concert memoirs pt. 46 - urban guerrillas

Urban Guerrillas (Minneapolis band)

This is it. The last installment of my concert memoirs. I'm ending it with the band I had seen the most of any band I've ever seen, the Urban Guerrillas.

The Urban Guerrillas are among the most local of all the local bands I've seen. I mean that they didn't get much national attention. I know they toured around the States, but I think they were more of a Twin Cities phenomenon. But that doesn't mean they weren't any good. (I have a memory of them being named Best New Band in the City Pages' Best of the Twin Cities at some point in the 80s, but I can't confirm it.)

The band photo (above) comes from the cover of their second album, 'The Attack of the Pink Heat Seeking Moisture Missiles'. (The title was lifted from a Robin Williams' bit.) I had to scan the album cover, because I just can't find any images of the band anywhere online. So, I scanned the cover and put this image together. I made sure to include the picture of Pres. Reagan. I came to think of him as sort of an honorary member of the band. Him and his running mate... Ronald McDonald!

This is the custom art card that came with the cassette of one of the band's live shows at First Avenue. The cassette is titled 'Armenian Heat Wave Dance Party' and it was a very limited release.

Playing a fun mixture of punk, reggae, ska, blues, and I don't know what else (it's so hard to categorize these guys), their shows were always entertaining. They had a core of fans that would show up for most shows and have the best time. It was at the Urban Guerrilla shows that John and I learned how to properly slam dance.

Larry Sahagian was the focal point of the band and he was a good front man. He really enjoyed playing and partying. He would often invite audience members to the after parties, wherever they were. John and I never went to any.

Their songs were often times political and sexual. Not always at the same time. Once they were booked to play a dance at a local high school and they stirred a bit of controversy. Their lyrics could be very graphic and when Larry started singing about four-lettering his mother the school principal pulled the plug. The whole incident got a quite a bit of local news attention. Those naughty boys!

There was also an occurrence common to many of the Urban Guerrillas' shows. Sahagian was never too worried about presenting the bisexual side of his nature during the shows. (I don't know if Larry is gay, bi or straight and I don't care. His stage persona suggested he was bi.) He wasn't on the make for the girls and boys at the shows, he just had that personality. This personality would sometimes make an audience member or two a little uncomfortable. Sometimes Larry would be called "fag" or some such. Larry would usually turn it around on these guys. He'd say, "Does that mean you want to sleep with me?"

As I said, I've seen them many times in many places. Here are a few highlights...

1) Music Island, St. Paul

In St. Paul there used to be a nightclub called Music Island. It was a pretty lame club and it is no more. It became a Best Buy or something.

One night they had the Guerrillas play. I don't think the Guerrillas were the sort of band they normally booked, because they seemed completely unprepared for the slam dancing that took place at the show. So, when the punkish fans began slam dancing, the bouncers thought it was a fight and they went in to break it up. Larry tried to explain that the fans weren't fighting, they were dancing. I remember fans yelling at the bouncers about the same thing. But I think the bouncers won, I can't remember for sure.

2) Duffy's (?), Minneapolis

I don't remember if it was Duffy's, but I'm sure it was the club that became Norma Jean's. This show was the last concert at the club before it was to shut down and then reopened as Norma Jean's, that's what I remember.

John and I headed down there and met up with some of my art school buddies to take in this last show at the club. The Guerrillas were entertaining as always. However, I think the turnout was pretty small.

The atmosphere was loose as it most always is at a Urban Guerrillas concert. That's just the way the band liked it. Larry wanted to get high, so he asked if anyone had some pot. Of course, someone did. They brought it up to him, but Larry didn't want to get the club in trouble so he went outside to smoke it.

There was an outdoor access near the stage, so he took the joint and his microphone outside. The band continued to play while Larry toked away. He would give us the play-by-play and, in his languid manner, would say, "I'm getting high now."

Larry was quite the showman.

3) The Cabooze, Minneapolis

John and I had seen these guys many, many times at the Cabooze. This night, however, would be a little out of the ordinary. Something would go wrong.

I don't recall how it started, but an argument broke out between Larry Sagahian and the drummer, John Hewitt, that brought the show to a halt. John was not happy. Words were exchanged and he got up from behind the drums and walked out of the club. I can still picture him walking away angrily.

Now drummerless, the band tried to carry on with the rest of the show, but the air had been sucked out of the room. The argument was pretty entertaining, though.

4) First Avenue, Minneapolis

A little background on me is needed for this part. I was never much of a ladies' man. They just seemed to only want to be friends. I didn't ever really try either, so I was mostly to blame.

