It’s the time of year for jerseys, jerky and turkey, as the guys hit the woods to dress up deer, and the Deer Hunting Widows dress up in many other (and lesser) ways.
— There were almost twice as many Viking jerseys as Packer ones worn by Sunday late-night patrons downtown; maybe a party is the best way to forget a two-touchdown loss to the Pack. One of the Minnesota-friendly fans looked like a younger version of Jared Allen, although his sweatshirt and cap advertised a national forest located Out West. He and another fellow with equally long hair, like a backwoodsman, soon got up and danced much like the Viking cheerleaders. One of the bartenders wore a safe choice that was in-between loyalties — a Brett Favre jersey patterned after his Viking days. Meanwhile, late off-sale at Pudge’s was steady, presumably because Viking fans were getting ready to drown their sorrows, (we assume back home).
— The Big Game also played out big at Green Mill, where there was a good turnout and full bar for the Border Battle (Packer Backer?) buy-one-burger, get-one-free promotion held at this more-than-just-a-sports-bar, said bartender Shavon.
— There are a lot of bachlorette parties where the dressing is over the top, so why should it be any different on the week of Deer Hunter Widows? Such credence was given to a group who recently went (sarcastically?) in blaze orange, and shortly afterward were topped by a crew in metallic covered wigs.
In the past, there have been masked women, flappers from the Roaring Twenties, retro rockers from the Eighties, and everything between. Then there were the tutus, with very tiny hats for accessories, along with leopard shirts, (but dresses as you might guess on the bride and maid of honor).
And, in the spirit of the deer-shooting week-or-so, a trio had shown up at Buffalo Wild Wings in hunting fatigues, and considering that it was a rare slow night, they made up 20 percent of the patronage.
All of which leads up to a zinger. A group of one-soon-to-be-wed women made their way through the Smilin’ Moose a while back led by the obligatory huge artificial penis, and while that is not that unusual for such parties, what made it noteworthy was that coming in shortly behind them was a group of guys with an even bigger doll with a similarly proportioned artificial vagina. Both were bumping up against patrons. Maybe those two plastic units, and possibly the people carrying them, should hook up? These two pieces could get together for a piece.
— Bartender Sue at The Village Inn in North Hudson likes to talk about wildlife art, both the photos she takes of the birds and bees, etc. that abound in her back 40, as an alternative to hunting, and the ones she could take from what she sees from her perch at The Village. Although she adds there might not be enough film in the land for that. As Sue was saying this, we all watched on the big TV stupid turkey tricks, such as them messing up as they feed themselves — I guess that’s why they call them turkeys.
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November 25th, 2015
Starting with the Biggest Bar Night Of The Year, put some funk in Thanksgiving
November 24th, 2015Lately there has been, and will be, a continuing diversity of sound to be thankful for:
— On The Biggest Bar Night Of The Year, you can take in Mystic Funk at the Village Inn in North Hudson, a soulful troupe that is a mix of male and female, black and white, thin and heavy, and young and old. What am I thankful for? That kind of diversity. See these various mixtures there when Mystic Funk plays their variety and dance music on Wednesday night.
— Garret took the mic from Jeff Loven as The One Man Band took a set break, and followed-up on the most up-tempo version of Folsom Prison Blues you’ll ever hear, by sliding into a song I’d never heard — but would remember because of its unusual style. He can also be seen frequently as part of a duo, playing venues such as, of course, Dick’s Bar and Grill.
— When singing “Should I Stay Or Should I Go,” I just had to razz a Sunday night patron who had fallen asleep at the bar — “if he goes there will be trouble and if he stays he might just mumble …” That pushes the limit even more than when I once covered Clapton and changed a few words to his song about “Sheriff John Brown” to make it go, “I shot the sheriff of St. Croix County. And on my head he’s put a bounty.” Just kidding of course.
