The Big Wu’s First Avenue gig this Saturday tops Jam in the Stream’s weekly Minnesota live music picks, which returns this week after a hiatus the last few months.
The band’s weekend headlining slot at the hallowed venue is a testament to the band’s legacy.
The Big Wu delivered solid performances the last two winters, most recently at First Avenue last December and their 30th anniversary show at St. Paul’s Fitzgerald Theater in December 2022.
This time, The People Brothers Band open in support.
Earlier in this week, there isn’t much going, so it’s a good time to mention some of the weekly residencies, particularly those at Bunker’s in Minneapolis’ North Loop.
There’s the International Reggae All-Stars, which play Tuesdays starting at 9:30 p.m. Also Tuesdays, is Bruce Woodman’s weekly gig at Carmody’s Irish Pub in Duluth. Bruce, a friend of mind, plays music with friends from 8 to 11 p.m.
The second residency, also at Bunker’s is of Minneapolis jam band TWINE, which took over the Wednesday night spot in recent months. They’ve been ripping solid jams every week, though it should be noted that they’ll have the next two Wednesdays off for the Holidays. So get down there this week, when Jon Sullivan and Alex Gelking of Jon Sullivan Band will be sitting in.
Last week, the band had a surprise sit-in from saxophonist Yanos “Johnny Bones” Lustig, who had another gig in town the next night and brought his saxophone down to the storied music venue, not knowing a single member of TWINE. Read more about that here.
California Honeydrops’ saxophonist “Johnny Bones” showed up to TWINE’s Wednesday night residency at Bunker’s last week, and frontman Will Effertz was happy to have him up on stage. Photo by JAVIER SERNA/Jam in the Stream
Also on Wednesday night, the 331 Club has a couple of things going on worth mentioning, including Dylan Salfer Band playing Harold’s House Party radio show on KFAI at 7 p.m., kicking off a solid night of music at the Northeast drinking establishment. J Lenz (of Pert Near Sandstone) then hosts his monthly Lenz & Friends gig starting at 9:30 p.m.
Thursday night, the Annie Frazier Band and Buffalo Galaxy play a show at The Hook & Ladder Theater in South Minneapolis, with the doors opening at 7 p.m., and in downtown Minneapolis, guitar legend Stanley Jordan has a show at the Dakota starting at 7 p.m., and Effertz’ WE Collective has a show at Gluek’s, with Jon Miller of Feed the Dog scheduled to sit in. That kicks off at 9:30 p.m.
Ahead of The Big Wu’s Saturday gig, Mark Joseph of The Big Wu and Nicholas David play Margie’s Kitchen in Andover Thursday night.
In Duluth Thursday, Side String Band, which includes Harrison Olk (Kind Country, High & Rising) and Nate Hynum (Black River Revue), play a show at Bent Paddle Brewing at 6 p.m.