City Mouse, Live at Minnesota Square Park, St. Peter, MN- 9/12/26

City Mouse
Minnesota Square Park
St. Peter, MN
Sep. 12th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS587)

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.

More pictures here: Link

https://www.facebook.com/p/City-Mouse-100021536894781/

1. Intro
2. Baton Rouge (Guy Clark cover)
3. People Get Ready (The Impressions cover)
4. Walkin' (Willie Nelson cover)
5. The Medicine Man (Keb’ Mo’ cover)
6. Means to an End
7. Liza Jane (Vince Gill cover)
8. Smile All Over
9. When Rita Leaves (Delbert McClinton cover)
10. Lake Charles (Lucinda Williams cover)
11. Willin' (Little Feat cover)
12. Dixie Chicken (Little Feat cover)

Ron Arsenault- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Erik Koskinen- Electric Guitar
Kit Kildahl- Electric Guitar
Tim Waters- Pedal Steel, Banjo
Dave Pengra- Bass, Vocals
Mike Pengra- Drums, Vocals
Billy Steiner- Harmonica
Dale Haefner-Keyboard

Archive.org / Google Drive

City Mouse is a long-running, staple "good-time" roots, blues, and rock band based in Mankato, Minnesota. Formed in May 1971 by harmonica player Billy Steiner and Bobby Drengler, the group has entertained Upper Midwest audiences for over five decades.

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Tapers notes: Recording 1 of 7 from Rock Bend Folk Festival 2026. Rock Bend always feels like the unofficial end of summer to me. It's one of the last really nice weekends of the summer before we start getting that fall weather, and it's always one of my favorite times of the year. I've missed the last couple festivals because the lineups left a lot to be desired, but this year presented a great lineup. Kicking things off are mainstays City Mouse, who put on a great show as always, and the recording sounds great.

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

Dean Johnson, Live at Turf Club, St. Paul, MN- 9/11/26

Dean Johnson
Turf Club
St. Paul, MN
Sep. 11th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS584-586)

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

-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 Dean Johnson for allowing me to record.

More pictures here: Link

Old Pup

https://oldpup.bandcamp.com

1. Bee
2. Stalactites
3. Spider Towns
4. Passing
5. Beware O Wanderer
6. ?

Will Hansen- Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Ellie Jackson- Vocals, Omnichord, Flute
Drue DeVente- Bass
Nate Kinsman- Drums

Archive.org / Google Drive

Old Pup is a warmly haunted folk outfit led by Milwaukee-based pedal steel player/songwriter Will Hansen, who writes lyrically vivid (at-times experimental) country-tinged songs. Sophomore album, 'Spider Towns,' features intimate, ethereal recordings captured in living rooms, warehouse hallways, & wide-open fields spanning Milwaukee, New Orleans, & New Mexico. Hansen’s lyrical dexterity is at the forefront of this latest collection, seamlessly weaving the everyday with the interstellar. In the words of songwriter Chris Acker, “Old Pup is Rosetta-stoned.”

Sadie Gustafson-Zook

https://www.sadiegustafsonzook.com

1. Intro
2. Plea for Potential
3. Maybe I Don't Know
4. I Just Wanna Be
5. ?
6. I Know We Can Make Us Free
7. Kitchen

Archive.org / Google Drive

Sadie Gustafson-Zook is a songwriter with that enviable knack of being able to take a very specific moment in her life and somehow imbue it with universality and a common thread. Listening to her songs, you find yourself thinking about your own existence as you learn about hers.

Dean Johnson

https://www.deanjohnsongs.com

1. Intro

2. Shouldn’t Say Mine

3. The Man in the Booth

4. Painted Smile

5. Your Shadow

6. Shake Me

7. Blue Moon

8. Annabelle Goodbye

9. Carol

10. Hang Youie

11. So Much Better

12. Acting School

13. Old TV

14. Before You Hit the Ground

15. Faraway Skies

16. Nothing for Me, Please

17. Swingin Party (The Replacements cover)

Dean Johnson- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Will Hansen- Pedal Steel

Ellie Jackson- Vocals, Omnichord

Drue DeVente- Bass

Nate Kinsman- Drums

Archive.org / Google Drive

With I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, his debut for Saddle Creek, Dean Johnson makes a pact with the listener: He will sing you his truth in the most heartfelt and charming way possible, if you promise to keep an open mind.

The title partly stems from the playful way the Seattle-based singer, songwriter and guitarist communes with his audiences at concerts. “I hope you’re not afraid to talk to me after the show,” he’ll say, sweetly, before launching into “Death of the Party,” the album’s seventh song. Centered on the “energy vampire” archetype — the exasperating windbag we’ve all encountered at some point — its lyrics are at once intellectually biting and unmistakably hilarious. His tender voice rings out like the ghost of Roy Orbison or a misfit Everly brother.

