BY ED FELIEN
OK, Willie hasn’t moved to Richfield, but Blue Mondays has.
Blue Mondays was an institution at The Viking Bar on the West Bank. It would start in the late afternoon and go until the bar closed at 1 a.m. It was a community affair—diverse enough to include both earnest strivers and ne’er-do-wells. Everybody was friendly and well behaved. Willie would set up early and be gradually joined by a full band that would include a bass player, piano, drums and at least a three-piece horn section. His band used to be called Willie and the Bees. Today it’s called the Angel Headed Hipsters from Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl”: “angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night.”
Now, Willie and the Angel Headed Hipsters play every Monday at the Richfield American Legion Hall at 6501 Portland Ave. S. It says they start at 7 p.m., but Bingo is still going at 7. Willie starts to set up, plugging in amps at that time, but he doesn’t start playing until after 7:30. And the musicians straggle in. A bass player might arrive at about 8, and the whole band might be complete by 9. There’s good food at reasonable prices, cheap drinks and a huge free parking lot. The crowd is a flashback to the Viking Bar—the same ancient, angel-faced hippies you knew 20 and 30 years ago.
For those readers who don’t know Willie, this is from The Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame: “Willie Murphy has been writing, performing, recording and producing Blues/R&B music for over 30 years. His 1969 collaboration with folk/blues legend ‘Spider’ John Koerner, ‘Running, Jumping, Standing Still,’ is still acclaimed as an all-time folk/blues classic. Throughout the ’70s and into the ’80s, Willie and the Bees defined live R&B/soul music. The band was famous for their unique blending of blues, R&B, jazz, funk, reggae and rock into an electric and eclectic sound that still defies categorization to this day.
“Throughout the ’90s and into the new millennium Willie Murphy continues to bring his unique brand of soul music to audiences across the globe. In 1990 Willie Murphy was named as one of the three charter members of the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame along with Bob Dylan and Prince. With his new band, the Angel Headed Hipsters, Willie continues to sell out performances throughout the United States as well as headlining major festivals in France, Italy and the Netherlands.”
The Richfield American Legion Post is a great venue for music, and there’s more than Willie on the menu. The Wasted Rock Rangers play on Tuesday nights and there’s Karoke led by Brian Harrell on Wednesdays. This month the “Fabulous” Del Counts will be playing on July 23. They have been playing rock and roll in the Twin Cities since 1964: “Come on, baby, let the good times roll.” And the Castaways, another local classic rock and roll band (“Liar, Liar” was their hit that made it to number 12 on the Billboard charts in 1965), will play on July 30.
If you’d rather listen to music outside in the summer, there’s a wonderful summer program of free concerts at Augsburg Park, 7000 Nicollet Ave. S. St. Anthony Main will be performing July 16 from 7 to 8 p.m. They’re an a cappella folk group—they rock “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
The Northern Winds Concert Band will be performing July 23. They practice all year at House of Prayer Lutheran Church at 76th and Chicago Avenue. They were started in 1979 by a group of Bloomington Kennedy High School parents to give adults who play instruments an opportunity to continue playing beyond their high school and college years, and some of those original members are still with them.
There’s fun and music for kids at Augsburg Park on Tuesdays at 12 noon. “Jack Pearson: Music and Stories” happens on July 14. Jack has recorded half a dozen children’s records. Bob the Beachcomber, “Rock and Roll and fun for all ages,” happens July 21, and Rachael Kroog is the “Kid Power Music and Animal Show” on July 28.
Richfield Rocks! There’s something for everyone—from 8 to 80.
