in after hauling on over here from the Ryder Cup — even though the event took place way over on the other end of the Cities.

A couple of friends got up close and personal with Tiger Woods while watching the Tin Cup action. What was he like? Very friendly, one said. But kind of a jerk, the other countered.
The bartender at Green Mill said there were quite a few Ryder Cup people on a Friday night and you could tell because they were, well, dressed like the late Payne Stewart. But the couple next to me said they live in the area of the hosting golf course and came all the way here to Hudson the escape the throngs. Traffic going to work at 6 a.m. the prior day was terrible, they said.
A Ryder Cup chauffeur was at Family Fresh grocery store late at night making a large transaction. But he chose to focus on the favorable weather in which he drove, not the big money. Meanwhile, the sign at Season’s Tavern in North Hudson said it all: Win the cup boys.
Speaking of that, two Ryder-Cup-looking fans at Dick’s Bar and Grill — middle-aged, affluent-looking white men in knickers, appropriate headware and polo shirts with brand-name logo, were sharing drinks that I’m guessing were top shelf. The bartender said he’d be at the tourney if he had a choice and didn’t have to work, as the event was getting rolling the next day. As far as area overflow, the 29,000 metro region motel rooms reportedly were full.
On the next weekend, it was more of the same, as all the rooms between the Twin Cities and Menomonie were occupied because of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, the Viking home game and some western Wisconsin homecoming games.

The summer party season is fast waning, but that for fall is fast getting going:
— The Village Inn in North Hudson sponsored informal birthday parties for not one but, count ’em, four people on a recent Saturday evening. One of the most noteworthy beneficiaries is an aspiring model who also works at a village store and said she has had offers from Glamour, Fitness and yes even Playboy. On her big birthday night, she started out with a hip off-the-shoulder sweater with white slash, then changed into that infamous little black dress with high heeled boots, and lastly slipped on some comfortable flats for shoes. (That’s a standard standby because as she said, primping and preening before the camera for a more-than-eight-hour-day is hard work). And her party attire is much more a fave of hers than what she wears for retail work. But as some of the Village People might have asked most recently, where was the paparazzi?
— On that same night, there were people in a birthday party entourage getting toasted at Dick’s Bar and Grill, and their more-sober leader was wearing what looked like a Burger King crown over his baseball hat. The prior weekend, such a party had a makeshift photo booth cut out of a big cardboard box that was getting a lot of use, plus a pyramid of empty cans fashioned like that of the infamous good-for-you-food pecking order we learned of as kids, with cards and small gifts inserted. The birthday girl who was giving such stuff away said she had just turned 40, but looked a lot younger, hence fewer cans that were needed for the balancing act. And awhile before that, mostly empty plastic cups had been stacked in such a pyramid — and the letters on them used to spell out ADD with lots of extra Ds and then used for party bowling. Why “mostly” empty? In case you spaced out where you’d put your drink and needed a “spare.”
— That birthday theme continued at Dick’s when a megaphone was used to shout out birthday greetings, and its size and shape was much like that in a prominent recent photo of another even bigger kind of horn, that being the one that’s been blown for years at Viking games by its mascot.
— And lastly on this topic, I cite the large herd of bachlorettes at their own party you wore T-shirts saying “bride’s last ride.” Why do I say “herd?” The shirts were sporting a big logo of a stallion.
— And hold your horses. It may not have been the Ice Bowl, but Kozy Korner in North Hudson celebrated an outdoor Packer-Viking party when the teams faced off on what initially looked to be a very cool fall evening. All that was asked — like was done during such matchups for years across town at the Mallalieu Inn — is that you bring a potluck dish to pass, which entitled you to a free drink. In this latest case, would that entree be a “hot dish?”