— Arch Allies made another local appearance, this time at the Smilin’ Moose, and on this occasion mixed in some Bon Jovi with its tribute to Styx, Journey and REO Speedwagon. My friend Tom, who is a big fan of REO from way back in the day, took in the Double A’s for the first time and said they did not disappoint. Look for them to return to the area soon, especially at community-based festivals.
— A big sign at the Village Inn stated that patrons during the Packer game could be taught to twerk (or maybe not). Those very offensive linemen need to learn how to busta move!
— There was free chili at Pudge’s during halftime of the Packer-Viking game, and if you missed out on that, there’ll be snacks available at Dick’s Bar and Grill after turkey (starting at 7 p.m.) during the Packer-Bear game on Thanksgiving Day. Following that feast at Dick’s is the special, slated for Nov. 28 and advertised on a brand name liquor poster, of you have earned this deer hunting “hangover” so now make sure you enjoy it!
— Another last ode to Halloween (redux again). Seen advertised at local watering holes is The Darker Side of Shandy, featuring ale with real pumpkin — and scary art work on the label to boot.
We’re in luck to give thanks for lots of bands, whether led by ladies or lads
November 19th, 2015Tunes and turkey, (including the various types of hunting), and a new duo mark the highlights of this weekend’s activity:
— The Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt has been advertising as a group a trio of bands in the vicinity of Turkey Day, involving the eight days before and after the holiday, which also features there a meal with the oven roasted bird or carved ham and all the fixings. These groups include Lady Luck (Nov. 20 with their edgy Old School and new rock), Fiddlin’ John (Nov. 21 having instrumental with an edge) and The Farmer’s Daughters (Nov. 27 with an edge of female-led country excitement and enthusiasm).
— The duo of “Josh and Dave,” on guitar and vocals, have recently teamed up after playing with a variety of other bands and take their new act to Shooters Pub in River Falls on Saturday, Nov. 21. Josh most recently took the stage with the Jeff Loven One-Man-Band and laid it down with a bluesy, guitar-driven rendition of country rock. As in his days with The New Skinny, they will likely go deeper than the tried-and-true standards, as can be seen with Josh’s influences, which include The Blend, Young the Giant, Stereophonics, Lights Out Dancing, New Medicine, All the Right Moves, Anberlin, MGMT and the Naked and Famous, and several more mainstream bands.
— Just in time for hunting season is a beer of the month special, Low on Doe, otherwise known as Old Milwaukee Light, at Dick’s Bar and Grill. And it will only cost you, literally, a couple of “bucks” as long as you order before 10 p.m. That gives you plenty of time to stop in after hunting hours close.
— Halloween lives on (redux). The Jacko traveling pumpkin shandy is available as the November beer of the month at the Village Inn in North Hudson, and with each bottle you get a “mustache” in case you’re still in need of a costume. And The Village perhaps leads the way in its promotion on its marquee on the battle-for-first between Green Bay and Minnesota, by saying they will have on their 20-plus TV screens the 3:15 p.m. Sunday contest with the “ViQueens.” As much as that gets our kudos, we must say “boo” to the Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse online post about the game that some viewed as offensive to the Purple People.
The DJ went back to Jersey, he was looking for a soul song to deal
November 15th, 2015The comings and going continue, of some stalwarts in the local entertainment industry who are anything but greenhorns.
Specifically, they made their mark at Dick’s Bar and Grill and the Green Mill.
There was a lot of buzz just over a year ago when DJ Strong arrived from New Jersey, where he’d successfully honed his skills, and quickly developed a following at Dick’s when he was on each weekend.
Both onlookers and dancers realized right away that this was a guy that despite his Jersey roots really knew country music, despite his strong urban accent. He mixed in, of course, a lot of current stuff that caters to a young crowd, along with some ’70s tunes, and became known for his “all request” nights on many of those Friday and Saturday nights.
