(Who has become more kind and gentle, the newly defenseless Vikes or the Vulcan Royalty?) Read below and then whats in the Notes From The Beat Department, and you could make a call? Not unnecessary roughing).

You never want to talk at length to the guy at the bar whose had a couple too many, correct? But sometimes, someone a little less tipsy there can really have something to say, including about the politics of the day. So www.HudsonWiNightlife makes one of its rare trips into actual social commentary:
This information was given to me across the threshhold in my driveway just prior to the PepperFest beer-drinking itself. A man who was a mainstay with the festival parade, and staying with friends who are very big into the PepperFest royalty and related activities, was looking for a way to round out the time the night before it all started. He expressed interest in an old Cadillac that I had agreed to house in my driveway for an acquaintance, to take advantage of all the foot traffic from potential buyers.
What evolved from that was a primer given to me on the NEW kinder, gentler Vulcans, taking a far different approach to the longtime, traditional smudging of womens’ cheeks with their painted faces — even if some of those many chosen ones are reluctant — across the various summer festivals to which they are typically invited, and their parades. These days, he said, the Vulcans have needed to ask first if such marking could be made to women taking in the parades at the curb, and even then, they have limited it to placing stickers on the cheeks of the willing. That’s far different than the approach taken in some St. Paul bars where servers wearing shorts were expected to let a Vulcan do the “garter” dance on their legs and raise the ringed cloth dangerously close to their crotches. You could tell they were uneasy with how far up is too far, and a friend of mine became at the center of the controversy when she alleged she was sexually assaulted during such an escapade.
And on a different side of the spectrum, there was the guy I met before last call who describes himself as a lower-case-R republican and a capital L Libertarian. (Oddly enough, that’s the same characterization given by a longtime friend of mine and downtown patron). The former man was all about the right to bear arms, and to protect his property from looters under the so-called “Castle” law, but said actually firing such a weapon should always be only a last resort. He cited a recent shooting that made national news that could have been avoided if the man firing the gun had simply brandished it, as a method of deterrence, and said to the alleged perpetrator to back off from the disagreement they had, which involved a shove. My new bud, with me being mostly liberal, also said that sometimes simply seeing that a firearm exists on a person’s hip — when talking about conceal and carry — can lead to an altercation by a do-gooder who raises an issue after seeing it, subjecting the carrier to unnecessary harassment that could be avoided. But back to the guy telling the tale: Contrary to what you might think, he is all for universal health care available to everyone, no matter that there might be sacrifices needed by some of the well-to-do for that to be accomplished, and other causes that you wouldn’t necessarily equate to conservatism. But I agreed with everything this man said.

With lots of originally penned music and Paradise City sounding, the Vulcans — both from The Village and westward– combined with the North Hudson ilk to be invigorated with all their senses before, during and after PepperFest (see more on various local festivities, such as North Division football, on this web site’s Notes From The Beat or Picks of the Week departments):

— I didn’t know I had a neighbor who wrote music until the annual neighborhood block party, where she told me she has penned about 100 original songs, and actually performed many of them, mostly in the folk and Christian variety. It might be apt to wonder if these musical tastes were shared by, or with, their guests of the fall-is-coming weekend in question. Then went up all the PepperFest tents for four nights in their yard, with many of the visitors including members of the Vulcans camp, as is also the case with a handful of other locals opening their front yards for that weekend. And those same people made a similar allegiance known for days after the festival grounds closed, by keeping their porch lights on all night long, in at least one case having one such bulb tinted purple and one yellow, to show Viking fan-ship — even though this is Wisconsin. Would this end up like a recent raunchy, late-night comedy where a pair of sisters throw an over-the-top wild party, with in this case louder music, and the guests decide to make Viking horns with their fingers and — sorry Minnesota fans — burn the boat.
— As for that prior Thursday evening, the party had already started, not so much in the local bars but in garages rimming PepperFest park. My neighbors man cave was hopping, near the beginning with the song Paradise City, which a couple of weeks earlier was touted on the sign of Kozy Korner as being written for the village of North Hudson. Some visitors put up strings of lights in the yards they had borrowed — or taken over? —  that shown for days like the stars above a Vulcan mariner’s sky. But Kozy was also clairvoyant when remarking on its marquee that Whitney Houston wrote I Will Always Love You for the pizzaria and sports bar itself. It was only the next day that the news broke that another queen of soul, the original, had died. Kozy obviously was giving R-E-S-P-E-C-T to both Whitney and the late Aretha Franklin.
— Up in Star Prairie, for Ox Cart Days, there was a dearth of candidates for certain coronations. Miss Star Prairie had its one hopeful in 16-year-old Alixandria Einberger, and Little Miss Star Prairie its lone queen candidate in nine-year-old Lalia Torntore. Star Prairie is a little burg, so maybe they were the only 14 and nine years olds residing there at this moment! But the last crown category, Tiny Miss Star Prairie, had three kids. Maybe they are triplets!
— An Aerosmith-themed pinball machine that had been up at Dick’s Bar and Grill for months put a couple of the band members in harm’s way, as in missing their arms. Lead singer Steven Tyler is portrayed gripping a mic in his left hand, but where is his right? It is nowhere to be seen. Likewise, the drummer — unnamed because those doing percussion avoid the limelight, unlike Tyler — has a stick in his right hand but you can’t see any hint of his left, which I would think also holds a stick. But maybe that’s their schtick. Anyway, that pinball machine has been replaced by one with an Iron Maiden theme, to match the actual instrument on display at the other end of the venue, the restaurant part. The new electronic machine posts as an ad not “Powerslave” but “Legacy of the Beast,” after the classic Maiden song “Number of the Beast.” Has the metal band been around so long that we’re now using the word “legacy?”
— Now that its again time for Viking football, this thought. Is it the right time for Adrian Peterson to take the same path as Browns legend and lineman Joe Thomas, who is married to a Hudson woman and former Badger basketball player, and simply walk away from the game and retire while on top as far as his personal performance? Memo to Brett Favre. With that thought, another QB performance: New quarterback Cousins was the subject of media attention recently for the fact that he drives kind of a beater. Will the fact that in the preseason opener he went four-for-four for forty-plus yards and a TD mean he can upgrade to an SUV? (OK, its not that much of a beater). Word has it however, that Thomas might reconsider retirement now that its been announced that the Browns will give away a ton of free beer once they get that first win in a year. Or, that much-sought-after win might take so long to come that he will be regular-working-stiff retirement age before he can sip it while in his wheelchair!
— In the form of Jillian Gurnoe, a newcomer locally who is known for his vocals — before the prime time of the also vocal Packer fans — the Village Inn made a foray into the soon-to-close world of summer Sunday patio music as a pre-view to the pre-season of the NFL, when The Inn’s draw during these same hours is huge.
— The sign at Kozy said congratulations Kimmy and Jimmy, only one letter different and the letters in question come one right after and other in the alphabet. Can a Timmy be far behind?

