Alright, things ain’t exactly back to normal around town. Not even close…
The ‘Rona is still lurking. The weekend was a riot. This isn’t the summer we were looking for. But this blog’s purpose is to reflect reality, not reimagine it. And as things are starting to happen — as patios open and show bookings begin — you’re gonna need this resource more than ever to keep up on what’s what. So here we go!
Buckle up, kids. We might be in for a bumpy ride.
In the meantime, take a minute to watch Aerosmith writhe around in 1977. Timeless? I don’t know, but it’s nice to know that some things never change. May we all be still be rockin’ 40 odd years from now:
So how long’s this Covid-19 thing gonna last? I have a hunch we’ll be out and about sooner than later. Now, I’m not saying that’s a good thing. (THIS IS AN A-POLTICAL WEBSITE, SO SAVE IT!)
But here’s the deal:
Mayor Paul was pushing hard to put in a shelter-in-place ordinance for Sioux Falls, hoping to get some buy-in from the surrounding towns, and begging for the governor to have his back, a least as far as Minnehaha and Lincoln counties were concerned.
Well, that didn’t work out. Without support from City Council, the S-H-P was D.O.A., and he knew it.
I’m guessing people will interpret that as, “Green light! It’s go-time baby!” — especially now as the sun is shining and the temperature’s rising. There are some ideal patio-hopping spring days coming up, and I’ve lived here long enough to know that when the weather breaks, the people want to play.
It’ll start with a few “to go” beers cracked open on some patios, guys here and there swearing they’re staying six feet apart, promising to wash their hands after hitting the can. But give it a month and all pretense of social distancing is drowning in another round.
You heard it here first.
Whatever happens, the good news is that the powers-that-be are claiming there’s enough hospital beds to go around to handle an outbreak. Let’s hope that’s true. But also: Let’s not push it folks, m’kay?
Ok, my fearless readers. You’ve noticed by now that I hit the pause button on this thing a few weeks ago, once the ‘Rona started getting serious. All the smart kids started staying home — shelter-in-place order or not — and I for one was not going to encourage anyone to do otherwise.
But that doesn’t mean it’s over! It just means we’re taking a break on breaking news while we wait for the shit to stop hitting the fan. Honestly, I can’t wait to get this thing ramped up as we head into summer and all of our pent-up spending money gets let loose on new shows and good times.
Obviously, I’ve not been updating The Calendar. I’ve also not instructed my team to go through and pull stuff that may or may not (but probably totally is) cancelled.
So for now: Just consider it cancelled. If we hear otherwise, we’ll let you know. And when it’s all back on, it’ll be on fyisiouxfalls.com!
Some people were born loving musical theater, some have had musical theater thrust upon them. Yeah, I’m the latter category, but I’m glad that I’m catching on. Having a dramatic kid in the house helps get guys like me out of their snobby shells!
Last Tuesday the troupe touring Waitress brought the show to the Washington Pavilion, playing to a sold-out-ish crowd. Waitress was a little film about a small town gal who bakes her feelings into award-winning pies at a small town diner. Sara Bareilles — she who won’t write you a love song — adapted the film into a musical back in 2015 and it’s had a great run.
Fantastic cast on this one, with Ms. Bailey McCall taking the lead role. Her voice alone could carry the show – really exceptional, earning a double round of applause on the big number “She Used To Be Mine.” Also: Live band. Canned music always sounds a little off at these things, a little overdone, a little out of step with what’s happening on stage. These guys nailed it.
The Pavilion’s been bringing more show like this to town, and you ought to give them a chance. Looking to get your feet wet? Next season they’ve got the Jimmy Buffett musical “Escape to Margaritaville” on the bill. How ’bout that for a gateway drug?
Alright, with the way things are going, I’m not sure if I’ll get around to the other two… can you get a pint in a to-go cup? Is that legal?? But here are a few thoughts on the beers my crack team o’ tasters got around to last week:
WoodGrain Brewing Co.Mash Madness Brew: Snobbery As they say: “The Snobbery is a super sessionable NE-Style IPA. Get your fill of citrus and tropical fruit notes with a little hop bitterness. The Snobbery is a refreshing beer perfect for any time of the year!” My take: This is a great beer! Fantastic beer! My perfect cup-o-suds! But they’ve had it on tap before, so I just can’t give ’em a vote for phoning one in.
Remedy Brewing Company Mash Madness Brew: Amaretto Sour As they say: “Inspired by the cocktail it’s named after, this refreshingly tangy German Berliner Weisse made with house toasted almonds, tart Oregon cherry, and vanilla will send your taste buds on a rollercoaster of flavor! Your first sip begins with a rush of tart cherry, followed by a toasty nuttiness that mellows into soft vanilla and bready wheat.” My take: You gotta lot going on! This is definitely a one-beer-with-dinner drink, something to sip at while expanding your palette. I’m thinking a nice piece of salmon off the grill on an early summer’s eve. So, did I like it? Well, sure. It was fun.
Fernson Brewing Company Brew Name: Tropical Punch Smoothie Sour As they say: “Kettle soured ale fermented with passionfruit, pink guava, pomegranate, and madagascar vanilla beans. Juicy, sweet, and tart.” My take: Again with the sour! Trends being what they are, I won’t downvote this guy for not being an IPA. There’s more to life than hops, or so I’m told. That being said, this beer has ’em and more. No, it’s not going to be my everyday elixir, but I like what it’s doing. Nice balance of extra elements. But it’s still beer, under there.
At the end of the evening, Fernson’s Tropical Punch Smoothie Sour was the squad’s unanimous favorite. I’ll let you know how Severance and Monk’s fair if we get around to round two. I’m pretty sure that local brews are good for what ails ya, right?
