Bands from our PAST !

As you probably already know we are mostly a product of growing up in Southern Minnesota in the 70's. Here's a list of bands we used to LOVE going to see back then. Wonder where they are now?

Jesse Brady, Straight Up, The Fabulous Flippers, Rocking Horse, Chameleon, Shaw Allen Shaw, The Daisy Dillman Band, The Epicureans, ArchAngel, Methusalah

3 DAWG night

It seems like at many of our recent WED evening practices during the summer we end up with only three of us. It always gets more difficult to practice in the summer as we all have “stuff” going on. This past WED Pete, Lonzo and Kinger rocked the house as Andy was on his way for a week of relaxation in Lutsen. There have been times recently when Lonzo missed practice so the band went “sans bass”. (or brought in a substitute hacker bass playa from the”hood”) Who needs bass anyway …right!!

It can be harder to work on material and even run through some of our oldies. “hey let’s do xxxxxxx song” “nope Andy sings that one” “how about xxxxxxxxx song?” we get half way through and then have to improvise when we come to the part where Andy would solo. A Three Piece is actually kind of fun and more challenging. Some of our favorite bands have been three piece. Grand Funk, Rush (recently Wolfmother comes to mind) It’s still fun though since we still get to drink beer. Most of the time we make stuff up, or start with a riff and then see where it goes. If it’s the three of us with no Andy we sometimes revert back to the REALLY OLD STUFF we started doing pre Andy being in the band.

R.E.O Speedwagon - Taste of Minnesota 2008

As is our way...(although we were hoping for everyone in the band to go) - Pete & Lonzo ventured to the 2008 version of the Taste of Minnesota to check out REO Speedwagon. We started out in Pete's backyard, grilling a few burgers and nursing a couple of our favorite beverages. Pete's house isn't to far from Harriet Island so it wasn't long before we were parked and on our way to hear yet another "classic rock" band from our past. Although we had both seen this band before, the very first time was even now being fondly remembered as we approached the Harriet Island concert area.

Yes, it had been a classic event and happened way back in 1975 or 76 when REO was to be the headliner in Fairmont at the Fairmont Speedway. Although all the details of that day are a bit fuzzy, it was like a mini woodstock. The first warm up band played and then the 2nd warmup band's set was cut short due to a passing thunderstorm. Every one was impatient waiting for REO and wondering if they were even going to be able to appear due to the rain. As time passed and the rain did not seem to want to stop we had the sense of "we're DOOMED". Finally the rain let up and we could see activity on the stage. Would REO appear?? We all rose to our feet and screamed at the stop of our lungs for the band to begin. I KID YOU NOT, there was a crack in the clouds and a bright streaming ray of sun shone through onto the stage just as REO took the stage with the moog synthesizer intro opening for "Riding the Storm Out" began and the band kicked in to high gear. It was for sure one of the top ten all time concerts of our lives. (well top twenty for SURE)

So with these warm fuzzy memories of the past playing in our heads and feeling a bit giddy we approached the concert area. Was that BOSTON playing ???? We looked at each other. We did not know they were opening for REO? Yet it was clearly Boston's "More than a Feeling" and then a medley of "Smokin" / "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". We got to the stage area about the time they finished the medley. We finally figured out it was Cosmos (Fran and Anthony Cosmo FROM the band BOSTON) who were warming up for REO. That's right, we knew that was the warm up band but neither of us had taken the time to do any research.

Of course the entire concert area was PACKED. We stood in line to buy tickets to get beer. We stood in line to actually GET the beer. We wedged our selves up about half way up to the stage, stood right next to the sound engineers booth. It was pretty entertaining people watching of course. Not sure of the EXACT set list but it was something near this:

Find Your Own Way Home
Take it On the Run
Keep Pushin'
Can't Fight this Feeling
Dangerous Combination
Time For Me To Fly
Don't Let Him Go
Keep On Loving You
Roll With The Changes
Ridin' the Storm Out
Golden Country

Of course the whole night was deemed a SUCCESS by Lonzo when REO played "Golden Country" (top 50 personal favorite songs) And yes for a guy pushing 60 Kevin Cronin can stil BRING IT !!!!

Groovy Baby .....

Check out our set up at the Shortstop Fridley gig. You should be able to watch this video !!