I would get a little morose from time to time, lamenting on my loneliness. And one particular night in my art school years, I went out to First Avenue with several of my friends from school. It wasn't a concert night, so I wasn't expecting a show.

While hanging out with my art school friends that night, I noticed that I was the only single of the group. I was the fifth wheel, again! This sent me into a bit of a pity party and I began to mope around a bit. I withdrew from my friends and began to wander around the club.

Then the unexpected happened. The screen over the stage began to lift and there they were, the Urban Guerrillas! I had no idea they'd be there. I was thrilled and immediately took to the dance floor.

I danced and danced and I didn't feel so alone anymore. I even joined in when Larry had everyone lay on the floor. It was one of only two or three times I'd actually laid on the floor at First Avenue.

It turned into a good night.

5) Brian's Warehouse Loft, St. Paul

Finally, my favorite concert memory of the Urban Guerrillas. It took place at a private party in a warehouse in St. Paul.

Brian was a fellow art student and he had some really good parties at his place. He usually managed to get a big role of butcher paper for the party goers to doodle on. That was always fun to do and it was great when Brian would bring the results to school. We were a clever bunch of doodlers.

For one party, Brian booked the Guerrillas. It was a blast. Dancing right there with the band. They played well into the night and we all had a great time. Well, I did, at least.

"Four o'clock! Stop the bus! Get out in the street and jam!!"




There you have it. The series has now come to an end. I started it nearly a year ago and it has been good to walk through my memories. I wish I had kept a concert journal, but I'm glad for what I can remember.

A short list of bands I've seen, but didn't cover in the series. I just don't have enough memory of the shows:

The Phones
Idiot Savant
TVBC
The Screaming Tribesmen
Man-Sized Action
The Whole Lotta Loves

There have been others, I just can't remember them.

I hope you've enjoyed this series and that it may have sparked a memory or two for you.

concert memoirs pt. 45 - cold side bands

I have mentioned a few times through this series that I used to work at Cold Side Silkscreening ( www.coldside.com ). Cold Side has been printing t-shirts in the warehouse district of Minneapolis since 1976. It's been seriously struggling over the last few years and is in danger of going under.

It's a pity because the two men who own it are decent fellows who try to do well by their employees. They've never been the best businessmen, but they've tried. I'll do a separate blog on Cold Side soon.

Over the years, Cold Side employed many people who were in bands. I'm not sure why, but Cold Side just seemed to attract the musically inclined. A partial list of the local bands with members who have worked at Cold Side: The Yoleus, TV Sound, All the Pretty Horses, Guzzard, Charlie Don't Surf, Dander, Grand 80, Sic Bay, and The Murderers. There are more, but you get the idea.

It's possible that you might have heard of one or two of them, but probably not most of them. I will elaborate on those bands which I have actually seen play...

Three-Way Grady

This band featured former Cold Sider Dave Erb (pictured above with his current band The Yoleus). Dave worked in the office when I first started in the art department. Dave was such a mild-mannered person that it took me by surprise to learn he was in a band. He just didn't seem the type. However, he is an excellent guitarist. He's even on my list of my all-time favorites.

Dave's band mates were Bill and Moira Beeman. Bill had previously been in the band Vertigo, which was on the Amphetamine Reptile label. Bill may have worked at Cold Side, but I'm not sure. Bill's brother Tom did work at Cold Side and he was in the band Guzzard, also on the Am. Rep. label.

The name Three-Way Grady came from another former Cold Sider. The band members asked him if he could come up with a name for the band. He presented them with a list of possibles and they picked Three-Way Grady.

So, I ventured out to First Avenue to see the band play the Entry. I was quite surprised when quiet, unassuming, mild-mannered Dave began shouting out the lyrics to the first rocker of their set. Bill did most of the vocals, but Dave kicked off the night singing the first song.

Three-Way Grady produced a few DIY singles and tapes, played a few gigs and then broke up. Dave went on to another band called Sic Bay. They were a more experimental rock band that got voted Best New Band in the City Pages' annual Best of the Twin Cities edition in 2004 or 2005 or 2006, I forget. Shortly after receiving that accolade, Sic Bay broke up.

Dave is now performing with an instrumental band called The Yoleus and in another sort of band called Crawdad Creek. Crawdad Creek is the "band" that I play lousy rhythm guitar for and I will talk more about them in a later blog.

