If there is a date, a patron of the Snout Saloon keeps track of better than Christmas, it is in the third week of November. Not for the big meal on Thursday, but because of the birthday of Chad Kruger. Chad is bartender, manager and director of music for the bar. If you are a music fan, you pay attention. Because when the guy who books the bands, throws himself a party, life is good.
Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying its a guaranteed mind blowing musical experience, because it has an element of risk. You see, it is never just a bigger named band. Booked for the night. The band shows up. The band plays. Everyone is happy. No, no, it tends to be more of a cherry picked, throw together band. Amazing musicians all; But also a bunch of guys with no real commitment to the night, other than some after-show, "Hell yeah, I'll come play your birthday party!"
Sometimes it works out. This is Amazing. One birthday I saw Howard Luedtke play in a set with the Lacrosse based Smokin' Bandits. An event, perhaps in my lifetime high five. On the other hand, one year after waiting around an hour or so, one of the bar regulars drove home and got his guitar. This was not a good night. So, there is the spectrum. You understand the risk.
To fill that risk came four musicians from Lacrosse. Not quite a regular musician at the snout, but we usually see him yearly, is lead guitar Cheech. On drums, as well as sound, I am sure, Dave Orr. Other members I didn't know. I even consulted my friend Jane, compendium of musicians, and got little more. Craig Olson on second guitar a Lacrosse regular at open mic blues jams. We were pretty sure the bass players name was Dave Armstrong, a Lacrosse musician.
Music ran in the gamut from the seventies, ZZ Top, Bob Dylan, to some originals, some great yet obscure blues numbers. It was a fun night. Cheech on lead and slide guitar was amazing. It looked like he was playing a seventies Les Paul, and he was getting great sound from that guitar. The second guitar player was nowhere in the same league as Cheech. Even so, he played some great solos. His timing was very good. It was only during a period of doing some improvisation, passing the lead back and forth between him and Cheech that he was struggling hard.
All in all it was a great party atmosphere. The dance floor was filled the entire night. People were having a great time. Lots of the regulars who haven't been in much were there. My friend Jane, recovering from knee surgery. Dan, a fellow Harley rider and his new girlfriend. It's great to see these people, like long lost family. The sound was fantastic. Not surprising. Dave Orr drummer for the band, in his real life has from time to time run a sound system company. So he knows sound and setups. The vocals were crystal clear. Never a hint of feedback. The guitars were perfect. Never over blown. Again, always crystal clear.
Musical highpoints? One I was lucky enough to catch on video tape and is posted below. The Traffic song, Dear Mr. Fantasy which was a song overlooked by many blues people until released by Big Head Todd who displayed its blues potential. Also there was an excellent bar favorite, the ZZ Top song Tush. The dance floor was particularly filled with happy bouncing people. Some of the blues, originals and locally grown numbers were very impassioned as well.
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Oh yeah, and Eau Claire smokers, watch the video close. See that haze in the air? See the full bar?
The guest of honor of course had the best time of all. Stretching even the stereotype of the Wisconsin tradition of drinking. Slurred speech by 10, then beginning to hit it hard. He had a fun night. And, it was a great party.
To fill that risk came four musicians from Lacrosse. Not quite a regular musician at the snout, but we usually see him yearly, is lead guitar Cheech. On drums, as well as sound, I am sure, Dave Orr. Other members I didn't know. I even consulted my friend Jane, compendium of musicians, and got little more. Craig Olson on second guitar a Lacrosse regular at open mic blues jams. We were pretty sure the bass players name was Dave Armstrong, a Lacrosse musician.
