The Jelly Project Reunion show 4/18/2026 at The Hook And Ladder Theater in Minneapolis

 

Last night was the Jelly Project Reunion Show at The Hook and Ladder Theater in Minneapolis, MN.  It has been over a decade since the Jelly Project last performed!  They were one of my favorite local bands.  I always tried to make it out to see their shows back in the heyday of this music blog.  That's why I knew I had to take the time out of my busy schedule to revive this blog and pay tribute both to their music and the loss of their original drummer Paul Solem.  It has been a few years since his passing, so it was good to revisit the music he helped create.  It wasn't the same without him.  He had a truly intuitive and intentional way of creating soundscapes with his drums and cymbals that brought forth such a powerful emotional sense of rhythm that nobody could duplicate it perfectly.  It was a bittersweet night of revelry and rejoiceful reconnecting with friends from our old community as we remembered the loss of our good friend.  The cover charge for this show was much higher than the usual fee back in the day, because this was also a benefit concert where the proceeds were going to the Paul Solem Cancer Research fund.  I happily shelled out the $44 for the ticket for that reason.  Likewise, their old merchandise was being sold with proceeds going to the charity as well.  I made sure to pick up a T-shirt at the end of the night for that reason.   

 The opening act for the night also played in between each of the later sets while the other bands got set up on the larger stage.  They were a fun folksy duo with beautiful harmonies called Pour Lemuel.   

 

As Pour Lemuel played their first set, I learned that a small portion of Paul Solem's ashes had been cast within a crystal ball that The Jelly Project were going to have on stage with them so that Paul could be with them in spirit as they performed!

  

 

The Jelly Project played their first of two sets for the night "unplugged".  It was so much fun to hear different versions of the old songs that I know and love!  The songs worked so great in the new format. 

 

After another brief set from Pour Lemuel, The second band on the main stage was Marls in Charge.  They were a fun and energetic instrumental band that were friends from way back with the Jelly Project.  

 

Pour Lemuel played a third short set while The Jelly Project got set up to play their hallmark rock and roll set from the music we all knew very well.  The crowd swelled to fill most of the venue as we indulged in dancing and the Jelly Project Rocked out to our old favorites.

 

 

I found I didn't have the stamina to continue dancing through their whole final set.  I'd been dancing for each of the other sets of the night and trying to pace myself, but I just don't have the stamina now that I am in my 40's to dance all night.  Lord knows I used to be biking to and from the shows back in the day AND dancing for all the bands.  So I definitely felt out of shape compared to back then.  

 

I took a break in the back of the hall to sit down.  Then, I decided to take a picture of the life-size cutout of Paul Solem with his banana phone in hand that they placed there by the merch table to watch over people.

At the end of the night, for their encore, Eric and Chris came down to play their guitar and bass in the audience while Jelly danced around the stage enjoying all the extra space.  It was a wonderfully exuberant way to end the night.  I loved having the opportunity see my good friends perform again.  I look forward to seeing what new musical adventures lie in store for them in the future.  

 

Green Jello and local music at Zhora Dharling 6/10/2025

Life at 40 is a lot different than ten years ago.  I wish I had more time and money to go to shows like I used to.  I did finally make it to a fun show yesterday, June 10th, 2025 at Zhora Darling in NorthEast Minneaopolis though.  

 

The headliner was a band that was big back in the 90's.  Green Jello was known for their iconic Three Little Pigs claymation video that got lots of play on MTV back in the day.  Their live performance was a chaotic jubilee of paper mache head masks worn by cast and audience alike, a sea of pool noodles, and an assortment of inflatable pool toys floating around the audience.  I genuinely enjoyed the Green Jello mayhem.  However, I honestly I felt unsafe for most of their set where I was near the stage, because one of the previous drummers didn't get all their gear out of the corner there and a very heavy bag of metal drum set rods was left on the ground in the audience area next to the wall right by the stage.  I was uncomfortable because I couldn't properly brace myself against the wall to take the impacts of the mosh pit with the bag there.  I found myself worried both about trying not to damage or step on them, and about what would happen to my back if someone came barreling into me and I was pushed back against the wall with my feet stuck two feet away from it.  But, I still managed to enjoy most of the noodle waving and shenanigans of their act.  Eventually, toward the end of their set, I needed to use the restroom and found an opening during a brief lull that I used to speed my way back through the crowd.  I was then able to comfortably watch the last couple songs, including the Three Little Pigs song, safely at the back of the venue.  

