Loven’s Guitar Wizardry is Only The Start

The one-man-band performances of Jeff Loven in the St. Croix Valley are a combination of virtuoso guitar work, versatile singing of many styles and pitches, comedy and showmanship.
In his guitar work, Loven inserts a few extra fills and squeals into even the most difficult solos. “I always try to capture the solo’s main riff and melodies,” Loven said. “If you’re gonna play a song by Hendrix, Van Halen, AC/DC or Guns and Roses, stuff like that, people want to hear the solos played correctly but it still is always fun to break it up a bit and throw some of your own stuff on top.”
Loven not long ago was picked by rock guitarist Steve Vai as winner of Kahler’s International Bridge to Stardom guitar solo contest in Guitar Player magazine. Around that time, he got photographed with Eddie Van Halen, and there was a bid locally that called for Loven to open for that other guitar wizard when his band came to town.
Most of Loven’s songs are rock that’s not too hard or too soft, blues and a few original tunes that are funny because of both the words and the use of a quirky lead instrument, often an accordion.  A drum and bass track is used, and beyond that the show is truly a one-man band — although he plays a lot in western Wisconsin, he’s dubbed the best such performer in “Minnesota.” Loven often strolls through the crowd with his guitar, strumming and singing while not missing a beat. In one case, while in the next room over at Dick’s Bar, Loven threw the guitar strap back over his shoulder and handed the ax to an up-and-coming former local, blues guitarist Brandon Scott Sellner — all while in the middle of a solo. Sellner then picked up the tune made famous by someone who’s no slouch, Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Right before Christmas, Loven shot a video in Hudson that included pyrotechnics for his original song Heavy Metal Polka. “My friend Brynn Arens came up with the idea of shooting the live video of me playing with a polka band in a VFW setting and also with a metal band with a full-on rock show and mixing the two,” he said. “The crowd interaction on this song is outstanding when I play it nightly and I’m looking to tap into the energy of a great crowd. We’ll also be doing some bits with the people that show up as inserts.”
Take after take was done for hours at Uncle Mike’s, with some handpicked people really whooping it up in the polka part of the video at a front table. Loven, wearing an elf costume for a good part of the shoot, almost had the video blow up in his face, literally, as he once strummed a little too close to an explosive pot and ended up falling backwards. Uncle Mike’s had to get clearance from local fire officials to do the shoot, and it helped that they have a very high ceiling.
Loven often brings up a number of different people in bands and other prominent individuals for cameo performances of what has become their signature song. Prominent among them is Geno from the band Saving Starz, who once showed up with the same green-colored, canvas tennis shoes as Jeff. (Is that as much of a social blunder as when two women show up at a party in the same dress?)
I even am occasionally asked to sing some Jimi Hendrix or Clash – as long as I don’t get carried away and hold a note way too long over his guitar solo.
Loven plays all over the Twin Cities metro area, and across the St. Croix Valley. Regular gigs have included those like that at Dick’s, where Loven had played every Sunday night for more than 10 years. He got his start with bands such as the Kilowatts and in the ‘80s a speed metal outfit called Obsession, which held a reunion show at the Cabooze in the Twin Cities a few months ago. The now family man readily notes in teasing fashion that “he was great in the ‘80s, was hot with the ladies, played in a band with Tom Davies and is now just making babies.” The banter had a more serious nature a couple of years ago when his wife was battling cancer and scores of those people who have done cameos over the years turned out at a benefit at Throwbacks in Maplewood, Minn.
One-man-band contests are held nightly to name a tune based on his playing the first couple of notes. (People like yours truly who play the game like ringers are teasingly “put on a 30 second hold)”. Audience members get to cheer to choose the decade of the song being guessed, and it usually seems to come out – you guessed it — the ‘80s. If people have celebrated too much, they sometimes forget and “vote” more than once, so Loven has to jokingly chastise them. Prizes always include “a brand new car,” in reality a vintage Matchbox, and a free drink.
“I like breaking up the night a bit with a ‘Name That Tune’ car giveaway or sometimes I’ll have someone come up and take the Cowbell Challenge, (or tambourine playing),” Loven said of the silly bits where someone gets “Lucy Goosey” and does their best Will Ferrell impersonation as accompaniment. “The cowbell thing is lots of fun because I usually pick someone who has never seen me before but the audience is in on the gag. I guess we use it as an initiation of sorts.” He gleefully tells his cohort that the best way to ring the cowbell is to hold it upside-down and clank on the very edge of the rim.
Besides the Dick’s Bar shows, Loven also plays on a regular basis at Pub Monique in Stillwater and Meister’s Bar in Boardman, as well as having shows at other local venues. People can check the schedule at www.jeffloven.com.