Alas, DJ Strong has now packed up and gone back to New Jersey to deal with some medical issues. His replacement is Darren Caster, a longtime local musician who is perhaps best known as the lead singer for the hard rock band Deviant Distraction, going back about a decade. The Double Ds played most often at the former Dibbo’s, where Darren later hosted an open mic night to bring in some additional business on Thursdays. (I remember doing a duet with him to Rebel Yell by Billy Idol that their bassist Tall Paul said was killer). Darren, it seems, will continue the all-request tradition, at least at certain junctures, and his sets also bring in old music such as that from the ’80s.
Also going strong as a deejay at Dick’s is Brando, who as a drummer also was a former rock band member. He is an occasional fill-in on weekends inside the booth.
Meanwhile, bartender Jenn who has worked at Green Mill for over a decade had an informal party as a send-off for her leaving to take a manager job at another bar and grill, just a ways east of here.
One of her regulars said that with the earlier departure of Kylee, just over a year ago, and Bobbie, this was the last remnant of the Old Guard of longtime bartenders taking their leave.
It’s become a tradition when you are a longtime worker at the Green Mill to get a cream pie in the face on your last night. Some strings were pulled and the pie was set in front of a regular patron, and Jenn, with her usual hustle-and-bustle ability, got to it first and after a bit of teasing threw it in his face rather than taking it herself. She then rubbed it on his glasses and around the outside of his cheeks — which did not prevent the guy from taking the cream that was on his glasses and joyfully ingesting it.
Who knows, maybe that regular of Jenn’s was among the couple dozen to whom she’d on an earlier night referenced with a quip, as some of them sat around the horseshoe, who was really into watching the Golf Channel and also hitting the links — maybe too much. “I have 25 regular customers who are like that,” she said to the main target of her barb. He replied that he doesn’t even like golf, much less be able to put a shot on the green; rather, he goes to the Green Mill.
So, I guess that gaff was the bartender’s equivalent of a three-putt. But considering that it recently was Jenn’s last night, we’ll give her a mulligan.
November 12th, 2015
Feeling lucky this weekend? There’s no punk to be heard, but plenty of pop.
— What makes the Lucky Dog so lucky? Simply that there is an annual party in its honor, drawing all its friends, and a great and established band will be playing. This celebration of Lucky Dog beer, the house variety at Dick’s Bar and Grill, and customer appreciation night, will be held there on Saturday, Nov. 14, with free appetizers and drink specials. The band from 6-9 p.m. is the local trio Jawsy, which continues to evolve, and now has three musicians contributing to vocals, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by audience members, who say that has become one of the band’s strengths. Initially a showcase for the singing of Amanda Fagerlund, the group now adds to its vocal stylings Will Reinhardt, a founding member from back in early 2013, and John McConville, which allows “even bigger harmonies,” according to the band’s online bio. A sign at Dick’s advises patrons to “get there early,” and has the trademark heart symbol that accompanies references to Amanda at the end of the phrase.
— When the group Tripwire brought its varied array of music and instrumental to the Smilin’ Moose last Friday, one thing noticable was the bright purple spotlight that at times was awash over the band. Can you say Deep Purple? (When I got in my car to drive home, the classic Knocking on Your Back Door was played on the radio). What also makes this all fitting is that the last time I saw Ronnie James Dio, of Rainbow-Deep Purple-Black Sabbath fame in concert before he died, he admonished the guy on lights to stop shining them brightly on his face, but rather focus on members of the audience. That may have been blinding Dio, who stood 5-foot-4, especially since the Twin Cities venue where this took place, The Medina, is known for its very low ceiling.
— If you go to The Moose THIS Friday, you will hear Junk FM, which has a play list that doesn’t have any Deep Purple or other hard rock, but lots of current (mostly) and older pop songs on its about 100-tune play list.
— Guitarist Steve Holt played at Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse on two different nights right before Halloween, and according to someone who should know, Geno who was formerly the guitarist for Saving Starz, said that this past player with the Stevie Ray Vaughn band and now in a featured role, was the best he’s heard. With that kind of praise and the fact that he was on for consecutive nights, expect him to be back in the area soon to crank out the blues. As for the former singer for Saving Starz, Anthony, he has now teamed with Marcus Lere to form a duo appearing around the area.
