Steve Solkela, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/18/26

Steve Solkela
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 18th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS560)

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/SteveSolkela/

1. Intro
2. ?
3. Hotdish
4. I've Been Everywhere (Geoff Mack cover)
5. Lonely One Man Band
6. I'm From MN (The State Nobody Notices)
7. She Broke My Heart in Four Places
8. Citation Frustration
9. Hay Cows
10. Old MacDonald Had a Farm (Trad.)
11. Brian Lindula Song
12. By a Spoke
13. Just What I Needed (The Cars cover)
14. Synonyms
15. Auctioneer Song - HuutoKauppa Laulu
16. ?
17. Up on Da Range
18. If Heaven Don't Have Saunas
19. Short Term Memory Loss Song

Joe Anderson- Saxophone (tr. 8-17)

Archive.org / Google Drive

A funny Finn from Palo, Minnesota, no stranger to the stage. Steve can often be seen playing accordion on a unicycle, stilts, or traveling the country/world with his 24 piece "Overpopulated" One-Man Band. A comedian, musician, stuntman, entertainer to the core! Guaranteed to WOW any audience. Get ready to laugh! He’ll also be joining the Muskie Days parade.

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Tapers notes: Recording 10 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. This was definitely the most unique set of Muskie Days, Steve is literally a "one man band". He plays an assortment of instruments, some of them made up of random objects, but somehow he pulls it all together and makes it works perfectly. He is joined here for about half of the set by Joe Anderson, who is part of a band Steve is involved in, so not exclusively a one man band this day.

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

Buffalo River Drum and Dance, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/18/26

Buffalo River Drum and Dance
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 18th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS559)

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.

More pictures here: Link

1. Dance Demonstration

Archive.org / Google Drive

Local Minnesota Chippewa Drum and Dancers

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Tapers notes: Recording 9 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"

Pink Marlena, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/18/26

Pink Marlena
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 18th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS558)

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://pinkmarlena.bandcamp.com

1. Intro
2. ?
3. Custody Battle
4. ?
5. Outro

Pink Marlena - Saxophone
Ian Hopp- Drums
Emanuel Eisele- Bass

Archive.org / Google Drive

Makwawigwamikwe Marlena Boedigheimer was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota and is a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She began playing the tenor saxophone at age 14. Marlena is primarily focused on making music that embodies concepts of Indigenous Futurism through what many would recognize as “free jazz”. Her projects center around the use of the Ojibwe language, Anishinaabemowin, as well as stories from her relatives and ancestors, aiming to raise awareness of the history of her people and the contemporary Ojibwe world. She has performed and recorded with Mato Wayuhi, The Tewa, and other contemporary Indigenous artists across a variety of genre.

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Tapers notes: Recording 8 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. Now we come to my favorite set of the weekend, and one of my favorite discoveries in a long time. I had never heard the name Pink Marlena before Muskie Days, but when I saw her bio on the Muskie Days website, I had a feeling I would love this set. Part funk, part jazz, part jam band...this band doesn't really fit in to any genre, but somehow makes it work perfectly. Their first song I wasn't quite sure if it was one long improvisation, or multiple songs woven, but whatever it was it made for an incredible ride.

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

The Lindula Brothers, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/18/26

The Lindula Brothers
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 18th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS557)

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.lindulabrothers.com

1. Intro
2. Country Blues (Doc Watson cover)
3. Not Today
4. The Iron Range Rhapsody (Steve Solkela cover)
5. Over the Red Cedar (Charlie Parr cover)
6. Already Dancing
7. Rocky Top (Felice & Boudleaux Bryant cover)
8. Paradise (John Prine cover)
9. No Whiskey Shots
10. Scarlet Begonias (Grateful Dead cover) > I Know You Rider (Trad.)
11. Union Maid (Woody Guthrie cover)
12. Good Old Fashioned Protest Song
13. Juomaripoika- The Drinkin' Man (Trad.)
14. The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond (Trad.)
15. Cripple Creek (Trad.)
16. Gentle on My Mind (John Hartford cover)
17. I'm on My Way to the Old Home (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys cover)
18. The Darkness and the Light (Trampled by Turtles cover)
19. Walkin' Down the Road
20. Adrian
21. Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock cover)
22. Movin' On
23. Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (Bob Dylan cover)
24. Outro

Brian Lindula- Vocals, Banjo
John Lindula- Vocals, Guitar

Archive.org / Google Drive

The Lindula Brothers are John and Brian Lindula, a Folk and Bluegrass music duo hailing from Taconite Country. John is the lead vocalist and plays both guitar and mandolin, while Brian plays banjo and provides backup vocals. Raised in Cherry, MN, both graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with degrees in education. John now lives and works in Duluth, and Brian lives and works in Grand Rapids, MN. The Lindula Brothers play shows across the 218, performing original music written by John, as well as covers of both modern and traditional songs. Covers include selections from Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled by Turtles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Woody Guthrie, and more! Folk favorites from America, Finland, Ireland, and the UK make up the catalog of traditional numbers.

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Tapers notes: Recording 7 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. For fans old good old fashioned bluegrass music, this is your set. They hit a lot of old classics, some originals, and some local covers as well. Really enjoyable set, and fantastic musicians.

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

Jordan Messerole, Live at Muskie Days, Nevis, MN- 7/18/26

Jordan Messerole
Muskie Days
Nevis, MN
July 18th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS556)

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.jordanmesserole.com

1. Intro
2. Summer Thunder
3. Livin' Pretty Good
4. Trying to Leave Trempealeau
5. River of Mercy
6. Small Engine Repair
7. Cry Over Me
8. Drinker's Dawn
9. Ghost of My Grandfather
10. Sheetrock Royalty
11. Idle at Rage
12. Henrietta, Queen of the Highway

Archive.org / Google Drive

Americana Singer/songwriter from central MN. From the depths of his midwestern roots, Messerole masterfully blends the sounds of his guitar with engaging lyrics, and often a harmonica, to tell gritty American tales that are bound to evoke emotion from all of his listeners. The motifs of his songs can vary as greatly as the wild flowers in the native tall grass. Messerole does frequently write about that flora, as well as the fauna of the region. Not to mention all of it's wild life. Not one to shy away from subject matter, the songs can frequently meander across the lines between love and loss, success and failure, or life and death. Jordan has garnered awards and distinctions that have landed him in the same company as John Prine, Jason Isbell, and John Hiatt. Fans of the aforementioned artists will find satisfaction in his songs as well. Messerole is happy to share his original folk, blues, and alternative country music that's cultivated right here in the heart of the Great Plains.

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Tapers notes: Recording 6 of 13 from Muskie Days 2026. Day 2 of Muskie Days began with a great singer-songwriter, Jordan Messerole. I hadn't heard the name before, but I really enjoyed his music and lyrics. As soon as I heard his voice, it reminded me of Canadian musician William Prince, and I loved it immediately. If you aren't familiar with Jordan, I would definitely recommend looking his music up on any streaming site.

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

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"

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"