(For a post that actually manages to combine the seemingly strange bedfellows of  elections and nudity, see this web site’s Notes From The Beat department).

Everything is under construction it seems, from an armory to an auditorium to asphalt. Or that’s been termed deconstruction, fittingly, as that item is listed partway down:
— The old armory in the Twin Cities, which has been turned into a happening nightclub, has been done so through the help of a young Hudsonite who is part of a three-person production crew for this and some other venues. The 6,000 seats at the new armory facility often sell out fast for name musical acts, he noted. That made this headline in the St. Paul Pioneer Press — when his crew and others had a disagreement with a related new and major venue also chosen to host a series of bands just prior to the Super Bowl — seem a bit behind the eight ball: “Mystic Lake sued over cancelling temporary nightclub.” Temporary?
— Likewise, a couple of workers from Colorado were part of a small team brought in to troubleshoot some fix-its at the then-almost-finished Hudson High School and auditorium renovation. They said they were fresh off another such task at a small town in Minnesota, where the locals were so happy with the work on the local school and music-staging area that they threw a great big community party with the messiahs of mortar, who can carry a tune with a band as well as carry a toolbox, as guests of honor. After getting the last pieces to fit, they celebrated likewise at Dick’s Bar, but found there was one piece missing — heartily so — that would have made it a true to-do. What was the missing link? You’ve got to remember, the workers were from Colorado.
— The online ad for learning additional languages suggested that people do so pronto, so it would be useful during soccer’s World Cup. What my friend at Buffalo Wild Wings, which billed itself as the Hudson place to view the action, thought about this was the kicker. “I could care less about soccer,” she said with a smirk. Another patron, however, said that she had just been to a Minnesota United game, and was impressed by the about 30,000 people who were there, possibly riding on the coattails of the World Cup and prior to that catching some of the action at BWW. And speaking of events well flooded with people, there have been a couple in recent weeks in Lakefront Park, including the Relay For Life and Riverfest, leading staffers from Dick’s to ponder aloud, “just what’s going on down there?”
— They needed to make the hopper hop to it. On a recent Thursday at the Village Inn, a going away party was so well-attended — so much so that the staff was swamped with up to 150 people, obviously much more than usual for that night — that all their beer hoppers were hard at work all throughout the night, dispensing drinks. This kind of crowd though is what bartenders live for, as they make their living largely through tips. This was at the forefront of the mind of one of them, she told me, even though that packed night not prompted by the Packers was awhile back, but seemed like yesterday.
— Just one thought, from the late night news about their news that China would no longer be accepting solid waste from the U.S. “Looks like they no longer are going to take our shit!”
— Another play on words, as far as use (or misuse) of language. A late-night buddy was livid about the use in the newspaper of the word deconstruct to describe the first stages on the remake of the former dog track into a multi-use complex to include a longer-in-coming than Field of Dreams baseball diamond. He argued that it should read that there would be demolition followed by new construction. To deconstruct would be going back and doing things like taking out individual nails one at a time. (He even planned to look the word up in the dictionary — we debated which one — just to make sure he had nailed it on the head). He also referenced as mandatory use of a wrecking ball. I mentioned to him that the term deconstruct might be more succinct, but that did not go far — in what is unusual for someone who has had a few beers, he didn’t have a tolerance for being chatty.
— The sign, when taken in full, advertised award winning ribs, but because of the lights on one side being out, at night it was seen as “ard ing ibs.”
— The last slogan to reference was on a beautiful women’s T-shirt. I at first thought it read Under Construction, which made me consider quipping to her A Job Well Done. Then I noticed, just in time to save myself from a serious social blunder, that the shirt actually said Under Armour. Later, I made another such miscue, and this time — unfortunately — the words actually exited my mouth. The server had to break away and head to the end of the bar to serve some last-minute off-sale customers, and I regretably said, “this is the back end, you know the drill!”
— Again, I guess Dibbo’s will never go away. A magazine on the rack showed the hottest swimsuit bodies of the year, and weighing in despite her age being beyond 40 was Brooke Burke. I’ve always thought that my old band-watching friend Jen looked much like her, having the long legs although not quite as long in the tooth.
— Tracey, or should I say Traceys, were both back to watch one-man-bander Jeff Loven the other night. Tracey No. 1 got up and for old times sake did their rendition of Paradise By The Dashboard Light. And speaking of the One Man Band, he is headlining the Freedom Fest in Minnesota with a record six-hour set.
— Every dog must have his day, although there’s a limit to where they can go. Now that the kitchen is in at the newly renovated Starr’s Bar, there are signs on the doors saying dogs can no longer be brought in, unless they are service animals. The exception is out on the patio, where they can go as long as they are leashed and neutered. The place once had a problem resulting from that, the sign continued. (Use your imagination! Or maybe don’t).