Whether backing Bears or their Cubs, barely missing title chances resonates locally
November 10th, 2015Hail to the Cubbie backers both locally and a bit farther away, as they and other Chicago sports fans belly up to the bar
(s), although they might have some competition for getting their game on the main screen.
— There have been some Cubs fans, who also are friends of the bartenders and therefore have some pull in determining what sports channel is turned on, taking in Chicago postseason
baseball games at Dick’s Bar and Grill. When the Cubs got blown away by the Mets, and again, fell one step
short of a World Series berth, those guys were devastated, but hey, being fans of that team they said they are
quite used to it. (As an aside, the thing the whole group said they’d found more enjoyable is there occasional
trips straight west across Illinois to Iowa, in large part because of their notorious strip clubs).
Across the way in St. Paul — think of it as Hudson West — the fans at the Bears Bar that also is notorious
for showing some skin, Alary’s, found the Cubs appearance to be enjoyable while the ride lasted. The infamous
bar has had its share of workers from western Wisconsin, and one of the latest hails from New Richmond and at
one point shared stories of favorite venues with some Twin Cities patrons, who also are very familiar with St.
Croix County. The server said that her best fave is JJ’s sports bar and grill in Hammond, and she got no
argument from her beer-swilling patrons.
The longtime owner of Alary’s and its namesake, who played for the Bears decades ago, recently passed away, and
the newer management types say there will be changes made, such as drink specials. But what everyone, or at
least that often-referenced 49 percent in the population, wants to know is will those comely bartenders still
serve in bikinis.
— The bricks have been laid, in the downtown and on The Hill. At Buffalo Wild Wings, a hallmark of the recent
fullscale renovation is that one long wall, all the way up to the ceiling, has been redone with brick covering,
giving a homey appeal, as is done with the presence of lots of booths rather than high tables. Fitting is that
across one of their even bigger TV screens the other evening, was a simple headline saying, for whatever
reason, “brick by brick.”
Likewise, the ongoing renovation at Pudge’s, in this case of the complex’s northern parking lot, shows a
similar length of brick, or should I say stone. That’s because in this case that like B-Dubs also involves an
east wall, the pieces are bigger, much like concrete blocks, and the wall goes on for the same length as at B-
Dubs, although not the same height. The Pudge’s front door is now reopened following adjacent renovation that
had it shut down for a time, and bartender Whitney marked the occasion by taking a photo of the first patron
coming through. From the back of her post behind the bar, and across from it, new decorative effects had been
installed or re-exposed that include old-time foil wall covering, which meant the announcement of the specials
of the day have been shifted over to the location that had been the front window, now blocked.
The latest change is on the north wall and a portion of the west wall, where police-line-yellow-tape is
strapped to hold up whole sections of plastic tarp, with “caution” written in two languages. A big TV also has been at least temporarily relocated.
Just above the windows that had formerly been part of an art studio just to the north — a building that has
been slated for a winery to have a synergy with Pudge’s — are now signs that say Negret Wine Co.
Yet another downtown venue noted for its stone, this time bigger, as in boulders that fit in a stylish way
around a bar, is the lower patio at Smilin’ Moose.
Shifting gears, some things are signs of the times, and others are from a bygone era.
— An area auto body shop has had an odd choice of beverage in their vending machine — a couple kinds of beer
in a can. I was curious about whether you could buy beer in this way, potentially, 24 hours a day, so I stuck
in a few quarters but they did not take. Apparently this machine is a holdover from a long bygone period. But I
still must say, only in Wisconsin would you find this.
— Two more local bar and grill stalwarts have passed on, Denny McGinley and Kevin Smith, and their passing has
not gone unpublished on the marquees of various venues. Kozy Korner in North Hudson described patron Denny as
the man, myth and legend, and added about Kevin, the longtime operator of the Sports Club in Hudson before
being afflicted by a stroke, “Heaven received another angel, RIP Kevin.” The signs continued at the Agave
Kitchen, with the message: “Goodnight supper club legend Mr. Smith.