Check out The Yoleus at http://www.myspace.com/theyoleus

Grand 80

This was former Cold Sider Mark Howard's band. It was a two piece band when Amy and I saw them. Mark was guitar, keyboards and vocals with his friend playing bass. They played with a tape filling the rest of their sound.

They played a kind of space age Gothic electronica thing with a little 80's new wave pop thrown in. They wore spacesuits (sort of) and makeup to give an otherworldly effect. Mark also used the special effect of putting a firework in a gap behind the strings on his guitar. It was similar to a firecracker, but, instead of exploding, it would flash and smoke. So, at the proper moment, Mark would light the fuse and wow the crowd with the cheap effect. Cheesy but cool.

Mark had previously been in a couple other local bands of note: Charlie Don't Surf and Manplanet. He is now performing and recording as Mach FoX. (The photo is of Mach FoX and the fellows are wearing shirts I designed for them.)

Check out Mach FoX at http://www.myspace.com/machfox

Dander

Dander might just be my favorite of the Cold Side bands. They have a strong Pixies influence and are very entertaining in concert. Amy and I have seen them three or four times. Most at the Terminal Bar in Minneapolis or at the Uptown Bar, also in Minneapolis.

Shane the Pain (his stage name) used to work at Cold Side as a lowly shirt folder/counter. He was liked by everyone in the shop and the guys just took to calling him Dander, but he was such a tweaker in those days that had great difficulty doing the easiest task in the shop. He didn't last long.

Check out Dander at http://www.myspace.com/dander

All The Pretty Horses

This is another band that Amy and I saw at more then one location. We've seen them at the Terminal Bar, at some art warehouse party event and other places. We were even both in attendance at Ryan's Corner in St. Paul to watch the band in the days before Amy and I ever met.

All The Pretty Horses could best be described as a loud, theatrical, gender-bending, Glam/Goth rock band. Venus, the leader of the band, is especially intriguing in his/her bending of gender norms. He was born male and still has the plumbing, but he also has a nice pair of A cup breasts. Lee Ann MacDougall, who was the Cold Side connection to the band, would never disclose how he/she got them.

Lee Ann played bass and did some backing vocals. She is the woman with the dreadlocks on the right in the above photo. She left the band in less than pleasant circumstances that I won't discuss here.

Lee Ann was also involved in bands such as Firebrand, Metro Division, and Jehovah's Shitlist (I love that name.). I don't think she's involved in any bands at the moment, but she is still slaving away at Cold Side.

You can check out All The Pretty Horses at http://www.myspace.com/atph

The Murderers

The Murderers were originally from Indiana and, from what I recall, they were pretty big in the Gary, Indiana punk scene. They migrated to Minneapolis and, at one point, three of its members worked at Cold Side. They are pictured above. From the left they are Blake Conway, Dennis Degenerate (That was his band name. I tried to convince him to drop Degenerate and go with his real name, Burns. I thought that was punk enough and didn't seem silly. He didn't listen to me.), and, the incomparable, Bob Murderer. The other two fellows did not work at Cold Side, so screw 'em.

Dennis and Blake were printers and Bob was Cold Side's resident drunken shirt folder/counter. Bob was pretty hopeless as a shirt folder/counter, but Dennis and Blake were good printers, especially Blake. None are working for Cold Side at present. Blake was just recently laid off.

The band was a blast from 1977 with their British-style punk rock. Fast and furious. They were pretty fun and the young punks slammed their hearts out to them.

Bob handled most of the lead vocals. I have a picture of him playing bass that should pretty much give you the idea of his punk cred. He's from New Hampshire, but he sounds like he's from no place on Earth. His accent is so thick at times it is virtually impossible to understand him. Think of Brad Pitt's character in 'Snatch', that's pretty close. Bob is also deaf as a post and drunk nearly all the time.

Bob Murderer

The Murderers are no more. Punk is dead.

concert memoirs pt. 44 - gang of four & wire

Gang of Four with John and David at First Avenue.

John and I had discovered Gang of Four when we watched the concert movie 'Urgh! A Music War'. It is a great film with a lot of great bands, including The Police, The Fleshtones, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Wall of Voodoo, XTC and many others. It was released in 1982 and I have it on video, but from what I can tell it isn't available anymore. That's a damn shame.

One of the really stand out acts was Gang of Four. They had such a strong stage presence. The way Andy Gill played guitar was mesmerizing. After watching the film, John and I agreed Gang of Four was worth checking out. John soon picked up their first two albums and we were astounded.

