Three things

Uno: We have a few copies of Tina Kugler's most excellent SputnikFest poster on hand, featuring her cool retro SputnikBabe. These are numbered, limited edition posters (100 in the edition) screen printed on heavy stock, signed and numbered by Tina. If you're into excellent art work, all things retro or vintage, one-of-a-kind (or 100-of-a-kind) cool posters, or know someone who is (cool gift), then this thing is definitely for you. It's the inaugural poster for the very first annual SputnikFest event in Manitowoc county. The second best part of this is that they're dang inexpensive too...only $18...which is really kind of a crazy cheap price for something of this quality. I'm having mine matted and framed and it's going in my home office. Get 'em while they're hot, baby!

Dos: We have a really exceptional weekend of live music scheduled this week. On Friday (the 22nd) Ethan Keller is returning from Milwaukee. If you saw Ethan when he was here a few months ago you know how exceptionally good this guy is. If you like jazzy, funky guitar and appreciate exceptional musicianship and songwriting Ethan is the man to see. Last time he played we had a bunch of local musicians in the house as Ethan "built" a number of songs from the floor up right in front of everyone...the local guys were mighty impressed and all raved about what he was doing. You can listen to some of Ethan's music on his myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/ethankeller. 8:00pm Friday night.

Tres: On Saturday night Pat Zyduck will be doing his first gig at the Stump. We're pumped for this one too, because Pat has been to a few shows here when friends of his were playing and has actually sat in once or twice during breaks to play his own music. He was excellent, and his CD ("I Never Wanna Meet Another You") is a kicker too, so we scheduled a date and this Saturday (the 23rd) is it. Pat's music is a tight mix of blues-based rock with an old time country vibe hiding underneath (I think his Dad was a session guitarist who worked in Nashville). 8:00pm Saturday. You can hear some of Pat's music on his myspace site at: http://www.myspace.com/patzyduck.

We have some new eurobrews in the beer cooler this week too, including the English Fuller's 1845 Ale and Blanche de Namur, a Belgium Witbier (it's a biggie, over pint in a cool heavy glass bottle).

This week's HTR column

Here's the link. Make a comment on the site too if you have time.

I've added a column on the side ("My HTR Columns") with all of the columns to date that you can link to if you wish.

Updates and More Music

It's been a wild and woolly couple of weeks, with lots going on and I'm finding it a challenge to manage my time in getting everything done, including updating the blogs. I try to get in two or three updates a week but with our prepping the addition of a wine and cheese bar area in the shop, giving Kim a few days off, revamping the menu, and a few other double-secret projects in the works I haven't made the blogs a priority. Am hoping to update all three (Stumpjumper's Meandering, Stumptoons, Diary of the Daft) today (one down with this one...two to go).

And speaking of wild and woolly, Wild Bill Walkner will be here Saturday night at 8:00 to bring a smile to your ears and a melody to your soul. Come on down and relax and listen to some good-time tunes from Bill.

We're putting together the music schedule for the next three months or so now too...several "new" musicians and some old friends to make your weekends right.

New Live Music this weekend w/ Adam & Lloyd

This weekend Stumpjack has some fine music scheduled. On Saturday our ol' pal Lloyd Rohr will be performing his mellow and raspy-voiced songs for your entertainment pleasure yet again. Lloyd's a pro who has been playing great music for quite a while along the lakeshore. Last time he was here (a month or so ago I think) Lloyd really was fabulous and everyone just had a great time. His songlist covers a lot of ground and is sure to smooth over any rough edges the work-week might have given you.

Lloyd Rohr

But first, on Friday night, Adam Morantez will be here for his first Stump gig. Adam and his wife just moved here from Minnesota and he stopped in a couple weeks ago to say hi and drop off a CD for us to listen to. After listening to Adam's CD we had planned to schedule him right away in October because we're fairly full-up until then. But as luck or fate would have it, Kelly Underwood called and said she was going to hit the American Idol try-outs in Nashville this Friday (good luck Kelly!) and wanted to know if it was all right to reschedule with us (hmmm...Stumpjack or American Idol...what to do, what to do...). So I emailed Adam straight away and asked him if he wanted to fill in this Friday...good luck for us because he said yes! It's short notice and we didn't have time to do a press release or anything substantive for the paper, but tomorrow night is the night folks. Come on down and welcome our new friend and neighbor and enjoy Adam's brand of acoustic music. If his CD mirrors what he plays live it will be an evening of good acoustic, spare and heartfelt, independent music.

Adam Morantez

8:00pm both nights.

Adam Morantez

Who: Adam Morantez
What: acoustic indie music
When: Friday, Aug 8 at 8:00pm
Where: Stumpjack Coffee, 1606 Washington St., Two Rivers
one drink minimum

Who: Lloyd Rohr
What: acoustic music, mellow and smooth
When: Saturday, Aug 9 at 8:00pm
Where: Stumpjack Coffee, 1606 Washington St., Two Rivers
one drink minimum

Derek Pritzl Flickr pics

Flickr images from Derek Pritzl's gig last Saturday night. We heard a number of cool new tunes from Derek, who was back in town from Madison where he is now going to school. He and Scott put on a rock & blues tour de force, with some great harp accompaniment on a few songs from a friend of theirs who's name I'm afraid I don't recall (look at the pics). My camera was on the fritz on Friday, the night before, when Mike Retzinger and Joa LaForce performed...great night of mucic from Mike and Joe, and some really fabulous guitar playing. Those guys are as smooth as silk, real pros.