Saltydog got their Thursdays in March residency off to an excellent start, playing two sets at The Hook and Ladder Theater’s Zen Arcade/Mission Room. TWINE’s Will Effertz sat in with Saltydog in the second set. See a photo gallery from the show.

Check out a photo gallery from last Wednesday’s TWINE residency show at Bunkers in Minneapolis’ North Loop. The show fell on the birthday of frontman Will Effertz, and there were a number of special guests — all of which appear in this roll.

Read Jam in the Stream’s Minnesota live music picks for this week, which focuses largely on residency and recurring shows. But there’s more.

Fabled British funk band Cymande hits the Varsity Theater Wednesday, topping Jam in the Stream’s weekly list of live music recommendations in Minnesota. But there are many great options this week.

Read about Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, which bring their tribute to Italian film to the Fitzgerald Theater on Feb. 12. Find out what else is happening this week around Minnesota in Jam in the Stream’s weekly live music picks.

King Buffalo, a pych rock trio from Rochester, N.Y., returns to Saint Paul’s Turf Club Tuesday, Jan. 18. The show tops Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna’s Minnesota live music picks this week. Find out what other shows are happening.

Hotel Minnesnowta got off to a rousing start Thursday night with Minneapolis’ TWINE and Duluth’s Saltydog kicking off the event, with the two bands co-mingling at Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West’s Creekside Lounge. Read a short writeup of the show and check out a photo gallery from Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna. Also, find a ticket link to the final night of the hotel fest, which closes with a late, late-night jam featuring The Johnson Brothers and Ryan David Young of Trampled by Turtles.

Jeff Franca of Thievery Corporation will perform alongside Momentary Lapse of Floyd at the three-day Hotel Minnesnowta music fest at Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in Plymouth. The hotel fest tops Jam in the Stream’s weekly music picks. Find out what other live music is happening in Minnesota this week.

Only Every Monday, which holds its 700th show in the series tonight (Monday, Jan. 6) tops Jam in the Stream’s Minnesota live music recommendations this week. But there are many other options this week, including a particularly busy Friday night in Minneapolis.

TWINE frontman Will Effertz did know California Honeydrops’ music but didn’t know saxophonist Janos “Johnny Bones” Lustig when he approached the stage at Bunker’s last Wednesday night. “I have had that happen in instances, and when it’s a saxophone, I am like, ‘Please, be good.’ It turned out he was a badass.” Read more about the unplanned sit-in from Lustig on a night when local vocalist/guitarist Joe Dunn and sound man Gage Schmitt (on flute) were already featured.

The Big Wu’s gig at First Avenue in Minneapolis tops Jam in the Stream’s weekly Minnesota live music roundup, which is back this week after a short hiatus. Find out what other shows are happening in Minnesota.

Crumb’s show at the Varsity Theater Friday tops Jam in the Stream’s list of live music picks this week in Minnesota. Read the fully story at www.jaminthestream.com

Etran de L’Äir, known for a brand of “dessert blues,” is playing Turf Club Wednesday, the first of several live music picks this week from Jam in the Stream. Find out more about the band from Niger, and the rest of Jam in the Stream’s show recommendations.

Check out Jam in the Stream’s live music picks for this week in and around Minnesota.

Monday night is not a normal Monday night.

It’s followed by the Fourth of July, so there’s two shows of interest happening in the Twin Cities.

First, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade is at the Palace Theatre.

Then, Minneapolis jam band Twine will be playing an after-show at KJ’s Hideaway, a short walk away, right afterwards.

Tuesday is our nation’s birthday (hopefully, you have that day off). So everybody wins!

The Bob Pat Band celebrated the birthday of Bob Pat with a free show at 56 Brewing in Northeast Minneapolis Saturday April 1. The band kept the jams coming for two sets as the 56 Brewing concert hall filled in, many of Bob Pat’s friend showing up for the occasion.