Monday, September 7, 2026

Saltydog, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/17/26

Saltydog
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 17th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS555)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + Soundboard > Tascam DR-60D

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

-Thanks as always to Saltydog for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link


https://saltydogband.com

1. Intro
2. ?
3. Barfly
4. Yeehaw
5. ?
6. Karaoke at the VFW
7. Come Home Soon
8. Slipperydog
9. ?
10. ?
11. Done and Done > ? > One Line at a Time
12. ?
13. Reachin
14. Gordon > Nightfish > Farmer Norm
15. ? (Slow Version)
16. ? (Fast Version)
17. ? (ft. Dan Thornby on guitar)
18. ?

Jacob Mahon - Vocals, Guitar
Owen Mahon - Drums, Vocals
Sam Deters - Guitar
Calvin Lund - Bass
Bryan Johnson - Conga/Vocals
Gavin St. Clair- Keyboard

Archive.org / Google Drive


Saltydog is a funk jam Improvisational exploration that takes the audience & band on a journey through their playfully crafted folk driven tunes inspired by the likes of everyone from The Talking Heads, The Band, those classic country and jam band staples along with everyone in between. The band spawned on the banks of Duluth’s ice-covered stones by brothers Jacob and Owen Mahon. This midwestern psychedelic cowboy review features Calvin (Calzone) Lund, Lefty Johnson, Gavin St. Clair, and Sam Deters. The band’s genuine kindness, passion, enthusiasm and joy for their craft is apparent, enchanting & makes for an addictive live performance. Their 2nd album Pepper dropped spring 2024 and the band is set to release their 3rd album in Fall 2025. The band has been known as differently original, very funky, and unpredictable in a delightful, soulful manner. There is something for everyone at a Saltydog show. You are beautiful, you are welcome, you will groove, we will vibe. We are Saltydog.

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Tapers notes: Recording 5 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. I've seen Saltydog quite a few times now, but this might be the best show so far. They were the last band of the night, and I couldn't think of a better way to cap off the day. There are a lot of empty titles in this setlist, I know some of these are new, and quite honestly, I think a lot of these were made up as they went. But, that just added to the loose feeling of the set, and led to some epic jams and incredible musicianship. No two Saltydog shows are the same, and this one right here is the best example of that.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Troubadour, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/17/26

Troubadour
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 17th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS554)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + Soundboard > Tascam DR-60D

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.facebook.com/TroubadourbandMN/

1. Intro
2. Lot of Leavin' Left to Do (Dierks Bentley cover)
3. Workin' Man Blues (Merle Haggard cover)
4. Don't Rock the Jukebox (Alan Jackson cover)
5. Your Man (Josh Turner cover)
6. Past the Point of Rescue (Hal Ketchum cover)
7. Amarillo by Morning (Terry Stafford cover)
8. Hey, Good Lookin' (Hank Williams With His Drifting Cowboys cover)
9. Brand New Man (Brooks & Dunn cover)
10. Drinkin' Problem (Midland cover)
11. Nothin' but the Taillights (Clint Black cover)
12. All About Tonight (Blake Shelton cover)
13. Some Girls Do (Sawyer Brown cover)
14. Fast as You (Dwight Yoakam cover)
15. Country Girl (Shake It for Me) (Luke Bryan cover)
16. Chattahoochee (Alan Jackson cover)
17. Mountain Music (Alabama cover)
18. Friends in Low Places (Dewayne Blackwell cover)
19. Dust on the Bottle (David Lee Murphy cover) > I Like It, I Love It (Tim McGraw cover)
20. Whiskey Glasses (Morgan Wallen cover)
21. Keep Your Hands to Yourself (The Georgia Satellites cover) > A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action (Toby Keith cover) > Keep Your Hands to Yourself (The Georgia Satellites cover)
22. The Joker (Steve Miller Band cover) > Yo Home to Bel-Air (DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince song) > Beverly Hills (Weezer cover) > Here I Go Again (Whitesnake cover) > Angel (Shaggy cover) > The Joker (Steve Miller Band cover)
23. Outro

Romyn Hanks- Vocals, Guitar
Rock Menge- Vocals, Bass
Jesse Schmidt- Drums
Rick Schroeder- Steel Pedal Guitar