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Tapers notes: This show was originally supposed to take place in January but was canceled, thankfully scheduling worked out so I could go to the make up date. I've been a fan of Dean since his debut album in 2023, and he's become more well know to the public from "Faraway Skies" being played in an episode of Reservation Dogs, so it was no surprise that song got the biggest applause of the night. Dean and his team were really accommodating to me in terms allowing me to record, which I'm very thankful for, and Dean's set is a really great quality recording. The 2 openers are AUD recordings as I only got permission to record Dean's set from the soundboard, and unfortunately the crowd was pretty talkative, which annoys me to no end.

[Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by the artists at this show do not reflect my own.]

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam

I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"

Ally Venable Band, Live at MN State Fair, Falcon Heights, MN- 9/5/26

Ally Venable Band
MN State Fair
Falcon Heights, MN
Sep. 5th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS583)

Lineage: Zoom H1Essential (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.

More pictures here: Link

https://allyvenableband.com

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Unbreakable
3. Steamroller (James Taylor cover)
4. Texas Louisiana (w/ Matthew Mwangi on guitar)
5. Stopper Back Papa > Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) (Parliament cover)
6. Tribute to S.R.V.

Set 2

1. Intro
2. Brown Liquor
3. Broken & Blue
4. Feel That Sting
5. Fire (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
6. Going Down (The Alabama State Troupers cover)

Ally Venable- Vocals, Guitar
Isaac Pulido- Drums
Randy Wall- Keyboards
EJ Bedford- Bass

Archive.org / Google Drive

A powerhouse band from the Lone Star State, the Ally Venable Band dazzles crowds, igniting excitement in the modern blues scene. Frontwoman, singer-songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Ally Venable spent the past decade carving out her own unique space in the male-dominated blues-rock world, defying expectations and shattering barriers.

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Tapers notes: As I said in my upload of Ally's show the previous day, this was not on my schedule, but I was so impressed by her show on Friday that I had to come back for the Saturday show. All the same songs as the day before, just a different order, but still well worth a listen. Unfortunately this show has more crowd noise than the Friday show, as there was definitely a bigger crowd this day, which isn't all that surprising seeing as it was a weekend show.

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

Ally Venable Band, Live at MN State Fair, Falcon Heights, MN- 9/4/26

Ally Venable Band
MN State Fair
Falcon Heights, MN
Sep. 4th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS582)

Lineage: Zoom H1Essential (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.

More pictures here: Link

https://allyvenableband.com

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Unbreakable
3. Steamroller (James Taylor cover)
4. Broken & Blue
5. Stopper Back Papa > Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) (Parliament cover)
6. Tribute to S.R.V.

Set 2

1. Brown Liquor
2. Texas Louisiana
3. Feel That Sting
4. Fire (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
5. Going Down (The Alabama State Troupers cover)

Ally Venable- Vocals, Guitar
Isaac Pulido- Drums
Randy Wall- Keyboards
EJ Bedford- Bass

Archive.org / Google Drive

A powerhouse band from the Lone Star State, the Ally Venable Band dazzles crowds, igniting excitement in the modern blues scene. Frontwoman, singer-songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Ally Venable spent the past decade carving out her own unique space in the male-dominated blues-rock world, defying expectations and shattering barriers.

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Tapers notes: This was my first time seeing Ally, and wow, what a show. I had heard her name and listened to some of her music, but wasn't super familiar with her. But, I had heard she put on a great show, so I figured I would check her out. I'm so glad I did, she is an amazing musician, one of the best guitar players I've had the pleasure of seeing live. Most musical acts at the free stages play 2 days in a row, and this was the case with Ally. I had only planned to see her this day (Friday), but as soon as the show ended I texted my roommate that I was bringing her with me the next day to see Ally again. I actually had another concert planned on Saturday, but changed those plans because of how blown away I was. Recording quality is decent, I wasn't able to use my usual setup because of fair rules, so I did the best I could with what I had.

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

Josie Sanken, Live at O'Neil's, Spicer, MN- 8/30/26

Josie Sanken
O'Neil's
Spicer, MN
Aug. 30th, 2026

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS581)

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. I Will Wait (Mumford & Sons cover)
2. Automatic (Miranda Lambert cover)
3. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
4. Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) (The Judds cover)
5. Beautiful Things (Benson Boone cover)
6. Stand by Me (Ben E. King cover)
7. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
8. Jolene (Dolly Parton cover)
9. Tennessee Whiskey (David Allan Coe cover)
10. Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N’ Roses cover)
11. Rose Garden (Joe South cover)
12. Landslide (Fleetwood Mac cover)
13. Stuck Like Glue (Sugarland cover)
14. What's Up? (4 Non Blondes cover)
15. No One Else on Earth (Wynonna Judd cover)
16. Strawberry Wine (Deana Carter cover)
17. Ring of Fire (Merle Kilgore cover)
18. Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver cover)
19. Free Fallin' (Tom Petty 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. Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
4. Harper Valley P.T.A. (Tom T. Hall cover)
5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2 cover)
6. We Danced Anyway (Deana Carter cover)
7. Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
8. Some Days You Gotta Dance (The Ranch cover)
9. Blue (LeAnn Rimes cover)
10. When You Say Nothing at All (Paul Overstreet cover)
11. Heads Carolina, Tails California (Jo Dee Messina cover)
12. My Jesus (Anne Wilson cover)
13. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan cover)

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"

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"