This is (or was) the local version of The Stones, and if you turn a few over you might find a Rock Lobster:
— With the closing after five years of Stone Tap, which renovated the space occupied for decades by the iconic rock club Dibbo’s before it shut down, more memories are being pulled forward — and still created. A fourth post-mortem sign, like the rest on a simple 8-by-11 sheet of paper, announcing the demise was posted, a realty sign or two were added and then taken down, and all the while the lights to the dining area have been kept on, almost like they were still open. But that didn’t dissuade a couple of women from happening by and saying, “I don’t care about (the closing) … I just want to look at the architecture.” Meanwhile, in those same days, Dibbo’s has lived on through its sometimes tattered group of stalwarts, by the fact that I’ve run into about seven on them in relatively farflung places lately, even in jurisdictions such as Texas, a metro advertising office, a doctors clinic, other nightclubs, a convenience store (late night of course) and yes, even a church setting. Many said they still miss the bands that played there, and that there will never be another Dibbo’s.
— Another set of signs, on the either end of Hudson area, also led the way. One for Mallard’s in Bayport asked if you, as a patron of theirs, would rather dunk or drizzle your lobster roll. I guess for purposes of this column, that would be a Rock Lobster, as in the song title, and challenge the rock ‘n’ roll bands that play there to up their tempo to the point of being Dibbo’s style. But with that said, it would appear that North Hudson is actually the place of rockers really rolling, as it was suggested on a Kozy Korner sign that G’N’R actually named their song Paradise City after the village itself.
— On the other end of the village, one of the places that Terry, the longtime bartender and bouncer at Dick’s, celebrated his just-past-30 birthday was the newly renovated Starr’s Bar, although the sidewalks and cement floor in and around his place of employment offered chalk writings in the hundreds of words with their well-wishes. They stood the test of time, and rain, and were visible for days afterward. This past weekend there were more such wishes outside of the new Mexican cantina, this time congratulating “Kelly,” and offered a basketball-size smiley face, although this time the rest of the drawings appeared like gibberish.
— On that same night Lumberjack Days in Stillwater stole people from the Hudson scene, although the pattern of where people partied was sometimes transposed. Enter in the bachlorettes to save the day. On Friday night, it was what you would expect, again at Dick’s, with everything being dead until about 1 a.m. and then the place being flooded with wannabe lumberjacks when that fest let out. On Saturday, there was hardly a soul at Dick’s early on, save the two or more bachlorette buses, and the predictable late-night rush never transpired.
— On thing that was not predictable is that Danica Patrick has now announced that like a prominent Hudson sports family, she is indeed a Packers fan. The race car driver will likely put that in full display when she hosts the ESPN version of the Oscars. While this announcment was being made on sports bar TV, the bartender said to a colleague that he was having trouble finding bitters. To both the person expecting that drink, and to Viking fans who no doubt would like to ordain Danica as one of their own, that must have been a bitter pill.
— Also on stage for a performance was Bill Joel, who was soon joined by The Boss — as was announced by the metro TV news in what must have been a slow day — and there are Hudson parallels. A well-heeled family who moved here from Connecticut had a dad who grew up next to Brook Shields, had a brother who played soccer with guitarist Richie Blackmore, and was old enough to know that Billy Joel was the local lush at the corner bar. And as far as Bruce Springsteen, local bartender Michele had a recurring gig where she was caterer to the stars, including Springsteen, who would always stop by and briefly say hello when happening by backstage.
— And also as far as what’s in a name, the local rag sometimes has an unintentionally funny one in its police report from the night before. The latest was a poor gent who was given the unfortunate name of Hel Say.
— This is not a poor gent, although you’d never know it. As in limo driver take me to the show … What if that driver is Kirk Cousins, the newest Viking quarterback, and the extra-long van that he everyman-style drives instead of a Rolls Royce, as was rolled out prominently on the TV news recently. That van is long enough, however, so that if he’d ever trek to Wisconsin, it would not nearly fit into one of our typical parking spaces, and he would have to resort to pulling alongside one of the strings of cars along, say, Walnut Street in front of Dick’s Bar and Grill and double park, like so many limo drivers before him who come here. Hey, that sounds like being everyman. As did the backup quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, not the Vikings, when at training camp in River Falls and telling the cart driver taking him to the practice field, that man, their was no reason he couldn’t just walk.