— As a last ode to Halloween, a singer with the One-Man-Band was wearing “boo” socks that were noticed by Jeff
because of the accompanying tennis shoes that are much like his in color and style, and also were pointed out
from the stage by the other singer at the time, Tracy.
— Since it’s fall, kudos for Stone Tap for placing outside their door a place to sit on, not benches, but a
good old-fashioned hay bale. You expect to see lots of potted flowers on main street, but not this.
— This T-shirt says it all when being worn at Dick’s Bar and Grill when it hosted a ravenously attended season
premier party for the Walking Dead series, right after airing of a Green Bay football game: “If the Packers or
The Walking Dead are on TV, you are not allowed to talk to me.”
They hail from Rice Lake and Fargo, and include kazoos, melodica, beatbox and banjo
November 5th, 2015This weekend’s music slate features two bands that hail from far afield and haven’t played the area much, both claiming to be high energy and each, oddly enough, having a group that doesn’t always get covered, the Violent Femmes, on their play list.
— Based out of Rice Lake, Sidekick Abbey “brings an energetic blend of your favorite country and rock hits,” according to their bio, to the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Saturday night, Nov. 7. They feature the whaling vocals of Pam Dawn (winner across both states of numerous casino karaoke contests), Rob Storm (vocalist and guitarist from the popular cover bands Third Gear and My Device), veteran musician Ron the Riffster (Black Diamond, Quick Fire and No Refund), self-proclaimed as a talented bass geek Ryan Bocephus (Quick Fire), and Caveman on drums (Roadhouse and Wild Oats).
Interesting song choices of their play list are She Hates Me by Puddle of Mudd, Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes and I Think Were Alone Now by Tiffany. Also on the almost-60-song play list, as an example, are three songs by Little Big Town, and two each by Trick Pony, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams and Sheryl Crow. That means there are 50-plus artists represented on that list.
— Try to pigeonhole these guys! Tripwire from Fargo, a foursome of young guys who play the Smilin’ Moose on Friday night, have a post-grunge look about them but play virtually every genre and decade, with the possible exception of the really early rock and pop. Their instrumentation includes three musicians who play the kazoo, two who will pick up a trumpet, two who blow into a harmonica, and also fiddle, sax, mandolin, banjo and even melodica and beatbox. There 127-song play list goes right up to the present day.
— Halloween is past, but the drink specials live on, at least at Dick’s Bar and Grill, where its advertised that you can order Serpent’s Bite, which wouldn’t you know it includes not only whiskey, but also apple cider flavoring. The sign shows a snake with the fruit of knowledge in its mouth, (musta tricked Eve to parttake in this, since as Crosby, Stills and Nash sang, we’ve “gotta get ourselves back to the garden.”) If that weren’t enough, another sign at Dick’s, just a couple of feet away, is hawking Jim Beam Devil’s Cut.
Many hundred answered Halloween call, and raked in thousands, as props persevered
November 3rd, 2015As far as the difference between Friday and Saturday costumed revelry, Halloween was a question of quantity vs. quality at nightspots, and also in this case. timing of night proved to be everything. Specifically concerning Friday, it’s apparent that the undead who decked themselves out the best just couldn’t wait until the middle of the weekend, when the costumed ghouls were far greater in number — hundreds not just dozens — but weren’t as consistently ghastly.
Still, most venues were packed to the gills on Halloween Saturday, when the vast majority of parties were held. The crowd came and went depending on the time of night, and the fact that most costume contests were held at about the same time, midnight, but in some cases ranged up to 1 a.m. Some of the almost dozen area venues that featured such contests had first-place prizes under the $100 mark, although most were in the $150 to $200 range, coming in the form of either cold cash or gift cards and certificates, but even the places with lesser amounts drew dressed-up people who sometimes numbered in the hundreds. However, the King of the Hill was the Smilin’ Moose, which offered a first-place payout of $500 on both Friday and Saturday nights, and when it got a bit later on in what actually morphed into early Sunday morning, it was standing room only, with certain of those tight, squeeze-by areas that every bar has, being simply clogged to the point that patrons with bulky costumes had trouble moving around.