It took many years, but we finally got the chance to see the band live. It was late 1995 or early 1996 at First Avenue. And for cheap! I think I paid $4.00 at the door. If I would have remembered to bring along a Club 241 comp. ticket, I would have gotten in for free. Club 241 was what Club Degenerate had degenerated into. Most often just dance nights with the occasional concert.

At the time, I was working nights doing janitorial work (I went to art school for three years to become a janitor, oh well.). I was cleaning the service area of a St. Paul car dealership that night and I was hauling ass to get done.

I finished up and high tailed it the disco for the show. David and John were there when I arrived. They remembered their comp. tickets and got in for free. Jerks!

This was a really excellent show. The three of us were right down front to witness Jon King and Andy Gill up close. They put on quite a show. Andy Gill is one of my all-time favorite guitarist and it was a gas to watch him play.

They played a good mix of their stuff, old and new. I had purchased their latest album, 'Shrinkwrapped', so I was familiar with those songs, which were very good. 'Shrinkwrapped' is a much better album then their previous release, 'Mall'. 'Mall' had a couple of good tunes, but overall I thought it a weak effort from an otherwise great band.

The band sounded great and I was pogoing like a crazy person. And when they played 'Anthrax' off their first album, the brilliant 'Entertainment', I was overwhelmed by the wall of feedback that Andy produced. At one point of the song, Andy dropped his guitar to the stage and kicked it sliding across the stage to Jon King. Jon then kicked it back. The noise was beautiful, man, beautiful!

Wire w/Peaches & Gonzales at First Avenue with Amy, John, Dave & Rosemary.

This is probably the last concert I've seen at First Avenue (maybe anywhere). If it was then it is also the last time I've been to my old haunt. John has continued to visit the club, but I had gotten married in 2001 and a child would arrive in August 2003, so I dropped out of the concert thing. Now, I don't want to sound like I'm blaming my wife and kid for this, because I had long since begun losing my interest in going to concerts.

Amy and I met John there. We hung out at the bar straight back from the stage and chatted while the awful Peaches & Gonzales stunk up the stage. They were doing some arty sex songs that just didn't do anything for us. I got the impression that they thought what they were doing was art.

Well, their art sucked.

I realize Wire can be considered an arty farty band. Hell, I never knew what they're singing about, but that never bothered me. Their songs are so cool. Have you ever heard 'Ahead' off their great album 'The Ideal Copy'? It just may be the coolest song ever.

John realized that Amy and I weren't interested in getting down front to see the band. We had had our fill with dealing with the audiences at these shows. John excused himself and went off to find a spot close to the stage. Amy and I stayed right where we were.

We were soon joined by our friends, Dave and Rosemary. They are friends from our Cold Side days. I met Dave when I started working at Cold Side. He was in the office and I was in the art department. Dave soon found a better job and left Cold Side, but we kept in touch.

While Dave was still at Cold Side, I learned that he was quite a guitarist. He's damn good. He and Richard (another Cold Sider) convinced me to get together with them to play "music". I play a rather lousy rhythm guitar, but I consented and the three of us have been getting together somewhat regularly ever since. It's been ten years now and I still play lousy.

Anyway, he and his wife, Rosemary, joined us and we stayed at the back of the bar. We chatted a little and watched the band play.

Wire's new material at the time was angrier then we had heard from them in a long while. In fact, John remarked on that after the show. He said he preferred their less angry stuff from their 'Ideal Copy' and 'A Bell is a Cup...' days. I tend to agree, but it was cool to watch the old punkers tear it up.

concert memoirs pt. 43 - the guess who & don williams

The Guess Who at the Cabooze with John, some other high school friends and lots of beer.

How embarrassing this night was. It's the only concert at which I've ever been so drunk. After this night, John took to referring to The Guess Who as my favorite band. It isn't, but I sure acted that night as if it was.

It was sometime during the summer after my first year of art school. I had adopted some of the "arty punk" fashion and style (whatever they were) and John and I had started getting into the indie music scene. This show was more for the guys we went with. They were more "normal" and into the mainstream scene. They thought John and I had gotten a little weird, but we were still cool.

The Cabooze was hosting these Canadian has beens. (Just look at that picture. The picture is more recent, but that's pretty much what they were like when we saw them.) It was two-for-one night and, for some reason, the guys kept giving me their extra beer. And I was soaking them up. By the time the band played, I was pretty lit.

