Plymouth, Minn. —
The amplified music at Hotel Minnesnowta ceased at about 4 a.m. Sunday morning, leaving some attendees asking for more.
The final day of the three-day hotel music fest was jam-packed and ended with two stages offering up different ends of the psychedelic spectrum. There was a string band jam on one stage and electronica on the basement floor of the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West.
In Conference Room E, The Johnson Brothers (Mitch and Brandon) of Kind Country fame were joined by Trampled by Turtles fiddler Ryan Young along with some of their KC pals (in bassist Joe Sheehan and banjoist Mike Hedding) for a jam that included bluegrass versions of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Drugs and Money,” and Phish’s “Possum.”
Meanwhile, in the basement of the hotel, the Scandalous Ballroom, a converted conference ballroom, was transformed into an electronic music dance floor with Hobday, a producer and DJ, laser light show from Form Entertainment, and two acrobatic pole dancers from Hypnotica (Nicki and Taylor). The spectacular of lights, dancing and electronica brought the festival to a proper conclusion.
Other highlights of the day included a MarioKart tournament with Heatbox, a rare (these days) Dead Larry set, the Burbillies and their grassy take on 80s hair rock songs, the 10-year “Hosnow Celebration Ball,” featuring a members of Useful Jenkins (including Olivia Q and Karen Kozak) and event organizer and guitarist Mark Joseph and bassist Andy “Padre” Miller of The Big Wu, as well as others, including Ryan Balthrop and artists at-large Heatbox and drummer Reed Grimm.
One of the most energetic sets of the night was Confucisaurus, which conjured up a T-Rex funk dance party with its combination of hip hop and jam rock. Nobody would have ever known that there were apparently last-minute personnel changes on the drum kit or that the band debuted a second guitarist, according to Confucisaurus guitarist Bryce Tuitt. Both the band and fans brought an electricity and energy to Conference Room E that happened to be one of the psychedelic refuges of the festival, a room with its own aura of light, art and sound.