All in all, though, the majority of eye-catching costumes were not as captivating as the ones the night before, when attendance was obviously less, but again they made up for that in sheer numbers that largely held firm — although there were notable exceptions — through the extra hour offered by the Daylight Savings Time change. (The way that alteration in hours played out just across the river in Minnesota, with their own notable contests being just a few-minute-drive away in places like Lakeland and Bayport, was more iffy).
With that said, here is my pick of six for Saturday, with the props they used to prop up their foreheads pushing them to the forefront, in some cases:
— One man, the most notably duded up at Seasons Tavern in North Hudson, wore what was a combination of a robot, such as Bender on Adult Swim, and beer keg. What made his costume so intriguing was that on top of the metal spigot that spiked upward from his headgear, were stacked several plastic beer glasses.
— Another was gaudily costumed and wore make-up to the hilt, but this Liberace was also carrying in front of him, not just setting on a piano, a realistic looking big candelabra.
— A French-looking painter was wearing the trademark beret, but that’s not where the act stopped. He actually was carrying a pallet of several colors, and using it to do portraits of patrons he met — or should I say brashly approached — at Dick’s Bar and Grill.
— Speaking of which, (or should I say witch), a woman nearby had her face stuck in the middle of a large picture frame containing a pastoral scene, which was enhanced by flowers on either side.
— This was quite the brat special. A man standing almost eight feet tall was dressed as the sausage that circles the field in races at Milwaukee Brewer games. No mention on the possibility of him having the famed Special Sauce as part of his get-up.
— A contestant who from the stage was called “Blue Balls” was anything but singing the blues, as he won a major prize at the Smilin’ Moose.
— Favorite picks by my friend Tom were Cheech and Chong, Sonny and Cher and The World’s Most Interesting Man. One prominent promised act we could not find at the costume contests was Eggs and Ham. Maybe that late closing ended up being too close to breakfast time.
‘Frankie’ stands tall in Friday eve’s Halloween contests by dressing-up to the nines
November 1st, 2015Picking one winner among the scores of costumed creatures who were out partying on Friday, the night before Halloween, could be a tall order.
Actually, its a lot easier when the top banana is pushing nine feet tall.
That was the case with the victor in the Smilin’ Moose contest, Frankenstein, who took home a cool $500 in cash for his efforts in walking in a stilted way, just like the movie monster, and clinking glasses with anyone who was average height or above. When asked how he got around without falling on those stilt-like legs, he just shrugged. Some patrons wondered aloud how he could negotiate the much shorter bathroom door, should he feel nature’s call, or should I say that of his otherworldly creator.
As one of only a handful of nightspots having a Friday contest, the Moose had the most costumes, and other venues also had some fairly busy streaks, although they were not steady and tended to be early. People later had to make their way around the downtown without the benefit of the many street lights that were out. So early was good, as it put them where they needed to be when the Moose judging was held, (while the first-place prize was almost CEO style as far as moola, the awards dwindled to much lesser amounts after that, more along the comparative lines of a rank and file worker).
Here are some other examples of interesting garb:
— A storm trooper boasted plenty of hard white plastic, and also had a gun and big backpack that reminded me of Ghost Busters (appropriate for Halloween).
— A bunny-costumed staffer moved over a gate at the Moose to go downstairs, in what I would say was “going down the rabbit hole.”
— A couple came as characters from A League of Their Own, and guy did a good Tom Hanks impersonation.
— A man was dressed in all hot pink, unusual because the outfit even included a great big Texas-size hat.
— One of several sailors in suits, a young man went old school and had a handkerchief tucked in the large pocket-protector-type opening of his lapel.