 

There were also a series of 3 local bands and one band that was touring with Green Jello who played before them.   

 

 

 From This Day Forward was the band touring with Green Jello.  They were an impressive bunch of younger dudes who had brought some really energetic music that got the crowd moving.  

 

 

The final of the three local bands before the touring acts was a local band called Lost Evidence.  I came to see them specifically because I've know their bass player for along time now and have actually been in a couple different bands with here over the years.  They played some intense and fun punk rock music.  I was specifically enjoyed their song Hey, Little Fascist.

 

Before Lost Evidence played was a well known local band that has been playing for many years called Mommy SEZ NO.  Their engaging and polished punk rock music brought the energy level up in the venue.  

 

The Opening act for the day was a band called Bloodgeon.  I really enjoyed dancing to their intense and vigorous music.  

Back at it.

 Many years have passed since I last wrote in this blog.  I have changed.  Times have changed.  The musicians in the local music scene have changed.  I spend less time going to shows now.  Mostly because I cannot afford them.  I have shifted more to the other side of the venue.  I am now frequently the one performing.  I've played music with a handful of really great people in several different bands over the last ten years.  I also continue to sing in the Angelica Encore Choral Ensemble.  I have been singing with with them for 13 years now.  On top of that, I have been performing at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival as The Bard Tedric Dagworth.  I've performed for six seasons there total.  There was a two year gap around the pandemic.  That was a thing too...  But I digress.  Recently, in the last six months, I have started performing at nursing homes and care facilities as well.  Although I do generally get paid at the nursing homes and care facilities, some of them have been volunteer performances as well.  I find it very rewarding to perform music in general, regardless of whether I am being paid or not.  That pretty much sums up where things are for me right now.

But enough about me.  I want to focus on a show from last Saturday night at Club Underground. I arrived early to catch all the bands.  A smattering of people were still wearing costumes, though it was two days after Halloween.  It might as well have been Halloween still for the care that was given.  Saturday night deserves some fun costume charades after all. 

 The opening band for the night was Super Hecking Valid.  They are a local punk rock trio that lay it down hard in your ear holes.  Their music got the night's energy started right. 

The second band of the evening was a last minute surprise addition to the lineup.  The well known local punk rock band The Stonedest brought their signature simplicity of form and solid musical intensity to the stage. The band is known for having a song included in the Troma film Return To Nuke 'em High.

The headliner for the night Tre Aaron and The Undergroove went on about 11:30pm to a sizeable crowd of indulgently dancing people in the dark and cavernous basement of the Spring Street Tavern.  Their jazzy versions of cover songs were enlivening and got many people dancing. 

Overall, it was a great night of music.  I am going to try to bring this blog back to life with periodic posts.  This one happened to be a show I didn't play in, but I might also do the same for the shows I participate in myself.  Regardless, I hope people enjoy hearing about local music from me again. 

Album Review: Enemy Planes "Beta Lowdown" (pre-release) - Second Favorite album of the year 2013-2014

The hauntingly beautiful singing and enveloping atmospheric sound of this album stood out immediately for me when I was considering my favorite albums for the last year.  Though the first pick for my favorite local album in the last year was clinched by the upbeat message of the under-appreciated sophomore EP released by the band Moving Parts, my second pick goes in basically the opposite direction.  The message is darker and embodies the nihilistic love lost frustrations of an older generation.

I got a copy of Enemy Planes' forthcoming release "Beta Lowdown" when they gave a few out at a "Monastery" house party a few months back.   Though it is not even technically out yet, it easily takes second place among my favorite local albums in the year since I started my blog.  This album stands out for me based on the sheer musicality of the sound and the dynamic flow of the album as a whole.  It's cynical and jaded lyrics are juxtaposed against intensely perfected rhythmic shifts and soaring electronic sounds that remind me of the orchestrations I love by bands like Radiohead and M83.  It's ethereal melodies will overwhelm your senses leaving the empty you decaying away into a void, replaced by a shade looking down from above at your former self falling away.

I know it's not fair to say this is one of my favorite albums, since the general public can't get it yet, but you'll just have to wait in anticipation as these guys build momentum to become one of the next big bands out of Minnesota.  They are set to release the album next January 2015.

In addition to the quality of their studio recordings, this band has the adult perspective towards playing music that comes from members of the band working for years on the other side of the stage at venues like Cause Spirit and Soundbar in Minneapolis.  Likewise, this group's live shows at house parties and small local venues have been just as musically intense as their well crafted studio versions.  These guys thoroughly deserve to be acknowledge for their incredible musical talent and professionalism.