— Speaking of hot dishes, one of just a handful of people out the other night was a Brazilian supermodel. OK, yes, she is from Brazil and has that accent and does have modeling cred, but not as many shoots as some. However, she does appear to be somewhat of a jet-setter, knowing musicians and pro athletes from near and far. One of them is musician Drake, who like the bartender who was yucking it up is from Canada, and some others are from the pro soccer team in the Twin Cities, and others who are prominent in their sport nationally. But this newbie does need to bone up on American culture. She didn’t quite get why the Incredible Hulk spoof on late night TV featured the big guy having green skin.
— Which brings us to more fun with geography, along the lines of you came all the way here to do what? Drivers in three recent local collisions hail from, drum roll please, (1) Lawrenceville, Georgia and Dearborne Heights, Mich., (2) Ephrata, Wash. and Edgewood, Md., and (3) Gothenburg, Neb. and Portland, not Oregon but Texas.
— With the prominence of the recent Bacon Bash in River Falls, this Buzztime trivia answer at Buffalo Wild Wings becomes more poignant: Players were asked to rank four regional favorite foods that are a bit unusual, and one was Kansas City chocolate bacon pizza. Much to our chagrin, it only drew 19 percent of the vote. You know that down in RF, with its special place in bacon lovers hearts, it would have done much better. And possibly at B-Dubs itself, as a new sauce for wings.
— And more on the travails of traveling on The Hill late at night. I pulled up to the intersection at Eleventh Street and Coulee Road in front of Taco John’s shortly before 1 a.m., and sat at a red light for four minutes waiting for a green. During that time only two other cars passed by. Enough to make me check if I was in the wrong lane and didn’t pull up to any pressure plate that might have been there. Nope, that didn’t work either.
— A fish story for your consideration. One of the main managers on The Hill has just one thing in mind after putting in her massive overtime and getting a rare day off: Hit her favorite fishing hole in the backwaters of the St. Croix (she’s not saying exactly where). There can be people who get their first if you’re not up at the brink of dawn, but they usually tow away if you hang around long enough. You also must be watchful of the sunken islands, and if you do, could have happen to you what took place with her child recently, getting a monster so big it broke an extra-firm fishing line. And all this was under the watchful eye of a great big buck on the shoreline. And why the need to escape the work environment for a bit? One of her colleagues put on one of those watch-type things that track steps taken, while pulling a busier than usual close-to-double, and ended up with nearly ten miles walked (or ran).
— A bartender friend again referenced something that’s been on a lot of people’s lips, the apparent purchase of Ellie’s on Main by the people who own the Smilin’ Moose. The walls at Ellie’s these days have been stripped bare of all their usual drink special flyers, all the way down to the wood, like they were in a transition mode. Toward that end, Ellie’s on Sunday night held a “Last Call” farewell party, marking the close of nine years in business with music by Garret and cake (the dessert not the band). They said it this way, “thanks for the memories,” to a crowd of largely on-again, off-again regulars that virtually filled the place early on. In subsequent days, the place was largely gutted.

— A friend named Bill, who always has a story to tell, shared this one about his 45th anniversary from local high school. There had been a photo taken way back when of he and another guy, Edwardo — who went on to move away and became a prominent business person — and a mutual lady friend. The two guys met up again at the reunion and Edwardo fessed up that he’d been carrying a torch for that woman all this years! Bill told him that she still lives in the Stillwater area, and that he would try to broker another reunion, that between those two.

Bringing home the bacon musically at the Bacon Bash in River Falls this weekend are these veteran bands, playing music that often spans decades, and frequently having various singers who can be of both sexes.
In addition to Chris Silver on Friday evening’s opening event, the lineup on Saturday, Sept. 17, is Sunday’s Regret from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League from 1:30-4:30 p.m., and Kyle Koliha from 5-8 p.m. Playing Sunday are Wade and Ella from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Everett Smithson from 1:30-4 p.m.
This is what they play:
— Sunday’s Regret is a five-member band with male and female lead singers. Angie Brinkman also serves as general manager, as well as dishing out the vocals, and she teams with Dustin Moenter, Josh Inkrott, Joseph Boecker and Brandon Stechschulte. Set lists are more up to date then many, and they include classic and current rock songs, each with their own unique twist, they say. Having lead singers of both sexes plays into that.