Last EVER Zim City gigs

Well the pic is actually still a leftover from BeBops last month. For the Zim City gig we got Andy back to full strength. The rest of the band were now shaking off vistages of winter colds. We've played enough times at Zim City to know the routine. Set it all up once, tear down once but PLAY two nights!! As usual we played pretty much for our own self entertainment as the bar was mostly EMPTY Friday night and not much better Saturday. The CUZ had his friend Brian and a few others but beyond that........playing to ash trays. We still gave it our best. In February we lost a dear friend Bedford to cancer. It would take several pages, well let's be HONEST...it would be a NOVEL of blogging to truly even try to tell Bedfords story so I won't even try! Musically, Bedford had been the banjo player in the Jameson Drovers, the Fish Heads, Big Top Chautaqua, a fellow Fairmont native, a Voyageur and so much more. Memories of jamming with Bedford and the many gigs played with the Drovers will last forever. Sometimes, however, mentally its tough for those of us left behind, to keep moving forward. Sometimes guilt itself creeps in and the dark clouds start hovering above. How can I be standing here trying to enjoy myself, playing the music I love when one of my friends is dead ? It just doesn't feel right!! How do you just "go about life"? As a tribute to Bedford and Don Pavel and other great musicians who have passed on, the one thing TO DO is to keep JAMMING !!!!! We have to keep on keeping on! We are still here and by the grace of God we still have the opportunity to keep living out our dreams. We dedicated many of the songs to Bedford these two nights. Had a shot Jameson Irish whiskey to honor his memory both nights. Our band played on.....into the night....to ash trays....but we were still thankful.....

BeBops gig

You've heard us quote Dickens. "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times". Our first ever gig at BeBops probably could not be classified as being the "best of times". We had looked forward to this night. Our gig originally was set for the Fridley Shortstop location. At the last possible moment Ray stated he wanted us to perform at BeBops instead. We scrambled to inform people and change some plans. We're not sure how many people got lost or never showed up due to the change in venue, but thankfully we were very happy to see a couple dozen fan faithfuls (which actually is pretty good for us anyway) to come out and brave the elements. The night itself was 15 BELOW ZERO with a 25 -30 mile an hour wind. Our lead singer The Cuz had been sick for several days already. Wiped out, weak and croaking like a frog we had coaxed him from a sure "snug as a bug in a rug, 3 cup o' tea and to bed early" kind of night, to one of hauling gear (4 times of course) in 50 below gale force winter wind chills, The Show Must Go On kind of a night. We could have really used an appearance of some Hot Lava about this time. If not for the wintry weather conditions and Andy being sick the load in and out could have been a snap. Close to "home", easy access and no furniture to move out of the way. As far as the gig itself our set up area was spacious and there was plenty of room for people to sit close or stay with the "way backs". As it turned out Lonzo and Pete ended up having to sing everything we two knew and some we didn't!! We cut one set several songs short. The Cuz managed to get through a bunch of songs, except some of the real high parts of course. (seems like they are all pretty high parts considering the bands we try to cover !!) We gutted this one out. Usually the set up and tear down is not much fun but the 3/12 hours of playing IS FUN !! Tonight we struggled. We tried our best for our "A" game. It was backs against the wall, gut check time. We still managed to have some fun and those who came out seemed to be enjoying seeing Lonzo, Pete and Kinger "fall on a sword" for the CUZ. More lessons learned in the joys of Wanna Be Rock Stardom. :)

Be Bops Feb 9 Pics

LAST MINUTE VENUE CHANGE !!

We got BUMPED from the Feb 9th appearance at the new Shortstop Fridley at the last minute.
(well this past Monday) Ray decided he wanted us to play at his NEW BAR - BeBops in Blaine instead. Since Ray is the BOSS, we are shifting our momentum to our first ever gig at BeBops in Blaine. http://www.bebopsportsbar.com/

This all took us by surprise but we're doing the best we can to inform our "legions of fans" of the venue change. We hope that if you are still planning on going out that night to see the Lava Lords you won't be disappointed by the venue change !!! BeBops is not really that far from either of the Shortstop venue's. From 694 and Highway 65 go North to 109th and hang a left heading WEST. Find the address 1009 109th Ave NE in Blaine about 1/2 mile on the right.

We hope to see you there !!

the Jerry & Ginger Show

We're not sure who was more entertaining at our first ever Shortstop Fridley gig, the band itself or the crowd fronted by our favorite heckler Jerry Kern (the Mooners, ex Bings, ex Preferred Stock) We're sure happy Jerry and Ginger came by to roast us, toast us and boast us the entire evening. Way to go Clarissa, Brandon, Nate, Dawn and Julie for egging them on just when things started to mellow !!! Things were cruising right along until we blew a fuse during "All Right Now" and the band, lights and action came to a screeching halt. U ROCK turned to U SUCK !!! all in good nature ribbing from the felonious front row !! We can't say enough good things about the new Fridley Shortstop. (ex Joe Dimaggio's) This is one of the easiest load in / load outs ever, nice spacious room, lots of tables, excellent service and late night happy hour / appetizer specials !! If you have been waiting to check us out this would be the place to do it !! Plenty of room to sit far back or get up close, your choice !!