Archive.org / Google Drive


Formed in 2010, Troubadour has steadily earned its reputation as one of the Midwest’s premier live country acts. Fusing the spirit of polished classic country with the grit of ‘90s honky-tonk and the edge of modern country sounds, Troubadour delivers an electrifying live experience that keeps dance floors packed and festival crowds coming back for more. The band is anchored by four seasoned musicians who each bring decades of performance experience and authentic country soul to the stage: Romyn Hanks – Lead guitar and vocals, Rick Schroeder – Steel guitar, guitar, and vocals, Rock Menge – Bass guitar and vocals, and Jesse Schmidt – Drums and vocals These four artists aren’t just bandmates—they’re road warriors who’ve lived the country music life from the inside out. From dusty dancehalls and roadside honky-tonks to county fairs and packed festival grounds, Troubadour has traveled the highways of America, making memories with every crowd and leaving a trail of high-energy shows behind them. Whether you’re two-stepping under the stars or raising a longneck in your hometown bar, Troubadour’s blend of tight harmonies, powerful musicianship, and undeniable stage presence makes every show feel like Saturday night at its best. Their sound pays homage to country legends while forging a path all their own—a true reflection of the genre’s past, present, and future.

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Tapers notes: Recording 4 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. I wasn't familiar with this band, and the type of music they covered was definitely out of my wheelhouse. But, the lead singer has a fantastic voice, making most of these songs worth listening to. The new "bro country" stuff does nothing for me, but on the 80's/90's country, I dug it for the most part. Also a few classic country numbers thrown in for purists like me, ha. Overall a good set, the band was fantastic, and sound here is great.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Saturday, August 29, 2026

The Forefeathers, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/17/26

The Forefeathers
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 17th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS553)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + Soundboard > Tascam DR-60D

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.facebook.com/Forefeathers/

1. Intro
2. Redwood
3. It Won't Be Long
4. Miigwanag
5. Dark Curtain
6. Morning Day Night > Bird Song (Jerry Garcia cover)
7. Original People
8. Revitalize
9. Outro

Matt Johnson- Vocals, Guitar
Seth Holden- Drums
Brant Niemi- Bass
Keith Thornby- Keyboard, Saxophone


Archive.org / Google Drive


Hailing from Fargo, North Dakota, The Forefeathers bring a vibrant blend of jam band sensibilities, rock roots, Americana storytelling, and psychedelic soundscapes. Formed by three former members of The Human Element- Matt Johnson (guitar/vocals), Seth Holden (drums/vocals), and Brant Niemi (bass)- who joined forces with Keith Thornby (sax/keys) to blend their talents, influences, and love for this style of music. Each member has gained diverse musical backgrounds from playing in locally acclaimed bands throughout the Midwest, including OFOSHO, Sovereign Sect, Hiahli, WBPN, and Hardwood Groove.

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Tapers notes: Recording 3 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. I wasn't familar with this band, but I knew of Keith Thornby from another band (Hardwood Groove) he played with at Muskie Days a few years back. Keith has a distinctive sound, and he brought it here with The ForeFeathers, making this set a lot of fun. As with all the Muskie Days recordings this year, sound here is excellent, and are a lot of fun to work on.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Darren Quam, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/17/26

Darren Quam
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 17th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS552)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + Soundboard > Tascam DR-60D

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.darrenquam.com

1. Intro
2. Do What You Like
3. Open Up Your Eyes
4. Two Peas in a Pod
5. Distractions and Lies
6. Not So Bad
7. Back on Top
8. A Friend
9. Daydreaming
10. Why
11. Something About the Nighttime
12. Windswept Land
13. Outro

Darren Quam- Vocals, Guitar
Dave ?- Keyboard
Moises Luna- Bass
Steve ?- Drums

Archive.org / Google Drive


Darren Quam is a singer-songwriter from Battle Lake, Minnesota. His music is a unique blend of blues, rock, and folk, drawing influence from some of the greatest blues and rock & roll musicians of all time. Darren covers music from Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Mississippi John Hurt, and many more. His original songs tell stories of his travels around the world, as well as his own experiences living in the small town of Battle Lake. Darren got his start with the band Confusion which performed in the lakes area for over a decade. Darren is an accomplished musician and storyteller, and his music will take you on an unforgettable journey.

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Tapers notes: Recording 2 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Monday, August 24, 2026

Annie Humphrey, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/17/26

Annie Humphrey
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 17th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS551)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + Soundboard > Tascam DR-60D

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.anniehumphreymusic.com/

1. Intro
2. Like a Rock (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band cover)
3. Days Go By
4. ?
5. ?
6. Is It Okay
7. Lullabye (Concrete Blonde cover)
8. Falling Down and Falling Apart (Jim Boyd and Sherman Alexie cover)
9. ?
10. The Helpers Song
11. Outro

Archive.org / Google Drive


Annie Humphrey lives an inconvenient life. She lives a very rich life. With no running water and animals to care for, clothing and dishes to wash. She is preoccupied with rain and water conservation. Annie is a visual artist, a grandmother, a mother, a wife, and a carpenter. She writes songs as they come in between life moments. As long as the songs keep coming, she will raise her voice.

