Josie Sanken, Live at McLeod County Fairgrounds, Hutchinson, MN- 8/22/26

Josie Sanken
McLeod County Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, MN
Aug. 22nd, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS580)

Lineage: SBD > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + 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. Jolene (Dolly Parton cover)
2. Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver cover)
3. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
4. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
5. Ring of Fire (Merle Kilgore cover)
6. Tennessee Whiskey (David Allan Coe cover)
7. Royals (Lorde cover)
8. Rose Garden (Joe South cover)
9. God I'm Just Grateful (Elevation Worship cover)
10. Stand by Me (Ben E. King cover)
11. Beautiful Things (Benson Boone cover)
12. No One Else on Earth (Wynonna Judd cover)
13. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2 cover)
14. Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N’ Roses cover)
15. Automatic (Miranda Lambert cover)
16. Harper Valley P.T.A. (Tom T. Hall cover)
17. What's Up? (4 Non Blondes cover)
18. Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
19. County Fair
20. Desperate (Wo)Man (Eric Church cover)

Set 2

1. Intro
2. Parachute (Chris Stapleton cover)
3. Drift Away (Mentor Williams cover)
4. Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
5. Heads Carolina, Tails California (Jo Dee Messina cover)
6. Some Days You Gotta Dance (The Ranch cover)
7. Left It In The River (Jamie MacDonald cover)
8. When the Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams cover)
9. Don't Stop Believin' (Journey cover)
10. Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) (The Judds cover)
11. When You Say Nothing at All (Paul Overstreet cover)
12. Stuck Like Glue (Sugarland cover)
13. Where the Green Grass Grows (Tim McGraw cover)
14. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
15. We Danced Anyway (Deana Carter cover)
16. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan cover)

Archive.org / Google Drive

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Tapers notes: I always look forward to this show every year, it's one of Josie's biggest shows and she always throws in one of her originals (County Fair). This was a really windy day, so there's a bit of wind noise at points, but I was able to minimize most of it. Otherwise, an excellent recording and an excellent setlist.

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

Erik Koskinen, Live at Gardens of Castle Rock, Northfield, MN- 8/19/26

Erik Koskinen
Gardens of Castle Rock
Northfield, MN
Aug. 19th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS579)

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 Erik for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link

https://www.erikkoskinen.com

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Devil's Blues
3. Long Drive
4. Pocket Full of Money
5. Treat Me So Bad
6. Red Dress Girl
7. Pony to Ride
8. Learning the Hard Way
9. I Got You (To Get Me Through)
10. Big Plane
11. Free Money
12. Cruising Paradise the Long Way Around

Set 2

1. Will You Feel My Love
2. Ordinary Fool
3. I Like to Be Used
4. The Good Times Are Really Gone
5. Hello From the Family
6. Six Pack of Beer and a Pack of Cigarettes
7. Broke Down
8. When the Money Rolls In
9. Both of Me
10. This Is Hip (John Lee Hooker cover)
11. I Love You Maybe

Erik Koskinen- Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Josh Gravelin- Bass Guitar
Richard Medek- Drums
Kora Melia- Fiddle

Archive.org / Google Drive

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Tapers notes: None.

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

Erik Koskinen & Nieves del Norte, Live at Como Pavilion, St. Paul, MN- 8/15/26

Erik Koskinen & Nieves del Norte
Como Lakeside Pavilion
St. Paul, MN
Aug. 15th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS578)

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 Erik for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link

https://www.erikkoskinen.com
https://www.facebook.com/p/Nieves-del-Norte-100004019413988/

1. Intro
2. Streets of Bakersfield (Homer Joy cover)
3. Cielo azul, cielo nublado (Los Cadetes de Linares cover)
4. ?
5. ?
6. I Love You Maybe
7. ?
8. Baila esta cumbia (Selena cover)
9. The Good Times Are Really Gone
10. ?
11. Outro

Erik Koskinen- Vocals, Electric Guitar
Noah Nieves- Bajo Quinto Guitar, Accordion
Rogelio Nieves Jr.- Accordion, Vocals
Ulises Olvera- Bass Ukulele
Jorge Servin- Drums
Jerónimo González- Jarana Jarocha

Archive.org / Google Drive

Erik Koskinen- An American singer-songwriter, producer, and champion of roots music whose songwriting speaks as plainly as your neighbor.

Nieves del Norte- A father-and-son acoustic duo delivering traditional Mexican regional Norteño music, blending the accordion and the bajo quinto guitar.

This collaboration is more than a one time set, it is a celebration of transition and creative survival. By mixing Koskinen’s gritty, honest songwriting with the evocative, genre-fluid styling of Nieves del Norte, the duo constructs a brilliant blueprint for where guitar music is heading next. Proudly representing the community of St. Peter MN.

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Tapers notes: Part of Lakeside Guitar Festival 2026. This was a really cool collaboration, and according to Erik, the first time they had played together in a public setting. You would never know by listening to this, they sound as if they had been playing together for years. There were a few songs I was able to track down based on translating the lyrics, but unfortunately there were still a few I couldn't figure out. If anyone recognizes them, feel free to let me know, I'd love to fill in those gaps. The intro and outro had some technical issues, Molly Maher (MC) was using a wireless mic and I think that caused some drops out, but during the set I didn't notice anything.

