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Words by: Ross Blanshan | Images by: Deb Amadeck
The Big Wu :: 12.31.08 :: Trocaderos :: Minneapolis, MN
 The Big Wu :: 12.31 :: Minneapolis |
New Year's Eve is always a good night for a party, but Wu Year's Eve is a night to party for a good cause. In years past, The Big Wu has hosted NYE events with food and clothing drives for various local charities, and this year was just as special. Vega Productions collaborated with MJG
Productions to organize an instrument drive to benefit Anthony
Middle School in Minneapolis, and Schmitt Music made all ten of their
Minnesota locations Vega donation sites for the weeks leading up to the event, where generous and enthusiastic fans brought trumpets, trombones, saxophones,
an upright piano and even a drum kit! The goal was to raise $10,000 in donations for the children of Anthony Middle School, and that was blown away with a total of over $15,000 worth of instruments! The Vega Boardroom was filled to capacity with those who made donations, and they were treated to exclusive sets by Dean Magraw and The Feelin' with Chris Castino.
Once I got through the ticketing line, I looked back to see that it was stretched halfway around the block and it didn't wind down until after midnight. They helped to make up an essentially sold-out crowd of over 1400 people. Absolute Gruv was on the main stage as I got in, laying it down with some surprisingly tight original jams. I was rather impressed with the drummer in particular, and I hope to see these guys around more in 2009. I ventured upstairs to check out The Boardroom, and found Chris Castino picking along to a very soulful ballad by Nick Mrozinsky (The Feelin'). I found myself getting drawn in to Mrozinsky's voice and way with words while Castino's smooth guitar work was a nice little preview of things to come. Once they finished up I headed back downstairs where Hyentyte was putting on a raucous show on the main stage. There were dueling guitars on a "Reelin' In The Years" jam, and they closed with a couple of genuinely fun originals. I made my way back upstairs just in time to catch Dean Magraw doing a solo acoustic version of "Amazing Grace." I thought back to The
Big Wu's benefit shows for Dean a few years ago and it occurred to me just how much "Amazing Grace" really is a terrific way to describe Dean. He's so remarkable and elegant in everything he does, and he always has that ability to just blow your mind musically. And as if he were remarking on how great it is to be alive, he jumped into a fun version of "I'm A Believer" before ending his acoustic set.
 The Big Wu :: 12.31 :: Minneapolis |
By then it was time to get a little rowdy, so I grabbed a cocktail and found myself some space on the floor for God Johnson. They only had an hour to play, so the set was short but sweet. Not wasting any time, they kicked off with a tight "Squirms," which turned into a rather aggressive jam. A rock solid version of "The Wrath" followed featuring some cool synth work by Scott Roerick and a hot bass jam by Jimmy Rogers. In "Life During Wartime" it was obvious that they were all having a ton of fun with Jason Fladager soloing in some crazy shades and things got really funky. It was nice to see them really into it after a year in which they retired from their regular Wednesday Night Rock Show at the Cabooze and played fewer stops on the Midwest festival circuit. Timmy
Carrow had a sweet piano solo in "Pace," and Fladager tossed in some "Auld Lang Syne" teases during what turned into a killer jam. Then, Roerick got up to sing a version of "Have A Cigar" that could only be described as downright sensual. They finished off in classic God Johnson fashion with a huge funk jam in "Electric Shoes." It dropped right off the face of the Earth and then Rogers and Carrow traded licks and really worked the groove together as they brought it to a peak before bringing us gently back to Earth. Listen to the show on Archive.org
The traditional countdown to midnight was handled by Padre Pienbique, Wu bassist Andy Miller's alter ego. After a year that saw only five Big Wu shows, one of them as a four-piece, it felt like everyone in attendance was excited to get onto 2009. Everyone got their midnight kiss with opening crowd favorite "Two Person Chair." This one came out of an abstract sort of tuning jam like a hound coming out of the mists and fog in Old Ireland. From there they jumped into a spirited "Rhode Island Red" that roared on with some solid harmonies. It felt as though they were starting to settle down a little bit and find their comfort zone as they thanked the crowd for their generous donations when Miller gave a "HYEAAHHH!!!!" and we all responded in kind.
 The Big Wu :: 12.31 :: Minneapolis |
Things really sounded strong as drummer Terry Van De Walker gave us a "Kick In The Head." They nailed all of their changes, and then a sweet segue into "The Wheel." Keyboardist Al Oikari really worked his lap steel in this jam, and somehow it evolved into "Pinnacle." This is one of the songs that got me hooked on The Big Wu so many years ago, and the twin guitars in the jam really sounded great as they built to a triumphant peak. They followed that up with a dark "Dog's Dead" that got a little greasy when Oikari started up with the lap steel again. After this, they brought back Vinnie Hyentyte to join Dean Magraw for a whopping four-guitar "Southern Energy." That soaring guitar line sounded oh so sweet and the jam had such amazing intensity that I half expected people to be stepping on each others' toes musically with that many guitarists onstage, but the only sign of difficulty came in not wanting it to end.
When it finally drew down, Miller gave us a great big toast to 2009 and then they brought keyboardist Timmy Carrow from God Johnson out for an awesome jam on "Loving Cup." It started out soft and mellow then quickly took on a bit of a country feel as Oikari went back to sliding around on his lap steel. "Red Sky" was most definitely one of the highlights of the evening with colored spinning lights shattering over the crowd as the boys traded thunder between them. It was like they were painting in layers the way this one built leading up to the jam.
And then came the weirdness, courtesy once again of Andy Miller. Castino and Fladager stepped aside for a moment and Padre got into his effects for a colossal duet with Van De Walker on the drums. Hunter S. Thompson once said, "When the going gets weird, the
weird turn pro." And things certainly got weird, as we heard a rare vocal jam that morphed into "Minnesota Moon." This one was tight with a bouncing bass groove and a crowd sing-along. It really struck me how great it is to be surrounded by so many dear old friends that I've met through this music. The biggest surprise of the evening hit us next when instead of taking an encore break they broke out Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold." It seemed that there were some PA issues as they finished this one up and tried
to go into "Jazz 88." Time was getting short but they still managed to squeeze in a nice high energy jazz funk jam.
But then in the classic style of a rock band that just doesn't want to quit, they segued right into Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone." Van De Walker got a little wild singing this one, and they really rocked it out right up until the house lights came on and they had to stop. They gave everything they could for every minute that they could and still wanted to play more. But that's all there was and we were ushered out into the night and onto further adventures.
The Big Wu :: 12.31.08 :: Trocaderos :: Minneapolis, MN
Two Person Chair, Rhode Island Red, Kick In The Head, The Wheel, Pinnacle, Dog's Dead, Southern Energy, Cheers, Loving Cup, Red Sky, Minnesota Moon, Heart Of Gold, Jazz 88, Like A Rolling Stone
Listen to the show on Archive.org
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