The opening “pre-party” night of Hotel Minnesnowta only featured two bands.
But damn did the organizers make it a hard-to-miss lineup in booking the two hottest, up-and-coming jam bands from the land of 10,000 frozen lakes on a Thursday.
Minneapolis’ TWINE came in hot after their Wednesday night residency gig at Bunker’s, and Duluth’s Saltydog brought some Lake Superior sea smoke down I-35.
On this occasion, TWINE had Histronic boardman Kevin Dorsey on the keys.
And mid-way through TWINE’s single set, Saltydog brothers Jake and Owen Mahon joined in, with Jacob taking over the keyboards and Owen filling in on drums.
The Creekside Lounge at the elegant Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West was pretty packed with early birds for the three-night hotey fest.
But the real improvisational magic came later in the night, when TWINE frontman Will Effertz and saxman Brian “Snowman” Powers joined Saltydog.
Salty had two sets, and played several songs off their latest LP, “Pepper.”
They also dropped a couple of new songs off their upcoming studio effort, which is expected later this year.
Saltydog also surprised more than one person — including festival organizer and Big Wu guitarist Mark Joseph — with a cover of country rock supergroup The Highwaymen’s “Silver Stallion.”
Hotel Minnesnowta wraps up tonight with a lineup that includes Heatbox, ELOUR, Dead Larry, Confucisaurus and a late-night jam at starting at 1 a.m. with the Johnson Brothers and Ryan David Young from Trampled by Turtles. Find more information and tickets here.
