While Making Your Weekend Plans – And Voting Plans
By Mitch Berg
It’s been a while – but my band, “Elephant in the Room”, is back in business.
After a year where we had precisely two, somewhat surreptitious gigs, we’re back in an actual bar, for the first time since February 29, 2020.
After a couple years of playing in the far northwest and far eastern suburbs, onSaturday night, we will be going north, playing at the Back To The SRO Bar and Grill in Oak Grove. It’s about 10 miles north of Anoka:
I’m not sure what the Covid rules are, other than the fact that we are playing from six until 10 rather than our usual nine until one – which isn’t entirely unwelcome.
Anyway – I’ve been there before, the food is pretty good, and the food and beverage prices have that “edge of the metro“ not-so-priciness about them.
By the way – enjoy live music while you can. Because while on the one hand states are slowly reopening, the Biden administration is doing its best to destroy the “gig“ economy. And there is literally nothing giggier than playing in a bar band.
March 11th, 2021 at 7:06 am
Face it, if you’re not on the payroll of a large corporation you are a subversive, an enemy of the state.
March 11th, 2021 at 7:36 am
So even though Elephant in the Room does “classic rock” from the ’50s through the ’90s, we’ll still be iconoclastic punks!
March 11th, 2021 at 7:49 am
Know that bar well. I used to live within walking distance from it back in the 90’s. Played baseball there.
But why is it “back to” the SRO? Did it close at some time?
March 11th, 2021 at 8:02 am
Dr. Strunk,
I first encountered the place watching “Bar Rescue” – it was one of the bars that kicked the show out. I’ve also done a couple of political fundraisers up there.
This article explains everything but the name change. Todd and Elise are the people we worked with to get the gig, so apparently it’s the same management
March 11th, 2021 at 8:27 am
Is there a “tip jar” available for contributions to the band?
March 11th, 2021 at 8:28 am
Wow. That article makes it sound like the kind of outfit PotAto HeAD would run.
It was a dump when I knew it; they had a separate bar downstairs for awhile that was supposed to be for “raves”.
Let us know if you play behind chicken wire!
March 11th, 2021 at 8:44 am
It’s not the St. Rose of Lima cafeteria, but it’ll do.
March 11th, 2021 at 9:00 am
Mitch I’m in a garage band, it would be fun to see your set list. Maybe you can post it Monday.
March 11th, 2021 at 9:40 am
Kinlaw,
Possible set list for this weekend:
Lawyers Guns and Money
Take it Easy
Blue Suede Shoes
Hold My Hand
Runaway Train
Sister Golden Hair
Mustang Sally
American Girl
Soul Man
Move It On Over
What You Need
Free Falling
In God’s Country
Wicked Game
Let’s Go
The One I Love
Fortunate Son
You Reallly Got Me
Sweet Home Alabama
Gimme Some Lovin’
Mony Mony
Honky Tonk Women
Burnin’ Love
Let’s Dance
Keep Your Hands To Yourself
Twist and Shout
Good Lovin’
Authority Song
Hard to Handle
Hollywood Nights
More Than A Feeling
Refugee
Walk This Way
Cadillac Ranch
Take The Money And Run
Destroyer
Jenny
Crazy Train
American Band
You Shook Me…
Rock and Roll
Comfortably Numb
Hotel California
March 11th, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Needs more Second Amendment songs.
Jenny’s Got a Gun
Pistol Packin’ Mama
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
I Shot the Sheriff
March 11th, 2021 at 12:51 pm
No David Allen Coe?
March 11th, 2021 at 3:10 pm
I’ve been in this place many times. It’s a “biker” joint only in the sense that they welcome bike riders of all stripes, the ones that hang around are pretty much good folks. It’s really not a patch holder hang out, more of locals gathering spot. Nearest watering hole is about 10 miles away. Outside chance that I may travel down to catch a set. Mitch, please follow up on how the gig went.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:25 pm
the ones that hang around are pretty much good folks. It’s really not a patch holder hang out
Scott, you suggesting patch holders are not pretty much good folks? Asking for a friend.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:38 pm
You sure about that being a biker bar, because I thought that Whiskey Junction and every Cowboy Jack’s in town, owned that distinction.
March 11th, 2021 at 6:32 pm
Y’know, to stand out from the crowd, all bar-bands need to brand themselves properly. “The Elephant in the Room” is too long. May I suggest “The Leathern Breachclouts”? Also, to avoid looking like a bunch of boomers trying to recapture their youth, you need a more edgy, outlaw look. Maybe you could all wear eye patches? Like you’d all been in terrible street fights and lost an eye at some point. But don’t all of you wear the patches over the same eye, that would look fake because it’s too much of a coincidence. But no one should wear two eye patches. That just looks dumb.
A cow horn head dress might seal the deal when appealing to Trumpies.
This advice is free, until you sign your first million dollar contract. Then I charge real money if you want to get to the next level.
Let’s help each other get rich!
March 11th, 2021 at 6:43 pm
Maybe you should add Richard Hell’s “The Kid With the Replaceable Head” to your play list, just to see some damaged, 60 year old punk wander onto the dance floor and slam dance all by himself?
The advice that I am giving you is solid gold, MBerg.
Solid.
Gold.
I am talking LA street hood money.
You looking for an agent who understands today’s youths?
March 11th, 2021 at 6:46 pm
If it is warm this weekend, I intend to ride the Cushman down to Stillwater and give stink eye to some colored people.
Okay I’ll stop now.
March 12th, 2021 at 1:47 pm
Dr. Pete: “Scott, you suggesting patch holders are not pretty much good folks? Asking for a friend”
Dr. Pete: Not suggesting anything of the sort.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:06 am
Nice set list Mitch, looks like a lot of fun. We have a few songs in common set list wise.