The Gestures, The Trashmen, The Del Counts at Electric Fetus, Minneapolis (11 Nov 2015)
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Setlist
An all-star lineup of some of the most successful and accomplished rock ‘n’ roll musicians in Twin Cities history will join Rick Shefchik as he introduces his new book, “Everybody’s Heard About the Bird: The True Story of 1960s Rock ‘n’ Roll in Minnesota,” at the Electric Fetus on Wednesday, November 11, at 7 p.m.
Rick will host a discussion and jam session with Tony Andreason of the Trashmen (“Surfin Bird”), Dale Menten and Tom Klugherz of the Gestures (“Run, Run, Run”), Jim Johnson and Doni Larson of the Underbeats and Gypsy (“Footstompin’,” “Gypsy Queen”), Jim Donna of the Castaways (“Liar, Liar”), Larry Wiegand of the Rave-Ons, South 40 and Crow (“Evil Woman”), Phil Berdahl of the Stillroven, Ron Butwin of the Escapades and Mike Waggoner of the Bops. Afterwards, Rick and the musicians will sign copies of the book.
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Rick Shefchik
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The celebratory event was held at the Electric Fetus record store in Minneapolis last week, promoting of Everybody’s Heard about the Bird: The True Story of 1960s Rock ‘n’ Roll in Minnesota by local author and longtime newspaper man, Rick Shefchik, and featured all-out party music from the likes of The Gestures, The Trashmen, and The Del Counts to an overflowing crowd.
The book itself is a behind-the-scenes, up-close-and-personal account, relating how a handful of Minnesota rock bands erupted out of a small Midwest market and made it big. From Augie Garcia and Bobby Vee to The Trashmen and The Castaways, Everybody’s Heard about the Bird reveals how this monumental era of Minnesota rock music in the 1960s evolved.
Author Shefchik both MC’d the event as well as signed books (along with all the musicians present) and all 150 copies brought, disappeared to eager buyers, within minutes.
The first set of music was from Mankato’s The Gestures, who ended up acting as the “house band” and were inducted into the Minnesota Rock & Country Hall of Fame, in 2008. Contemporaries of The Beatles, the band opened their short set with the Fab Four’s ‘Things We Said Today’. Arnie Marshall took the lead for The Shirelles’ Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ (co-penned by Carole King)
After a Gerry and the Pacemakers cover, the band ended their short set with their own ‘Don’t Mess Around’ and national charting hit, ‘Run, Run, Run’.
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Trashmen
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Members Tony Andreason and original bassist Bob Reed of the legendary Trashmen were coaxed on stage next, for a two-song hit parade of Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis songs, though unfortunately did not play the song the book was named after.
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Del Counts
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After a short break, the Gestures returned with Del Counts guitarist Steve Miller to blaze through Chuck Berry’s ‘Let It Rock’ and a cover of ‘Let the Good Times Roll’ which the Del Counts had also recorded as a 45 for Soma Records back in the day.
The Gestures closed the evening with a slower Gene Pitney cover, then decided to rev things back up with Chuck Berry’s ‘Nadine’, to end the event on more of an exclamation point, to a mostly older but all very appreciative crowd.
Sound+Vision
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Rick Shefchik continues his area book tour for Everybody’s Heard about the Bird: The True Story of 1960s Rock ‘n’ Roll in Minnesota, with his next appearance being THIS Saturday in Woodbury, at the Sound+Vision MN Pop Culture Collectibles Show.
Additional details at soundvisionmn.webs.com.
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The Gestures at Electric Fetus, Minneapolis (11 Nov 2015) |