First things first, a huge congratulations to Suite, who played a GOAT-level performance at Kathy's Publast Saturday for a wall-to-wall crowd at their CD release party.
Not only was the dancefloor packed, but the stage was crammed full of nearly every musician in Rochester and the energy was off the charts. Suite's six-song original CD is out in the world now; if you missed the show, you can probably track down a copy by poking around on the band's Facebook page, facebook.com/pages/Suite/177161109108899 .
This week, if you're still thirsting for live tunes after this summer's first installment of Thursdays on First, Kathy's has you covered with a rooftop patio performance by Hair of the Dog( hair-of-the-dog.com ), a Celtic folk and rock band. They play from 8:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. Thursday.
Elsewhere on Thursdaynight, the Doggerywill host Joel Ward, who, according to Push & Turn bassist Kyle Truex, is one of the finest musicians playing in our area. Ward's soulful cover of Bob Dylan's paranoia-inducing classic "Ballad of a Thin Man," which you can stream on his Reverbnation page, reverbnation.com/joelward , shows off his voice's wide emotional range.
The rest of the weekend at Kathy's takes on a decidedly jammy flavor. Chicago jam band The Casual Tieswill bring their strange cocktail of funk, rock, jazz, and psychedelic music to the pub's stage on Fridaynight; you can get an idea of their sound at reverbnation.com/casualtieschicago , which features some streamable tunes.
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On Saturdaynight, Kathy's will host the Weathered Headsand Jack and the Coax, a pair of multi-genre groove outfits. The Weathered Heads play a sharp, ska-infused poppy breed of jam rock. The band's latest release, 2015's "Sinner,"is available for your perusal at the band's website, theweatheredheads.com . "When I Turn" shows off the band's seamless incorporation of its disparate elements: the cool harmonies supplied by keyboardist Trevor Woggon, a blistering sax solo courtesy of saxophonist Jonathan Birdsall, and a guitar solo that all come back around by the end of the song for a cathartic, unified final movement.
Last but not least, Minneapolis blues-punk band Liquor Beats Winterwill lead a march into madness at the North Star Baron Saturdayevening, starting around 9. On its website, liquorbeatswinter.com , the band describes itself as a secret love child of the Dead Kennedys and Captain Beefheart. Their careful cross-breeding of the wild energy of punk rock and detached coolness of blues makes for a distinct sound that has been gaining fans throughout the state.
Select cuts from their self-titled 2014 album are up for streaming on their homepage. "Bridge Tour" starts off in a classically punk fashion, with rousing drums and an energizing bass riff, then explodes into a fireball of distorted guitar, strangely-not-out-of-place harmonica riffs, and the wide-eyed mania of frontman David C. Steffens, who, according to my girlfriend's mother, has a proclivity toward performing sans shirt.
The band will be joined by fellow mixers of blues and distortion, Narco States( narcostates.com ), as well as Minneapolis pychobilly band Dead Bundy & The Neat Neat Neats( facebook.com/DeadBundy ).
Other shows of note:
- Cafe Steamgets into the mix on Thursdaynight with a performance by Duluth singer/songwriter Rachel Kilgourand her guest Karin Canakesstarting at 7 p.m.
- Greg Boernerwill bring his blues, folk, country, and roots rock to the Canadian Honkeron Fridayand Saturdayfor some dinner music between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m both nights.
