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.