— Drawing their influences from almost a century of American music, The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League combines elegant composition, and raucous enthusiasm and playing to provide ambiance for any social event, from the Bacon Bash to comfortable dive bars to chic weddings, members say. They play a lot of swing and gypsy jazz influenced pop songs. Each of the members have scores of other varied interests, and that experience is brought to the table in their songs.
— Kyle Kohila is known for his energetic fingerpicking on the guitar, which leads to original stylings on several old standards, and he told me he’s been working on some new songs and also originals, and has plans to add to the mix a bit of “additional instrumentation,” possibly all as soon as the Bacon Bash. Kyle can be quite talkative between songs, to which he often adds additional flourishes — such as an extended, non-electric version of the guitar solo to the classic Free Bird, or may feature some quick staccato, same-note picking.
— Wade and Ella have for several years been stalwarts on the area entertainment scene, playing light rock and country at a number of venues and developing a following. They give unique treatment to duets and are noted for their powerful harmonies and smooth harmonica playing, performing music since 2013. After meeting at an open mic session in Wade’s hometown of River Falls, they began singing as a duo at a few shows, then performing around the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin, in many formats. Wade and Ella have a soft spot for the 90s, showing killer vocals and acoustic rock n’ roll and country, thus allowing their shows to be a mix of genres and harmonies.
— The Everett Smithson Band plays New Orleans-French Quarter musical varieties that include zydeco, blues, rockin’ roots, hillbilly hoedowns, gospel and more. The song list is unpredictable with numbers from Fats Domino, Johnny Cash, Howlin Wolf, Rosie Ledet, Wanda Jackson and Allison Krause — music from 1900 to the present day. These guys have played nationally and internationally with big name acts such as Bo Diddley, Lynwood Slim, Big George Jackson and Gary Primich. They have played together for such a long time that they tear it up with their solid rhythms and hot instrumentals, they say.
Their band leader spent 15 years with the Alley Katz playing throughout the Upper Midwest, and accordingly, their other lead singer has been performing professionally since the 90s, as accordion playing runs in her family. The group frequents numerous blues festivals, including the Bayfront Blues Fest. With a combo of male and female vocals, harmonica, accordion, standup bass and even harp, it has a different visual appeal than patrons are used to seeing.

New Moose, old IDs, and fashion model look-alikes young and not-so-young:
— There now will be another antlered animal, not just deer, in North Hudson. Officials behind the Smilin’ Moose plan to buy Starr’s Bar in the village, and add restaurant facilities, while keeping the rest much the same, according to a manager from one of the other North Hudson establishments, who adds the latest is that plans by people at The Moose to construct a new building across from Guv’s Place ran into logistical problems, so that will not commence. There had been rumors of also purchasing another venue in the village, but they were just that, only rumors, although there apparently is an effort by the people at The Moose to purchase Ellie’s on Main this fall, sources say.
As far as Starr’s, a legal notice for a Class B liquor license for Wisconsin Grill LLC, 315 Wisconsin St. N. has been published, starting Sept. 1, with the agent being William Souter, who is said to reside upstairs.
— They came a long way to use their fake ID. Word has it that the newest source of these are from Illinois, since they are easier to make and get use out of. Apparently the local police have even issued a press release to local buinesses telling them of the problem.
— Labor Day weekend saw a packed house for the One Man Band show, in both rooms, with no spare space to be found, was full of women looking like thin Russian models, or tall blondes with flowing hair, or both. Some of the main headturners weren’t in their 20s, either. (Not that guy in the Detroit Lions T-shirt, who said he owned it well before the most recent Viking QB acquisition, then was informed that the thrower in question goes by a different “S” — as in Sam, or as it now turns out Shaun, but not Stafford. Only two of those three hope to be Superman and bring a Super Bowl to the Twin Cities). Anyway, despite the full house, Jeff Loven carried on with all the usual people coming up for cameo songs, including the return of Pizza King Rich and his AC/DC cover. Tracy came forward, as well, but with the constraints of the night there was no duet to Paradise by the Dashboard Light, which they had done for several straight weekends, getting their newest collaboration more and more dead-on.
