Jam in the Stream

This week’s Minnesota live music roundup includes the likes of Mae Simpson and Feed the Dog at The Hook and Ladder’s Under the Canopy stage, and, as always, there are a lot of options around the state for live, psychedelic music.

Kevin Gastonguay, one of the baddest keyboardists to come out of Minneapolis in the past decade, chatted with Jam in the Stream about his recent guest spot with The Big Wu in Steamboat Springs, Colo., in March.

He also talked about his time playing two and three nights a week for years at a time at legendary Minneapolis live music venue Bunkers.

“If you go to Bunkers, you are probably going to see some good shit,” the international touring musician said, noting that he runs into musicians the world over who know about the gem.

The Big Wu’s Mark Joseph chatted with Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna regarding the band’s summer touring plans in the Upper Midwest, upcoming live releases, current studio efforts, and the love the band has nurtured among its fans in places such as Wisconsin and Colorado. He also told a tale of a white-knuckle drive over Rabbit Ears Pass in Colorado last March.

The New Orleans Suspects, Leo Kottke, Dope Lemon and Primus bring an eclectic mix of music to Minnesota this week. But there’s also a lot of incredible local music happening this week, including a pair of free mid-week, lakeside shows in Minneapolis and a pair of residencies from TWINE and Boss Mama and The Jebberhooch.

Jam in the Stream reviews the latest animated music video from Mcbess/mcbaise, the French psychedelic illustrator/musician. “Alice,” which was released May 23 is the second single he’s released off his upcoming and fourth LP.

Mik Bondy of The Garcia Project chatted with Jam in the Stream ahead of the band’s two-night run at the Granada Theater in Minneapolis this Friday and Saturday. Bondy talked about one of the ways the band attempts to emulate the sound and feel of the various eras of the Jerry Garcia Band.

There are so many options starting tonight in Minnesota for live music, including many free shows in part thanks to the Art-A-Whirl festival in Northeast Minneapolis. Saltydog plays a free Sunday afternoon show at Indeed Brewing’s Whirlygig, while legendary Detroit hip-hop group Slum Village celebrates the life of their legendary, late producer J Dilla at Icehouse Saturday, as well as The Wailers of Bob Marley fame hitting Dakota also Saturday,

In this special report/editorial — and brief departure into natural resources policy — editor Javier Serna writes about the May 8 rally at Minnesota’s State Capitol. About 300 attended to protest Republican legislation that severely weakens protections to waters flowing into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a national treasure and the most visited federally designated wilderness area in the country.

This week in the House Natural Resources Committee, Republicans passed legislation seeking to allow mining leases despite a 20-year moratorium inside the watershed that was put into place in 2023. Any new mining leases would also need state approval and the governor’s signature, but the idea of allowing a foreign mining conglomerate to pollute our protected wilderness is treacherous.

Read about Mcbaise/mcbess’ upcoming music video release (due out May 23), which is being coordinated with his latest collectible toy and clothing line on The Dudes clothing label.

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.

Charlie Parr closed out his Sunday night Turf Club residency, encoring with “Ain’t No Grave,” which he dedicated to his late mother. Nashville folk duo Paper Wings opened up the show. Read more about the concert.

Leftover Salmon’s Drew Emmitt chatted with Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna this week in a wide-ranging interview. It included talk of the band’s upcoming LP, the influence bands such as Old & in The Way had on jam grass, why Emmitt switched up his touring mandolin, and a memory of the late Jeff Austin.

Read a story and check out pictures from The Headhunters show at Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis Jan 21.

The Headhunters, which Herbie Hancock formed in 1973, play the Dakota Tuesday night, topping Jam in the Stream’s weekly live music picks in Minnesota. Read more about The Headhunters and other live music options this week.

Read a short piece and view an extensive photo gallery (shot by Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna) from the final day of Hotel Minnesnowta, which stretched into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Check out a photo gallery of Hotel Minnesnowta’s Friday festivities shot by Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna.

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.

No. 9: Circles Around The Sun’s March 24 show at Saint Paul’s Turf Club makes Jam in the Stream’s list of 12 memorable shows that stick out for him in 2024.

Jam in the Stream has a special, Year End edition of the weekly Minnesota live music pics. There’s a lot of good music options from now until the end of the year. The editor is hoping he’ll be up for a trip down to Winona on New Year’s Eve to catch one of his faves: Duluth’s Saltydog.

Check out Jam in the Stream’s photo gallery from The Big Wu’s show at First Avenue on Dec. 21, 2024.

Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna was excited to catch Etran de L’Aïr at the Turf Club back in July. The Saharan dessert blues band ripped, as expected, but so did the opener, Diles que no me maten, an experimental indie rock band from Mexico City. Read more about this show, which comes in at No. 10 on the editor’s list of 12 memorable shows in 2024.

Saltydog’s sendoff of Duluth’s Ripple Bar is No. 11 on Jam in the Stream’s list of a dozen memorable shows in 2024. Read more about what made that show special.

Karina Rykman’s Feb. 28 show at Minneapolis’ 7th Street Entry kicks off Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna’s list of 12 memorable shows he caught in 2024. Read more about Rykman, an exciting up-and-coming bass player, and what made that show stand out.

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.

Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna is stoked that Orions Belte, an instrumental trio from Norway, is hitting the U.S. early next year. Find out all of the details.

Jam in the Stream write about TWINE's new weekly Wednesday residency at the Cabooze. But find out what other options there are around Minnesota this week.

King Gizzard played another insane show at Nashville's Ascend Amphitheater, covering many bases. They also had Jay Weinberg play drums on "Perihelion," in a rare sit-in, on a night fans hoped for a Billy Strings sit-in. Read about all the crazy things that happened at this wild show down south.

King Gizzard's Milwaukee show was one of the best Gizz shows Jam in the Stream editor Javier Serna has witnessed. It came after three amazing shows in Nashville, Chicago and Minneapolis. Find out what made this show so good.

King Gizzard played a wild and long show in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. Read all about it at www.jaminthestream.com

King Gizzard returns to Minnesota tonight, which tops Jam in the Stream's weekly live music picks in Minnesota this week. There's also a Gizz after party at Gluek's downtown after the show. Find out what other shows are happening in Minnesota this week.

Jam in the Stream's writeup of King Gizzard's show at Thompson's Point in Portland, Maine on Aug. 20. Stu Mackenzie took a dip into the Fore River during "The Dripping Tap" closer, the band debuted "Rats in the Sky," the band played a suite of songs from "I'm in Your Mind Fuzz," and opened with a 27-minute jamtronica section.

Mark Joseph (The Big Wu) chatted with Jam in the Stream ahead of his gig that included legendary JGB organist Melvin Seals, billed as a special guest Saturday night at the Fitzgerald Theater. Joseph and Heatbox both released albums at the historic St. Paul venue.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announced the bulk of its touring plans for 2024, with shows in Europe, four festival appearances in South America and two legs of touring in North America. Most of those shows are in the U.S., though there are a few dates in Canada. They also plan on playing three acoustic shows in the U.K., Detroit and San Diego. This is an addition to the previously announced marathon 3-hour shows in Hamburg, Germany, Forest Hills Stadium in New York, Chicago, Washington’s Gorge, and Austin, Texas.

Billy Strings closed out his Renewal Festival in Buena Vista, Colo., with surprise appearances before and after his band’s two-set headlining set, that included originals and covers of Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage,” and John Hartford’s “All Fall Down,” among many others.