The music at the St. Croix County Fair this weekend sticks to the tried and true, opening with a group of young rockers, and featuring a new venue, and followed up by several time-proven bands.
Positioned in Glenwood City, The Fourth Degree plays Thursday at 8 p.m. (at Croix Court), Boondoggle on Friday at 7 p.m. (at pavilion) and The Whitesidewalls on Friday at 7 p.m. (at Croix Court), Elvis Show on Saturday at 2:30 and 4 p.m., Blue Moon Drive on Saturday at 7 p.m. (at pavilion), and The Memories on Saturday at 8:15 p.m (at Croix Court).
Some bands have been shifted to a new venue, right in the middle of things, that helps you see them without paying a cover charge, meaning that yes, you get free entertainment, unlike many other places. The beer and beverage pavilion is open to the public on the north end of the horse arena, and will feature “no cover” for music such as Boondoggle and Blue Moon Drive.
Here is a breakdown of what the fair’s music has to offer:
– The Whitesidewalls are considered by many to be the Upper Midwest’s premier doo-wop, rockabilly and rock and roll show band, and the fair has them.
Featuring five singers playing multiple instruments, the tight harmonies and driving dance beat of the Whitesidewalls are the signature of the Rock ‘n Roll Revue. Hound Dog, Swanee, Gino Gambucci, Bobby Maestro and Rocky Beaumont have handcrafted a show that will have you jumping — just like it did all those years ago. This group of versatile artists from Minnesota and Wisconsin performs for many thousands of people each year, and they have shared the stage with many big names in music over a span of four decades.
Whitesidewalls Radio is on the air, also, in Minnesota, New Jersey and Florida. After listening to them at the fair, keep the party rolling and tune in to hear host Michael Patrick “Records” Ryan interview guests, deliver the latest band news and spin the platters from the golden age of rock and roll, even a few by The Whitesidewalls. They can be found on the radio in Minnesota at KDUZ AM 1260 in Hutchinson from 1-3 p.m. Sundays, WKLK AM 1230 in Cloquet from 5-7 p.m. Saturdays, and KSCR FM 93.5 in Benson from 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays.
Also, as a followup to the fair, or to preview their act beforehand, check out the Whitesidewalls video sampler of their two-act musical “Love Potion #10,” and their new CD “Livin’ the Dream” that has been released and is now available.
Since their genesis over 40 years ago, the Whitesidewalls Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue has built a loyal fan base that continues to grow and show their support.The Whitesidewalls have shared the stage with a number of notable artists including: The Difters, Bobby Vee, Bo Diddley, Rick Nelson, Carl Perkins, Del Shannon, The Crickets, Wolfman Jack, Herman’s Hermits, Tommy Roe, The Grass Roots, Bill Haley Jr., The Coasters, Lou Christie and Tommy Allsup. The list of who plays what, and its a long one, is as such: Founder Hound Dog on guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and vocals, Swanee on guitar, sax, keyboards and vocals, Rocky Beaumont on drums, bass, guitar and vocals, Gino Gambucci on bass, keyboards, guitar and vocals, and Bobby Maestro on keyboards, bass, guitar and vocals. Note that all five members share vocal duties, just to change things up.They even have with them a crew chief and sound and lighting engineer.
– As far as The Memories musical variety show, and the many awards that have been bestowed on them, the group was inducted to the Wisconsin Association of Fairs’ Hall of Fame in 1995.
As many groups do, The Memories got their start singing and playing music while in high school choir and band in Boyceville. In summer 1972, they were asked to perform for a friend’s wedding dance and 44 years later Warren Petryk and Tim Stevens are still making music together. They now have performed at the county fair for 31 straight years.
In what started out as a very part-time adventure, Warren and Tim, along with classmate and fellow founding member, John Lynch, performed anywhere and everywhere they could: village halls, golf courses, high schools, community festivals, wedding dances, night clubs, bowling alleys, street dances, ballrooms, barn dances, supper clubs and ski resorts included.
“I think there a few things that make us ‘different.’ We try our best to make sure our shows feature great songs, performed well from a musical standpoint. But also, that our shows are entertaining, interesting and fun for our audiences,” Tim said, adding that the band members were fortunate that they were best friends before they started performing together. “We have been told many times through the years that our friendship really comes across to our audiences when we are on stage.” Growing up together in western Wisconsin, they not only know each other extremely well, but also their audiences and the people and history of the area. “We bring that to the stage with us,” Tim said.
– Founded in 2002, Boondoggle lists its interests as rowdy bars, bachelorette parties, dancin’ fools, wedding dances, barn dances, guitars, Cadillacs and cold brewskies. The genre is variety, country and rock and they play music by Elvis, the Beatles, the Stones, Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Dwight Yoakam, and everything in-between, from the 60s to current day. Band members are Brent Ackley, Dawn Budrow, Jim Ehlers, John Wolf and Nate Dahl, hailing from western Wisconsin.
– The honkytonk sounds of Blue Moon Drive also have some hometown boys, this time from River Falls, and they are names you may recall: Dave Snyder, Al Canfield, Bob Feyereisen, Dave Feyereisen and Kevin Louden. “We are all about good beats and moving your feets! And we’re always looking for one more perfect gig that can change the world,” they say, adding that their influences include: Merle Haggard, Dale Watson, Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, CCR, Hank Jr., The Mavericks, The Valley Boys and Larry Schorn.
– “The Elvis show is a tribute to the different periods of Elvis’ career: the 50s, the movies, his 1968 comeback special, his gospel music and the record breaking years in Vegas,” they say. Joe Sir is the leader of that band, and they have taken the name Rockabilly Rebel Band.
– The fair’s music opens with a heavier sound, although still classic rock and country, provided by the group The Fourth Degree, also hailing from the area, in this case Hammond. On lead guitar and backing vocals is Tyer Dennis, lead vocals Lexi Vasser, guitar and piano and backing vocals Cris Carrasco, drums RJ Feyereisen, and bass Alex Golden. They are a group of young people that give a fresh sound to the fair, playing around the same time as the queen coronation, which means there will be all kinds of royalty from other communities present, making it even more an event of choice for a younger crowd, as far as bringing in young blood as spectators.