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

Josie Sanken, Live at Main Street Sports Bar, Hutchinson, MN- 8/13/26

Josie Sanken
Main Street Sports Bar
Hutchinson, MN
Aug. 13th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS577)

Lineage: SBD > Zoom H4Essential (32-Bit Float) + 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. Intro
2. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
3. Stand by Me (Ben E. King cover)
4. Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) (The Judds cover)
5. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
6. Tennessee Whiskey (David Allan Coe cover)
7. Ring of Fire (Merle Kilgore cover)
8. A Million Dreams (Pasek and Paul cover)
9. Rose Garden (Joe South cover)
10. When You Say Nothing at All (Paul Overstreet cover)
11. Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
12. Royals (Lorde cover)
13. No One Else on Earth (Wynonna Judd cover)
14. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2 cover)
15. Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover)
16. What's Up? (4 Non Blondes cover)
17. Automatic (Miranda Lambert cover)
18. Zombie (The Cranberries cover)
19. Blue (LeAnn Rimes cover)
20. God I'm Just Grateful (Elevation Worship cover)
21. Don't Stop Believin' (Journey cover)

Set 2

1. Drift Away (Mentor Williams cover)
2. Parachute (Chris Stapleton cover)
3. Harper Valley P.T.A. (Tom T. Hall cover)
4. Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
5. We Danced Anyway (Deana Carter cover)
6. When the Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams cover)
7. Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N’ Roses cover)
8. Strawberry Wine (Deana Carter cover)
9. Georgia (on My Mind) (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra cover)
10. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? (Shania Twain cover)
11. Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
12. Maybe It Was Memphis (Pam Tillis cover)
13. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan cover)

Archive.org / Google Drive

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Tapers notes: A little distortion on Josie's guitar towards the end of Set 1, it got worse as the set went on. It was a dying battery issue in her guitar, by the start of Set 2 it was fixed.

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

Feed the Dog, Live at The Potters Shed, Shell Lake, WI- 8/7/26

Feed the Dog
The Potters Shed
Shell Lake, WI
Aug. 7th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS575/576)

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 to Feed the Dog for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link

Maygen & The Birdwatcher

https://www.maygenandthebirdwatcher.com

1. Intro
2. Tokin' on the Holy Ghost
3. Feel Good
4. Dominé
5. Jigsaw
6. Jericho
7. Emmylou (First Aid Kit cover)
8. Hat Man Blues
9. Full Moons
10. Right Where You Belong
11. Elizabeth
12. He Ain't Me
13. Trucker Speed (Fred Eaglesmith cover)
14. Gunflint Lake
15. Rhododendron
16. Millie Moon

Maygen Lacey- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Shakers, Tambourine, Kazoo
Noah Neumann- Vocals, Electric Guitar
Joe Barron- Bass
Jesse Moravec- Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals
Peter Anderson- Drums

Archive.org / Google Drive

Maygen & The Birdwatcher weave a rich tapestry of Americana, blending folk and country with an eclectic twist. Lead singer-songwriters Maygen Lacey and Noah Neumann began as a duo and quickly realized their sonic vision needed more. At the heart of their sound is a collective of talented musicians. Multi-instrumentalist Nik Pellinen adds depth with his banjo, lap steel, electric guitar, and harmonies while Jesse Moravec brings a vibrant touch with mandolin and harmonies and Evin Haukos soars on fiddle. Bassist Joe Barron and drummer-percussionist Peter Anderson round out the ensemble, crafting a fresh take on bluegrass-infused folk. It’s a hyphenated hybrid that can come only from a seasoned—and tightly knit—band.

Feed the Dog

https://feedthedogband.com

1. Intro
2. ?
3. The Stage
4. Mooshoo's Monk > ? > I Know You Rider (Trad.)
5. Demise of Bill Nye
6. Salmon Man
7. Honky Tonkin Rib Mountain Shakedown
8. Road Kill
9. Space Odyssey
10. Buffalo

Tim McIlree- Vocals, Fiddle
Nick Spielman- Bass, Vocals
Erik Juvonen- Drums
Jon Miller- Acoustic Guitar

Archive.org / Google Drive

Feed the Dog is an eclectic and action-packed, experimental jam-grass act. The midwest based 4-piece masterfully blends soul-pleasing songwriting rich in imagery and storytelling with a genre bending, shake-your-hips, instrumental flair. Their high energy performances are driven by the unique and progressive approach of each player: imaginative melodies with graceful ambiance skillfully crafted on the violin, tireless beats both dynamic and soulful confidently assembled on the drums, driving low end with finesse and intention forged on the bass guitar, and unique approach to playing the acoustic guitar blending fast picking bluegrass runs with the strength of blues and rock to evoke an emotional contrast between melancholy and hopeful.

