Mood Swings late summer rock shows

Summer is about kaput, the State Fair is upon us, the kids are almost back in school and you still haven't done half the stuff you wanted to do this summer… but you still have a chance to get your ass kicked by Susstones' swingin' sensations, The Mood Swings.

First, there's a gig at the Uptown tomorrow night:

Saturday - August 25
Uptown Bar
Minneapolis, MN

featuring
The Julie Puppets
The Mood Swings
Action vs. Action
The Hard Left

$5 cover
Mood Swings @ 11:30

Uptown Bar

Then, on Friday, September 7, The Mood Swings return to Mankato to wreak further destruction on this sleepy little college town down the Minnesota River an hour or so. Anybody who hasn't checked out the What's Up bar in Mankato should really think about doing so; this place rocks in every defintion of the word. Load up the cooler and book a champagne flight down Hwy 169 -- a perfect mini-road trip.

Friday - September 7
What's Up Lounge
Mankato, MN

The Hard Left
The Mood Swings

$3 cover
Mood Swings play first @ 10pm

What's Up Lounge

Susstones

The Mood Swings

Mood Swings rattle some bones at scooter rally

The Mood Swings played a nice, rockin' show last weekend at the Bedlam Theater on the West Bank of Mpls -- an extremely likeable venue located directly across the freeway from the Metrodome, walking distance from the 400 & Triple Rock and right next to a ped/bike bridge and a LRT stop.

Formerly a bar called "Knickerbockers" back in the day, The Bedlam usually books live theater, but it was turned into a rock venue for this annual event, which attracts scooter-ites, mod aficionados and music fans alike. The staff was supernice, there was a nice selection of beer & wine, the theater-turned-music-hall worked out fine and there's an upstairs outdoor deck with an absolutely stunning view of the Mpls skyline. Oh yeah, the best thing about this place -- lots of friggin' OFF STREET PARKING! Anybody who's ever been to the 400 or Triple Rock on weekends knows just how golden this is.

The MooEd Swings -- playing their 3rd gig in their new incarnation with Susstones poobah Ed Ackerson filling in on bass -- turned in a typically smokin' set in this strange, somewhat non-rock setting. Things began with an unexpected opener ("Generation Y") and culminated with an incinderary reading of an old garage nugget, The Gentlemen's "It's a Cryin' Shame." Everbody looked swank, the music was su-pah and a great time was had by all in a "new" setting right smack in the middle of the city.

Slim Dunlap Band -- back from the dead!

2 show "tour" of Minnesota and Wisconsin a rousing success





One of Minnesota's most precious musical resources, The Slim Dunlap Band, returned to action a few weeks ago in remarkable fashion, playing 2 extraordinarily cool gigs in the unlikeliest of settings -- the Minnesota Zoo amphitheater and, the next night, a magical road house on a forgotten highway in the wilds of extreme Western Wisconsin.

The SDB had a remarkable residency at the Turf Club in St. Paul for almost a decade. When long time drummer Brien Lilja decided to relocate to California a few years ago the chemistry changed and, despite some able skins work from the likes of Dave Weigardt and Billy Dankert, things were never quite the same. The departure of SPMC guiding light/all-around great guy Rob Rule from the Turf proved to be the nail in the coffin for one of the coolest things to hit St. Paul on a Saturday night since…well, since forever.

Well, never say never. An opening slot for Son Volt miraculously appeared on the horizon and before you could say "Times Like This," Slim and the boys were back in action to rock another day. Brian was summoned and, as it turned out, he was headed back to the midwest anyways; apparently he'd had enough of La-La Land.

The opening set for Son Volt at the Minnesota Zoo was only 30 minutes long, but the band made the best of it. Glorious versions of many faves were offered up -- "Girlfiend," "Hate This Town," "Cozy Little Hideaway," "Times Like This," "Big Star Big," etc. The growing crowd ate it all up and then some -- the band received an enthusiastic ovation at the end of the too-short set, something of a rarity for the opener in this kind of setting.

Fresh on the heels of the Zoo buzz came a trip out to Rob Rule's wonderful new joint, The Bar Chord, in Knapp, Wisconsin, about an hour east of the Twin Cities. With no time constraints, the band played for well over an hour - they sounded great without a hint of any rustiness. A good chunk of Slim's two albums were played, along with some "newer" material (man it was good to hear "Breeders Cannonball" again!), a luverly cover of "Ridin' in My Car" and an uplifiting finale of "Times Like This" with fellow traveller Terry Walsh chiming in on harmonies. With friends, family and familiar faces in attendance at the Bar Chord, it was almost like a trip in the WayBack machine to University Ave. in St. Paul. The whole set definitely evoked bittersweet memories of all those (80, 90, 100?) shows the SDB played at the Turf over the years. People danced, people laughed, people rocked out and people simply soaked up the joyous sound emanating from the stage. To quote Neil Young -- and the sign above the door at the Bar Chord -- "live music is better." No shit, sherlock!