— Meanwhile, Jeff gave another shoutout to Prince saying, “Thank you for never leaving Minneapolis.” But Jeff himself has, recalling his early days with the band Obsession and playing on The Strip in California and also prominent venues in New York City, while recounting his 15 years with his newer gig, that being The One Man Band, in part with his weekly shows at Dick’s Bar and Grill. One such tale was Obsession’s version of Home Sweet Home — with the members of Motley Crue in the crowd and feeling some competition. The Crue than put there own version, which became a big hit, on the fast track for recording, and it was out in weeks afterward. And one more bit of Jeff trivia: What was his first band while in high school? “Zion.”
— The Badgers got the season of all-things-football going with an upset of No. 5-ranked LSU, by a score of 16-14, although that final was aided by a fluky play that went UW’s way. The number of people out at the sports bars to see it, however, was often underwhelming. But a friend of one of the servers on duty at the Village Inn in North Hudson summed it up this way: “Wow. This is big.” Across the street at Kozy Korner the sign simply said “On Wisconsin.” And oh, OK: “Eat a Rock LSU.”
— The Vine Street construction detour just keeps getting longer, and in some cases now even snakes south out of your way until back to the high school. Makes it harder and harder to get to that frequent wild party that I’ve been told about in Stone Pine.

Spicy fun finagled its way into Pepper Fest, which was really jazzed up anyway, despite the trek some needed to make from the other side of the freeway:
— This wayward Minnesotan couldn’t be farther away. She was at the Kwik Trip store on the southeast part of The Hill district, asking how to get to Pepper Fest Park. She had to be given the directions to North Hudson twice.
— Another visitor from Minnesota, as we tend to have them at our house, floated his latest get-rich-quick-scheme — taking the hot pepper carving at the end of a necklace and buying hundreds if not thousands of them, and reselling them at a high markup. That idea was hatched on literally, the first day of Pepper Fest, without the guy even knowing of its existence! Afraid somebody’s probably beaten him to the punch.
— Speaking of getting a bit punchy, or at least showing some good-natured attitude — maybe by going where their sign was leading — the Pepper Fest parade people at Kozy Korner were dressed up as “cougars” and roamed despite the rain. Peppers aside, they were sure to heat things up even more. As another aside, the aformentioned sign said to bring in your Pepper Fest mug or pitcher for specials at Kozy.
— A mini-review offered by one of my favorite red-headed friends, of the band Paisan, a new one to Pepper Fest this year: A great quality show that was bolstered by a total of up to ten people on stage, playing different instruments that really jazzed things up.
— Post-Pepper Fest parties also reigned, especially among its royalty. Even after a few days, some stalwarts had their recycling bins at the curb overflowing with aluminum cans, pizza boxes and the like.
— With that noted, it was my birthday, again, and this time I did indeed partake in the free, multi-shot ladle drink at the Smilin’ Moose, (although I did not try to wear it as a hat, like one recent infused patron). That discrepancy brings to mind the border battle component, yet again, of how for a couple of years running now, there have been various ways birthday people have negotiated — sometimes with a bit of questioning — having all that liquid cheer at once.
— Another B-day drink for me. I met up with a couple of friends, one of whom wanted to buy me a shot, but which of the many available would I choose? Gee, I don’t even know what the different ones are. Neither did my benefactor, so all of us just stared rather blankly at each other (even before indulging), then went around in circles trying to decide. We all finally settled on — all at once, mind you — water moccasins. As I poured it down, I recalled something from a neighboring bar a few nights previous, where there also was confusion about what to order. Two quotes tell the tale: “I know what a moccasin is, but what’s a water moccasin?” Then: “Give me another one of what you just gave me.”
