Bringing Back Nightlife

MUSIC AND MORE:

By JANE TURPIN MOORE Guest Contributor

Across southern Minnesota, the gig is up. Actually, gigs are returning—a most welcome switch after COVID-19 hit an indefi nite pause button and upset the area’s music-and-drinks culture. Here’s how a few area venues have met the pandemic challenge and are looking ahead. The Contented Cow, 302 Division St. South, Northfi eld “It’s been quite devastating for the music scene,” said Norman Butler, owner of the Contented Cow pub in downtown Northfi eld. “Organizing and scheduling bands has been very diffi cult, because when something [with health guidelines] changed or a band member tested positive for COVID, the gig was over. It’s been hard to come up with a reliable scheduling process.” Butler, who created a British pub setting at his business commonly known as “the Cow,” had been getting along quite nicely since opening in 1999. “We have craft beers and ciders, with 18 or 19 taps, and a full bar as well,” said Butler, naming the one domestic beer he carries: Michelob Golden Draft Light. “In our heyday, we had live music [rock ’n roll, jazz, blues and original music] every Friday and Saturday night, a weekly jam session with Scandinavian music and a Tuesday night acoustic jam session,” said Butler. “We’re open to the public all the time with no cover charge, and most of our bands are from the surrounding area.” Butler’s customer traffi c was down 50% in January 2022 over a “normal January,” as he put it—and that was understandably discouraging. “I’m not by nature pessimistic, but it wears you down,” said Butler. Still, spring is on the horizon. Come April 1, Butler intends to reopen seven days a week (he shuttered the Cow on Mondays and Tuesdays during the winter) and is eagerly anticipating bringing music and customers to his two-level outdoor deck and stage overlooking the Cannon River as soon as the weather allows. “The outdoor season last summer was very good, but it all came to a crushing halt in the winter,” said Butler. “We had one [music] festival each month then, and I’ve had a lot of inquiries from bands that want to play this year. In another month I’ll start scheduling bands from mid-May to the end of September, but I’m trying to keep my powder dry until then.” Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota Bret Haslip, proprietor of Kasota’s Blue Moon Bar & Grill for over six years, is ready to kick the pandemic to the curb. “COVID put a damper on things, but we survived and now we’re fl ourishing,” he said. In fact, despite Blue Moon’s location in a town of 700 and its need to draw customers from larger communities in the vicinity, business is booming. “We’ve seen an uptick from what we had pre-COVID,” said Haslip. “We’ve got the small-town fl avor and are like a family here.” Haslip is doing his part to keep the good times rolling.

Besides continuing with a Thursday night pork chop special (including baked potato, candied carrots and dinner roll) and discounted burger baskets on Wednesday evenings, Haslip schedules karaoke with Christian Sohmer from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. every third Saturday. During the weekend of March 11-12, pool sharks can compete in a pool tournament. And on March 26, Blue Moon is hosting the Everett Smithson band, a Zydeco, swamp-rock blues group with a Creole fl avor, as Haslip describes them. “They have a big bass, a washboard, squeeze box and harmonica,” said Haslip. “They’re really fun.” Humor arrives at Blue Moon on April 2 in the form of comedian Kevin Craft. “I try to program comedians here two or three times a year,” said Haslip. By May 20, Haslip hopes to have his Friday bike night rolling—a regular weekly feature that typically continues into September. “Periodically we’ll have acoustic entertainment on the patio,” Haslip said. “And I always check out bands in advance so whenever there’s one here, you know it’s going to be good.” With no cover charge, Haslip invites customers to relax and soak in the friendly local dive bar ambience while enjoying drinks and food. “We’re planning music,” said Haslip. “It’s full speed ahead.” Armory Square Event Center, 519 Division St. South, Northfi eld If listening to music performed on an outdoor stage in a grassy square with a cold craft brew in hand sounds appealing, then you’ll want to spend a summer Friday evening at Northfi eld’s Armory Square. You might hear Fred the Bear, a classic rock/alt band with rich harmonies, or a solo acoustic act like Mark Kreitzer or Randall Ferguson. Alternately, the cool sounds of Occasional Jazz might be the ticket, “Summer is a great time at Armory Square,” said Liz Reppe, co-owner of the venue with her husband Jonathan Reppe. “People walk or ride bikes here, bring their dogs or little kids—it’s so fun.” The Reppes purchased the 15,000 square-foot decommissioned Northfi eld Armory from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in August 2016. They fashioned the space into an event center that is now a popular wedding site. “”Weddings are always fun because everybody is happy,” said Reppe, noting their Saturday dance card is nearly fi lled with nuptial celebrations through 2022. The building’s lower level has a full commercial kitchen that is rented by seven different caterers, including a Mexican favorite, Little Frida’s. A wellappointed gathering space on that level, known as the Low Down, is also available for rental and is nicely suited for smaller events. From 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday evenings from midMay through the early fall, affi liated caterer Shawnee Langworthy of Cafe Shawn serves up pizzas and salads in Armory Square’s grassy outdoor space, perfectly complementing the music and six taps featuring local craft beer options. “But we have a full liquor license and stock almost everything,” said Reppe, explaining that the scope of their alcoholic offerings differentiates them from breweries with more limited choices. A glimpse of “normal” occurred when Armory Square hosted a long-postponed concert (originally scheduled for March 2020) featuring the popular Cactus Blossoms in late November. “We’d like to schedule three to four bigger concerts like that annually inside the Armory,” said Reppe. “When the Cactus Blossoms played, the feeling in the space was so positive and energy-fi lled. “People had really been waiting for it and they were excited to hear a great band again in the company of other people. And that’s what we’re looking forward to: Having the Armory packed with people listening to good music.” 

The Cactus Blossoms performed for an energized crowd at the Armory Square Event Center, Northfi eld, in November 2021. Owner Liz Reppe hopes to book another two to three similar concerts in 2022.

is nearly fi lled with nuptial celebrations through 2022. the Low Down, is also available for rental and is nicely

Freelance writer/collaborative pianist Jane Turpin Moore grew up in the Mankato area and is now based in Northfi eld. She blogs at timeformoore566445504.wordpress.com and fi elds emails at jturpinmoore@ gmail.com.

A sampling of upcoming music/ entertainment in the area:

2/27, 4 - 6 p.m., Todd Thompson Band, The Contented Cow, 302 Division St., Northfi eld

3/4, 6 p.m., Amanda Perry, Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota

3/11, 6 p.m., Billy Johnson, Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota

3/17, 6:30 p.m., Jeremy Poland Band at Westwood Marina Bar & Grill, 1400 Lake Washington Access Road, Kasota

3/17, 9 p.m., Cowaroke at The Contented Cow, 302 Division St., Northfi eld

3/19, 9 p.m., Karaoke with Christian Sohmer, Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota

3/26, 9 p.m., Everett Smith Band at Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota

3/26, 6 p.m., Matthew Browne Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota

4/2, 9 p.m., Comedian Kevin Kraft at Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota

Sundays, 1 -3 p.m., Sunday Funday Bingo, Circle Inn Bar, 232 Belgrade Ave., North Mankato

Sundays, 7 p.m., Weekly Comedy Open Mic, Circle Inn Bar, 232 Belgrade Ave., North Mankato