The Fourth of July brings things around the region like boat parades (such as the longtime cruise on Lake Mallalieu by longtime residents), car shows and fishing contests (like the many around the area all summer), and live wrestling shows (OK, we don’t know about that one). But for what specifically is going on around Hudson and the immediate vicinity …
— This is a case of www.HudsonWiNightlife.com doing “breaking news,” such as it is, and you don’t always see that. When out for a walk toward the end of the afternoon on The Fourth, there started a drizzle that slowly built to a bit more, and there were foursomes and fivesomes of people who audibly shreaked their surprise and quickly packed up grills and the accompanying equipment and hurried inside, as the showers of the day continued. Minutes later, and just down the block, that didn’t keep the people from out of town, (who apparently have a greater tolerance for rain), from continuing to stream into That Zappa Show, which has probably been around since the ’70s, and buy fireworks.
— The question of the day around that time continued to be what holiday celebrations would continue to be held, and the biggest local question probably was the status of the Stiilwater fireworks, which seem to be more revered than what Hudson has to offer. The discussion actually began a week or two ago when the old lift bridge was against the center of the discourse, (for maybe the last time if it actually does fall off into the St. Croix River), as flooding meant the water level was again creeping up toward its bottom deck, and patio decks on the Minnesota side by the bars were again beyond being just a little wet.
— The St. Paul Pioneer Press listed its 22 best metro fireworks displays today. Stillwater was among them, but was given the least number of words of any.

— Public television has been trying to look more hip, which was shown by the music selections made for their fireworks concert coverage, heavy on the party aspect of celebrate America’s birthday. To the point where they had a performance by, of all people, Jimmy Buffett early on. But there was not a showing by the local musician who is a champion of trop rock and of Buffett covers in particular, having done at least one CD release party — and quite a party it was — at Dick’s Bar and Grill. (I forget his name; maybe I myself have been emulating Buffett too early into this festive Fourth).

— But of course there has been extreme heat, too, and not for the holiday unfortunately, so there is no word yet on whether this lately “special,” such as it is, is still moving forward on The Fourth. A late night visit to Burger King revealed that the air conditioning was out, but don’t worry, they were making it up to their customers, by offering — as a sign on the front counter so prominently said — a free glass of water with ice. Uhm, won’t that normally be available and free, I’m assuming without fee, anyway?
— And with this being the day it is, there are “festivities,” and you know what that means in Wisconsin. But what is your drink of choice? The sign at Village Liquor in North Hudson has asked the question, glass (or should we say mug?), or chalice? That was doubled up by the notation advertising a coming event at Historic Casanova Liquors (we love the first word, since this holiday goes way back in the annals), “He said beer, she said wine.” Enuf said.
— But this being the all-American extravaganza, there again is politics to be discussed. We’ll start with Sarah Saunders, who as press secretary to The Donald is not nearly as believable as her journalism counterpart with the same last name on late night sports TV, being heckled while out to dinner. It has been pointed out that she and her date loaded up on “free cheese.” Seems its a good thing that Trump actually carried Wisconsin, the place that free lunch came from, in the elections; I don’t think Hillary would have gotten away with that. With that said, there was the news that Harley Davidson — not just the cheese industry —  might be among those most hurt by the recent tariff restrictions put in place by The Prez, even though it was This State that was among those most responsible for putting him in office. Don’t think Trump will get a complementary motorcycle ride(s) like fellow Republican Tommy Thompson did while governor.

(Also, as far as belting down beer, we broach the subject of whether Booster Days will be a bust like Friday, or a continued bonanza like Saturday, in our Notes of the Week Department).

