This weekend's live music is a wild mix of styles that jumps from jazzto skato Montell Jordancovers and back again.
The weirdness starts on Friday night, when Junk FMtakes the stage at the North Star Barat 9:30 p.m. Based on their wild costuming and apparently limitless supply of energy, this is a group that can be relied upon to jump-start a party.
They live up to their name by playing a collection of songs that, on paper, looks like they took a song from every radio station on the dial; in a single set, the crew burns through cuts by artists like Warren G & Nate Dogg, Lady Gaga, Soft Cell, Loverboy, Kings of Leon, and dozens of others.
A full preview of their song list is available for perusal on their website . While you're there, make sure to check out their their promo video, which features a snippet of their reggaefied version of "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thickeand Pharrell.
Whiskey Boneswill host another, slightly more genre-specific cover band, The Bug, on Friday night as well. They cover funky tunes from artists like Steely Danand Erykah Badu, but embellish them with bouts of improvisation. The show starts at 9 p.m. For a preview of their style, head over to their website .
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On the same night but on a completely different note — and in a completely different part of town — Pappageorge'swill feature the Larry Price Jazz Trio. Price is a pianist who has studied and performed jazz music across Europe and the United States. He's played with notable artists like trumpeter Bobby Lewis, vibraphonist Steve Yeager, and clarinet/saxophone master Eric Schneider. His website features a handful of samples of his solo work on the piano.
Rich MacDonaldwill join the trio on vibraphone, which is what really makes me excited about their date at Pappageorge's. If you've never heard the mellow sounds of a vibraphone in person, make sure to not miss this chance. The music starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 10.
To cap off this weirdly eclectic weekend, Kathy's Pubis hosting a weekend of ska music that kicks off on Friday night with After School Specialand hits its peak on Saturday with Ska Skank Redemption, who will take the stage at around 9 p.m.
Anyone with a soft spot in their ears for groups like Less Than Jakeor Reel Big Fishwill take to Ska Skank Redemption right away. Their sound is an energized blend of distorted guitars, pop sensibilities, and a ripping horn section. It's put on full display on the fourth track off of their latest work, the "Wicked Bees EP," titled "Minnesota," which starts of with a blast of distortion and horns, then mellows out during the verses for some introspection about our fair state.
"Wicked Bees" is available to stream and purchase on Ska Skank Redemption's Bandcamp page .