I'm not sure how many were original members, but it appears that Burton Cummings was not involved. They played their hits and I rocked out like this was the greatest band ever. I had learned to appreciate the fun to be had while slam dancing, but, because of my state of inebriation, I had forgotten that The Guess Who didn't play the kind of music that lended itself to slam dancing. Nor would the audience appreciate my choice of dance.

Not that I was in full skank or anything. I wasn't flinging myself around, but I wasn't very careful about bumping into the people next to me. I wasn't being very violent, but I was a getting a little out of hand.

At one point, two fellows standing behind me pulled me aside and told me to settle down. Actually, they were pretty cool about it and I immediately complied. John also told me to knock it off. He didn't feel like getting beat because his friend was being a moron.

I settled down and watched the rest of the show when something interesting happened. The band was closing their set with their song 'Share The Land'. The song contains the lyric, "Shake your hand/Share the land". As they get toward the end of the song, they sing that part a cappella and reach out to the crowd to shake hands. Press the flesh. Give the audience a thrill.

Guess who (no pun intended) came climbing over our backs, clambering through the crowd to get their chance to shake the band's hands. Uh huh. It was the same two fellows who dressed me down for my inconsiderate behavior. "Do as we say! Not as we do!"

At least, we didn't get beat up that night.

Don Williams (country music legend)

My wife, Amy, indulged me on this one. I don't think she's much of a country music fan, but I think Don Williams is great. Especially his earlier material. In the 1970s, he was big, but when Amy and I saw him in 2002 he was playing smaller clubs and casinos. He retired from touring in 2006.

Despite losing his audience to the crap country of Garth Brooks and Toby Keith, Don still could put on a terrific show. He played his crowd pleasers and mixed in a new song or two. His band played well and he still had the pipes.

Amy and I sat at a table at the back of the room, but we still had a good view of the stage. Don was so smooth. He sat and sang his best tunes and the audience loved him.

He had this easy manner to his stage presence. And he kept thanking the crowd for being so kind. His deep voice would smoothly roll out, "Oooh, you're sooo nice. You are sooo kind. Aren't you folks just something?"

He was being sincere. He really enjoyed playing for an audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Don's songs of romance had me looking at Amy and being so thankful and in love, there was some sort of salty discharge coming from my eye.

Hmmm, what was that salty discharge?

concert memoirs pt. 42 - babes in toyland & johnny thunders

Babes In Toyland (Minneapolis band)

At first, I wasn't sure of my memories of this band, but I was able to get a hold of John and he confirmed what I remember. When we saw them, Babes In Toyland had four members. They had a lead singer. Kat Bjelland played guitar and did backing vocals.

While John and I were hanging out at First Avenue every Tuesday for the Club Degenerate dance nights, we got to know a woman named Cindy Russell. Cindy was also a regular of Club Degenerate. She would be out on the dance floor before the night really got going, dancing to whatever Kevin Cole was playing. She was very theatrical in her dancing as she made use of the nearly empty dance floor. She twirled and jumped and threw her scarves in the air for dramatic effect. She even did a couple on stage dance cameos for Club Degenerate.

This is Cindy Russell. She gave me this picture way back in the late 80s.

John and I became familiar faces to her and she began to come over to talk to us. She'd bum a cigarette from John and, soon, John and I became her ride home. Not every Tuesday, but many of them, John would see her move from group to group, looking for a ride. She'd end up with us.

One night, she told us that she was in a band. She introduced us to the bass player. I'm not absolutely sure, but I think it was Michelle Leon. And I think I bummed a cigarette from her.

Cindy told us that her band would be doing a cameo during an upcoming Club Degenerate. So, John and I were right up front to check them out. They were introduced as Babes In Toyland and Cindy was their lead singer.

They were pretty rough and Cindy didn't have the best voice. One song was called 'X Means Danger', I think. Another song dealt with a father molesting his daughter. Pretty cheery stuff, eh?

Cindy's involvement in the band didn't last long. The Babes as a quartet had produced a demo tape that they sent on to Steve Albini. Albini was in the bands Big Black and, later, Shellac. He also produced records, most notably Pixies' 'Surfer Rosa' and Nirvana's 'In Utero'. So, he was kind of a big deal.

Cindy told us that he listened to the demo and advised them to get rid of the singer. He said her voice was "too husky". So it was goodbye to Cindy. She got the boot.

Babes In Toyland soon became big stars as a three piece band. I guess Albini was right.

There you have it. Babes In Toyland was once, however briefly, a four piece band. And you won't find this info anywhere else.

Johnny Thunders (Glam/punk rock legend)

This was probably one of those special Club Degenerate concert nights. But, since I don't have a ticket stub, I can't be certain.