A River Falls brewery is setting the standard, as far as sheer numbers, in response to their landmark Community Based Brewery and Mug Club memberships offered, and the fact that community is kept at the forefront of all they do, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re located at the heart of that community served, said Dustin Dodge, owner of one of the newest craft breweries in the area.
Swinging Bridge Brewery recently celebrated their first year in business, and this was a time that those groundbreaking and loyal patrons turned out to renew those memberships, and more seized the chance to get on board in what’s an ongoing opportunity. All this Interest amounts to something that probably has not been seen before in Western Wisconsin, and that after only one year, not the decades you might expect.
In their century-old building on the southern end of the main drag, with brick atop of the facade, you can essentially buy your beer for a whole year — even though the building has been around for 100 years of time — but the time of this new offering has certainly come, say owner, staff and patrons alike, even if they’re just people coming in off the street from the downtown, and for reasons cited having one of their best brewery experiences in the area. This is aided of course by the fact that the big front window reveals several of the big fermenters used to make their creations.
But back to Dodge. Even after a wide-ranging “world tour” of sorts as far as career, which included serving in the U.S. Air Force, and then taking up brewing as a hobby, Dodge knew that brewing beer while utilizing community support was in his blood. Soon to come were a 50-seat taproom, cozier than most, complete with menu of all those things you love to eat at a bar and more, including — and this is where we kick in that community aspect — that they strive to use and reuse local ingredients, as shown by the fact that the extra grain goes to a university lab. Swinging Bridge worked with the university and students to develop the business plan and logo, as well. That logo illustrates a great big bridge with a great big middle span, and great big waterfalls underneath, all under the headings in the corners that spell out “River Falls.” After all, places like The Kinni are just a block or two away.
That fact underscores the point of keeping the community in mind, as all phases would unfold.
This is a quick, followup Q and A with Dodge:
— Why should people either jump on board, or continue with, your one of a kind in the state, membership clubs? “The biggest reason to get a membership is to save you money. The discounts will pay for the membership itself even if you only visit a few times a year,” Dodge said. “The second and possibly even more compelling reason is that you are supporting your local brewery. Your support is the only way we can continue to do what we do for the community … I felt River Falls was in need of a business that would better the community and provide a service that there was a demand for.”
— Just how unusual is this, to what is offered elsewhere in the state, or around the country? And how much of that difference comes from the number of people in the membership clubs, or other indicators that would show the large scope of their size, or how quickly the clubs came into being?
“We are now the only Community Supported Brewery in Wisconsin. Our clubs are the primary way we fund additional projects like our up and coming barrel aging program and bottle releases. Memberships give us the ability to innovate and provide more than the standard fare to our customers. We began with 100 CSB memberships and 200 Mug Club memberships we now have expanded Mug Club to 280 members and our CSB sits with less than 25 open spots. The brewery was built around serving our community and our memberships are our way of giving back by providing a great savings to those who support us with the upfront contribution.”
— Can you tell me something about your brews, and what makes them different then everything else that is out there in the beer world? How is your company different than what is in the Twin Cities, or elsewhere in western Wisconsin?
“We have a small system and with that we have the ability to rotate styles more often and produce specialty one offs that would not be economical on a larger scale. We also have a high attention to quality and execution. Our beer is of a high standard on par with any of the big name craft breweries of the Twin Cities. The difference you will see is a more personal experience in a small town setting. (So try this out Minnesotans). One of the things that sets us apart from other western Wisconsin breweries is our quality, small-menu food offerings that give you something great to pair with your local beer. All this in addition to making beers that are original in their ingredients and are downright tasty.”
— Lastly, how valuable has your location been, right in the city? Has it helped to be right on the beaten path, as far as traffic coming in?
“We felt is was important to be at the heart of the city. River Falls is an amazing town and we want to be part of the overall experience and being downtown is key. We see a lot of people pleasantly stumbling upon us as they walk the street. People also travel to come see us and we want them to get a feel for the whole town on their trip.”
The brewery has another attribute in being on the south end of the large downtown, only blocks from UW-River Falls and the starting area of one of the main residential areas in River Falls, as well as specialty stores and those for dining. And, if you wish to have a big full-size meal, over and above the quality small-plates offered at Swinging Bridge, why not complete the deal and trek a short distance over to Swinging Bridge itself, then have a great beer or two to round out your dinner experience? Or use this local brewery to cap off your trip to things such as antique shops?
Perhaps the largest liquor store in Hudson, Chicone’s up on the hill on the south end of the County Market complex, has Swinging Bridge featured among those offered at a special price on placards and signs as you come in the door. This could be seen as quite an endorsement, as it was selected for such advertisement over the many hundreds of beers out there that take into their scope not only the big U.S. brands, but also local, regional, national and worldwide favorites.
Here’s a roundup of the raft of stuff you can receive with Swinging Bridge member clubs:
This beer membership program lets you “share” in a wealth of products and drinks under the community support concept.
At Swinging Bridge, the CBS Membership, backing up efforts of community support, refers to its brewery program that is loosely based on a community backed agriculture model. Traditionally, the farm CBAs sell produce shares in exchange for customers receiving a box of fresh produce each week, at a price lower than market rate. But under this beer-based model practiced in River Falls, members receive beer shares, taproom discounts, merchandise and invitations to member-only events. A half share gets you one fill per month, T-shirt, 10 percent off food and merchandise, 64-ounce growler, pint glass, that aforementioned special-event invitation each year and totals up to 25 percent off retail prices. Such privileges can be gained for $135 for 12 months with $115 renewal.
A full share gets you two fills a month and a pair of growler, the possibility of getting a hat, not just that T-shirt, pint glass set, again that social experience, and up to 35 percent off retail, all for $250 for 12 months and $225 renewal.
Likewise, there is a mug club at the taproom that offers discounts and serves as a social club. (The most loyal of such patrons drink out of a mug). Upon entering, the club member’s mug is filled with fresh beer, and the array of benefits includes food discounts, four extra ounces of beer in every fill (thus to the hilt), merchandise discounts, and don’t forget the social opportunities. The staff at Swinging Bridge suggests a toast to the best community that they say a brewery could ask for.
Numbered mugs come with the annually renewed and CSB add-on option, and the lifetime option is also available. All three varieties of member get a first free fill, 10 percent off food and merchandise, free birthday fill, vinyl decal, and an invite to the annual member event. The annual version is $60 with a $30 yearly renewal opportunity, the lifetime option $199 as a single, but includes a hat, and the CSB add-on is $30 annually.
The UW-River Falls Small Business Development Center helped sort out business planning and structure, financing, cash flow projections and staffing for Swinging Bridge, and like many investors, a few family and friends chimed in by getting behind the aspect of enhancing the local community desirability by investing.