— Devil-themed hats included both horns that were flaps and built into a red hoodie, and an antelope-style, single-pair-of-tines twisted rack. Some servers sported reindeer horns, but in at least one case these fell off while she was hustling around.
— A woman in uniform wore insignias that said “Sheriff’s Department.” I had to crane my neck to see what other writings were on that badge. Where did she hail from? It said on the bottom, “Reno, Nevada.” Considering that this is Halloween, that seemed appropriate.
— Lastly, a “priest” said that earlier in the day, people kept asking him for religious advice, thinking he was an actual man of the cloth. This took place when he was looking to buy a monkey with whom he could do a parody, ala Jethro Tull, and “bungle in the jungle,” if you know what I mean. His props included a real Bible, between the pages of which he stuck his money and other items such as a cigarette lighter, (which at first to me looked like a severed finger). He also had dangling from his neck one of the biggest crosses you’ll ever see, rivaled only by a guy from the Twin Cities who a while back was at Dick’s Bar and Grill dressed like a gangsta wannabe. The faux father had as his counterpoint a St. Patrick, who tweaked other patrons with his staff, like they were snakes or something.
There were a couple of prominent annual costumes whose owners said they would be no-shows because of other commitments. A techno music fan said that she and her boyfriend would usually dress up in “death punk” helmets, and that winning a prize would almost be a no-brainer, except they felt it would be something like insider training should they take the cake at the place she worked. Another guy who, guess what, is in such a band added he’d normally go as a punker musician, complete with mohawk.
It is good to be a thirsty witch or warlock, and that’s only the costuming start on Saturday
October 29th, 2015The witching hour is near, along with its different forms of costumed revelry, and what follows is a primer to profile many of the Halloween parties and costume contests to hit the Hudson area this weekend. (And, for even more costumed enjoyment, they’ll go an hour later than usual because of the Daylight Savings Time switchover).
— The party at Shiner’s in Lakeland is set apart from others because it has an accompanying and ongoing outdoor bonfire, as well as one free drink, among the various fun options available, for patrons dressed as witches or warlocks.
The main party is Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and features live music from the band Trouble Maker, $15 gift cards handed out every 60 minutes, (on the half-hour) for best costume, and an overall $75 gift card given at midnight for the best group costume.
The bonfire is out in back — in the area that during the summer had lots of action at sand volleyball courts, and continues well into the fall to have a big, active patio that’s complete with lots of big table-topping umbrellas and big heaters, when the weather makes it necessary. That just might come into play, as the bonfire will go on virtually all day, and into the dark night, possibly even through the witching hour, (for prize-hungry patrons so dressed).
Participants must be 21 years or older. The bar and grill is located along St. Croix Trail, a mile or so south of Interstate 94.
— Ellie’s on Main has a costume contest of such a large scale that you have to be there a half-hour early, even though judging is held late, (between midnight and 1 a.m.), to take part.
On Saturday, such patrons typically gather around the dance floor in a circle several layers deep, so they can cheer as the finalists strut their stuff to help their cause. While they dance in the middle of that circle, the deejay serves as an emcee. A sign outside Ellie’s promotes both the contest and Jose Cuervo tequila, and notes that partiers need to “have a story.” Hey, they’ll have no problem coming up with one.
First prize for best costume is $150, second $100 and third $75.
— The Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt is one of just a few venues offering costume contests on both Friday and Saturday, as well as bands both nights. Like the Four Horsemen, numerically, that’s four ways to enjoy the Halloween weekend.
It’s just cool enough that an alleged local ghost, who knows, just might come in out of the cold and make one of his rare appearances. Eerie, but no reason to be frightened, everyone says. Just another mystery to make Halloween fun.
The band on Friday is Country Outlaws, and on Halloween itself is Strangers, taking the stage at about 9 p.m. That’s starting a bit earlier than usual to benefit the costumed crowd, and they go strong until 1 a.m. Costume judging on both nights is at midnight during a set break from the music, and there are gift card prizes for first, second and third places.