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Tapers notes: First time seeing Maygen & The Birdwatcher, although I had definitely heard of them. They put on a great show, definitely a good match to open for Feed the Dog, who were excellent as always. The recording turned out great, no real flaws. The intro to Feed the Dog's set included a short speech about Jack White, who ran sound at Potters Shed for many years, and helped me out anytime I needed it in previous years. He had passed away the day before the show, so some heavy hearts that night.

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

Bloodline, Live at Staring Lake Amphitheater, Eden Prairie, MN- 8/6/26

Bloodline
Staring Lake Amphitheater
Eden Prairie, MN
Aug. 6th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS574)

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

-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 to Bloodline for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link

https://bloodline.one

1. Intro
2. Pretty Things (Julia Wheaton song)
3. Man I Need (Olivia Dean cover)
4. How It Ends (Julia Wheaton song)
5. Kiss (Prince cover)
6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen cover)
7. Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield cover)
8. Party in the U.S.A. (Miley Cyrus cover)
9. Houdini (Dua Lipa cover)
10. Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover)
11. Again (Julia Wheaton song)
12. The World Is Sleeping (Julia Wheaton song)
13. Peace of Mind (Julia Wheaton song)
14. Valentine Shmalentine (SOAK cover)
15. Lose Control (Teddy Swims cover)
16. From Me
17. Shake It Off (Taylor Swift cover)
18. Sky (Julia Wheaton song)
19. Cruel
20. Switch
21. Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson cover)
22. Mr. Brightside (The Killers cover)
23. Purple Rain (Prince cover)
24. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover) (Julia acapella, first verse and chorus only)

Julia Wheaton- Vocals
Eliza Wheaton- Vocals
Lukaz Wheaton- Keyboards
Daniel Wahlstrom- Drums
Daniel DeFoe- Electric Guitar
Michael Mooridian- Bass Guitar

Archive.org / Google Drive

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Tapers notes: Great recording here, it's always fun seeing Julia and the band whether it's a Julia show or Bloodline show. The SBD portion was sent to me by Lukaz, which is much appreciated. Part of the intro and all of the last track are AUD only, I'm guessing he had stopped the recording after Purple Rain because the last song was not planned, but it was a pretty cool moment that still sounds great without the SBD mix.

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

Becky & The 48's, Live at Rec Park, Milaca, MN- 7/24/26 (Late Set)

Becky & The 48's (Late Set)
Rec Park
Milaca, MN
July 24th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS573)

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.beckyschlegel.com
https://thehigh48s.com

1. Intro
2. Gone Like the Wind
3. Colorado Line
4. Mama Tried (Merle Haggard cover)
5. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard cover)
6. Rewriting My Memories
7. Bluegrass Pickin' Man
8. Act Naturally (Johnny Russell cover)
9. Sad Songs on the Radio
10. Little Bird of Heaven (Martha Scanlan cover)
11. California (The Minor Planets cover)
12. Not Coming Home
13. Ole Slew-Foot (Johnny Horton cover)
14. Red Leaf
15. Cheyenne
16. Outro

Becky Schlegel- Vocals, Guitar
Clint Birtzer- Guitar, Vocals
Anthony Ihrig- Banjo
Eric Christopher- Mandolin, Fiddle
Rich Casey- Bass

Archive.org / Google Drive

The High 48s team-up with acclaimed Minnesota singer and songwriter Becky Schlegel, combining their high-energy modern bluegrass sound with Schlegel’s soulful singing and her sophisticated take on three-chords-and-the-truth country songwriting.

“We were Becky fans long before we started the band, but it took us a few years to work up the courage to ask if she had any songs for us,” said the 48s’ fiddler and mandolinist, Eric Christopher. And as it turned out, she did have some songs. Lots of them. The 48s recorded Becky Schlegel’s “Baltimore and Ohio,” which she penned with Nashville songwriter Craig Market, for their 2014 release Great Northern Railroad, and “Christmas Every Day” for 2016’s Holidays with the High 48s.

But each time they picked a song for the record, there were many more gems left on the cutting room floor — not enough room on the album. According to Christopher, “That was our first inkling that there might be more to this collaboration than borrowing a song every couple of years.” So, in the summer of 2023, Becky and the 48s released “Laramie,” their first collaborative single. “Laramie,” a Becky Schlegel original, tells a story of lost love set against the windswept plains of eastern Wyoming. It features Becky on guitar and lead vocals and the multi-talented Kenny Wilson on pedal steel guitar.

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Tapers notes: Recording 9 of 9 from Recfest 2026. This closes out RecFest 2026 for me, I did not come back for Sunday. I would have liked to, but I was pretty burnt out due to the previous weekend of shows, and thankfully most of the bands I was interested in played on Saturday, so it worked out ok. Becky Schlegel has become of my favorites...I had seen her in previous years, but really became a super fan of her in 2026, and consider her a friend at this point. It's always a bonus when musicians you admire end up being really good people as well, as is the case with Becky. Looking forward to seeing her at Douglas Saloon again for her winter residency, those shows are always a fun time.

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