So far they have released two official music videos to Youtube.

With more than 11,000 views since it was released, "We Want Blood" will give you a glimpse into the dreamlike melancholy frustration that flows freely in this album.



The song "We Want Blood" is also available for purchase on Bandcamp for $1

Their second music video "Bare Your Teeth" is currently at 2,000 views since it's release a couple months ago.



If you want a brief introduction to more of the songs from the album you can find it on their Soundcloud profile here.

You can also follow them on twitter to stay informed about upcoming shows, etc.

Want to get in on the action before they get big?  Buy some merch!  These are the shirts I like the most, but they have more available through their full website here.

Album Review: Moving Parts "Music From The Monastery" Favorite underfamous local Album of the Last Year 2013-14

From the very first words of their short sophomore EP to the soft accoustic finish of the last song, the music of this local band is upbeat happiness mixed with notes of the melancholy misunderstood.

I love the way you speak our language/
most disregard me as a strange kid/
but you find beauty in the strange/
I've made a point to do the same/
and I love it when you speak my language/

Moving Parts is a local band out of the Twin Cities of Minnesota including musicians transplanted from the likes of Iowa, Indiana, and South Dakota to this city of independent artists looking for their big break in the Midwest.

Each track has it's own special message that has resonated with me from the moment I first heard it.  It's truly easy to start "trippin on our ego", "getting locked up in your head" looking for that next big break.  Their wonderfully humble perspective is juxtaposed against the mundane selfish indulgence of our daily lives.  In addition to the quality of this album, they have consistently refined their live sound and energy on stage to fill their audience with the undeniable desire to dance away their worries and find the strength to abandon the selfish indulgences of our modern reality.  With light and airy guitar riffs mixed with perfectly placed keyboard flourishes and dancy rhythms, this brief album will leave you refreshed and introspective about the deep significance of the lyrics, which will linger in your head to reinforce the positive messages hidden in it's passages.

We have walked for days, just to loose everything/
And I've been seeing things, nobody else has ever ever seen/
I feel like an empty shell, oh, the sea knows something but can't tell you...

Music From the Monastery is an album of upbeat positive music that should be on everyone's listening list.  Of all the albums by local musicians that have flown under the radar of the mainstream music interests in this big small town over the last year, the one that I think for sure deserves way more exposure than it has received is this beautifully succinct set of music.  I do not use these words lightly when I say that this album is my favorite of the last year.  There have been many other great albums from local underfamous artists like Danger Ron and The Spins, Enemy Planes, Dead Larry, The Jelly Project, The Lone Crows, Turn Back Now, the list goes on and on.  But, though many of those are fun to listen and dance to, this one struck me with it's truly substantive and positive message that has helped to reinforce my own desire to flourish in life.  The positively optimistic message of this album stands out over the others, which have sought different purposes for their self expression.  Each song in this album has a positive message that hides beneath the misunderstood reality of our modern day lives.

We're passively vicarious, I find that to be the scariest/
We live through a screen, through the eyes of another being/
Well, I know, yes I know, that we don't know, na we don't know a thing/
They like to think they know a little something, about everything/
Well you can tell us we're the reason/
I'm gonna have to disagree/
Oh, You just keep your composure/
keep living passively...

I know it may seem like I am trippin on my own ego, since I now live with these guys at the monastery(house).  However, it was precisely that possitive mentality and desire to attain meaning in life that drew me to live with them in the first place.  Besides, these guys haven't been, and that's why they are still an unknown.  But they deserve more.  Not only do all of the songs of Music From the Monastery have a fun, upbeat, and lively sound, they also each hold a message of constructive thinking and hopefulness that fills me with intrigue and thoughtful circumspection each time I hear them.  It's five songs are a brief interlude into the mundane daily frustrations we encounter.

We'll celebrate in your memory/
well be dancing at the revelry/
I hope we live until were 93/

It's not about the bad times anymore/
its bout what the future has in store/
there's bound to be so much more...


Find the full album on Bandcamp http://movingparts.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-the-monastery

Also Check out their Music Video for the song "The Free People"



Finally, come See them July 24th with two other impressive local bands Chalk and So Big at The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis, MN.

The plentiful events today 5-22-14

I've been working on a business card design for my blog today.  Planning on making it a sticker too.  You may start seeing something like this around to expand my audience through advertising.  