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Tapers notes: Recording 1 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. After missing Muskie Days the last 2 years, it was nice to get back up there this year. The music lineup was fantastic, some old favorites and some new artists made it a fun weekend. Kicking off the festival was Annie Humphrey, who is a storyteller musician, and I really enjoyed her set. Thanks to the guys at 218 Productions for being so accomodating in terms of getting sound from them, it definitely makes for a better experience.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Monroe Crossing, Live at Lions Park, Lindstrom, MN- 7/15/26

Monroe Crossing
Lions Park
Lindstrom, MN
July 15th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS550)

Lineage: LyxPro SDPC-2 mics > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float)

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

-Thanks as always to Monroe Crossing for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.monroecrossing.com

1. Intro
2. Hard Hearted (Jim and Jesse cover)
3. Oh Lonesome Me (Don Gibson cover)
4. Ground Speed (Earl Scruggs cover)
5. Fraulein (Bobby Helms cover)
6. Hammock Dog
7. Frog
8. Hard Life (Derek Johnson cover)
9. Go Gently, Safely O'er
10. Yukon
11. Ballad of the 1st Minnesota Volunteers (Derek Johnson cover)
12. The Preamble (Schoolhouse Rock cover)
13. This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie cover)
14. I'm a Believer (Neil Diamond cover)
15. Bad Day in Akron (Don Rigsby cover)
16. Hobos in the Roundhouse (Bill Isles cover)
17. The Old Home Place (The Dillards cover)
18. Blue Virginia Blues (Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers cover)
19. Into the Fire
20. Micah 6:8
21. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan cover)
22. Orange Blossom Special (Rouse Brothers cover)

Matt Thompson- Vocals, Mandolin
Lisa Fuglie- Vocals, Fiddle
Mark Anderson- Bass
Derek Johnson- Vocals, Guitar
Jake Ashworth- Banjo


Archive.org / Google Drive


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Tapers notes: The week of this concert there were a ton of wildfires on the North Shore of Minnesota, so a lot of the smoke had blown down to the cities. The AQI at the time of this show was somewhere in the 150 range, so not great. You can hear the band reference this throughout the show, and they played 1 set straight through instead of 2 in order to end the show earlier. Besides the air quality, the concert was great, they played some songs I hadn't heard them play before, so that was cool. Sound here is good, no obvious flaws.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Monday, August 10, 2026

Josie Sanken, Live at Hector City Park, Hector, MN- 7/11/26

Josie Sanken
Hector City Park
Hector, MN
July 11th, 2026


This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS549)

Lineage: Zoom H4Essential Internals

-Feel free to remaster, share freely anywhere else, or convert to MP3. Please don't sell it or profit from it in any way. If you enjoy this show, support the artist by buying/streaming their music, attending a show or buying merch.

-Thanks as always to Josie for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link


https://www.facebook.com/JSANKENMUSIC/

Set 1


1. I Will Wait (Mumford & Sons cover)
2. Stuck Like Glue (Sugarland cover)
3. Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver cover)
4. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
5. Automatic (Miranda Lambert cover)
6. Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) (The Judds cover)
7. Royals (Lorde cover)
8. Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N’ Roses cover)
9. Ring of Fire (Merle Kilgore cover)
10. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2 cover)
11. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
12. Jolene (Dolly Parton cover)
13. Stand by Me (Ben E. King cover)
14. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac cover)
15. When You Say Nothing at All (Paul Overstreet cover)
16. Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
17. Tennessee Whiskey (David Allan Coe cover)
18. My Jesus (Anne Wilson cover)
19. Rose Garden (Joe South cover)
20. No One Else on Earth (Wynonna Judd cover)
21. Don't Stop Believin' (Journey cover)


Set 2


1. Drift Away (Mentor Williams cover)
2. When the Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams cover)
3. Left It In The River (Jamie MacDonald cover)
4. Harper Valley P.T.A. (Tom T. Hall cover)
5. We Danced Anyway (Deana Carter cover)
6. Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
7. Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover)
8. Parachute (Chris Stapleton cover)
9. Someone Like You (Adele cover)
10. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan cover)

Archive.org / Google Drive


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Tapers notes: Audio quality on this one is not great unfortunately. The first set recorded fine through the SBD, but for whatever reason, during the switch to set 2, something happened and I got none of Josie's vocals. The same thing was present at the following show as well, so I'm not sure what happened, but hopefully next show I see Josie I can figure it out. That said, the audio here is from the internal mics of my recorder from behind/left of Josie's speaker. I set it there to get a bit of crowd ambiance to mix with the SBD recording, but obviously that didn't happen here. It's listenable, but nowhere near the usual quality I can get from Josie's shows.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam
I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"