‪Oct. 1, 2015 #‎MadRippleHoot at Harriet Brewing: Tonight, we welcome  Sarah E Morris, Anna Marie Mitchell, James Loney, and David Ernest Bennett. Nowhere else in on Planet Earth will you experience the organic music magic that happens on that stage.  See you there!

Did you hear who will take the ‪#‎MadRippleHoot‬ stage at Harriet Brewing in about 24 hours from now (9/10, 6:30-9pm)? None other than Minnesota homegrown music greats Martin Zellar, Natalie Lovejoy, Mr. The Belfast Cowboys Terry Walsh, and Kate Lynch (http://www.katelynchmusic.com/home). Hope to see ya there!

BECCA MARX: Hoot Review from Harriet Brewing, July 30, 2015 — The Hoot is like a family, swelling in size as the years go by. Any given hoot, there’ll probably be more musicians offstage than on, visiting with old friends and new. Players become the audience, and audience members often find their way onstage. There’s a real nice full-circle feeling about the Hoot, and cheers to Jim Walsh for creating that energy. An energy that is similar to a family reunion, but only with people that you want to see, and hear from. Read more…

JIM WALSH’S THE MAD RIPPLE HOOTENANNY THIS WEEK: “Born On Fire!” (7/29/15) — Last week at Harriet, Steve McClellan took to the microphone and reminded the drinkers, dancers, and good listeners about the good works that DEMO does, and gigs happening that night after the Hoot, including those by Katy Vernon, James Loney, and Terry Eason, who was celebrating the release of his new CD, “Terminal Leave,” at the Kitty Kat Club, and who returns to the Hoot this Thursday night at Harriet, along with Justin Law, Iris Kolodji, yours truly, and more. Read more…

BECCA MARX: Hoot Review from Harriet Brewing, July 23, 2015 — By all accounts, Thursday evening at the Hoot was HOT, tropical even. The audience members, usually so cool and collected, were sweating as much as those onstage. Even this Finnish woman found it a bit too reminiscent of a sauna. Everyone kept his or her clothes on, though Jim Walsh did at one point suggest visiting a local watering hole, sans wardrobe. For all of the perspiration, the couples in the crowd, and onstage cuddled up close and made it even hotter. Read more…

JIM WALSH’S THE MAD RIPPLE HOOTENANNY THIS WEEK: “The Kismet Of Karl’s Bench (Or How I Met Matthew Beach)” (7/22/15) — Last Saturday I was lucky enough to take in the Amphetamine Reptile showcase Bash 16 at Grumpy’s in downtown Minneapolis, where Gay Witch Abortion, Cowz, Run Westy Run, Hammerhead, the Melvins and more poetically howled across the bar’s parking lot at the specter of the taxpayers-funded zit that is US Bank Stadium. I caught up with old punk rock friends (“these are my people!,” said Dave Paulson, throwing open his arms wide to take in the whole of the black T-shirted throng), including Mary Beth Mueller, widow of Soul Asylum’s Karl Mueller, who was holding down the Kill Kancer booth. Read more…

BECCA MARX: July 23rd Hoot Preview — I’m shaking my head mirthfully while I write this preview because of the fact that one of the Hoot talents lined up for this Thursday was invisible on the worldwide web. I contacted Hoot boss Jim Walsh to inquire if he was testing me, and he replied, “Ha! He’s…I met …” What? Walsh promised that he’d fill me in later…in actuality there are a few question marks that I have in regards to the players this week. So, pull on your boots, and wade into the unknown with me! Read more…

BECCA MARX: Hoot Review from Harriet Brewing, July 16, 2015 — Even before the Hoot happened on Thursday night at Harriet Brewing, I had an idea that it’d be a memorable one. Hoot patriarch Jim Walsh had written a piece about his affection for Hoot veteran Jeaneen Gauthier (Jan), and it occurred to me once more that Walsh doesn’t randomly pick these players. This particular line-up was one that I wasn’t familiar with, but as Walsh himself said, there was a “wealth of talent” onstage, a fact strikingly evident as all the players collaborated on Walsh’s own beauty of a song, “Homebodies (Don’t Be Careful With Your Love).” Read more…

BECCA MARX: July 16th Hoot Preview — A Mad Ripple Hootenanny first: Thursday night’s players are all brand new to me. They’re quite a musically distinguished group, so it reflects more on me, than on them. What an exciting prospect: all new sounds and all new faces. It’ll be fun, never a dull moment at the Hoot! If you’re a fan of the band Swallows, then you’ll recognize the name Jeff Crandall. The dark roots band was formed in 2008, and in 2012, the City Page’s staff honored their album “Witching & Divining” by including it on their “Best Local Albums” list. Read more…

JIM WALSH’S THE MAD RIPPLE HOOTENANNY THIS WEEK (7/15/15) — When I was a cub pop music reporter for the Pioneer Press, my friend Amy Carlson Gustafson turned me on to Jan, the wonderful mid-‘90s Minneapolis-based indie pop group led by Jeaneen Gauthier. The trio’s CD “The Early Year” was one of my favorite records that year – a melodic and rocking glimpse into Jeaneen’s heart and life as an artist – and it remains a late-night go-to to this day. Read more…