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This Hammond Fest could be like Big City Nights meets country. Hey, at Heartland Days one of the acts was a staple of the Country Nights Saloon in Hastings at only 14, then worked her way up. The other headliner is also numerically oriented, and they go as 8 Foot 4. And the China Beach event also beckons, and they’ll have you go to the GasLite.

Youth will be served, as well as a foursome who have aged like fine wine and not embodying a fifth, in the band lineup at this weekend’s Heartland Days in Hammond.
There’s Hailey James at 8:30 p.m. Friday as a prelude to the men of 8 Foot 4 at — what else? — 8 p.m. Saturday. They are smack in the center of both The Heartland and St. Croix County.
First a bit about Hailey: The Midwest Country Music Organization, through its artist of the year and song of the year award-winner for “Wide Awake,” has recognized Hailey as a four-faceted singer/songwriter/performer/recording artist. She went from playing shows in her hometown to reaching audiences all over the Twin Cities, western Wisconsin, and even into Nashville. Hailey took the stage as a weekly featured artist in summer 2018 at Country Nites Saloon in Hastings — at age 14! Since then, she has joined the Midwest Country Music Organization, Songtown, and the Minnesota Music Coalition. Musical inspiration comes from artists such as Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini and Lauren Alaina. This young musician has an ear for music and first learned to play guitar by watching YouTube videos. It is Hailey’s dream to share her original songs and be part of the singer/songwriter scene in Nashville. Hailey is writing songs for up-and-comers, chart-topping Nashville songwriters, and all between. Her songs can be heard on radio stations across the Midwest.
Hailey has an appealing appearance and style of onstage dress that is retro come back again. (Sorry about that redundancy, but we have to underscore her diverse styles). She looks a bit like a hippy chick, (or these days a hipster), but branches out to many more forms of music than were present beyond just the 60s and 70s. People no doubt have noticed, because despite her youth, she quickly has come to be playing return gigs at the best clubs locally and around the Midwest and beyond.
Then more by the numbers: You gotta love a band that on its alphabetical play list has two numeral entries before even getting to the letter A. So even though their name leads with two numbers in its three words, 8 Foot 4 are some of the local A Listers for a dance and party and funky band. So there is not only 24 Karat Magic and 3 a.m. on the list, but Play that Funky Music in the same breath as Enter Sandman in the form of a Metallica cover.
In case you’ve been in a cave away from music for the past years that run into decades, the band name draws on the fact that such a four-piece outfit has indeed, eight feet. What if 8 Foot 4 was to add a guitarist and become a five-some, not that its needed as their sound carries the day anyway. That addition would really mess with their creative name, and 10 Foot 5 would just not sound as cool. But in that vein, you just might hear some topical Beatles, as for example at least one reference, “He’s got feet down below his knees … one and one and one is three.” And with feet there are shoes, and for the ladies that love them, this band does has had its share of heart-throbs, so if you missed out on a recent dollars-off offer that was snail-mailed to the “current resident and/or shoe enthusiast,” here’s one of those second chances, musically, that you don’t always get in life. Ask Al Bundy about that one.
And he just might like this offering, as well, and we’re not pulling your leg.
Rather machines pulling a load. And they start with the garden variety, as in garden tractor, at 7 p.m. on Friday, right before the Hailey show. Then at 5 p.m. on Saturday there is the full-fledged truck and tractor pull. After all, there is room for the Justin Bieber-aged crowd, not just those like Ozzy. Four on the floor?
Over in New Richmond, the hockey arena is hosting a mega fish sale through Sunday, and ice fishing thus will be part of the picture. As methinks could be tips on catching those killer and therefore mega catfish below the St. Croix, or lunkers in waters forward the east. Directions are shown via a big arrow on signs around the downtown, looking oddly like a big-headed fish.
Also on a topic that can pull off evoking a particular theme, moreso than just having another band put at the back of a bar, is Saturday’s annual China Beach event to both aid veterans and educate and entertain as they engage you, all of these facets done via — thematically and providentially named — the Gaslite venue that sprawls over acres outside of Ellsworth. There’s music and such in the offing, like at most events, but this one ventures outdoors as well, and boasts some seriously high-powered gear and that’s not just the sound speakers. Now we don’t really think you’ll be able to make a siting of soldier Sigourney Weaver like in the movie, but still a cool all-day event.

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