I didn't know much about Johnny Thunders at the time. I think I knew about his involvement with the New York Dolls and his big solo tune 'Chinese Rock'. I did know he was pretty important to the punk scene.

He wore what looked like silk pajamas, as he playfully engaged in insulting the audience. He'd make some disparaging comment about the audience. We would give him the finger or yell, "F@$k you!" It was so punk rock.

John and I also had the honor of standing next to one very big Johnny Thunders fan. It was Paul Westerberg (of The Replacements, as if you didn't know). It was Paul who wrote the prophetic song 'Johnny's Gonna Die' about Thunders. It wasn't long after this show when Johnny did, in fact, die.

concert memoirs pt. 41 - fuckin' shit biscuits & the suburbs

Fuckin' Shit Biscuits (Minneapolis band)

With a name like Fuckin' Shit Biscuits these guys must be good, right? Well, it depends on what you mean by "good". Were they great musicians? No. Did they have great lyrics? I couldn't tell you. Were they fun to watch? Absolutely!

John and I loved it when these guys what make an occasional cameo appearance on Club Degenerate nights at First Avenue. Their music was a bunch of noisy crap, but their attitude was fantastic. They were a punk "jam" band (at least that how they were described online in the only listing I could find about them) that wasn't as concerned with making music as with making noise.

I know I have said that John and I don't do audience participation, but the Biscuits were different. Their idea of audience participation consisted mainly of having the audience throw beer at them. They would have the front of the stage lined up with plastic cups filled with beer as they began to play. The lead "shouter" would announce, "Free beer! Free beer!" The crowd would advance and grab a cup, drink a gulp or two, then throw the remainder at the band. Halfway through their first number, the band would be soaked with beer.

John claims he was the first audience member to throw a beer, thus setting off the tradition. He might have been first, but it was so long ago I can't remember.

We'd seen them several times at First Avenue. Always threw beer, sometimes paper airplanes and, once, raw fish. The raw fish was brought out by the band themselves. They threw it out to the crowd, so we threw it right back at them.

During one of their cameos, they gave out cassettes of their live performance and John managed to nab one. Another time they threw out guitar picks. I snagged one and discovered it had the words "Shit Biscuit" printed on it. I still have it.

They made a horrendous noise, but put on a good show.

A couple notes about the band photograph.

First is the circled audience member. That is very likely my friend, John. John and I both remember being at that particular show and it sure does look like him.

Second, John pointed out something interesting about the photograph. There appears to be no women in the audience. I can't spot any, can you?. It's all men. John said of this, "Seems strange having a bunch of dudes watching dudes in loin cloths."

Strange indeed.

The Suburbs (Minneapolis band)

I had intended to see the 'Burbs at First Avenue in July or August of 1984, but the event was sold out. So, my first time seeing the band and my first time entering the legendary Minneapolis nightclub would have to wait.

My inaugural visit to First Avenue would happen a month or two later (The Replacements, 9/5/84). I would see The Suburbs a year or two later at the Cabooze. This would be the only time I would see this band.

The Cabooze is an odd sort of club. It's located right next door to a biker bar called Whiskey Junction, and the two bars share an outdoor patio area. The layout of the Cabooze is long and narrow, with a back section that has two levels of pool tables and a bar.

The stage area is pretty cramped. The ceiling is somewhat low and from the stage the metal rafters are easily accessible. A fact I will refer to later. The stage itself is pretty small, but they managed to get the five member band on it.

It was a packed house for the band. They were already long established local legends and were starting to get real national attention. They were about to sign to a major label, when John and I saw them play.

Tight and highly energetic, they kept the joint jumping. And Beej took advantage of the metal rafters to swing himself around. I seem to recall him swinging over to stand on the bar and play there for a while.

It's a shame the band broke up just before they had a chance to break the national scene.

Incidentally, in 1996 I interviewed for the job of production artist at the failing Minneapolis t-shirt printing shop, Cold Side Silkscreening. (Seriously, they're in desperate need of business. If you need t-shirts printed get in contact with them. www.coldside.com ) During the process, it came down to two candidates; me and Bruce Allen, former guitarist for The Suburbs.

Bruce was quite the talented graphic artist, but, at the time anyway, he was also bursting with nervous energy. Bruce's edginess was a concern for the nearly comatose art directer who would be working closely with whichever of the two candidates they picked.

Apparently, I was the calmer of the two. I also possessed considerable graphic arts talents, so I was hired.

Sorry, Bruce.