Also, before you get your kicks on fireworks forays that have largely the same timing as the soccer semis, you can visit Family Fresh and make the most of the graduation party season, as it still runneth on.

If you choose to rely on Family Fresh Market in Hudson for your graduation party needs, as the season for this will last at least through The Fourth, you will get a party planning checklist and ordering guide, as well as more than $25 in savings, along with the great food.
Just feted father or dad, and maybe even the grad, whether high school or college, would love that kind of practicality, all found in their Coulee Road store.
To wit, there is a serving guide for food, often trays of it, offered in-house at Family Fresh that features 11 kinds of delicacy categories that go beyond the usual fare, and also provide a serving guide based on the number of people you will have to serve.
On the next page is their one-stop-graduation-stop that lists a full 27 items that you will not want to forget. You will see advice on decorating, floral, greeting cards, lots of food and beverage, utensils and napkins, and ice.
Across the bottom of both pages are bakery cake and deli order forms.
On the back of the four-page leaflet are three Family Fresh coupons for $5 off each, one for $10 off, and one for $1 off.
Its all just Family Fresh’s way of inviting you to enjoy the summer, until fireworks take over.

This was a meeting of marriage, Maiden and Mariner:
Is it just a coincidence that at a time I was finally, and a bit obsessively as far as time, getting into streaming the cautionary-tale-tune told in a wedding setting in Iron Maiden’s anthem Rime of the Ancient Mariner, that the latest woman became by marriage a princess in England’s royalty.
If you think wedding days can go very badly, check out the horrific plight of the mariner after he is cursed to ride the seas forever when killing an albatross. (Maybe this type of thing is why they are now extinct). The 13-minute song starts with him as a wedding guest and offering to regale his tale to the bride, then taking ten-minutes-or-so to go through it, the redemption of which leaves all at the wedding sadder but wiser. The song is vintage Maiden, taking a lengthy classic poem from about 300 years ago and rewriting it in shorter form.
This at a time when there are all things Maiden going on locally. To wit:
— A semi-trailer truck has been periodically parked and taking up four spaces in front of the Wells Fargo Bank, and the side of it gives a pitch for a Twin Cities restoration company along with art that suggest the huge stage backdrop of many a Maiden concert, conceived from the tombs of ancient civilizations such as those of the Egyptians and very recently, the Mayans.
— In a video for the Mariner number, there was rare footage of the drum kit taken from the arena ceiling, and even showing the foot pedals being played simultaneously. I’ve always thought one way to gauge the aptitude of a drummer is the size of his drum kit, and this one was just as large as the living rooms of their just-turning adult fans.
— I have first noticed that the longest tenured guitarist for the band, if you make him a bit younger and thinner, might as well be local rock guitarist Bob Schillinger. And another resemblance starts with the hero-villain in one of the videos for Hallowed be Thy Name by Maiden; there is an occasional patron at Dick’s who has much the same look, right down to the furrowed bridge of his nose. Dick’s, of course, is the venue where Bob and the boys for years hosted their open mic night. And then there was the guy from the other night who looks just like the Maiden drummer, (also slightly balding, like the guitarist).
— Also in Dick’s, this time tucked away in the back of the dining area, is an actual Iron Maiden, which is an interesting choice since you would think it might take away your appetite. This one has a poor, tortured soul, (from their latest CD Book of Souls?), trapped inside, and you know its from centuries ago because the guy is only five feet tall, a typical height in those days where you didn’t have to worry just about evil overlords, also the bad nutrition and lack of food that stunted your growth and took away inches of your height.
— But this is now, and one-man-bander Jeff Loven was just wearing one of his favorite Maiden T-shirts, promoting the 1981 album Killers. And how many royal weddings have there been since that time?