The trip down memory lane was over all too soon, even for a 2 show "tour." If we're lucky, Slim and his band will be playing again somehow, somewhere -- hopefully sooner rather than later. Now that Brien lives in the same time zone...


Slim's myspace page

Rob Rule conjures up the coolest Bar Chord ever

Hot new music club opens in...Knapp, Wisconsin?!



When St Paul Music Club (SPMC) founder Rob Rule parted ways with The Turf Club a few years ago because of an ownership change, those who knew him figured he wouldn't be out of action for very long. And they were right. Rule's now the proud owner of the brand spanking new Bar Chord bar/restaurant/music club in Knapp, Wisconsin, about an hour east of Mpls -- a testament to Rob's perseverance and resourcefulness as well as his determination to get back into something he passionately believes in.

After leaving the Turf, Rob and his wife Leah bought a farm close to Knapp and fulfilled a long time dream of "getting back to the country." After a spell of looking for a bar/club to buy as well as booking bands in nearby Menomonie (8 miles down the road), Rule and a partner eventually came across the future Bar Chord. A previous owner had sunk 3/4 of a million dollars renovating the space, which had existed for 60+ years, mostly as a supper club/lounge kinda deal. For a variety of reasons, the previous owner went out of business in short order and the bank repossessed the property. Rob and his new partner got a great -- if not once in a lifetime -- deal on the place. You might even say they got it for, appropriately enough, a "song." Rob figured his budget would limit him to a "fixer upper" kinda place; he had no idea he would soon be the owner of an establishment that looks like it was just built a few years ago.

When you walk in the door for the first time, the last thing that enters your mind is that you're walking into a "dive." There's a huge restaurant, a spiffy new bar/billiard room and a large music room with a high ceiling and clear view of the stage. The recent renovation is evident everywhere you turn -- everything seems brand new cuz it is, from the bathrooms to the bar itself; there are even new flat screen TVs!!? Rob has decorated the place with his trademark style that will be instantly familiar to fans of the original Turf Club. The attention to detail as well as the "lived in" aura of the whole place is strangely deceiving; the joint looks like it's been up and running for years, not mere weeks.

Above the entrance to the music room you can't help but notice a large proclamation: "Live Music is Better," a motto of Rob's for sure as well as a nod to Neil Young, one of his musical heroes. The stage (with video monitors below spelling out the name of the place) is spacious, the PA is first-rate and the overall vibe is about as comfortable as a live music venue can be. If the Bar Chord was in the Twin Cities, i can guarantee you that it would instantly be one of the most popular places in town. It's certainly the hottest joint in the "greater Knapp" area. :-)

One of neatest things about the Bar Chord -- and something that made me chuckle as soon as i pulled up in the parking lot -- is evident before you even walk in the door. Rob has transferred the spirit and mythology of the old "SPMC" to the new "BCMC" (Bar Chord Music Club), right down to the design of the logo itself. Very cool. Even though you're an hour away from the Twin Cities, when you walk in you feel like you're on familiar, er, turf; that you've come back home.

And, in a way, you have.

So far, Rob is booking live music on Fridays and Saturdays. He's hoping to tap into the nearby Stout and River Falls college markets, as well as drawing those adventerous souls from the Twin Cities who are willing to make the journey to Cheesehead land. The BCMC roster over the last few weeks eerily resembles Turf Club calendars from a few years ago -- Rank Stangers, Ol Yeller, Kruddler, Grant Hart, etc.

As for the drive from the Twin Cities, it ain't no big thing -- an hour straight out I-94 to exit 32, go a few miles north down into the valley and you'll soon find yourself on HWY 12 in beautiful downtown Knapp. Speaking as a veteran of numerous runs up to the Red Carpet in St. Cloud, this is an even easier trip, perfect for a mini weekend getaway to a land that time has seemingly forgot (wait to you see the prices on the restaurant menu; talk about reverse sticker shock!).

Even though they just opened, the Bar Chord seems to be doing OK with their "food by day, music by night" strategy. Time will tell how business will grow in this remote little burg -- a former stagecoach stop on what was the main highway between the Twin Cities and Chicago back before the interstate was built a half century ago -- but, knowing Rob & Leah and their enthusiasm, ya gotta like their chances. After all, it wasn't that long ago that people were thinking he was nuts for thinking he could start up a rock club in St. Paul's midway -- and look how that turned out.

Kudos to Rob and Leah. Best of luck and long may you -- and the Bar Chord -- run.


Bar Chord