The radiant weather we have been having lately has been forecast to continue through this whole Memorial Day weekend!  To accompany the beautiful weather, there are a healthy plenty of events this weekend starting with today.  It's going to be a fantastic weekend of beautiful weather and high spirits.  The university and college students have finished the spring semester and everyone is ready to spend exorbitant amounts of time outside in the sun.  Please remember to wear sun screen and keep track of how long you have been out in the sun.  It would be a shame to spend the rest of the weekend miserable when hit by the sun's warming rays because proper precautions was not taken early on.

As I mentioned earlier, there are some much anticipated shows this evening:

First of all, The Kitty Cat Klub will play host tonight for MinneCon II.  It will be a rowdy night of entertaining local music by Turn Back Now, MeMeMe, Thee Evil Creatures, and Devil Baby.  This will also be the much anticipated release of Colby Swanson's first comic book for the band Turn Back Now.  This is a FREE 21+ event.  This will also be the first show Thee Evil Creatures have played since taking a six month hiatus to get prepared for performances with their new female lead vocalist.

"For the past six + years Turn Back Now has been piecing together a seven part story we call Welcome to Free America. On May 22nd we celebrate the release of Issue # 001 And Your Coat Like A Cathedral On A Park Bench By the River, the first issue of Volume 1: Gumbo Friction. Issue #001 introduces us to Simon, a young lover pondering the meaning of life on the edge of heartbreak."

If you miss the show you can also find the new comic book later at these fine establishments:

The Source 
Comic College 
Big Brain 
Hot Comics 
Extreme Noise 
Treehouse Records 
Uncle Sven's 

MinneCon II will also host several local graphic artists:

Colby Swanson (of TBN)
<http://the-common-cold.deviantart.com/>

Mona L. Negasi 
<http://monanegasi.wix.com/artwork?from_fb=1>

Marci Lucht

Maxwell J. Singletary  

Jesse Barstad 
<http://jessebarstad.blogspot.com/> 

Kerri O'Halloran <http://www.KerriAnnDesign.com/> 

Courtney Reed

Chavis

Gent 

The Hexagon tonight will also play host to a FREE 21+ night of local music.  The bands will be The Alleles, Air Taiwan, and Fuzzy Machete.

If you are looking for something closer to uptown, then drop by Cause Spirit and Soundbar tonight for a 21+ show (probably ~$5 cover).  Royal Red Brigade, Leather Sweater, and Rebel City Rollers will be playing.

If the west bank is more your scene then head on over to Palmer's Bar to see Breed and Midnight Oaks.  Also 21+ since it's the friendly popular west bank dive bar where the liquor pours are strong and the music captivating. (Probably ~$5 cover)

Lastly, if you happen to be looking for something to do downtown instead then head on over to see the Kids Like Us album release party at 1st Avenue's 7th Street entry.   ($8 cover)

Though it is not actually a music event, I thought I would also point out that this weekend Gaia Democratic School will be putting on a multi-media performance at Intermedia Arts on Lyndale right near uptown.  The performances will be 7pm tonight through Sunday night (4 nights) with an additional 3pm Sunday Matinee performance.  Tickets available for $5-15 suggested donations.  

Art-A-Whirl day 2 at 612 Brew

Today is the second day of Art-A-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis.  After a delicious brunch at The Colossal Cafe near our house, I headed off toward northeast to see the festivities.

Along the way I bumped into a few frends as the wanderlust was focused into a particular venue.  Having been there yesterday, and with a meal ticket courtesy of my friend Tristan from Hot Damn!, who didn't use his yesterday, it was decided the 612 Brew taphouse was once again the place to be.

Sure enough, I met a great many cool people in the crowds at the brewhouse.  It's local brews and local music drew a liesurely crowd to listen and relax.  As per usual, I brought my dancing energies to accompany the music, which was very well recieved.  It was a really fun space to dance with the bright sun beaming down and the accoustic beauty of the amphatheater accompanying our energy.

Soon enough, I got a few more of the crowd moving as their restless desire to dance finally overpowered the social awkwardness they felt as everyone else just stood or sat around absorbing the energies of the sun and the music instead of vibrating with it and resonating the energies.  None the less, the energies flowed wonderfuly as I danced along with the music of a local band that is new to me called False Teeth.  The energy level was still high and full of exuberance when I finally had to leave in the middle of Botzy's set in order to get ready for work.  All in all it was another fantastic experience.