— As far as a related celebration, bartender Julia was in her (post)-birthday party mode and posed for a photo (not a selfie) with a friend who had close to a dozen straws stuck in his big, bushy beard.
— Along those lines, a bartender friend is going to a Halloween themed wedding — taking place in late August. (The venue wasn’t available in late October). When asked, she said that for lack of time to pick a relatively scary costume, she would go as a flapper, reprising an earlier wedding-guest role. One had to ask these (timing challenged?) people about the nature of the bachlorette party, and as it turns out, that was held two years ago.
— Now they had another option for listening to Journey, other than local cover bands. The recent show in the Twin Cities was well attended by locals, some of whom work the late shift and had to get out of work early. By all accounts, the quality musicianship made it worth the journey.
— Regarding another journey, into the Great Beyond, yet another Prince tribute song was played at a local bar, but it didn’t go over as well as the original. Owner Leigh at the Village Inn was of that opinion when Purple Rain was covered on the jukebox. He said that he didn’t like Phish, except of course that served at his establishment. My input? Phish was meant to be eaten not heard.
— With the recent celebrations marking the Star Wars anniversary, it is worth noting at this time the citing of a Carrie Fisher lookalike in downtown Hudson, albeit with a different twist on the side of her hairdo. Around that time, someone looking just like Cindy Crawford was seen, albiet with the famous mole on the other side of her lip. And just for Pepper Fest, there were women with amazing resemblences to Jen Aniston and none other than Kim Kardashian, complete with her booty, to be seen on the scene.

What season of the year is it? Christmas? The Fourth? Construction? Community festival? Your favorite seasonal brew? Whatever your fave, there was and will be something in after-hours Hudson for it.
— Overheard at Green Mill, when regulars were pondering which summer-style beverage to order: “Why was the orchard angry? It got eaten by a spotted cow.” And on the way to that bar and grill up the hill, one could see a different twist on pitching music offerings, and the eyes have it. At the Nova, a wine bar that features weekend acoustic music on the back patio, there were a pair of classic cars parked at the front to drum up business, each being given a big pair of eye balls in the windshield as part of the sun screening. Would that mean they are Four Eyes?

— Is it Christmas (lights) in July? With the road construction barrels back in place in the stretch between Hudson and North Hudson, one can see late at night the scores of twinkling lights atop the sawhorses to guide After Midnight drivers through the maze of road work. And they just might need that.
— This was an “alternative” way to beat the heat, which has continued on into the late night. As I was driving past the city sewage treatment plant to get to downtown rock and alt bands, a blast of water from the sprinkler system hit my windshield, obscuring my vision of even the wide St. Croix River. Which is quite topicable, since a boater type I met in a chance encounter in St. Paul that same day made it a point to note that several St. Croix islands were flooded.
— A couple of typically-more-late-night friends I met up with at the Freedom Value Center in North Hudson said they were following their more typical — in a different mode — pattern of treating themselves with ala mode, due to their walk all the way to the downtown Dairy Queen, which hopefully wore off any added calories and more. Like many others, they probably encountered sidewalk construction issues along the route. But the “treat” aspect reminded of a guy in North Hudson who recently bought cigarettes, beer, smokeless tobacco and in addition, some of that high-powered malted liquor. That’s four vices for The Fourth.
— Dick’s Bar and Grill often gets a bulk of the boater traffic that comes into local bars from the St. Croix River, but recently there was a different twist. Stalwarts from the vintage ship patterned after that sailed by Columbus, which was docked just down the way, were out in droves at Dick’s recently, and bartenders said that was why there was an unusually high amount of customer traffic on what typically would have been a slow weeknight.
— At the flip-side end of such things, during the opening night of Lumberjack Days in Stillwater, customer traffic in downtown Hudson was mostly slim, but as you moved northward into North Hudson and got closer to the main fest, it picked up. Looks like those Minnesota-based partiers could still find their way around, without driving too far.
