It’s another back-loaded week of music in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Quickly, I’ll mention Sonja Martin (of Feeding Leroy) and friends are anchoring a birthday bash for Jacob Mahon of Satlydog at Wussow’s Concert Cafe tonight (Tuesday) in Duluth.
But every once in a while, there’s a night where I wish I could be at multiple music venues at the same time; This week, I have that feeling about Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
If you want to know just how busy it is, head over to Jam in the Stream’s Minnesota music calendar here.
But here are the hard decisions we all have to make this week, and I’m going to blame Blue Ox Music Festival for booking bands I want to see all three days. Jerks!
I wouldn’t miss Thursday night at Blue Ox for a number of reasons beginning with Daniel Donato and Cosmic Country, which have been harnessing and wielding the power of improvisational music like few other bands on the jamgrass scene.
Nevermind that the High Hawks (which get two hours on the Backwoods stage), Leftover Salmon and local faves Feed the Dog are all playing that night.
But meanwhile, over in Minneapolis, Demitri Rallis of Frogleg, who has been co-hosting Thursday nights at Gluek’s, this week warned of a “Super Special Secret Surprise” during the jam session, which rotates players every Thursday.
He tagged each member of Frogleg on his Facebook post with the comment, “I wonder who it could be? The anticipation is ribbiting, I mean riveting.”
It’s going to hurt me to miss this one, so to those of you in town Thursday night, get on down to Gluek’s.
Friday is not much easier a call, but at least I will get my Frogleg fix as the band closes the night of music out on the Backwoods stage at Blue Ox, which also draws me to Eau Claire with Duluth’s Saltydog and The Spooklights, a Missouri duo that self describes at “Ozark Eletro-Roots.”
Also on Friday, Dakota Jazz Club has Michael Cleveland, the insanely talented fiddler who I saw play with Bela Fleck in a high-powered bluegrass lineup last summer down in Missouri at Pickin’ on Picnic Music Festival.
Some folks will be drawn to Superior, Wis., to see Mae Simpson and Mark Joseph play that night, while others will head to Waite Park for Dark Star Orchestra.
Saturday, I’m skipping Blue Ox despite a stacked bluegrass roster including Del McCoury Band, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Sam Bush Band, Sierra Ferrell, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and local bands Jon Sullivan Band and Burbillies.
Southern rock legends Little Feat is playing the Fitz in St. Paul, and virtuoso jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan is at the Dakota.
But I’m most tempted to catch JT Bates Grain Trio at Berlin in Minneapolis. The trio features Kevin Gastonguay on the Hammond B3 and Zacc Harris on guitar.