These are a random collection of quirky occurrences seen while covering the Hudson
entertainment scene. There are plenty to be found; just make a showing and keep
your eyes and ears open.
— Local people who work there are still talking about the appearance of Van
Halen at the Afton House Inn. (OK, it was more than an appearance, they holed up
there for almost a week after a recent show in the Cities, and spent loads of
money in the lounge). A noteworthy fact that was discovered: The bands
dog-walkers get $68,000 a year, and there’s more than one of them. Workers also
took the boys in the band over to Woody’s in Bayport just to get them out of the
house, so to speak. No word of if they ever made it to Hudson to party, like
when Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down and Gregg Allman, on separate nights, did when
they closed up at Pudge’s.
— A local man was a principle in redoing a mansion for Prince, down to the fact
that there were 16 showers installed with two shower heads each. He told me over
a beer that Prince can be someone with whom you can get along, but when first
getting to know him, just be all business and don’t look him in the eye. Do this
and eventually, he will open up to you at least a little bit. It turns out that
Prince, in a way that is unusual for a singer, has streaks where he hardly ever
speaks, rather relying on telepathy.
— I have my own Prince story. At an area gas station, I met a very well-dressed
man whose car had broken down and he needed a ride. He seemed harmless, so I
concurred. Hence, he told me that aside from his day job, he was a guitar player
in Prince’s backup band while the Purple One was on tour at the height of his
popularity. The man gave me his card and was adamant that we do lunch. Alas, and
I regret it, I never called him back. Too busy with deadlines such as this, I
guess.
— A sassy blonde friend of mine came to the rescue of one of her girlfriends,
when they were on the tour bus of the heavy metal band Lacuna Coil after their
most recent show in the Cities. It seems one of the musicians was getting way
too cozy with her friend. Reminds me of that song, Once Bitten, Twice shy, and
the deeds of the drummer: “I got there in the nick of time, before he got his
hands across her state line.” Incidentally, another local friend who looks quite
similar could find herself in the same situation; she has been dating the
manager of Five Finger Death Punch, who she met at a St. Paul concert.
— A noteworthy presence in downtown Hudson bars has come from two regular
patrons who are ordained ministers, but took a white-collar and blue-collar job,
respectively, rather than pursuing a career with the cloth. Suffice it to say
they won’t be giving any sermons.
— (First, a disclaimer. I try not to look at anyone while they are in a
bathroom stall, but sometimes you just have to look through the crack — pardon
the pun — to see if the stall is occupied). You think that people overuse cell
phones late at night, or while behind the wheel? I recently had to wait quite
some time to use the facilities while someone was texting on the toidy!
— The weather is getting cool, so you don’t want to get wet. But you would have
during our first cold snap if you parked your car along the spaces between
Lakefront Park and First Street. The city had their sprinklers on and they were
raining down on the front hood, the windshield, the back window — you get the
picture. I know the city is energetic in keeping people out of the park at
night, moreso and moreso, but this is ridiculous.
— Seen at the counter of the Village Liquor store: The book, “How to cook with
beer.” Wouldn’t you know it, this literary masterpiece was an inch thick! Only
in Wisconsin, where there are seemingly a gazillion ways to make beer-cheese
soup.
— To further that note, patrons at Guv’s Place in Houlton were prompting a cloth
monkey dressed as a Viking to drown its head in a beer glass. The shocked bartender
(OK that’s an over-statement), rescued it and lightly slapped the perpetrator
with the monkey. One has to wonder, would any of this have happened if the
monkey could hold his beer like any self-respecting Wisconsinite?