— The local Demon Rum people have their faves as far as where there concoction is on special, and one of them has a coaster to hold your drink and devoted to their brand. It shows a darkly-exotic-looking model caressing one of the bottles, and holding it close to her lovely face, and saying “unleash your demon.” Just so happens that this women bears a striking resemblance to a server who has worked downtown for as long as I can remember. The same venue has at times had a coaster that advertised a local jeweler as keeping husbands out of trouble for decades, a reference to the notorious emergency gifts that are one of their specialties. Got to love the joke, although I’ve never needed to use their downtown store for that purpose.
— Seen on the sign at Village Inn in North Hudson: Chicken sandwiches, cold beer. They made it careful that there be a distinction between the brew and any COLD chicken sandwiches.
— The sign outside the Agave Kitchen, which always has something to say and is usually changed nightly, had a several day run, which is atypical, espousing their support for law enforcement in the wake of the recent mass shootings. On a lighter note, before and after those messages, was one that made a pitch for quite hearty food: Pineapple, salmon, salsa, tacos. #CU2MRW. Reminds me of a joking reference awhile back on a sign in North Hudson, about a different kind of sustenance that you can intake: “The Kozy Korner motto, A Drink in Both Hands. Sorry Van Halen.” But hey, it is now the heat of summer, so to quote that song, “got my toes in the sand.”

Adele and Beyonce fans get wet, but some also say they saw Prince in a Grand way (in St. Paul, no less):

— When Adele chatted and sang in the Twin Cities, the rainy weather was just as uncooperative as for the Beyonce show, which may be fitting because she had been expected to perform a song partly about such precipitation, Purple Rain by Prince, as a tribute to the late area icon. Many local people helped fill up the concert halls. It also was bantied about in the media that Prince has had about dozen backup musicians since his heyday, one of whom, a guitarist, I met in a gas station along White Bear Avenue around that time, very late at night. Another person I just met said he twice had encountered Prince while partying on a different avenue, that being Grand Avenue. A third noted that the intro to Purple Rain, as done by some of the dozens of local tributes in the past few weeks, sounds a lot like a Lynyrd Skynrd song. (Not that with their conflicting musical styles, they ever would have shared the same stage).
— One of the summer changes at the Smilin’ Moose, not just bands, has included a guy hawking a use-hammer-to-pound-nails-into-a-stump game, on the patio that’s also made of wood. That is so Wisconsin. Maybe more so than having a moose as your mascot.
— At local sports bars, you could see the draft choices being made by NBA teams. Or where they for some other type of contest, such as a video game, with names like Tome Maker and Dragan Bender? One of them was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks, who for sure won’t have a video game patterned after them.
— Advertised as “The World’s Best Husband,” via a local business card, and “The World’s Best Tacos,” via the Village Inn sign, North Hudson is the hallowed haven for a hospitable hubby, or the hottest hombre.
— A last word (I hope) from the whole Hudson traffic debacle. With the traffic rerouting down next to the water along First Street, and the slowing-to-near-a-haul driving behavior of (largely) Minnesota motorists, cyclists were actually traveling much faster than those in cars. And perhaps this sign in an alley between that street and the main drag says it all: A totally yellow figure — that’s much the same color as those annoying cones that enforce crosswalk pedestrian morality — and that looks like one of the Mario Brothers, has been seen holding up signs that suggest a slower speed for children of about the same stature. It may have been there prior to the construction, but I’m sure many more people seeking a detour saw it in the last couple of months.
— As summer rolls itself out, it can be manifest in literally hundreds of plastic boats and sand pails hung from the ceiling in two big rooms at Dick’s Bar and Grill. There also were dozens of chalk designs on the pavement outside Knoke’s Chocolates, together taking up about a dozen concrete squares that consist of two-dozen square feet each.