February 2026 Recap
With Holly Bowling, Say She She, David Huckfelt, Teague Alexy, Twine, Shotgun Ragtime Band, and more!
Holly Bowling at the Dakota!
2.1 Shotgun Ragtime Band at Driftwood
The 763rd consecutive Grateful Sunday!
2.5 David Huckfelt and Mystery Lights at Animales BBQ
This was my second time at the new BBQ place off Glenwood Ave in Minneapolis, having gone to the first installment of Huckfelt’s first and third Thursdays series back in November. For this evening’s show, the rotating cast of musicians included Jeremy Ylvisaker on electric guitar and for the second set, Al Church joining on electric guitar. I didn’t catch the names of the drummer and bassist. Huckfelt was again on acoustic guitar and sang lead vocals. The two sets included:
Any Way The Wind Blows
Desolation Row to end set one
Til I Fell In Love With You
They Call Me The Breeze
2.7 Twine at The Party Palace
Party for bassist Scott’s 50th birthday! HBD Scotty! Another fun night with a lively crowd. Scott’s other band Jojo Green opened the night with some funk and soul classics before Twine played an outstanding show featuring, among others:
Rescue
Lovelight
Lou And Luna
Twine just announced they’ll be going into the recording studio for the first time, and I’m really looking forward to hearing the results!
“Lou and Luna”:
2.8 Shotgun Ragtime Band at Driftwood
#764! Featuring Eyes of The World during the first set. Second set started with the classic combo of Help>Slipknot!>Franklin’s before Bird Song, Drums>Space and Music Never Stopped. Art Hoffman joined the band on keys for the first frame.
2.11 Teague Alexy and Jacob Mahon at 331 Club
With his long-standing Monday residency at Sir Ben’s, Teague has been a fixture and leader of the Duluth music scene for many years. Jacob Mahon, who fronts Duluth based “Northwoods Funk” band Saltydog, has collaborated with Teague for at least a few years now as part of Teague’s projects Teague and The Common Thread and also the Irish tinged Teague and the Paddy Wagon. Jacob and his brother Owen, who plays drums in Saltydog, grew up in Bemidji, and I was fond of hearing Jacob tell the story of seeing the Alexy bros - Teague and Ian - play there as The Hobo Nephews Of Uncle Frank when the Mahon brothers were in their mid-teens. Lots of talent between those two sets of brothers! (Go see Saltydog any or all Thursdays in March at the Hook and Ladder!)
An outstanding wordsmith, Teague has been among my favorite songwriters since shortly after I met him while we worked together at the Whole Foods Co-op circa 2001. The first time I saw him play, at the Tap Room (now the long defunct The Rex) in the basement of Fitger’s Brewery Complex, he was opening for a singer/songwriter/comedian named Vance Gilbert. I had never heard of Vance Gilbert but found him very enjoyable. A few years later I saw Gilbert open for George Carlin at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
With a new album out this month and at least a half-dozen previous records, Teague has a wealth of original material and does not perform a ton of covers. But on this night the 331 heard Teague and Jacob play Woodie Guthrie’s “Do Re Mi”, The Jerry Garcia Band/traditional “My Sisters and Brothers”, and Trampled By Turtles’ “Victory”, a nice nod to the Duluth based bluegrass/folk/indie powerhouse septet, who Hobo Nephews opened for many times back in the day The new album, Effervescent, that can be heard and downloaded (name your own price) here:
Setlist included the following which include several tunes from the new album.
Gold In The Hills
Babylon Babbling
Holding Destiny’s Hand
Fighting for Air
Million Mile Smile
Old John Doe
Desiree
Do Re Mi (Woody Guthrie)
Sidesteppin' Man
Good Clean High
My Sisters and Brothers (JGB/Traditional)
Victory (TBT)
“Riding On A Ferris Wheel”:
“When We Were Smokin’”:
“My Sisters and Brothers”:
“Victory”:
Jacob and I being silly and tough:
2.13 The Brothers Almanac at First Ave
A really impressive performance from this Allman Bros tribute, my jaw was on the floor at several points including “Southbound” and “It's Not My Cross to Bear”. The guitar work was astonishing. The Warren Haynes songs penned “Soulshine” and “Rocking Horse” made an appearance, with Mama T and the keyboard player handling vocals on “Soulshine”.
The People Brothers Band’s excellent opening set included a soulful version of Black Pumas’ “Colors”.
PBB:
BA:
2.14 Adam and Ava Levy at Animales
Though they’ve been around since the early nineties, I don’t recall ever seeing The Honeydogs play. Perhaps the Honeydogs’ most famous song, “Sour Grapes” was played along with many other originals from the father/daughter combo on this Valentine’s Day evening.
A new song, I believe titled “Put Me On Your List” (call me a communist), Adam said “This is a song about these awful people trying to take our neighbors”.
