The weather — resulting in a gnarly head cold — caught up with me the last few days, so I’ve been a little quiet here despite a recent effort to write more regularly.
But I’m feeling good enough to get back to writing on this day after Christmas to tell you about music options this year-ending holiday weekend.
There wasn’t much going on, anyways — even TWINE didn’t play its normal Wednesday night residency at Bunker’s on Christmas and they have this coming Wednesday (New Year’s Day) off, too.
THURSDAY
But TWINE frontman Will Effertz takes his WE Collective to 56 Brewing in Nordeast Minneapolis tonight starting at 6:30 p.m. The free show runs until 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Mark Joseph of The Big Wu plays his annual Cat Stevens’ tribute, “Tea for the Tillerman” show, with the New Line Riders opening at The Hook and Ladder Theater in South Minneapolis. The music starts at 7:30 p.m.
TWINE has its final show of the year at Day Block Brewing Company in downtown Minneapolis. The gig starts at 8:30 p.m. It’s a rare chance to catch this exciting, funky jam band on a weekend.
SATURDAY
Denver-based SunSquabi returns to Minneapolis for the second year-ending event in a row Saturday at The Cabooze in south Minneapolis. This year, it’s part of a four-night (over five days) New Year’s run that hits Milwaukee’s Miramar Theatre Friday, Minneapolis Saturday, Chicago’s Ramona Monday, and Detroit’s Tangent Gallery on New Year’s Eve.
SunSquabi played Minneapolis’ Pryes Brewing on Dec. 31, 2023.
This year, Louisville-based Jason Leech, the triple keyboardist, composer and producer, opens for SunSquabi in Minneapolis. The show starts at 9 p.m.
Also in Minneapolis Saturday, Shoeless Revolution plays at Bunker’s. That show starts at 9:30 p.m.
There’s also a couple of shows Saturday in Duluth I’ll mention.
LazyLightning420, the Grateful Dead-cover side project of Trampled by Turtles mandolinist Erik Berry and Duluth musician Marc Gartman. They play at Sir Ben’s starting at 6 p.m.
Tin Can Gin, which features banjoist Harrison Oak (one of two musicians depicted in Jam in the Stream’s masthead art), plays from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bent Paddle Brewing.
MONDAY
Madison-based funk band WURK plays Bent Paddle on Monday from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Duluth’s Jumpsuit opens at 7:30 p.m.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
There are a pair of New Year’s Eve gigs, I’ll mention. Mae Simpson plays the Turf Club, with Hiahli, Juice Lord, and DJ Brian Engel of Hipshaker. The music starts at 9 p.m.
Last, but not least, Duluth’s Saltydog plays a show with the Sugar Lads at Winona’s No Name Bar. If you don’t know, Saltydog has been playing some solid shows at this spot.
This show that’s still on Spotify from early 2023 has been a favorite of mine to listen to.
Check it out here.
I was hoping to make it to Madison Square Garden last minute, but at this point, I don’t think there’s a better place I could be than Winona.
I’m certain the two and half hour drive will be worth it. Hopefully I get past this head cold and feel up to it.
As always, check out my calendar, updated weekly, for ticket links and the full set of shows on my radar over at www.jaminthestream.com/calendar.