First Avenue

I've been so broken hearted since First Avenue closed it's doors three weeks ago...home to so many legends...a great big scab in the heart of Minneapolis. The last live show I saw there was The Phones reunion show a little less than a year ago....before that it was Camper Van Beethoven .

I'd always had some sort of hope that even I would get the chance to, at the very least, stand on the same stage Prince stood on all the way back in ancient history...but all my hopes were dashed when the owner filed for bankruptcy.

Then, today, like some sort of sign from the mother ship, or a case of Hornitos falling from the sky, this story was on the front page of the Tribune:

First Avenue gets OK to reopen Friday
November 18, 2004

Some minor fire-code issues have to be resolved, but otherwise First Avenue's new operators -- the nightclub's former managers -- have been given a green light to reopen as planned Friday night, Minneapolis licensing inspector Ken Ziegler said Wednesday.

The club's first show back in business following a 2½-week hiatus and ownership change will be costumed metal band Gwar on Friday, followed by the usual late-night dance/DJ programming.

Marketing director LeeAnn Weimar, who is among the former employees being rehired at the club, said, "Bear with us. We've been through a lot and are still working like mad."

Viva la First Avenue!!

Iced Tea

Yeah....so Thursday marked yet another birthday for me. I'm sure all my millions of readers will be thrilled to know I made it back from the "other side" relatively unscathed.

I have to give a shout out to my bartender for making what had to have been the most potent Long Island Iced Tea I've ever had (that I didn't make myself).

I am also pleased to report that I now have added yet another guitar to my "collection". A gem of a find, I managed to only pay $75 for it, finding it in an out of the way pawn shop, but it is now my favorite of all of them (7 in all). It is a Acoustic/Electric mohogany beauty...a Taylor knockoff...exactly what I was looking for, in excellent condition, not a scratch on it....I'm now one step closer to playing live shows again (I've been scheduled to start playing next spring...woohoo!)

That's my new baby...

Redneck TV

I commonly refer to thunderstorms as "Redneck Television"...

The idea is that (at least in my world) "rednecks" don't own a television..they generally don't read...so, for entertainment, they'll sit out on their front porch with a beer and watch the world passing by.

Personally, I love redneck television.

Sometimes it's kids playin' with the dog....or a dead squirrel. Maybe it's someone jumping out of a bedroom window across the street, or other rednecks sittin' on their porch drinkin' beer....Perhaps it's just the cars passing by.

A real treat is usually a thunderstorm, complete with sirens blowing, and tree limbs falling, maybe even a funnel cloud sighting...

Anywoo...those who enjoy redneck television, like myself, got to watch a science fiction program last Monday night:

Arora Borealis

Bar-stumbling

In the last few days, I have received several e-mails...

...the basic message of these e-mails is a mention of the fact that I haven't invited everyone over to go bar-stumbling....

Although I have addressed individuals from time to time, I want to make it official:

Anyone who wants to go "bar-stumbling" with me...this is an open invitation. Anyone and everyone is invited.

You do not need to call ahead. You do not need reservations. I have acres of free parking.

I will advise that you bring the beverage of your choice. It is well known, within certain circles, that I keep a well stocked bar, however, with my propensity for consumption, and the possibility that we may be stumbling through the entire evening, we could very well run dry....and with the local liquor stores closing at the 8 o'clock hour, and the local bars closing at 2 am, it would be wise to have back up.


Do not worry about space…I have a beer fridge.

Down at the local...

O.K....I mentioned previously, some time ago, that I would love it if they'd build a bar across the street from where I lived.

I reasoned that having said bar across the street, would eliminate the need to use my booze compass to get me home safetly.

Well...lo and behold, there is going to be a bar opening in less than six month....just within stumblin' distance from my domicile...I'm quite excited about it.

Until it opens, however, expect to find me passed out in the garage.

Sweet liquor eases the pain....

The Day After....

Man...am I hung over.

Anyways....if you're reading this blog (yeah, right...now that's rich!), you're probably wondering about my thoughts regarding the Presidential Elections....

...I'm disappointed...and it's not so much who got elected, or who didn't get elected...it's just interesting that only 77% of the registered voters in my state actually voted.

Even if neither of the major presidential candidates were appealing to you, there were plenty of other choices...not to mention the option to write in your candidate....there are also local races that are most likely to affect people a little more personally than national elections...

Some would say that because of the electoral college, their vote gets lost...it's not important...their vote doesn't count. That may be true, and maybe someday it'll change...but if you don't vote, it will never change...

Seventy Seven percent. Most people would say that's a pretty good turnout...I, on the other hand, cannot fathom why a person wouldn't take some time out of their "busy" schedule to vote. It took me exactly 15 minutes to sign in, get my ballot, place my vote, and put it into the machine...I even got a nice sticker.

Plenty of time left to go home and finish off my jello shooters from the night before while watching the returns.

I was surprised to find that even people I thought I knew well either "forgot" or didn't think their vote mattered.....then, I think about those poor saps in Ohio, who waited up to TEN hours to vote...You want to know who the true American patriots are?...take a look at who was wearing that little red sticker yesterday.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that.


....and now that's out of the way....

I thought I'd try and get a better pix for myself...this is the best I could come up with....