Ava mentioned that she contributed a song to a “Melt ICE” Bandcamp fundraiser for families affected by the ICE invasion. Her song “No Matter What” and contributions from an astounding 110 Minnesota artists can be found here:
2.18 The Stretch and TH3 at Mortimer’s
TH3 was doing a Wednesday residency and The Stretch opened the show. This was reportedly the first time The Stretch played a show comprised entirely of originals. While there was not a ton of people in attendance, at least one new fan was made - red flannel guy was absolutely transfixed by the band’s psychedelic grooves:
TH3 (what a great band name!) with Nate and the guitarist from The Stretch joining:
2.19 David Huckfelt and The Unarmed Forces at Cedar Cultural Center with Channy Leaneagh
Former co-lead singer of The Pines David Huckfelt just released an album of what you might call off the beaten path covers, from a wide range of artists. Titled I Was Born But…, it features stirring renditions of songs from noted songwriters Warren Zevon, Tom Petty, Gordon Lightfoot, Keith Secola, and Jackson Browne, among others. As on this night at the Cedar, he was accompanied on the record by longtime collaborators Jeremy Ylvisaker and JT Bates. Upon hearing it for the first time recently, I had to immediately look up “Easy Come, Easy Go” or what is actually called “Anyway The Wind Blows” as it had such a familiar groove and style to it, and I was not surprised to see that it’s a JJ Cale number.
Huckfelt welcomed Native American singer Laura Hugo up to perform the song “Chief Seattle’s Dream” that was recently featured on the premier episode of the fourth season of the brilliant AMC show Dark Winds.
One of the most recognizable voices in town opened the show as Channy from Polica played some old Roma DI Luna songs and some newer originals.
Big Thief’s “Anything”:
2.19 WE Collective at Gluek’s
With Joe Dunn, Snowman, Kevin Dorsey, Scott Yonke, and a dude I’m not familiar with on drums.
2.22 Shotgun Ragtime Band at Driftwood
I’m pretty sure this was not the first Olympics that I declared SRB to be gold medalists in the guest book.
Grateful Sunday #766 featured:
Friend Of The Devil
Beat It On Down the Line
Black Throated Wind
Ramble On Rose
Mission In The Rain
II
Playin’
Dark Star>
He’s Gone>
I Need A Miracle>
Dark Star>
Drums Space>
So Many Roads
Amazing drawing of Mike C from Mike C (Carina):
2.26 Holly Bowling at Dakota Jazz Club
Holly Bowling is an accomplished pianist who toured with Phil Lesh and Friends. There really is no more impressive credential than that possible for a musician of the jam persuasion. Known for her intricate and moving renditions of (primarily) Grateful Dead and Phish songs, she has long been a beloved member of the extended Grateful Dead family. Following the passing of Phil a few years ago and Bobby just last month, Holly will surely continue to be one of the leaders of the next generation of interpreters of the legendary songbook. So, to see her perform at the Dakota was really special. She seamlessly weaved between songs, starting with a lengthy “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” which gave way to a lovely “Billy Breathes” before taking an unexpected turn into Radiohead’s “Idioteque”. That was the only deviation from the extensive Grateful Dead and Phish catalogs, save for a moving rendition of Crosby Stills Nash and Young classic “Ohio”. That one was deeply felt by all in the room. An extended “Estimated Prophet” made for an emotional tribute to the recently departed Bobby Weir. She is a phenomenal artist and this show will surely be among the year’s highlights. She mentioned that she last played the Dakota about ten years ago but vowed to be back sooner next time. Several friends brought school age kids and the table next to us was a father who brought his adult daughter. Great work securing the stage side table, Erin! I don’t recall the last time I saw a solo piano show, but this was as impressive and memorable as I could have imagined! She was very generous with her time after the show and stuck around to sign cds and vinyl and take photos with fans.
“Estimated Prophet”:
“Divided Sky”:
2.26 WE Collective at Gluek’s
Will was joined on his bday evening by Alex Gelking, Scott Yonke, Jon Ross, and Andy of Wookiefoot on keys. Sommer, who performs with her husband Andy as The Schmids, joined the band to sing a couple songs including Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”.
Mike C’s rendition of Alex G:
2.27 Say She She at Fine Line
It was a funky disco dance party and the Fine Line was absolutely bouncing for this show from the NY based band. Unfortunately, one of the band’s three singers, Nya Gazelle Brown, was not present, but there was a capable replacement for her and the harmonies were still soaring and outrageous. The band’s name is a tribute to disco pioneers Chic and Nile Rogers. A couple highlights were their song “Forget Me Not” and Talking Heads’ “Slippery People”.
2.28 The Wandering Eye with TH3 at Hook and Ladder Theater
An outstanding opening set from TH3, who I was seeing for the second time ever after catching them at Mortimer’s just ten days prior. This time around they had ace guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker up there, adding to the funk. Then Duluth-based supergroup The Wandering Eye, featuring Alan Sparhawk of Low, Tim Saxhaug of Trampled By Turtles, and Marc Gartman of Glitterati took the stage for a fun set of Ween covers including my favorite one, “Voodoo Lady”.
TH3 with Jeremy Ylvisaker:
The Wandering Eye:
Next month boasts three heroes of the resistance with Margo Price on March 1st, Patti Smith mid-month, and Bruce Springsteen to close out March! Also, a Thursday residency for Saltydog at the Hook and Ladder that is not to be missed, and LaMP at Icehouse 3.18 featuring Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski of the Trey Anastasio Band and Scott Metzger, guitarist of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.
And finally, something sweet:
There are not really any cupcakes on sale so go buy some Girl Scout Cookies!