News & Articles

Saltydog at the Turf Club in St. Paul. Photos by Jill Fisher.

For the past couple of weeks I have been on something of a hiatus from writing about music, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t sought out live music.

My first must-do was to get down to the Turf Club in St. Paul, where Saltydog was the headliner celebrating the release of its latest CD. It was Friday, Jan. 9, and not only was this top band from Duluth performing, but the Twin Ports-based duo Between Howls (Ren and Nick Howls), opened for the three-group show.

Between Howls was very well received by the patrons of this place, to which both locals and outsider music buffs find their way. Many of the folks I spoke with were there primarily to see Saltydog but they were attentive and appreciative of this husband and wife act.

Beginning at 8 pm with a rousing rendition of “Big Mama,” their 45-minute set included originals from their 2025 Cabin Fever album, including “Wild Woman.” This performance was just as terrific, if not more so, than their Ursa Minor gig back on Jan. 2. (See the Jan. 8 issue of the Reader, in which I mistakenly wrote they had been in California for one-and-one-half years instead of the three years they were actually there).

Jacob Mahon joined Ren and Nick on stage, which upped attendees’ interest in Between Howls.

Between Howls with Jacob Mahon at the Turf Club.

Between Howls have a three-month “Buds Tour” coming up that will take them to numerous locations throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and Montana and includes gigs in both Chicago and Nashville. It kicks off with a show here in Duluth on Friday, March 6, at Wussow’s. They are certain to be wonderful musical ambassadors for our Northland!

One of the fun things about checking out new venues (the Turf Club was new to me) is the groups one typically discovers there. Sandwiched between the two Duluth acts on this Friday evening was the Chicago-based Hot Like Mars. Touted as “one of the most exciting young live bands in the jam and funk worlds,” it lived up to its reputation.

The dance floor was groovin’ to its tunes: “Tasty,” “Comfy,” “Comfy Jam,” “Something About Char” and “Funk.” Then they launched into a fabulous version of “All Along the Watchtower.” This is a group it would be great to see at one of our Twin Ports venues!

The Turf Club, as part of the First Avenue organization, is a sought-after venue by up-and-coming groups, so the fact that Saltydog headlined there is evidence of its growing following. Of course the “doggies,” as we like to call them, have played 7th Street Entry, the adjunct stage at First Avenue in Minneapolis (they were New Saltydog then) the past three Januarys. This allowed their presence on the larger Minnesota music scene to take root and has enhanced their reputation for funky, soulful indie music (they call it funk jam).

Note the wonderful article about Jacob and Owen Mahon that appeared ahead of this gig in the Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec. 31.

So this celebration of the latest album by Saltydog, Runnin Again, gave the doggie’s fans a taste of their musical evolution. They played all of them on this evening and received a thunderous response to each. (Even “Jillybones,” though it is not included on this album.)

With 10 tracks of new songs, we get to hear Jacob’s quirky lyrics and vocals, Owen’s vocals too, and an even wider range of others’ background singing and playing. There are nice segments of Sam Deter’s fabulous guitar licks and Calzone’s foundational bass groove.

As I listened to the CD, it struck me as one of the few that really captures the fun and funk of the band’s live appearances. 

Saltydog will be back at Bent Paddle Brewing on Monday evenings this February. Amongst these gigs will be outings to Appleton, Park Falls and Madison, Wis., along with a gig in Cambridge, Minn., as well as McHenry, Ill.

And then there is a residency at Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis — a wonderful venue to experience — on Thursday evenings in March.

The Saturday after seeing Saltydog I traveled to Palm Springs, Calif., to visit family and, of course, during the week spent there I sought to find out what its music scene was like.

I had a hard time finding live music, except during the city’s weekly Thursday street fair — Palm Springs VillageFest, where I saw four different acts spread out along approximately three-blocks. A married duo (name not caught) in which the wife sang and her husband played the conga drums on the Hyatt Hotel’s front patio was quite decent, with covers of Enya and salsa tunes.

The other group of interest to me was The Devines, which was comprised of four young men of color playing all original tunes — they were rockin’! The other two were soloists — a would-be Frank Sinatra and a guitarist singing Willie Nelson tunes didn’t move me.

The only other music offerings appeared to be at casinos located in adjacent communities in the Coachella Valley.

But I nosed around and finally, after asking staff of a record store on Palm Canyon Drive where good live music could be found, I did get a recommendation: Pappy and Harriet’s in Yucca Valley. This was a compound situated on the north edge of Joshua Tree National Park, about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs. It included a restaurant known for its BBQ ribs (which I tried and were great) as well as a separate performance venue in back.

Thus I spent the last evening of my trip traipsing up over the mountain to hear what it had on offer.

The opener, Ahead Change, self-described as a “high desert jam band” was not half bad. On this evening it presented as a five-piece group with two drummers, a saxophone player, electric guitarist and electric bass. Pretty funky stuff.

Lowdown Brass Band

Next up was the LowDown Brass Band, a unique group based in Chicago that performed with drums, two trombones, two trumpets and a Sousaphone! It included a Black rapper who added lyrical interest to its blaring horns sound. In short this was a hot band. I’d love to see them again and in speaking to its frontman, it sounds like they would open to getting up our way.