As is reported by late-night staff in at least four bars right around Hudson, The Willow also allegedly has its ghost, which fits the bill that has often been described at these places — that of an old-time hunter all dressed up and ready to hit the woods prior to his demise, but first making the rounds on occasion, using a similar path, in the tavern. (Fans may note that Cardinal quarterback Carson Palmer, when addressing the media after breaking records on Monday Night Football, wore similar flannel, as was seen at local sports bars, including the Willow). Its staff, past and present, add that there have been instances of the electric lights oddly going on and off upstairs, (and hey, noting the holiday at hand, that’s not exactly reaching Heavenward).
Other venues where there have been strange goings-on include the former Dibbo’s music hall (in their basement), and across the street in what is now the Winzer Stube (all along the bar rail late at night when staff used to close).
— The newly recreated Guv’s Place, in the North Hudson building that used to be Mudd’s ‘N Sudds, offers a whole host of new Halloween possibilities for co-owner Jess Thompson, who treats this as the Holy Grail of holidays.
Because the design of the building is new to them and L-shaped, all her favorite beasties have new homes from which to haunt humans. For example, there are several monsters apparently trapped beneath the ceiling, which has an overhang above the bar rail that is only a foot or two tall but covers the size of a couple of big rooms. These creatures can be seen poking their heads out, while chains sometimes hang from them — but not weighing them down enough to make them crash to the floor. However, to view all these you might have to crane your own neck.
And that’s what it’s really all about, coming to visit whether you be an old patron or newbie, and seeing what Jess has done differently from her former Halloween in Houlton digs. You can check it out over coffee, a beer, or some food for breakfast or otherwise, between now and Halloween on Saturday, or possibly a bit beyond that point, as the decorations probably won’t be taken down right away. A logical time for such exploration might be Halloween night, when there will be Jess’ typical party to mark the holiday, her first in the new joint, and creatures will abound, whether in the form of patrons or things hanging from the wall.
That night, in one of several such offerings in the area, the Absolut Girl models will be on hand doing their thing with vodka from 9-11 p.m. And their also will be live music, of course, from Wade and Ella, starting at about the same time.
And not all those things need to be over the top to be scary. The fact that there are more tap beers in the offing than at their former location, means there are all kinds of diminutive demons scattered amongst the spouts that make all those brews pour. Other ghouls of their small stature, as also seen at other venues, are hanging from the edges of wreath-like weavings on the walls.
Also new, there is a serpent wrapped around the steel ceiling frames, and for a decidedly local twist, an RIP tombstone that’s almost three feet high that has scrawlings on it about “The Nightmare before PepperFest.”
Some of the bigger monsters appear to be new to the Guv’s Place anthology, and they’ve been thoughtfully erected by Jess over the past couple of weeks, tidying up a video gaming station here and a table with chairs there to make room for them showing their true colors, of late October. Jess said her main challenge has been finding ways to fit them all in.
— Other than those previewed above, there also are noteworthy extravaganzas in the area at Dick’s Bar and Grill (Saturday night) and the Smilin’ Moose (both Friday and Saturday, with the biggest prizes) in downtown Hudson, the Village Inn in North Hudson (Saturday), Bo’s ‘N Mine, Maverick’s, Shooters and Juniors in River Falls (all on Saturday, with the latter being biggest in scale), Woody’s in Bayport (Saturday), and Coaches in River Falls (a rare Friday party).
— If you’ve had too much of Halloween, (after reading all this stuff?), turn your focus back to football. There will be a “live drawing party” at the Willow River Saloon at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, and this facet is new to the endeavor in 2015. The drawing is for a set of tickets to Viking-Packer games on either Nov. 22 at TCF Bank Stadium, or Jan. 3 at Lambeau Field. The chances to win stem from clipping and delivering registration slips, from the Oct. 18 edition of The Shopper/Free Press, to participating local businesses. Hurry while there is still time.