I thee wed with a strong Bond: Even if your big hat gets in the way and we crash that cool sports car while racing off into the night without a care to our honeymoon resort. At least you’ll all be so glowing, physically and wardrobe-wise, that the rescue people can locate you quickly:

— The wedding of the royalty, (of Oregon?) A few of my relatives of about my age from there attended a same-day event as that of the new Brit prince and princess, calling it the Wedding of the Other Side of the Pond, quipped one attendee Mariah, my sister-in-law. But they looked more like the queen than the new bride, with their bright-colored, full dresses and big hats of the type where if you are in the USA you might not see, at least as far as size, north of Texas. And along with that, the royal couple got in a fancy sports car that’s Bond-like for their Honeymoon, complete with that bare-shoulder, Bond girl gown being sported. But first there was a late-night reception, complete with the piano rendition provided by guest Elton John when it was said that things needed pepping up. (One wonders what love song he sung?) But back at the Oregon version there was a much similar vintage auto, based on a classic Corvette, that the happy couple took off in. As all was sunny in both the usually rainy, grunge-area locale, and in England. But hey, with that kind of horsepower, if either marriage doesn’t last, at least they can bolt really fast.
— When watching the late night news, I saw not only hours of wedding coverage — and not only on PBS — but an update to that awful lava-spewing, hot spot that’s been in the headlines. I could of swore I heard the anchor say that it was from the “Killer Whale Volcano,” although actually it was named from a obscure twist of the native tongue. But, if you open your mind, you could see a resemblance in colors between the black and orange lava, and back and white whale.
— Stars and Stripes Forever. Or at least until September. That’s when Lisa will probably have her birthday party, likely again at The Village Inn. But this late night, one of the first spent on the St. Croix enjoying a balmy soon-summer, she was in her bathing suit — not her birthday suit, although she’s considered posing — and had on an oversize T-shirt that was all flags and fireworks exploding. And this even before The Fourth arrived. What brought up the birthday bit was that last time she really liked the card I gave. Gee that was easy. (Or is that a bad term).
— The bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings told a patron that if the currently being finalized legislation goes through, which would expand the types of gambling allowed for sporting events, most noteworthy pro hockey and the new Vegas franchise, which is defying great odds to possibly win the Stanley Cup, it could bankrupt most betting venues on the Strip. And we thought we had already coronated the King of Bankruptcies. But wait a minute, the Vegas businesses would have to go through that legal process four times to get on the verge of trumping Trump. In a related manner, a guy at ‘Wings told the server he was not even “vaguely” interested in pro hockey. Apparently too Wild. But at least he won’t lose any money.
— When I made my way up the stairs at Pudge’s, the crowd was singing the raunchy refrain to an Adam Sandler song. As I rounded the corner, a friend of mine sang a couple of ad-libbed lines, starting with “there’s Joe Winter!,” in perfect time to the music. I congratulated him for even much more on cue then those other guys shooting pool.
— At the lift bridge in Duluth, a strong gale blew a sail boat into the framework and damaged it. See, there really was a compelling reason to build the St. Croix Crossing. With summer here, could the same thing happen in Stillwater? That’s where the lift part comes in (unless some dumb drunk severs the cord with bad driving). But even that mechanical portion wouldn’t keep the failing span from falling into the river if too many big semis rolled across it at once, and everybody seemed to think that would be the most likely cause of its demise.
— Another summer story follows. One of those big companies that invade the area calls its air conditioning repair workers “comfort specialists.” If I want to have one of those, I go see my friendly neighborhood bartender, and the name of such person is — what I have to pick just one “comfort specialist?”
— OK, we at this time have to go with Chad at Dick’s. I told him the previous night that he for the moment could be my therapist, ala the liquid kind. But if that condition prevailed, wouldn’t he be just a puddle of liquid on the mat below his feet? Not necessarily, said the sage server, since the body is made up of about 98 percent water — or to be completely correct, pick a number just less than 100, and don’t be falsely guided by the degrees of body temperature when selecting. But why the need for therapy in the first place? Bad humor, I pondered, then tested whether he was worth his rates (cheap as they are) with this one: A bald biker said he loves the feeling of the wind through his hair. But then his anti-psychotic medication kicked in.
— And she’s not even with the band. An even thinner version of Courtney Cox, if that is possible, was seen in River Falls taking in the gig of someone who has somewhat of the same fab frame (but not overdone) that being the singer, Chaunte Shayne.
— Despite an apparent increase in incidents where people end up dead, the Minneapolis cops say that in recent years, their use of significant force has actually declined by a full 48 percent. Huh? The only explanation I can find is that they are, inadvertently, just getting more bang for their buck, so to speak, not as much the low level stuff like just kicking the shit out of somebody, rather actually shooting some of them in sometimes misguided attempts to keep order. Maybe send some of those gung-ho metro Blue Bloods over here to get a handle on the people who come from their state, get too drunk and cause problems for the of course totally law-abiding and blameless Cheeseheads. Uhm, rethink that, maybe there are a few more difficulties here then what you might think at first blush.
— Signs on businesses became potentially wierd lately if there was even a single typo. Two that come to mind: “Wheat is hip,” although not all diet fans, such as the Keto people at Agave Kitchen and other places, would think so. Or wait, that actually read “What is hip.” And even more timely, “Threat, mom … on Sunday.” But again, actually it was “Treat mom.” (OK, we did need to throw in a comma to make the joke work, we think.) But back to the Keto people; a friend of mine refers to all the Beautiful People from there, who go about after their shifts end, as the Agave People. And lastly, earlier in the month, on behalf of one of the birthday people, Kozy Korner erected a sign that said on his day, Let the Fourth Be With You. Looks like The Third was taken.