In short, the trip up the mountain was well worth it.

Catching up with music on the homefront has kept me busy since my return. My first outing was to Cedar Lounge on Wednesday, Jan. 21, to hear Charlie Parr. I was happily surprised to see that Boss Mama played an opening set. She is so amazingly good not only as leader of two full bands but also as a solo artist. She sets a high bar for female singer-songwriters and should be embraced nationally, if not internationally.

Boss Mama

Charlie followed and was joined by his friend Tony Polecastro, a fellow Minnesota native who is now based in Montana, playing lap steel guitar. They played a number of Charlie’s older songs, including “Cheap Wine” and “Jubilee,” before blowing us away with his rendition of the Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon.”

Boss Mama and Charlie Parr are sympatico musicians and this pairing afforded us a great evening of music.

Tony Polecastro with Charlie Parr.

The next evening, Thursday, Jan. 22, the C and I got out to Sir Ben’s for Misisipi Mike’s two-hour set. Although we had seen him not long before, this was another special show in which he played several new songs he’d written in just the past couple of weeks! His next album release surely can’t be too far off!

Two days later, on Saturday, Jan. 24, we were back at Sir Ben’s to hear Junkyard Mule play at 1 pm. This was a makeup gig due to the  closure of the tavern on the previous day in solidarity with the ICE Out rallies and economic boycott.

The staff/team at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake, who floated the idea, and owner, Josh Stotts, deserve a special shoutout for this unselfish act.

That Saturday evening it was on to the Duluth Does The Pretenders event at Sacred Heart Music Center. Minimal ticket sales for this benefit concert may indicate there aren’t that many Pretenders fans living in the area.

On the other hand, the low, below-zero temperatures may have kept folks at home. Those fans who did attend found it to be a good concert, especially those who love Chrissie Hynde.

Marv and Gina Lee, together with Tom O’Hara and Jim Hunter, kicked off the music covering “Back on the Chain Gang” (released 1982), which is acknowledged to be one of the Pretenders’ top songs. Several folks mentioned Laurie BoeDee’s boss guitar playing on “Private Life.” She even dressed the part with a dark brunette wig.

Kristy Marie and Shane Nelson did a credible job with “Popstar” and Rick Bruner, together with Misisipi Mike, et al, sounded good on “Mystery Achievement.”

While most people I spoke with enjoyed the concert, I was ambivalent. I just was not familiar with this band, nor did I recognize most of the songs. The one song I did know and thoroughly enjoyed was “Angel of the Morning,” performed by Sheila Wonders and Andrew Lipke.

This brings me to the single complaint I heard several people express —why were covers that The Pretenders recorded played? (“Angel…” was a hit by Juice Newton in 1981 and MErilee Rush in 1968, “Creep” by Radiohead.) In particular “My City Was Gone (Ohio)” and “Talk of the Town” were songs that should have been included according to the fans I spoke with.

Kaylee Matuzak strutted her stuff singing “Brass in the Pocket” for the concert finale with all the other performers joining her on stage.

The Winter Dance Party that is a benefit concert for Duluth’s historic Armory building, now called the Armory Arts & Music Center, took place on Sunday, Jan. 25. It was intended to also be a celebration of the late Todd Eckart’s life. This generated a full house.

Winter Dance Party

There was plenty of good “oldies” music, mostly Buddy Holly tunes, performed by a group that had backed Eckart at these annual benefits — Jimi Cooper (electric guitar), George Ellsworth (vocals, bass guitar) who switched off with Darryn Wallace (bass guitar), and Matthew Groom (drums). They were joined by John Seguin playing Todd’s acoustic guitar, who seemingly took on the role Eckart has always played as lead vocalist, albeit without the spot-on musical impersonations Todd was famous for.

George Ellsworth, Aurora Baer, Matthew Groom and Jimi Cooper

Plus several other local musicians stepped up to the mike to lend their vocal talents to the evening’s entertainment. They included Aurora Baer, Kristy Marie, Barry Pirkola and  Kevin “KC” Johnson. The latter sang a cool rendition of the Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace.” The music certainly got couples and even some singles out on the dance floor, including me! 

During most of the musical entertainment a large screen behind the band projected photos of Todd, both solo and with friends and family. Then, at intervals between the music sets, there were various videos of Eckart. One was at the Armory where he told of the famous Winter Dance Party that took place there in 1959 with Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, et al, with native son Bob Dylan looking on.

The last one was his lovely, touching performance singing Buddy Holly’s “True Love Ways.”

Yet, somehow this celebration of Todd’s life shortchanged the opportunity for people who knew him best to share their stories and feelings about him. The video pitch to financially support the reuse and revitalization of the Armory building was well done. Hopefully, it will inspire people get behind the project and see it to completion.

However, the mixing of these messages felt a bit incongruous and perhaps even a bit exploitive of Eckart’s legacy.

UPCOMING: Boxcar is lined up to play at Pizza Luce every Tuesday in February starting at 8 pm. That should be fun — see you there!